Microsoft Reports Record First-Quarter Revenue

REDMOND, Wash. — Oct. 23, 2008 — Microsoft Corp. today announced revenue of $15.06 billion for the fiscal quarter ended Sept. 30, 2008, a 9% increase over the same period of the prior year. Operating income, net income and diluted earnings per share for the quarter were $6.00 billion, $4.37 billion and $0.48, respectively.

Microsoft showed particular strength in multiyear annuity sales, which grew more than 20% during the quarter from the combined businesses of Client, Microsoft Business Division and Server and Tools.

“Our customers are asking how they can save money and do more with less,” said Kevin Turner, chief operating officer at Microsoft. “Microsoft is uniquely positioned to help our customers save money through supplier consolidation, increased productivity, and a low total cost of ownership through the depth and breadth of our product portfolio and solutions.”

Microsoft continued to add to its product and services portfolio with innovative offerings such as Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 and the first service update to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online.

“In a challenging economic environment, the first-quarter results exhibit the strength and diversity of our business model,” said Chris Liddell, chief financial officer of Microsoft.

Business Outlook

Microsoft’s business outlook reflects a balance of risks and the likelihood of a continued economic slowdown. The trends seen late in the first-quarter are now forecasted to continue, whereas previous expectations were for the economy to improve in the second half of the fiscal year. In this economic environment, the company is focused on three main actions; working with customers to provide high value products at the lowest total overall cost of ownership, increasing focus on expense management and targeting investment into the highest priority strategic opportunities.

Microsoft management offers the following guidance for the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2008:

  • Revenue is expected to be in the range of $17.3 billion to $17.8 billion.

  • Operating income is expected to be in the range of $6.1 billion to $6.4 billion.

  • Diluted earnings per share are expected to be in the range of $0.51 to $0.53.

Management offers the following guidance for the full fiscal year ending June 30, 2009:

  • Revenue is expected to be in the range of $64.9 billion to $66.4 billion.

  • Operating income is expected to be in the range of $24.4 billion to $25.5 billion.

  • Diluted earnings per share are expected to be in the range of $2.00 to $2.10.

Liddell noted that “we feel extremely good about our relative competitive position and our ability to continue outgrowing IT spend. We believe our exceptionally strong cash flow, product pipeline and financial strength will allow us to weather economic conditions well.”

Webcast Details

Microsoft will hold an audio webcast at 2:30 p.m. PDT (5:30 p.m. EDT) today with Chris Liddell, senior vice president and chief financial officer, Frank Brod, corporate vice president and chief accounting officer, and Bill Koefoed, general manager of Investor Relations, to discuss details of the company’s performance for the quarter and certain forward-looking information. The webcast will be available for replay through the close of business on Oct. 23, 2009.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this release that are “forward-looking statements” are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially because of factors such as:

  • challenges to Microsoft’s business model;

  • intense competition in all of Microsoft’s markets;

  • Microsoft’s continued ability to protect its intellectual property rights;

  • claims that Microsoft has infringed the intellectual property rights of others;

  • the possibility of unauthorized disclosure of significant portions of Microsoft’s source code;

  • actual or perceived security vulnerabilities in Microsoft products that could reduce revenue or lead to liability;

  • government litigation and regulation affecting how Microsoft designs and markets its products;

  • Microsoft’s ability to attract and retain talented employees;

  • delays in product development and related product release schedules;

  • significant business investments that may not gain customer acceptance and produce offsetting increases in revenue;

  • changes in general economic conditions that affect our investment portfolio or demand for computer hardware or software;

  • adverse results in legal disputes;

  • unanticipated tax liabilities;

  • quality or supply problems in Microsoft’s consumer hardware or other vertically integrated hardware and software products;

  • impairment of goodwill or amortizable intangible assets causing a charge to earnings;

  • exposure to increased economic and regulatory uncertainties from operating a global business;

  • geopolitical conditions, natural disaster, cyberattack or other catastrophic events disrupting Microsoft’s business;

  • acquisitions and joint ventures that adversely affect the business;

  • improper disclosure of personal data could result in liability and harm to Microsoft’s reputation;

  • outages and disruptions of online services if Microsoft fails to maintain an adequate operations infrastructure;

  • sales channel disruption, such as the bankruptcy of a major distributor; and

  • Microsoft’s ability to implement operating cost structures that align with revenue growth.

For further information regarding risks and uncertainties associated with Microsoft’s business, please refer to the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Risk Factors” sections of Microsoft’s SEC filings, including, but not limited to, its annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, copies of which may be obtained by contacting Microsoft’s Investor Relations department at (800) 285-7772 or at Microsoft’s Investor Relations Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/msft.

All information in this release is as of Oct. 23, 2008. The company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in the company’s expectations.

For more information, financial analysts and investors only:

Bill Koefoed, general manager, Investor Relations, (425) 706-3703

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. Shareholder and financial information, as well as today’s 2:30 p.m. PDT conference call with investors and analysts, is available at http://www.microsoft.com/msft.

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