Quartet of vendor giants posts upbeat numbers

Intel, Google, Microsoft and IBM all record impressive quarterly figures

The tech industry was given a boost today by four of its biggest vendors filing solid numbers.

IBM, Google, Microsoft and Intel have all posted quarterly figures that show revenue growth and robust profitability.

IBM
For the three months to the end of December, Big Blue posted sales of $29.5bn £19bn), a one per cent increase on the prior year, when adjusted for currency. Net income grew four per cent to $5.5bn. Across the whole of 2011, currency-adjusted revenue growth stood at three per cent, as the vendor's top line expanded to $106.9bn. GAAP net profit was up seven per cent to $15.9bn.

Software and services revenue both grew in Q4 and across the full year. But the fourth quarter was a testing time for IBM's hardware arm, with sales down eight per cent.

Microsoft
Microsoft's turnover for its second fiscal quarter, which closed at the end of December, grew five per cent year on year to $20.9bn. Despite the revenue rise, operating income dropped 2.2 per cent to $7.99bn.

B2B sales outperformed the consumer software side of the business, with the software giant's Business Division growing Q2 sales three per cent to $6.28bn. Microsoft's Server & Tools unit increased revenue 11 per cent to $4.77bn. Windows sales were down six per cent to $4.74bn.

Intel
Intel's results are arguably the pick of today's bumper crop, with the chip titan growing 2011 revenue 24 per cent to $54bn, while full-year operating income spiked 12 per cent to $17.5bn. Core PC microprocessor revenue enjoyed 17 per cent growth during a stellar fourth quarter for the vendor. Chief executive Paul Otellini claimed that "2011 was an exceptional year for Intel."

"With a tremendous product and technology pipeline for 2012, we are excited about the global growth opportunities presented by ultrabook systems, the datacentre, security, and the introduction of Intel-powered smartphones and tablets," he added.

Google
Google posted its first 11-figure sales quarter in Q411, with revenue growing 25 per cent year on year to $10.58bn. GAAP operating income rose 17.8 per cent to $3.51bn, although operational margins have dropped two points in the past year and now stand at 33 per cent. The UK chipped in more $1.06bn of sales in Q4, representing a tenth of the total figure.

For the full year, Google's turnover was up 29.3 per cent to $37.9bn, while operating profit spiked 13.1 per cent to $11.7bn.

Despite the seemingly impressive growth figures, Google's numbers have received the frostiest reception of today's quartet. The search giant saw the amount of advertising money it is paid for each click decline during the quarter, and it missed Wall Street's growth estimates by several points. It share price plummeted 10 per cent in after-hours trading yesterday.