MONOPOLY rents, or the fruits of vigorous innovation? Never mind how Microsoft, the world's largest software company, amassed its $56 billion pile of cash and short-term investments—what should it do with it now? Bill Gates, the firm's boss, is said to like having enough money on hand to survive a year with zero sales. But even that would mean holding on to a mere $28 billion or so. Despite multi-billion-dollar legal settlements with many of its erstwhile rivals and its ongoing antitrust battle with the European Commission—this week Microsoft filed an appeal against the €497m ($612m) fine slapped on it in March—it is clear that the company has more than enough cash to deal with its legal woes, a previous justification for inaction. The company now says that it will outline its plans at its annual analysts' meeting in late July.
|