United States Securities and Exchange Commission

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

x ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 20052006

OR

^¨ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM            TO            

COMMISSION FILE NUMBER 0-14278

MICROSOFT CORPORATION

ONE MICROSOFT WAY, REDMOND, WASHINGTON 98052-6399

(425) 882-8080

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

NONECOMMON STOCK

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

COMMON STOCKNONE

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes x    No¨

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act.    Yes ¨    Nox

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes x    No^¨

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.^¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, (as definedor a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    YesAct.

Large accelerated filer x            NoAccelerated filer ¨            Non-accelerated filer ^¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes^¨    Nox

TheAs of December 31, 2005, the aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was $233,926,876,964 based on the closing sale price as reported on the NASDAQ National Market System. As of December 31, 2004 was $256,094,088,589.78.

The numberAugust 18, 2006, there were 9,969,991,800 shares of shares outstanding of the registrant’s common stock as of August 15, 2005 was 10,712,706,028.

outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the definitive Proxy Statement to be delivered to shareholders in connection with the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on November 9, 200514, 2006 are incorporated by reference into Part III.

Microsoft Corporation

FORM 10-K

For The Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 20052006

INDEX

 Part I 

Item 1

Special Note About Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this report, other than purely historical information, including estimates, projections, statements relating to our business plans, objectives and expected operating results, and the assumptions upon which those statements are based, are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believes,“believe,” “project,” “expects,“expect,” “anticipates,“anticipate,” “estimates,“estimate,” “intends,“intend,” “strategy,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. A detailed discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from such forward-looking statements is included in the section entitled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 13 of this report.(refer to Item 1A). We undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

PART I

ITEM 1.    BUSINESS

GENERAL

Our mission is to enable people and businesses throughout the world to realize their full potential. We work to achieve our mission through technology that transforms the way people work, play, and communicate. Since our founding in 1975, we have been a leader in this transformation. We develop and market software, services, and solutions that we believe deliver new opportunity, convenience, and value to people’s lives. We do business throughout the world and have offices in more than 100 countries.

We generate revenue by developing, manufacturing, licensing, and supporting a wide range of software products for many computing devices. Our software products include operating systems for servers, personal computers, and intelligent devices; server applications for distributed computing environments; information worker productivity applications; business solution applications; high-performance computing applications, and software development tools. We provide consulting and product support services, and we train and certify computer system integrators and developers. We sell the Xbox 360 video game console and games, PC games, and peripherals. Online offerings and information are delivered through our Windows Live, Office Live, and MSN portals and channels.

We also research and develop advanced technologies for future software products. We believe that delivering breakthrough innovation and high-value solutions through our integrated software platform is the key to meeting our customers’ needs and to our future growth. We believe that over the past few years we have laid the foundation for long-term growth by delivering innovative new products, creating opportunities for partners, improving customer satisfaction, putting many of our most significant legal challenges behind us, and improving our internal processes. Our focus is to build on this foundation by continuing to innovate on our integrated software platform, delivering compelling value propositions to customers, responding effectively to customer and partner needs, and continuing to focus internally on product excellence, business efficacy, and accountability. Our research and development facilities are located primarily in Redmond, Washington. We also have smaller research facilities in other parts of the United States and around the world, including, but not limited to, China, Denmark, England, India, Ireland, and Israel.

PRODUCTOPERATING SEGMENTS

Our product segments provide management with a comprehensive financial view of our key businesses. The segments provide a framework for the alignment of strategies and objectives across the development, sales, marketing, and services organizations, and for the timely and rational allocation of development, sales, marketing, and services resources within businesses. The segments also help focus strategic planning efforts on key objectives and initiatives across our broad businesses.

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Due to our integrated business structure, operating costs included in one segment may benefit other segments. Therefore, these segments are not designed to measure operating income or loss that is directly related to the products included in each segment. Inter-segment cost commissions are estimated by management and used to compensate or charge each segment for such shared costs and to motivate shared effort. Due to our integrated business structure, segmentsSegments should not be viewed as discrete or easily separable businesses.

OurFor the fiscal years covered by this filing, our seven product segments are:were: Client; Server and Tools; Information Worker; Microsoft Business Solutions; MSN; Mobile and Embedded Devices; and Home and Entertainment. See Note 18 – Segment Information of the Notes to Financial Statements for financial information regarding segment reporting.

On July 17, 2006, we announced a change in our operating segments reflecting the culmination of the business realignment announced in September 2005. These changes will be effective for fiscal year 2007; the seven segments discussed in this section are presented in the way we internally managed and monitored performance at the business group level in fiscal year 2006, 2005, and 2004.

Client.    The Microsoft Windows operating system integrates a wide range of applications, services and hardware in a familiar way, enabling people and organizations to use technology with ease and confidence. The Client segment

Client has overall responsibility for the technical architecture, engineering and product delivery engineering, and technical architecture for theof our Windows product family, and is also responsible for our relationships with personal computer manufacturers, including multinational and regional original equipment manufacturer (OEM) accounts.manufacturers (“OEMs”). The segment includes sales and marketing expenses for the Windows Clientclient operating system and product development efforts for the Windows platform. Client revenue growth is correlated with the growth of purchases of personal computers (PCs) from OEMs that pre-install versions of Windows operating systems because the OEM channel accounts for over 80% of total Client revenue.

The Client segment includes Windows XP and other standard Windows operating systems. Windows XP extends the personal computing experience by uniting PCs, devices, and services, while enhancing reliability, security, and performance. With emerging form factors such as the Tablet PC and Media Center, and with investments in technology such as Windows Media, the Windows PC continues to evolve with innovations that enable people to use computers in more ways and in more places.

