Weeks out from the launch of their highly anticipated Windows 8 operating system, Microsoft has posted a fourth quarter loss of $492 million on revenue of $18.1 billion.Operating income for the quarter, ended June 30 was $192 million, down dramatically from the $5.9 billion generated during the same period in 2011.
The company said this was because of a $6.2 billion write down associated with Microsoft’s purchase of AQuantive and $540 million in deferred revenue for the Windows Upgrade Offer.
For Microsoft’s fiscal year the company had a net income of $17 billion on sales of $73.7 billion. This is compared to the $23.1 billion in income on $69.9 billion in sales made during 2011. Adjusting for the Goodwill Impairment and deferred revenue income raises to $28.5 billion and revenue $74.3 billion.
“Over the coming year, we’ll release the next versions of Windows, Office, Windows Server, Windows Phone, and many other products and services that will drive our business forward and provide unprecedented opportunity to our customers and partners,” said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
Yesterday Microsoft was one of several Companies who were criticised by Choice for price gouging in Australia.
In a submission to the parliamentary inquiry into IT pricing, the consumer group claimed that across 44 software products, Australian prices were 34 per cent more expensive.
One piece of Microsoft software was nearly $9,000 more expensive in Australia than the United States.
