Microsoft Shares Rise After Results Top Estimates

Microsoft Corp. on Thursday reported a fiscal first-quarter profit of $4.54 billion, or 54 cents a share, on revenue of $23.2 billion, compared with earnings of $5.24 billion, or 62 cents a share, on $18.5 billion in revenue in the same period a year ago. Analysts surveyed by FactSet had forecast Microsoft to earn 49 cents a share on $22 billion in sales. Microsoft shares rose 3.6% in after-hours trading following the release of its results.