Something I've said would start happening soon is showing its head. Microsoft posted earnings today and net income has fallen for the second straight quarter and the current quarter is expected to do the same. From Marketwatch: In addition: income slipped lower in their enteratinment division, specifically with the XBox.
I think it is worldwide issue, no just a Microsoft, in a worldwide recession, Microsoft will be hit and so will the rest of the companies. Google for one managed to post better results but for how long? The recession is just starting. Microsoft is posting at least reasonable results that though short of expectations, aren't too bad either, at least compared to the financials and banks, this is heaven.
They actually beat wallstreet expectations .... Its the next quarter outlook that doesn't look that good ... http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/microsoft-posts-gains-mildly-disappointing/story.aspx?guid={B8F80903-164B-4FE1-A02B-8EAD1CBE430C}
I think MSFT have a pretty steady growth for a company with market cap of 203.79B (compared to AAPL 87.02B market cap or GOOG's 110.79B) http://www.earnings.com/company.asp?client=cb&ticker=msft
He said "Having more cash than a $204 billion dollar company doesn't mean it's managed properly". lol With all the talk of "Vista sucks!" and MS having to push out Windows7 and Google mopping them up on the web and "The web is the new OS" and Google doubling sales in the last two years and the Gartner Group saying half of all college students by Apple for their notebook and Apple being up 21% in a down economy, it all fits together and indicates a significant trend.
Vista was a big mistake ... economically it doesn't look good in the near future for anyone in the US
For a company to grow profitably they sometimes have to spend their CASH (R&D, marketing, etc) and not letting them sit around and do nothing. I never said that Apple is poorly managed. and I've got to agree with other people in this thread : we're in difficult economy era
You miss part of the point. In a difficult economy, Apple is up, Microsoft is down. Don't be so forgiving of Microsoft. If Apple can do it, why not Microsoft?
I guess we need to follow the subsequent quarterly reports, Apple being dependent on the consumer market especially the high end segment may find it difficult to sustain such growth.