Microsoft Corp. is thriving in the weakened U.S. economy by pushing more expensive versions of Windows and charging annual fees for other product updates to offset slow personal computer sales, the Wall Street Journal reported.
While the high-technology industry has struggled, large companies in the group continue to amass cash, the newspaper said. Microsoft, Cisco Systems Inc., Intel Corp., Dell Computer Corp. and Oracle Corp. have a total of $87 billion in cash and short- term investments, up from $77 billion a year ago, the paper said.
Sun has $5 billion of cash, even with reduced sales and losses in five of the last six quarters, the paper said. Dell Computer Corp. improves cash flow by encouraging credit card sales on its Web site and waiting longer to pay suppliers, the paper said.
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