After the close trading today, Microsoft reported that it earned $6.38 billion, or 76-cents-a-share, on revenue of $21.46 billion in its latest quarter, which ended in December. That's a drop from the year ago quarter, when the world's largest software maker earned $6.6 billion, or 78 cents a share. The results are also slightly below Wall Street estimates of 77 cents a share on revenue of $21.53 billion.

Microsoft's second-quarter report comes amid little Wall Street enthusiasm -- the stock is about 16 percent off its 52-week high of $32.95, reached last March -- and intense concern for over Microsoft's core Windows business.

Yet the Windows Division posted strong growth, with revenue up 24 percent from the year-ago quarter to $5.88 billion.

Microsoft Reports Q2 Revenue of $21.5 Billion, and Earnings of $6.38 Billion [news.cnet.com]