Microsoft sees Q4 profits soar

Microsoft Corp, the world’s largest software maker, reported fourth-quarter profit and sales that exceeded analysts’ predictions as demand from corporations outweighed lacklustre buying from consumers.

Net income in the fiscal period that ended in June rose 30% to $5.87 billion (€4.07bn), or 69 cents a share, from $4.52bn, or 51c, a year earlier, Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft said in a statement. That beat the 58-cent estimate of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.

Sales rose to $17.4bn, compared with the $17.2bn average projection.