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Windows XP Home Edition is designed for individuals or families and includes capabilities for digital photos, music, and video, home networking, and communications. Windows XP Professional, designed for business users and people who demand the most from their computing experience, includes all the features of Home Edition, along with advanced security, performance, manageability, and multilingual features to help customers improve their productivity and connectivity. Windows XP 64-Bit Edition meets the demands of specialized technical workstation users. Retail sales and marketing of pre-packaged units of Client products occurs through the Home and Entertainment segment.

The next generation of the Windows operating system, Windows Vista, is currently under development. This development phase represents a significantmajor investment for the Client business andthat we expect that this will result in the mosta significantly more manageable and powerful PC operating system product everthan previously released by Microsoft for both our business and consumer markets. While features and functions have not been finalized,Microsoft. Windows Vista will include significant advances in security, digital media, user interfaces, and other areas that are expected towill enhance the user and developer experience. We

Products:    Windows XP Professional and Home; Media Center Edition; Tablet PC Edition; and other standard Windows operating systems.

Competition

Client faces strong competition from well-established companies with differing approaches to the PC market. Competing commercial software products, including variants of Unix, are targeting broad availability of thissupplied by competitors such as Apple Computer, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, and Sun Microsystems. The Linux operating system, which is also derived from Unix and is available without payment under a General Public License, has gained some acceptance as competitive pressures lead PC OEMs to reduce costs. The Windows operating system also faces competition from alternative platforms and new devices that may reduce consumer demand for traditional personal computers. Competitors such as Mozilla offer software that competes with the first halfInternet Explorer Web browsing capabilities of fiscal year 2007.

Windows products. Apple Computer, Real Networks, and others compete with Windows Media Player. Our operating system products compete effectively by delivering innovative software, a familiar, easy-to-use interface, compatibility with a broad range of hardware and software applications, and the largest support network for any operating system.

Server and Tools.    The Server and Tools segment

Server and Tools develops and markets Windows Server System products, including Windows Server operating systems. Windows Server System isproducts are integrated server infrastructure software that isare designed to support end-to-end software applications and tools built on the Windows Server 2003 operating system. In addition,Windows Server products include the server platform, operations, security, applications and collaboration software. The segment provides information toalso builds standalone and software development lifecycle tools for software architects, developers, testers and information technology (IT) professionals about the extended Microsoft platform through a variety of content offerings, such as Web-based training. Through this segment, weproject managers.

We offer a broad range of consulting services for advanced technology requirements, including custom solution services, enterprise application planning, architecture and design services, and proof-of-concept services. We also provide product support servicesservices. The segment also provides training and certification to corporationsdevelopers and other large customers. Theinformation technology professionals about our Server and PC platform products. Server and Tools segment also includes: developer tools, training, and certification; Microsoft Press;includes the Enterprise and Partner Group, which is responsible for sales, partner management and partner programs for the enterprise business;medium and large organizations; and the Public Sector sales and marketing organization.

Products in Server and Tools provide a wide range of capabilities that include messaging and collaboration, database management, e-commerce, and mobile information access. These products are designed to work seamlessly with one another and with advances in applications and development tools. This architecture is designed to help simplify the design, development, deployment, and management of software applications and tools so that customers can focus less on integrating systems and training users, and more on adding strategic value to their businesses. Windows Server System also readily integrates with customers’ existing non-Microsoft systems, through support for open standards such as HTTP and XML, and through on-going support for XML-based Web services.

Windows Server delivers a platform for powering connected applications, networks, and Web services from the work group to the data center. SQL Server is a relational database management system for rapidly delivering the next generation of scalable e-commerce, line-of-business, and data-warehousing solutions. Exchange Server, a business tool for e-mail collaboration and messaging, enables information workers to gain access to critical business communications. Systems Management Server (SMS) provides a comprehensive solution for change and configuration management of information systems that enables organizations to provide relevant software and updates to users quickly and cost-effectively. Small Business Server helps small businesses do more with a business server solution that includes messaging and collaboration, security-enhanced Internet access, protected data storage, reliable printing, the ability to run line-of-business applications, and faxing. BizTalk Server is designed to help customers efficiently and effectively integrate systems, employees, and trading partners through manageable business processes, enabling them to automate and orchestrate interactions in a flexible and highly automated manner. Developer tools focus on coordinating the overall programming model for the client and server and creating tools for developing Microsoft ..NET-connected applications and services. During fiscal year 2006, Server and Tools plans to release major updates of several products, including new versions of SQL Server, Visual Studio and BizTalk Server, and the beta version of the next generation of Windows Server.

Server and Tools uses multiple distribution channels including pre-installed OEM versions, licenses through partners, and licenses directly to end customers. The licenses are sold both as one-time licenses and as multi-year licenses depending upon the needs of different customer segments. Approximately 50% of Server revenue comes from multi-year licensing agreements, 40% is purchased through fully packaged product and transactional volume licensing programs, and 10% comes from licenses sold to OEMs.

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Approximately half of Server revenue comes from multi-year licensing agreements, one third is purchased through fully packaged product and transactional volume licensing programs, and approximately 10% comes from licenses sold to OEMs. Approximately 15% of revenue comes from consulting and product support services.

Products and Services:    Windows Server operating system; Microsoft SQL Server; Exchange Server; Microsoft Consulting Services; product support services; Visual Studio; System Center products; Forefront security family of products; and Biz Talk Server, among others.

