Microsoft Income Up 23% in Fiscal Q1 2008 on Skyrocketing Revenue

In early numbers from Microsoft prior to its quarterly financial results call to analysts this afternoon, the company reported revenue gains of 27% annually to $13.76 billion, and net income nicely higher by 23% annually to $4.29 billion, in what the company is calling its fastest first quarter of growth since 1999.

In the early afternoon statement, the company is crediting increased consumer demand for Windows Vista, primarily the Premium Edition, though analysts are likely to ask whether the Vista "sales mix" is actually weighted more toward pre-installations. The release of Halo 3 will also have played a factor, but certainly not to the tune of several billion more dollars in revenue in three months. All that means the company's stellar performer could turn out to be, once again...SQL Server, which has blossomed to becoming a principal profit center whose growth rivals its applications division.

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Nate Mook: Can Microsoft Make Vista More Compelling?

Scott Fulton: Can Vista Be Credited with Microsoft's Stellar Q1 Gains?