See More Zacks Research for These Tickers
Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:
Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) - free report >>
We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) - free report >>
Image: Bigstock
Q2 Earnings Cavalcade in Earnest: MSFT, UAL & DFS
After the bell this Tuesday, we are seeing lots of earnings reports hitting the tape. Microsoft (MSFT - Free Report) , United Airlines (UAL - Free Report) and Discover Financial (DFS - Free Report) all posted quarterly results, with positive performances if somewhat varied.
Microsoft pulled off an early win in the aftermarket with a 19% positive earnings surprise in its fiscal Q4, posting 69 cents per share on $22.64 billion in revenues. These figures topped the 58 cents per share and $22.11 billion, and pushed year-over-year revenues into positive territory for the software giant.
Cloud computing was up 7%, Office software up 5% and Services revenue up 9%. But it was its global data center platform Azure that performed strongest: +102% in Microsoft's Q4. For more on Microsoft's earnings, click here.
United also soared past expectations on both top and bottom lines this afternoon: $2.61 per share beat the $2.53 consensus estimate, and sales of $9.4 billion marginally improved on the $9.3 billion expected. The Chicago-based airline major also bought back 4.4% of shares outstanding, amounting to $694 million. Shares are up more than 1% in late trading; ahead of the Q2 report, UAL has traded down 16% year-to-date. For more on United's earnings, click here.
Discover Financial also outperformed expectations with an earnings per share of $1.47 on revenues of $2.216 billion, compared with $1.42 per share and $1.80 billion in revenues. Credit card loans grew 4%, whereas Payment Services volume fell 6% in the firm's Q2. This marks Discover's second straight earnings beat and fourth out of the past five quarters.