Competition

Our server operating system products face intense competition from a wide variety of server operating systems and server applications, offered by companies with a variety of market approaches. Vertically integrated computer manufacturers such as Hewlett-Packard, IBM, and Sun Microsystems offer their own variant of Unix preinstalled on server hardware. Nearly all computer manufacturers offer server hardware for the Linux operating system. IBM’s endorsement of Linux has aided the acceptance of Linux as an alternative to Unix and Windows server operating systems. Linux’s competitive position has also benefited from the large number of compatible applications now produced by many leading commercial software developers and non-commercial software developers. A number of companies supply versions of Linux, including Novell and Red Hat.

We compete in the business of providing enterprise-wide computing solutions with several companies that provide solutions and middleware technology platforms. IBM and Sun Microsystems lead a group of companies focused on the Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition (J2EE). Commercial software developers that provide competing server applications for PC-based distributed client/server environments include CA, IBM, and Oracle.

Numerous commercial software vendors offer competing commercial software applications for connectivity (both Internet and intranet), security, hosting, and e-business servers. System Center competes with BMC, CA, and IBM in the Management of IT infrastructures, while Forefront Security competes with McAfee, Symantec, and Trend Micro in protecting both client and server applications. In addition, IBM has a large installed base of Lotus Notes and cc:Mail, both of which compete with our collaboration and e-mail products. Non-commercial software products, including the widely-deployed Apache Web Server, also compete with our solutions. Our products for software developers compete against offerings from Adobe, BEA Systems, Borland, IBM, Oracle, Sun Microsystems, and other companies. We believe that our server products provide customers with advantages in innovation, performance, total costs of ownership, and productivity, by delivering superior applications development tools and development environment, compatibility with a broad base of hardware and software applications, security, and manageability.

Information Worker.    The Worker

Information Worker segment is responsible for developing and delivering software solutions that enable organizations to meet core objectives by empowering their people to transform information into impact. These solutions are an important partconsists of an organization’s application architecture, enabling them to respond more effectively to new opportunities and challenges through more effective use of their people and information.

The Information Worker segment has expanded its focus beyond personal productivity to look at how people interact with the flow of information in an organization. Doing so has provided the opportunity to deliver more value to small, medium, and large organizations and in home, student, and teacher segments through software and software-based services.

The most recent wave of Microsoft Office offerings, released to market in the first half of fiscal year 2004, represents an evolution from a suite of personal productivity products to a more comprehensive and integrated system of programs, servers,services, and servicessoftware solutions designed to increase personal, team, and organization productivity. The Microsoft Office system includes the Microsoft Office 2003 Editions, which include (depending upon the edition): Microsoft Office Outlook 2003; Microsoft Office Excel 2003; Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003; Microsoft Office Word 2003; Microsoft Office Access 2003; Microsoft Office InfoPath 2003; and Microsoft Office Publisher 2003. Other products in the Microsoft Office System include: Microsoft Office Visio 2003; Microsoft Office Project 2003; Microsoft Office Project Server 2003; Microsoft Office OneNote 2003; Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003; Microsoft Office Live Communications Server 2005; Microsoft Office Live Meeting 2005; Microsoft Office Communicator 2005; and Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003. Theofferings generate over 85% of Information Worker revenue. Revenue growth depends on our ability to add value to the core Office product set and to continue to expand our product offerings in other information worker areas such as enterprise content management, collaboration, unified messaging, and business also offers Virtual Office, an ad hoc, peer-to-peer collaboration solution.intelligence.

Historically, approximatelyApproximately 40% of Information Worker billed revenue comeshas come from multi-year license agreements with large enterprises. Revenues from these licenses generally depend upon the number of information workers in a licensed enterprise. Therefore, our revenueRevenue from this category of agreements is therefore relatively independent of the number of PCs sold in a given year, but rather depends on the number of employees in a given enterprise.year. Consequently, general employment levels, particularly in North America and Europe, Middle East, and Africa, significantly affect Information Worker revenue. Approximately 40% of Information Worker revenue comes from new licenses acquired through fully packaged product and transactional volume licensing programs to individual consumers and enterprises of all sizes. Most of this revenue is sensitive to information technology budgets, which often depend on general economic conditions. The remaining approximately 20% of Information Worker revenue iscomes from licenses to OEMs for new PCs and through sales of retail packaged products and is affected by the relative level of PC shipments.

The Information Worker segment releases most products in a “wave” approach, with a major release every 24-36 months. New products and investment areas will occasionally fall outside of the wave cycle. In fiscal year 2006, the Information Worker segment will release solutions outside of the next wave of products in business intelligence, small business accounting,our flagship product, the 2007 Microsoft Office system, is currently under development.

Products:    Microsoft Office; Microsoft Project; Microsoft Visio; SharePoint Portal Server CAL; Microsoft Live Meeting; One Note; and real time communications, while also preparing the sales team, partners, and customers for the next full wave of products, code named Office 12, due for release during the first half of fiscal year 2007.Communication Server.

Microsoft Business Solutions.    The Microsoft Business Solutions segment is responsible for developing and marketing offerings to manage financial, customer relationship and supply chain management functions for small and midsize businesses, large organizations and divisions of global enterprises. Delivered through a global network of channel partners providing vertical solutions and specialized services, these integrated, adaptable business solutions work like and with familiar Microsoft software to streamline processes across an entire business. Microsoft Business Solutions now includes the Small and Mid-Market Solutions & Partners (SMS&P) organization, which previously had been included in Information Worker. SMS&P supports small and mid-market customers for all Microsoft products and services.

