Microsoft breaks down its earnings
C|Net | at | by Mike
Microsoft saw a jump in profits from its server and tools business last quarter, while its desktop Windows and Office business posted slight declines in profits from a year earlier, according to documents filed Thursday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The company released individual segment sales when it reported earnings last month but, until Thursday, had not reported how much money each of its seven business units made or lost.
In October, Microsoft reported earnings of $2.6 billion on $8.2 billion in revenue, saying an improvement in PC sales helped the company exceed its earlier forecasts. However, the company also saw a drop in so-called unearned revenue--that is, money taken in for long-term contracts, as customers expressed reticence over security issues.