London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Feb 06, 2026

Microsoft blames turbulent economy as it misses profit targets

Microsoft blames turbulent economy as it misses profit targets

Tech giants Microsoft and Alphabet report their financial results in the US, with both seeing challenges in the current economy.

Microsoft missed its profit targets on Tuesday, blaming the turbulent economy.

The tech giant reported a fourth-quarter profit of $16.7bn (£13.8bn) - or $2.23 per share.

Revenue came in at $51.9bn (£43.1bn), which was up 12% from last year.

Analysts had been forecasting $2.29 per share and revenue of $52.94bn (£44bn), according to FactSet.

Microsoft blamed "evolving macroeconomic conditions and other unforeseen items" for its financial performance.

It cited supply challenges in China due to strict COVID-19 lockdowns, a deteriorating personal computer market, and the winding down of its operation in Russia as a reaction to that country's invasion of Ukraine.

Alphabet Inc, meanwhile, had a more positive showing, with revenue nearly in line with analysts' expectations.

The Google parent company said it saw second-quarter revenue rise to $69.69bn (£57.9bn) from $61.88bn (£51.3bn) a year earlier - nearly in line with the average expectation of $69.88bn (£58bn).

'Ad revenues still rising despite concerns of an overly-harsh tapering of demand'


Google's ad business was 81% of quarterly revenue, with sales coming in at $56.29bn (£46.8bn) - just below the average estimate of $56.67bn (£47.1bn).

Investors had expected ad revenue to falter as companies cut budgets to cope with rising costs.

Companies such as Alphabet are increasingly bringing in less cash from foreign revenue, due to the strong US dollar, and its shares have fallen more than 27% this year.

Overall profit was $16bn (£13.3bn) - or $1.21 per share, below the average estimate of $1.29.

Sophie Lund-Yates, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: "Alphabet's unshakeable presence in our daily lives means it falls into the essentials bucket for marketing teams, which is why ad revenues are still rising despite concerns of an overly-harsh tapering of demand.

"A positive reaction from the latest quarterly numbers has been incredibly hard-won, given the negative market sentiment surrounding broader tech.

"Alphabet's essential status for marketers makes it more able to stomach inflation, as its customer base is about as sticky as they come in the sector. However, it's not completely immune to residual issues from a tough economic backdrop."

Shares of Microsoft were down 0.5% in after-hours trading, while Alphabet was up 3% following the companies' results.

Microsoft ended the regular session down 2.7% and Alphabet ended 2.3% lower on the day.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Belgium: Man Charged with Rape After Faking Payment to Sex Worker
KPMG Urges Auditor to Relay AI Cost Savings
US and Iran to Begin Nuclear Talks in Oman
Winklevoss-Led Gemini to Slash a Quarter of Jobs and Exit European and Australian Markets
Canada Opens First Consulate in Greenland Amid Rising Geopolitical Tensions
China unveils plans for a 'Death Star' capable of launching missile strikes from space
NASA allows astronauts to take smartphones on upcoming missions to capture special moments.
Trump administration to launch TrumpRx.gov for direct drug purchases
Investigation Launched at Winter Olympics Over Ski Jumpers Injecting Hyaluronic Acid
U.S. State Department Issues Urgent Travel Warning for Citizens to Leave Iran Immediately
Wall Street Erases All Gains of 2026; Bitcoin Plummets 14% to $63,000
Epstein Case Documents Reignite Global Scrutiny of Political and Business Elites
Eighty-one-year-old man in the United States fatally shoots Uber driver after scam threat
UK Royal Family Faces Intensifying Strain as Epstein-Linked Revelations Rock the Institution
Political Censorship: French Prosecutors Raid Musk’s X Offices in Paris
AI Invented “Hot Springs” — Tourists Arrived and Were Shocked
Tech Mega-Donors Power Trump-Aligned Fundraising Surge to $429 Million Ahead of 2026 Midterms
UK Pharma Watchdog Rules Sanofi Breached Industry Code With RSV Vaccine Claims Against Pfizer
Melania Documentary Opens Modestly in UK with Mixed Global Box Office Performance
Starmer Arrives in Shanghai to Promote British Trade and Investment
Harry Styles, Anthony Joshua and Premier League Stars Among UK’s Top Taxpayers
New Epstein Files Include Images of Former Prince Andrew Kneeling Over Unidentified Woman
Starmer Urges Former Prince Andrew to Testify Before US Congress About Epstein Ties
Starmer Extends Invitation to Japan’s Prime Minister After Strategic Tokyo Talks
Skupski and Harrison Clinch Australian Open Men’s Doubles Title in Melbourne
DOJ Unveils Millions of Epstein Files, Fueling Global Scrutiny of Elite Networks
France Begins Phasing Out Zoom and Microsoft Teams to Advance Digital Sovereignty
China Lifts Sanctions on British MPs and Peers After Starmer Xi Talks in Beijing
Trump Nominates Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair to Reorient U.S. Monetary Policy Toward Pro-Growth Interest Rates
AstraZeneca Announces £11bn China Investment After Scaling Back UK Expansion Plans
Starmer and Xi Forge Warming UK-China Ties in Beijing Amid Strategic Reset
Tech Market Shifts and AI Investment Surge Drive Global Innovation and Layoffs
Markets Jolt as AI Spending, US Policy Shifts, and Global Security Moves Drive New Volatility
U.S. Signals Potential Decertification of Canadian Aircraft as Bilateral Tensions Escalate
Former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee Sentenced to 20 Months for Bribery
Tesla Ends Model S and X Production and Sends $2 Billion to xAI as 2025 Revenue Declines
China Executes 11 Members of the Ming Clan in Cross-Border Scam Case Linked to Myanmar’s Lawkai
Trump Administration Officials Held Talks With Group Advocating Alberta’s Independence
Starmer Signals UK Push for a More ‘Sophisticated’ Relationship With China in Talks With Xi
Shopping Chatbots Move From Advice to Checkout as Walmart Pushes Faster Than Amazon
Starmer Seeks Economic Gains From China Visit While Navigating US Diplomatic Sensitivities
Starmer Says China Visit Will Deliver Economic Benefits as He Prepares to Meet Xi Jinping
UK Prime Minister Starmer Arrives in China to Bolster Trade and Warn Firms of Strategic Opportunities
The AI Hiring Doom Loop — Algorithmic Recruiting Filters Out Top Talent and Rewards Average or Fake Candidates
Amazon to Cut 16,000 Corporate Jobs After Earlier 14,000 Reduction, Citing Streamlining and AI Investment
Federal Reserve Holds Interest Rate at 3.75% as Powell Faces DOJ Criminal Investigation During 2026 Decision
Putin’s Four-Year Ukraine Invasion Cost: Russia’s Mass Casualty Attrition and the Donbas Security-Guarantee Tradeoff
Wall Street Bets on Strong US Growth and Currency Moves as Dollar Slips After Trump Comments
UK Prime Minister Traveled to China Using Temporary Phones and Laptops to Limit Espionage Risks
Google’s $68 Million Voice Assistant Settlement Exposes Incentives That Reward Over-Collection
×