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Microsoft sales soar - vnunet.com
VNUNet.com - Jul 27, 2006
‘Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS) put in a very good year, and is movingtowards that magical $1bn (£539m) threshold,’ said Ovum analyst David Bradshaw. ‘Microsoft CRM played a large role in the growth of MBS. ’MSN is undergoing a major overhaul of its infrastructure, which has hit itsadvertising revenues. But its dial-up business is gradually dying away becauseof the ubiquity of broadband. What do you think? Email us at.
http://www.vnunet.com/computing/analysis/2161221/microsoft-sales-soar
Where on the horizon is Vista?
CNET News.com - Jul 27, 2006
Included in that is $450 million in product launch and marketing costs as Microsoft updates Windows and Office. Another $450 million is earmarked for growing its overall sales and marketing strength. And $500 million will go to online-services investments, including its AdCenter ad-serving tool, its search engine, Office Live, Live. com and its CRM Live service. A further $1 billion is for development of "high-growth products, and new products and services,"--an umbrella for all kinds of new ventures. That leaves about $300 million in general corporate spending and potential acquisitions, Liddell said. One of the usual questions that is likely to be less pressing this year is what Microsoft plans to do with all its cash.
http://news.com.com/2100-1016-6098922.html
Microsoft: Web Services No Threat to Traditional Software Model
FOX News - Jul 28, 2006
Ozzie took issue with technology purists who say Web-delivered services will completely replace traditional computer-installed software. "Software as service" advocates include Microsoft competitors in business and consumer markets, including Salesforce. com (CRM), Google Inc. (GOOG) and thousands of Web start-ups who are focused on market niches. Instead, Ozzie and other Microsoft executives see the emerging industry model as "software plus services.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,206057,00.html
From Options Backdaters to M&A Targets
BusinessWeek - Aug 1, 2006
The expenses and taxes related to the higher value of the option must be taken into account. The scores of companies caught up in the backdating controversy include many that are well-known. Among them are Microsoft (MSFT) and Apple Computer (AAPL), as well as book dealer Barnes & Noble (BKS) and home-improvement giant Home Depot (HD). Those accounting issues could have major strategic implications for some of those companies, if the controversy depresses stock prices and gives cash-rich buyers an opportunity to acquire otherwise-healthy businesses at a bargain price. "From a buy-side perspective, there's an opportunity for price negotiation," Aguilar said. Of course, the other side of that coin is that an options-accounting issue may be so large that it's more difficult for a company to be acquired.
http://www.businessweek.com/investor/content/aug2006/pi20060801_466607.htm?chan=top+news_top+news
McAfee's Bad Options
Motley Fool - Jul 31, 2006
Its IntruShield software, which deals with intrusion prevention and detection, is popular with firms like Acxiom. For consumers, McAfee delivers its software via the Internet on a subscription basis. That strategy has been the hallmark of growth companies like Salesforce.
http://www.fool.com/News/mft/2006/mft06073118.htm
See you soon.
