If MSFT did as well last quarter, the unusual revenue deferral
effect form last Q should add 800million topline. So top line
of 5.2Billion looks quite possible.
Platforms product revenue grew 26% to $2.05 billion in the third quarter.
Windows-based units licensed through the OEM channel, particularly Windows NT
Workstation, increased strongly over the prior year. Organizational licensing of Windows
NT Workstation and Windows 98 also contributed to the growth. Windows NT Server
revenue was healthy, although the growth rate slowed from growth percentages in prior
quarters. Windows CE and Microsoft WebTV Network[tm] service continued to show
strong revenue growth, albeit small in amount.
Applications and Tools product revenue increased 4% to $1.94 billion in the March
quarter. Underlying shipments of desktop applications were strong, led by Microsoft
Office integrated suites, including the Standard, Professional, and Small Business
Editions. However, desktop applications earned revenue actually decreased from a year
ago, due to the impact of the Office 2000 Technology Guarantee noted above. Server
applications revenue, principally Microsoft Exchange Server and Microsoft SQL
Server[tm], increased strongly over the comparable quarter of the prior year. SQL
Server revenue in the March quarter was very healthy, and also included earned revenue
of $45 million related to fulfillment of free upgrades to SQL Server 7.0, which was
treated as unearned the prior quarter. The Visual Studio® 6.0 development system, an
integrated set of software development tools, drove moderate tools revenue growth.
Interactive Media and Other revenue was $341 million, up 22% from the comparable
quarter of fiscal 1998. Online advertising revenue rose substantially, while revenue from
hardware, consumer software, and Microsoft Press was relatively flat. |
