The Washington based corporation has announced its Q2 2012 financial results, revealing that revenue is up five percent compared to the same period last year. Microsoft announced quarterly revenue of $20.89 billion for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2011.
“We delivered solid financial results, even as we prepare for a launch year that will accelerate many of our key products and services,” said Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer at Microsoft. “Coming out of the Consumer Electronics Show, we’re seeing very positive reviews for our new phones and PCs, and a strong response to our new Metro style design that will unify consumer experiences across our phones, PCs, tablets, and television in 2012.”
Windows profits
slump by 6%
The biggest revenue earner for Microsoft in the second fiscal quarter has been through its Entertainment & Devices Division, which posted revenue of $4.24 billion, an increase of 15% from the prior period. This was due to sales of Xbox 360 units, Kinect sensors and Xbox Live subscriptions, which are said to have increased by 33 percent compared to the same period last year.
The Server & Tools business, which includes Windows Server and SQL Server premium editions, posted $4.77 billion in second quarter revenue, an 11% increase from the prior year period, while Microsoft Business Division saw a three percent increase.
The only Microsoft business that did see a decline in Q2 was its Windows and Windows Live Division, which posted revenue of $4.74 billion, a 6% drop from the same period last year.
Following the results, Microsoft has revised its operating expenses for the year ending June 30, 2012, dropping it from $28.9 billion to $28.5 billion.
