4th-Quarter Profit Up 52% at Microsoft

Microsoft Corp. reported a 52% increase in fourth-quarter profit.

Net income for the quarter ended June 30 rose 52% to $210 million, or 71 cents a share, from $138 million, or 48 cents, in the same period last year.

Revenue surged 55% to $815 million from $527 million, principally because Version 3.1 of Microsoft’s Windows software sold more than 10 million copies in the quarter, making it the biggest success in computer history.

The Redmond, Wash.-based software publisher’s financial report showed that it is ready to continue massive investments in research, as well as to market Windows and other software worldwide. For the fiscal year, Microsoft’s research spending jumped 49.6% to $352.2 million.