Microsoft Business Solutions focuses on providing continuous innovation that integrates with solutions across Microsoft Office, Windows Server System and other Microsoft tools and technologies, and that provides rich functionality with high adaptability at lower costs. The solutions are designed to be easy to use and empower people to be more productive. As a result of our platform approach, the business solutions category enables a broad ecosystem of vertical partners and independent software vendors that offer tailored functionality to our target customers.

The segment consists of Line of Business Solutions to manage financial management and supply chain management functions (Microsoft Great Plains, Microsoft Navision, Microsoft Solomon and Microsoft Axapta); solutions to manage customer relationships (Microsoft CRM); vertical solutions for small and midsized retailers

 Part I 

Item 1

Competition

(Competitors to the Microsoft PointOffice system include many software application vendors such as Apple, Corel, Google, IBM, Novell, Oracle, Red Hat, Sun Microsystems, and local application developers in Europe and Asia. IBM (Smartsuite) and Corel (WordPerfect Suite) have measurable installed bases with their office productivity products. Apple may distribute certain of Saletheir application software products with various models of their PCs. The OpenOffice.org project provides a freely downloadable cross-platform application that also has been adapted by various commercial software vendors to sell under their brands, including IBM, Novell, Red Hat, and Sun. Corel’s suite and many local software suites around the world are aggressively priced for OEMs to preinstall on low-priced PCs. In addition to traditional client-side applications, Web-based offerings such as AjaxWrite, gOffice, iNetOffice, SimDesk, ThinkFree, wikiCalc, or other small projects competing with individual applications, can also provide an alternative to Microsoft Office system products. Google has announced spreadsheet and word processing applications as web-based offerings and also provides an enterprise search offering that competes with SharePoint and our new enterprise search product. IBM has many different points of competition with Office system products with its Notes and Workplace offerings.

As we continue to respond to market demand for additional functionality and products, we will compete with additional vendors, most notably in enterprise content management, collaboration tools, unified messaging, and business intelligence. These competitors include WebEx, and a number of business intelligence vendors such as Business Objects, Cognos, and Hyperion.

Microsoft Business Solutions

Microsoft Business Solutions is responsible for Microsoft Dynamics brand business applications for small and mid-size businesses, large organizations and divisions of global enterprises. It offers financial management, customer relationship management, supply chain management, and analytics applications. Revenue is derived from software and services sales, with software sales representing a large majority of total revenue. Software revenues include both new software licenses and enhancement plans, which provide customers with future software upgrades and on-line training over the period of the plan. The solutions are delivered through a worldwide network of channel partners and independent software vendors that provide services, additional related software, and local support.

Products:    Microsoft Dynamics AX; Microsoft Dynamics CRM; Microsoft Dynamics GP; Microsoft Dynamics NAV; Microsoft Dynamics SL; Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System; Microsoft Partner Program; and Microsoft Retail Management System); and other business applications and services including the Microsoft Partner Program. The Business Solutions R&D team also develops Office Small Business AccountingAccounting.

Competition

Our competition varies based upon the size and Business Contact Managergeographic location of the customer for Outlook, whichwhom we are marketed by Information Worker.

In fiscal year 2006, Microsoft Business Solutions will release upgrades and/or updatescompeting. We compete with well-known vendors such as Intuit and Sage in the market focused on providing solutions for small and mid-sized businesses. The market for large organizations and divisions of global enterprises continues to its core linebe intensely competitive with a small number of primary vendors including Oracle and SAP. Additionally, these large enterprise-focused vendors are repositioning some of their business solutions including releases for Microsoft CRM, Microsoft Axapta, Microsoft Great Plains, Microsoft Navision and Microsoft Solomon. These releases willapplications to focus on user experience, web services, contextual business intelligence,small and portalsmid-sized businesses. We believe our products compete effectively with these vendors based on our strategy of providing integrated, adaptable solutions that interoperatework like and with other Microsoft technologies.

technologies our customers already have.

MSN.MSN is responsible for delivering online services that seek to empower users by bringing them closer to the people and information that matter most to them.

MSN provides personal communications services, such as e-mail and instant messaging, and online information servicesofferings such as MSN Search, MapPoint, and the MSN portals and channels around the world. MSN also provides a variety of online paid offerings. MSN manages many of its own properties, including health, autos, and shopping. MSN also creates alliances with leading third parties for many channels, including topCareerBuilder.com, Expedia.com, Foxsports.com, Match.com, and MSNBC.com.

MSN generates revenue primarily from advertisers on MSN, from consumers and partners like MSNBC.com, a joint venture between NBC Universalthrough subscriptions and Microsoft; Foxsports.com, a property of Fox Entertainment Group; Expedia.com; Match.com, an operating unit of InterActiveCorp;transactions, and CareerBuilder.com.from MSN provides a varietynarrowband Internet access subscribers. In fiscal year 2006, we launched MSN adCenter – our internally developed advertising platform – in certain international markets and throughout the U.S. where it now serves 100 percent of paid solutions includingsearch traffic on our online properties. We believe MSN adCenter will enable us to increase both display and search advertising revenues by reducing our reliance on third parties for delivering

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ads. In fiscal year 2006, we announced Windows Live™, a set of Internet services and software designed to improve the users’ connected experience and we released Windows Live Messenger to consumers in 58 countries.

