Microsoft Corp. is set to post a solid rise in net profit when it reports quarterly results this week, as an $800 million gain from the sale of the software giant's Expedia online travel subsidiary makes up for the mediocre performance of its main businesses. Microsoft is expected to earn between 49 cents and 52 cents per share on about $7.3 billion in sales for its third fiscal quarter ended March 31, according to Wall Street tracking firm Thomson Financial/First Call.
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