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Microsoft today announced record fourth-quarter revenue of $17.37 billion for the quarter ended June 30, 2011, an 8% increase from the same period of the prior year.

US technology giant Microsoft said its annual profit soared on record revenue thanks in part to hot demand for its Xbox 360 videogame console gear and online network.

Operating income, net income, and diluted earnings per share for the quarter were $6.17 billion, $5.87 billion, and $0.69 per share, which represented increases of 4%, 30%, and 35%, respectively, when compared with the prior year period.

For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011, Microsoft reported record revenue of $69.94 billion, a 12% increase from the prior year. Operating income, net income, and diluted earnings per share for the year were $27.16 billion, $23.15 billion, and $2.69, which represented increases of 13%, 23%, and 28%, respectively, when compared with the prior year.

"Throughout fiscal 2011, we delivered to market a strong lineup of products and services which translated into double-digit revenue growth, and operating margin expansion," said Peter Klein, chief financial officer at Microsoft. "Our platform and cloud investments position us for long-term growth."

Microsoft Business Division revenue for the fourth quarter grew 7% and 16% for the full year. Office 2010 continues to be the fastest-selling version of Microsoft Office in history with over 100 million licenses sold. In June, Microsoft released Office 365 with familiar Microsoft Office collaboration and productivity tools delivered through the cloud.

Server & Tools revenue grew 12% for the fourth quarter, the fifth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth, and grew 11% for the full year. Windows Server, System Center, and SQL Server continued to drive revenue growth in the segment.

Windows and Windows Live Division revenue declined 1% for the fourth quarter and revenue for the full year decreased 2%. Excluding the impact of the prior year Windows 7 launch and revenue deferral, Microsoft estimates full-year revenue growth was in line with PC market growth of 2% to 4%. Windows 7 has sold over 400 million licenses and business deployments continue to accelerate. During the quarter, Microsoft unveiled a preview of the next version of Windows, codenamed Windows 8, featuring a new user interface and application experience.

Online Services Division revenue grew 17% for the fourth quarter and 15% for the full year, primarily driven by increases in search revenue. Bing's U.S. search share increased 340 basis points year-over-year to 14.4% this quarter. Microsoft also released new features that incorporate the Facebook social graph to help users make better decisions based on their social connections.

Entertainment & Devices Division revenue grew 30% for the fourth quarter and 45% for the full year, due to the ongoing momentum of the console, Kinect, and Xbox Live. Xbox 360 has been the top-selling game console in the U.S. over the past twelve months. At E3 in June, Microsoft highlighted its upcoming game lineup, Xbox Live content partnerships, and enhanced content discovery using Bing and Kinect.