Microsoft Posts Record $11.8B Revenue

Microsoft on Thursday announced its financials for the quarter closing out 2005, posting record revenue of $11.84 billion and a 9 percent increase over the previous year. Profit for the quarter topped $3.65 billion thanks to 14 percent growth in the company's Server and Tools division.

Microsoft also cited the Xbox 360 and the success of Windows XP in a growing PC market as reasons behind the record results. Operating income dipped 2 percent to $4.66 billion due to expanded marketing efforts like the one pushing the new Xbox console. Microsoft also returned $8.5 billion to shareholders during the quarter in the form of dividends and share repurchases.