Products:    MSN Search; MapPoint; MSN Internet Access,Access; MSN Premium Web Services (consisting of MSN Internet Software Subscription, MSN Hotmail Plus, MSN Bill Pay, and MSN Radio Plus),; Windows Live; and MSN Mobile services.Services.

The segment generates revenue primarily from advertisers on Competition

MSN from consumerscompetes with AOL, Google, Yahoo!, and partners, through subscriptionsa wide array of Web sites and transactions,portals that provide content and from subscribersonline offerings of all types to end users. We compete with these organizations to provide advertising opportunities for merchants. MSN also competes for narrowband Internet access. Accordingaccess users with AOL, Earthlink, and other ISPs for dial-up internet access in the United States. Due to studies performed by Nielsen Net Ratingsthe continuing trend of consumers migrating from narrowband to broadband Internet access, we expect our narrowband Internet access subscriber base to continue to decline as we de-emphasize this portion of our business. The Internet advertising industry has grown significantly over the past several years, and comScore Media Metrix, MSN Web siteswe anticipate that this trend will continue. Competitors are among the most popular on theaggressively developing Internet visited byofferings that seek to provide more than 420 million uniqueeffective ways of connecting advertisers with audiences through enhanced functionality in communication services, improvements in information services such as Internet search, and improved advertising infrastructure and support services. We have developed our own algorithmic search engine to provide end users every month. MSN Hotmail is one of the world’s largest e-mail services with more than 205 million accounts,relevant search results, a broader selection of content, and MSN Messenger is oneexpanded search services. To support the growth of our advertising business, we also are investing in our communication services, technology, operations, and sales efforts. We will continue to introduce new products and services, including the world’s largest instant-messagingWindows Live set of services that are aimed at attracting additional users through improvements in the user online experience. We believe that we can compete effectively across the breadth of our Internet services by providing users with more than 175 million accounts. MSN also provides a varietysoftware innovation in the form of paid solutions including MSN Internet Accessinformation and MSN Premium Web Services.

communication services that help them find, discover, and experience what they want online and by providing merchants with effective advertising results through improved systems and sales support.

Mobile and Embedded Devices.    The Devices

Mobile and Embedded Devices segment is responsible for the developmentdevelops and marketing ofmarkets products that extend the advantages of the Windows platform to many types of devices, including mobile devices that incorporate voice, personal information management,such as PDAs and media capabilities,phones, and a wide variety of other devices designed to improve people’s personal and work lives.embedded devices. Microsoft’s vision for mobile devices is rooted in the convergence of the computing and wireless industries, which bringswe believe creates new opportunities to improve communication and information access for customers. We see software as a key differentiator in making smart devices and wireless data services valuable to customers through rich experiences such as mobile messaging, location-based services, media, and speech recognition. We are working closely with mobile operators and with hardware and software partners to accelerate the development and availability of smart devices and services, and to provide a broad range of choices for customers. The segment is also responsible for managing our company-wide sales and customer relations with mobile device manufacturers and with host andother communication-sector customers, which includes network equipment and service providers including telecommunications and cablemedia and wirelessentertainment companies. Windows Embedded is a suite of operating systems, tools, and technologies that are specifically designed for today’s advanced embedded devices.

The segment consists of theProducts:    Windows Mobile software platform, theplatform; Windows Embedded device operating system family, MapPoint,system; and Windows Automotive. The

Competition

Windows Mobile software platform providesfaces substantial competition from Nokia, Openwave Systems, Palm, QUALCOMM, Research In Motion, and Symbian. The embedded operating system segment is highly fragmented with many competitive offerings. Key competitors include IBM, Wind River, and versions of embeddable Linux from commercial Linux vendors such as Metrowerks and MontaVista Software. The telematics market is also highly fragmented, with competitive offerings from IBM and automotive suppliers building on various real-time operating system platforms from commercial Linux vendors, QNX Software Systems, Wind River, and others. We believe that our products compete effectively by providing a familiar development framework, which enables developers to easily write and integrated customer experiencedeploy innovative applications for mobile or embedded devices. We also compete by providing a flexible platform that is the basis for specific devices like the Pocket PC, Pocket PC Phone Edition, Smartphone,allows customers and Portable Media Center. Windows Embedded, including Windows CE, Windows XP Embedded,partners to build differentiated and Windows XP Embedded for Point of Service, is a family of embedded device software platforms used in non-PC computing devices. Windows Embedded software is used widely in advanced consumer electronics devices, including digital televisions, Internet Protocol (IP)-based set top boxes, network gateways,profitable business models, and portable media players, and in enterprise devicesby providing end users with benefits such as industrial controllers, retail point-of-sale systems,ease of use, personal productivity, and voice-over-IP phones. The MapPoint family of location-enabled productsbetter information management and services includes the MapPoint Web Service, a hosted programmable XML Web service that allows developers to integrate location intelligence in applications, business processes and Web sites, and business and consumer oriented mapping CD-ROM products. Windows Automotive is an automotive-grade software platform that provides developers with the building blocks to quickly and reliably create a broad range of advanced telematics solutions for vehicles. In fiscal year 2006, Mobile and Embedded Devices expects to release added functionality to the Windows Mobile 5.0 platform through the Microsoft Enterprise Feature Pack and the Exchange Service Pack 2.

Effective July 1, 2005, functions related to MapPoint in Mobile and Embedded Devices have been moved to MSN. This reorganization will result in a corresponding change to the Mobile and Embedded Devices and MSN reported results.control.

