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Microsoft (MSFT) Beats on Strong Azure Numbers
Microsoft (MSFT - Free Report) put a wrap on its fiscal 2019 earnings reports with a fiscal Q4 post much better than expected on both top and bottom lines. Earnings of $1.31 per share easily topped the $1.21 analysts were expecting on $33.7 billion in quarterly revenues, surpassing the $32.7 billion in the Zacks consensus. This continues a streak of earnings beats that goes back more than four full years.
Microsoft’s intelligent cloud space, Azure, outperformed expectations with $11.4 billion for the quarter, helping what CEO Satya Nadella called a “record full year for Microsoft.” Gross margins came in at 69%, ahead of the 67% anticipated. The company also credited gains in Windows, Office, XBox Live and LinkedIn, to name just a few. Commercial cloud revenue came in up 39% year over year.
Shares are up roughly 1% in late trading, following the Q4 earnings post. Nadella has received lots of credit in the turnaround for Microsoft, bringing it from a strictly software operation to a cloud-sourcing major. Microsoft has enjoyed a 35% gain year to date.
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