I wonder how Microsoft's shareholders feel?

I haven't read the MS press release you've linked to, but does it mentioin that its shares were down 7% in after-hours trading, or that the results cap off Microsoft's worst year in 23 years as a listed company?

Windows 7 really does appear to be make or break time for them.

As the press release was MS's 4th quater results it wouldn't mention things that happen after it is released otherwise that would be some press release

Indeed it would! Although I'm sure someone at the company noticed it was their worst year in 23 years as a listed company.

I wonder if those MS shareholders - with their 1% ROI - will let Uncle Fester survive similarly bad numbers in the half-yearly results, especially as Windows 7 is meant to save the farm.

In not entirely unrelated news:



http://daringfireball.net/linked/2009/07/23/wilcox-npd

I think what they're actually saying is Macs are expensive compared to PCs, which we all knew anyway.

They probably did but I have yet to see a press release from a company which read "OMFG were DOOOOOMED i tells yah, dont buy us no one else is, why dont you get that free stuff from the penguin boyz"

As all ways it would depend when you bought the shares, how long you intend to keep them and how much divedends you get whilst you keep them (as long as the company pays a dividend of course), when/if you decide to sell them and as well as the performance of rest of the market.

It seems you need it spelt out for you - a press release isn't news. Why not link to an actual story, which might give some context as well as the figures.



Sorry, but falling sales, profits and share prices - especially when your competitors are offering the opposite - don't bode well for any company's shareholders or their board of directors.

But if you'd be happy buying MS shares, I have some money in Nigeria that needs shifting.

Since when have press releases stopped being news?



I have no MS shares and I have no intention of buying MS shares, though I would expect a company that is dependant on the buisness community for a large percentage of its income to be suffering a reduction in earnings during a recession.

They never started - they're PR, not news.

Exactly.

A majority of your customers cut spending, it is fairly logical that your sales will fall.

That argument would hold more water if its competitors weren't doing well, despite the economic downturn. However, it does highlight how vulnerable MS is during a recession as it relies heavily on one sector - corporates - for its income. It has nowhere to turn when they stop buying.

I'm sure it will all turn out fine for them tho, this recession thing can't last forever.