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Home and Entertainment.    The Home and Entertainment segment

Home and Entertainment is responsible for development, production, and marketing for the Xbox video game system, including hardware,consoles and accessories, third-party games, games published under the Microsoft label, Xboxbrand, and Xbox Live operations, marketing, research, and sales and support. The segment also leads the development efforts of our Home Products Division (HPD) product lines. In addition. it carries out all retail sales and marketing for Microsoft Office (for which it receives an inter-segment commission), the Windows operating systems, Xbox, PC games, and HPD products. It is also responsible for the development, sales, and deployment of Microsoft’s TV platform products for the interactive television industry.

Microsoft Xbox, released in fiscal year 2002, is a video game console system that delivers high-quality graphics and audio experiences. Xbox 360, unveiled in May 2005, is our next-generation video game and entertainment system that we expect to be available in the first half of fiscal year 2006 in Europe, Japan and North America. In addition to Xbox, we offer several types of entertainment products, including PC software games, online games, and console games. HPDother devices. The segment also leads the development efforts of our Consumer Productivity Experience Group (“CPxG”) which includes Microsoft’s line of consumer software and hardware products, such as the Encarta line of learning products and services, application software for Macintosh computers, the Works productivity suite, and Microsoft PC hardware products such as mice keyboards, and game controllers. The MSTV group developskeyboards. In addition, the segment carries out all retail sales and marketing for Microsoft Office and the Windows operating systems (for which it receives an inter-segment commission), Xbox, PC games, and CPxG products. It also is responsible for the development, sales, and deployment of Microsoft’s TV platform products for the interactive television industry, including MSTV Foundation Edition and Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) products.

Products:    Xbox 360; Xbox; Xbox Live; CPxG (consumer software and hardware products); and IPTV.

Competition

The home and entertainment business is highly competitive, characterized by rapid product life cycles, frequent introductions of new products and titles, and the development of new technologies. The markets for our products are characterized by significant price competition. We anticipate continued pricing pressure from our competitors. From time to time, we have responded to this pressure by reducing prices on certain products. Our competitors vary in size from very small companies with limited resources to very large, diversified corporations with substantial financial and marketing resources. We compete primarily on the basis of product innovation, quality and variety, timing of product releases, and effectiveness of distribution and marketing.

Our Xbox hardware business competes with console platforms from Nintendo and Sony, both of which have a large, established base of customers. The lifecycle for video game consoles averages 5 to 7 years. We released Xbox 360, our next generation console in November 2005. Nintendo and Sony have also announced new versions of their game consoles, which have not been released. Success in the transition to the next generation of consoles will depend on the availability of games for the console, providing exclusive game content that gamers seek, the computational power of the console, and the ability to create new revenue sources such as advertising and downloadable content. We believe the Xbox 360 is positioned well against competitive console products based on significant innovation in hardware architecture, new developer tools, expanded revenue sources, and continued strong exclusive content from our own game franchises such as Halo.

In addition to competing against software published for non-Xbox platforms, our games business also competes with numerous companies that we have licensed to develop and publish software for the Xbox consoles. Our PC hardware products face aggressive competition from computer and other hardware manufacturers, many of which are also current or potential partners. Our MSTV business faces competition primarily from ad hoc solutions that address sub-segments of the TV delivery platform, but that do not provide end-to-end solutions for the network operator.

OPERATIONS

To serve the needs of customers around the world and to improve the quality and usability of products in international markets, we “localize” many of our products to reflect local languages and conventions. Localizing a product may require modifying the user interface, altering dialog boxes, and translating text.

Our research and development facilities are located primarily in Redmond, Washington with smaller facilities located in Mountain View, California; Fargo, North Dakota; Beijing, China; Dublin, Ireland; Vedbaek, Denmark; Hyderabad, India; Haifa, Israel; and Cambridge, England.

We have regional operations centers in Ireland; Singapore; Reno, Nevada; Fargo, North Dakota; and Redmond. Theoperational centers support all operations in their regions, including customer contract and order processing, credit and collections, information processing and vendor management and logistics. The regional center in Dublin, Ireland supports the EMEA region; the center in Singapore supports the Japan, Greater China and Asia-Pacific region; and the centers in Fargo, Puerto Rico, Reno, Fargo, and Redmond support North America and Latin America.

We contract most of our manufacturing activities to third parties. Outside manufacturersparties who produce the Xbox, various retail software packaged products, and Microsoft hardware. Our products may include some components that are available from only one or limited sources. Key components that are currently obtained from a single source include the Xbox central processing unit (CPU) from Intel Corporation and the Xbox graphics processing unit (GPU) from NVIDIA Corporation. Similarly, our upcomingOur Xbox 360 console will also includeincludes certain key components that will beare supplied at least initially by a single source: the CPU which will besource. The central processing unit is purchased from IBM Corporation and the graphics chips and embedded DRAMdynamic random access memory chips for the GPU which will begraphics processing unit are purchased from TSMCTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and NEC Corporation, respectively. ThoughAlthough we have chosen to initially source these key Xbox 360 components from

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a single supplier, we are under no obligation to exclusively source components from these vendors in the future. Beyond the exceptions noted, we generally have the ability to use other custom manufacturers if the current vendor becomes unavailable. We generally have multiple sources for raw materials, supplies, and components, and are often able to acquire component parts and materials on a volume discount basis.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

During fiscal years 2003,2006, 2005, and 2004, and 2005, research and development expense was $6.60$6.58 billion, $7.78$6.10 billion, and $6.18$7.74 billion, respectively. Those amounts represented 20.5%14.9%, 21.1%15.3%, and 15.5%21.0%, respectively, of revenue in each of those years. We plan to continue significant investment in a broad range of research and product development.

