SOFTWARE giant Microsoft posted a big rise in quarterly profits – amid signs of a return to technology spending by corporate customers.
Microsoft exceeded forecasts to lift revenues by 22% to £10.5bn in the second quarter as profits increased by 48% to £3bn.
The results were helped by strong sales of Office 2010 as revenues from the company’s business software arm rose by 15% to £3.5bn.
Microsoft added that more than 175m Windows 7 licences had been sold since the product was launched last year.
It said there were signs that its corporate customers were starting to spend again after billings for its multi-year agreements with big companies increased in the quarter.
