Microsoft Shares Jump After Earnings Beat

Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT) reported adjusted revenue and profit above estimates on Thursday, driven by growing demand for its cloud products and services.

Microsoft's shares were up 5.2 percent at $60.21 in extended trading.

Revenue from the company's increasingly important "Intelligent Cloud" business, which includes the Azure cloud platform and server software, rose 8.3 percent to $6.38 billion.

This beat analysts' average estimate of $6.27 billion, according to research firm FactSet StreetAccount.

Microsoft is the world's No. 2 cloud services provider after Amazon.com. Both companies compete with Alphabet Inc's Google, IBM Corp and Oracle Corp among others.

Under Chief Executive Satya Nadella, Microsoft has been focusing on cloud services and mobile applications as growth slows in its traditional software business.

Nadella orchestrated Microsoft's biggest-ever deal, reaching an agreement in June to buy LinkedIn Corp for $26.2 billion.

Revenue in the unit that includes Windows software and the company's struggling mobile business fell 1.8 percent to $9.29 billion.

Worldwide PC shipments fell 3.9 percent in the quarter ended Sept. 30, according to research firm IDC, much less than the 7.1 percent it had previously estimated.

Net income fell to $4.69 billion, or 60 cents per share, from $4.90 billion, or 61 cents per share, a year earlier. (http://bit.ly/2eW79l4)

Excluding items, Microsoft earned 76 cents per share, beating analysts' average estimate of 68 cents, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

On an adjusted basis, Microsoft reported revenue of $22.33 billion, above the average estimate of $21.71 billion. (Reporting by Anya George Tharakan in Bengaluru; Editing by Don Sebastian)