Most of our software products are developed internally. We also purchase technology, license intellectual property rights, and oversee third-party development and localization of certain products. We believe we are not materially dependent upon licenses and other agreements with third parties relating to the development of our products. Internal development allows us to maintain closer technical control over our products. It also gives us the freedom to decide which modifications and enhancements are most important and when they should be implemented. ProductGenerally, we also create product documentation generally is also created internally. We strive to obtain information at the earliest possible time about changing usage patterns and hardware advances that may affect software design. Before releasing new software platforms, we provide application vendors with a range of resources and guidelines for development, training, and testing.

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Business and Product Development Strategy.    AInnovation is a key factor affecting Microsoft’s growth is innovation.growth. In fiscal year 2005,2006, we filed for more than 3,000 U.S. patents for new technologies.received our 5,000^th patent. We continue our long-term commitment to research and development, including advanced work aimed at important innovations in a wide spectrum of technologies: tools and platform;platforms; communication, collaboration and expression; information access and organization; entertainment; business and e-commerce; and devices. Through innovations in these areas, we expect to grow revenue via three principal strategies:

Leading the Software Services Transformation

Internet-based services are transforming the way people create, deploy, manage and use technology. We are committed to playing a leadership role in the software services.    During the past several years, we have gained extensive experience in providing a variety of online consumer services many of them supported by advertising or subscriptions. Thesetransformation through our efforts to create our services include the world’s largest email service, one of the world’s most popular online portals, MSN Searchplatform for the Webnext generation of applications, communications, and commerce. Across the PC desktop, and Xbox Live,company, software services are at the world’s largest online gaming service. We also have begun to develop services for business, such as Outlookcore of our development efforts.

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In fiscal year 2006, we introduced Windows Live and Office Live, Meeting, which enable workers to collaborate interactively without the cost and disruption of business travel. We expect to pursue opportunities to offer other new services both to consumers and businesses. Our announced plans to acquire FrontBridge Technologies, for example, will enable us to provideprovides small businesses with e-mail filteringaffordable Internet-based business services hosted by Microsoft. We rolled out new search services, including beta releases of Windows Live Search and securityWindows Live Academic Search. We introduced new and enhanced services for computer safety and computer maintenance (Windows Live SafetyCenter and Windows Live OneCare), communications (Windows Live Mail and Windows Live Messenger), and entertainment (Xbox Live). We also created Live Labs, an applied research program that targets Internet products and services.

Because software services offer strong opportunities for growth, we will continue to refine and improve adCenter, our advertising engine for Windows Live, MSN and other online offerings. We will deploy new service-based solutions, including Dynamics CRM Live, which we announced in July 2006. We will also continue to build out our services infrastructure, providing new tools to help protect the health of their networkspartners and the security of their data. We expect thatbusinesses create and host services, will be an important component of our future growth.

and adding new data centers to meet growing consumer demand for services.

DISTRIBUTION, SALES AND MARKETING

We distribute our products primarily through the following channels: OEM; distributors and resellers; and online services. Our six major geographic sales and marketing organizations are the North American Region; the Latin American Region; the Europe, Middle East, and Africa Region (EMEA); Japan; the Asia-Pacific Region; and Greater China.

online.

OEM.    Our operating systems are licensed primarily to OEMs under agreements that grant the OEMs the right to build computing devices based on our operating systems, principally PCs. Under similar arrangements, we also market and license certain server operating systems, desktop applications, hardware devices, and consumer software products to OEMs. We have OEM agreements covering one or more of our products with virtually all of the major PC OEMs, including Acer, Dell, Fujitsu, Fujitsu Siemens Computers, Gateway, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, NEC, Samsung, Sony, and Toshiba. A substantial amount of OEM business is also conducted with system builders, which are low-volume customized PC vendors operating in local markets.

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Distributors and Resellers.    We license software to organizations under arrangements that allow the end-user customer to acquire multiple licenses of products. Organizations license our products primarily through large account resellers (LARs)(“LARs”), direct market resellers, and value-added resellers.resellers (“VARs”). Many organizations that license products through enterprise agreements (EAs) now(“EAs”) transact directly with us, with sales support from our Enterprise Software Advisor channel partners. These Enterprise Software Advisors typically are also authorized as LARs and operate as resellers for our other licensing programs. Although each type of reselling partner reaches organizations of all sizes, LARs are primarily engaged with large organizations and value-added resellersVARs typically reach the breadth of small- and medium-sized organizations. Some of our distributors include Ingram Micro and Tech Data, and some of our largest resellers include Software Spectrum,CDW, Dell, Insight Enterprises, Software House International, Dell, CDW, and Insight Enterprises.Software Spectrum. Our business solutions software offerings are licensed to enterprises through a global network of channel partners providing vertical solutions and specialized services. We distribute our finished goods products primarily through independent non-exclusive distributors, authorized replicators, resellers, and retail outlets. Individual consumers obtain our products primarily through retail outlets, including Best Buy, Wal-Mart,Target, and Target.Wal-Mart. We have a network of field sales representatives and field support personnel that solicits orders from distributors and resellers and provides product training and sales support.

