Microsoft profit dips ahead of Office revamp
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Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer speaks in front of Microsoft products at the Qualcomm pre-show keynote at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in this Jan 7, 2013, file photo. Microsoft Corp said its quarterly profit fell as Office software sales slowed ahead of a new launch, offsetting a solid start for its new Windows 8 operating system. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
SEATTLE (REUTERS) - Microsoft Corp said its quarterly profit fell as Office software sales slowed ahead of a new launch, offsetting a solid start for its new Windows 8 operating system.
Profit at the world's largest software company slid to US$6.4 billion (S$7.9 billion), or 76 US cents per share, in the fiscal second quarter, from US$6.6 billion, or 78 US cents per share, in the year-ago quarter.
Wall Street had expected 75 US cents per share, on average, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Overall sales rose 3 per cent to US$21.5 billion, Microsoft said on Thursday, in line with analysts' estimates.
