Microsoft

By: EconomyWatch   Date: 17 July 2010

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EconomyWatch

The core Content Team our economy, industry, investing and personal finance reference articles.

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Microsoft Corporation was ranked #63 in Forbes Global 2000 list in 2008. Microsoft obtained high ranks for parameters like profits and market value. This helped it to be ranked high in Forbes global list of top public companies.
Microsoft Corporation’s headquarters is located in Redmond, Washington in United States of America. This multi-national computer technology firm serves industries like computer software, research and development, computer hardware, publishing, and video games.

Brief history
Microsoft Corporation was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen on April 4, 1975. Bill Gates abandoned his studies at Harvard University to establish Microsoft in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Microsoft’s initial public offering in 1986 turned its founders into instant millionaires. From 1995-1999, Microsoft began to develop its web and related businesses. Microsoft has come a long way from its initial MS-DOS days.

Products and services
Disk Operating System, or DOS, was first successful product launched by Microsoft. But currently, Microsoft’s best selling products include Windows and Office suite software. Popular products owned by this firm are Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Servers, Microsoft Office, Windows Mobile, and Windows Live. This public company is also responsible for marketing Zune, Xbox, Xbox 360, and MSN TV.

Financials
In 2007, total sales of Microsoft amounted to $61.719 billion. This firm made profits of $17.765 billion. Total assets owned by Microsoft were worth nearly $65.117 billion. About 91,000 employees work for Microsoft Corporation.

Awards and recognition
In 2007, Microsoft Corporation was presented with Corporate Stars Award by National Multiple Sclerosis Society for providing innovative technology solutions to people suffering from multiple sclerosis. In 2005, Microsoft obtained a 100 percent rating from Human Rights Campaign for Corporate Equality Index.

Current financial crisis
Improving client businesses have been instrumental in Microsoft posting quarter results that exceeded market expectations. Chief Executive Steve Balmer has been quoted as saying that no company, including IBM, can expect to remain unaffected by global financial crisis. He expected IBM's consumer and corporate business lines to be adversely hit by this crisis.



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