Microsoft Reports First-Ever Quarterly Loss

Redmond-based reported the first-ever quarterly loss in its 26-year history as a public company on Thursday afternoon.

As local technology blog GeekWire reports, the loss primarily stemmed from a $6.2-billion write-down that resulted from the company's failed acquisition of aQuantive. Without the write-down, Microsoft actually had a profit of $6.93 billion and beat the expectations of some Wall Street analysts, according to GeekWire.

“We delivered record fourth quarter and annual revenue, and we’re fast approaching the most exciting launch season in Microsoft history,” company CEO Steve Ballmer said in a news release. “Over the coming year, we’ll release the next versions of Windows, Office, Windows Server, Windows Phone, and many other products and services that will drive our business forward and provide unprecedented opportunity to our customers and partners.”

Click here to read the entire GeekWire post and here to see the Microsoft news release.