PCs, games boost MS profit

Microsoft posted solid growth in quarterly sales and profit yesterday, buoyed by strong holiday sales of personal computers and video games. Microsoft said sales for the second quarter rose 7 per cent, to $10.82 bn, surpassing the $10.55 bn average of Wall Street analysts’ estimates.

‘‘This was yet another excellent quarter,’’ said John Connors, chief financial officer at Microsoft. ‘‘In general, the economic environment is healthy.’’

Microsoft earned 32 cents a share during the quarter on profit of $3.46 bn. That compares with a profit of 14 cents a share, or $1.55 billion, in the year-ago period, when the company took a $2.21 bn charge for an employee stock-option exchange programme. —NYT