Microsoft it still hasn't found a new CEO, but its accounts still beat analysts' estimates. In the fourth quarter of 2013, thanks to cloud services for businesses and good sales of the Xbox console, Bill Gates' creature saw profits rise to $6,56 billion, against the $6,38 billion recorded in the same period of last year.
In terms of earnings per share, the figure went from 76 to 78 cents, beating the consensus, stuck at 68 cents. Revenues rose from $21,4 billion to $24,5 billion, again beating market expectations of $23,7 billion.
The results were supported by business demand for software - an activity that generates about three quarters of the Redmond giant's total gross profits - from the renewed Xbox and the new generation of Surface tablets, products launched in time for the holiday shopping season .
Driving the growth were cloud services, which saw revenue grow by 100% in one year. The commercial division, which includes servers, business services and cloud computing, posted a 10% increase in revenues to $12,67 billion. Device and consumer segment revenue – which includes the game console, Office suite and Surface tablet – jumped 13%, to $11,91 billion.
As for the Surface, which first launched 15 months ago and was revamped last October, its sales more than doubled in the last three months of 2013 compared to the previous quarter. The problem, analysts say, is that Microsoft's share of the tablet market remains very small and guarantees low margins: according to IDC, it was 2013% in 3,4 and estimates say it will rise to 10,2% in 2017.