Our arrangements for organizations to acquire multiple licenses of products are designed to provide them with a means of doing so without having to acquire separate packaged product through retail channels. In delivering organizational licensing arrangements to the market, we use different programs designed to provide flexibility for organizations of various sizes. While these programs may differ in various parts of the world, generally they are as follows:

include:

Open.    Designed primarily for small-to-medium organizations (5 to over 250 licenses), this program allows customers to acquire perpetual licenses and, at the customer’s election, rights to future versions of software products over a specified time period (generally two years). The offering that conveys rights to future versions of certain software product over the contract period is called Software Assurance. Software Assurance also provides support, tools, and training to help customers deploy and use software efficiently. Under the Open program, customers can acquire licenses only, or licenses with Software Assurance. They can also renew Software Assurance upon the expiration of existing volume licensing agreements.

Select.    Designed primarily for medium-to-large organizations (greater than 250 licenses), this program allows customers to acquire perpetual licenses and, at the customer’s election, Software Assurance, which consists of rights to future versions of certain software products, support, tools, and training over a specified time period (generally three years). Similar to the Open program, customers can acquire licenses only, acquire licenses with Software Assurance, or renew Software Assurance upon the expiration of existing volume licensing agreements.

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Enterprise Agreement.    The Enterprise Agreement is targeted at medium and large organizations that want to acquire perpetual licenses to software products for all or substantial parts of their enterprise, along with rights to future versions of certain software products, support, tools, and training over a specified time period (generally three years).

Enterprise Subscription Agreement.    The Enterprise Subscription Agreement (ESA) is a time-based, multi-year licensing agreement. Under an ESA, customers acquire the right to use the current version of software products and the future versions that are released during the three-year term of the agreement. At the end of the term, customers may either renew their ESA or exercise a buy-out option to obtain perpetual licenses for the latest version of the covered products. If they do not elect one of these options, then all previously covered software must be uninstalled.

Online Services.    We distribute online content and services through MSN and other online services.channels. MSN delivers Internet access and various premium services and tools to consumers. MSN also delivers online e-mail and messaging communication services and information services such as online search, advertising, and premium content. Home and Entertainment operates the Xbox Live service which allows customers to participate in the gaming experience with other subscribers online. Microsoft Business Solutions operates the Microsoft Small Business Center portal, which is delivered online. This portal provides tools and expertise for small-business owners to build, market, and manage their businesses online. Other services delivered online include Microsoft Developer Networks (MSDN) subscription content and updates, periodic product updates, and online technical and practice readiness resources to support our partners in developing and selling our products and solutions.

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CUSTOMERS

Our customers include individual consumers, small and medium-sized organizations, enterprises, governmental institutions, educational institutions, Internet Service Providers, application developers, and OEMs. Consumers and small- and medium-sized organizations obtain our products primarily through resellers and OEMs. Sales to Dell and its subsidiaries in the aggregate accounted for approximately 10%11% of fiscal year 20042006 and 10% in each of fiscal year 2005 and 2004 revenue. These sales were made primarily through our OEM and volume licensing channels and cover a broad array of products including Windows PC operating systems, Microsoft Office, and server products. No single customer accounted for more than 10% of revenue in 2003. Our practice is to ship our products promptly upon receipt of purchase orders from customers; consequently, backlog is not significant.

COMPETITIONEXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

Every segmentOur executive officers as of the software business is competitive and subject to rapid technological change, evolving customer requirements, and changing business models. We face significant competition in all areas of our business and intense competition in many of them. Because technology advances rapidly, competitors can quickly render existing technologies less valuable. Customer requirements and preferences continually changeAugust 25, 2006 were as other information technologies emerge or become less expensive, and as concerns such as security and privacy become more important.

Our direct competitors include firms that have adopted the non-commercial software model. These firms typically provide customers with open source software at nominal cost and earn their revenue on complementary services and products. This approach allows these firms to compete without having to bear the full costs of software research and development.

In a sense, we also compete with pirated copies of our own software. Global software piracy – the unlawful copying and distribution of our copyrighted software products – deprives us of significant amounts of revenue on an annual basis. In addition, future versions of our products compete with the existing versions, which our licensed customers may choose to continue to use indefinitely. This means that future versions must deliver significant additional value in order to induce existing customers to purchase a new version of our product.

Our competitive position may be adversely affected by one or more of the factors described in this section, or as yet unidentified additional factors that may arise.

Client.    Although we are the leader in PC operating system software products, we face strong competition from well-established companies and entities with differing approaches to the market. Competing commercial software products, including variants of Unix, are supplied by competitors such as IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Apple Computer, Sun Microsystems and others, which are vertically integrated in both software development and hardware manufacturing and have developed operating systems that they preinstall on their own computers. Personal computer OEMs who preinstall third-party operating systems may also license these firms’ operating systems. The Linux operating system, which is also derived from Unix and is available without payment under a General Public License, has gained increasing acceptance as competitive pressures lead personal computer OEMs to reduce costs. The Microsoft Windows operating systems also face competition from alternative platforms and new devices that may reduce consumer demand for traditional personal computers. Competitors such as Mozilla offer software that competes with the Internet Explorer Web browsing capabilities of our Windows operating system products. Apple Computer, Real Networks, and many others compete with the media playback capabilities (Windows Media Player) of our Windows operating system products. We believe current and future versions of these and other aspects of Windows will continue to compete effectively with non-Microsoft browsers, media players, and other non-Microsoft programs on important attributes such as features, functionality, and security. We believe our operating system products compete effectively by delivering innovative software, an easy-to-use interface, compatibility with a broad range of hardware and software applications, and the largest support network for any operating system.

Server and Tools.    Our server operating system products face intense competition from a wide variety of competing server operating systems and server applications, offered by firms with a variety of market approaches. Vertically integrated computer manufacturers such as IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Sun Microsystems and others offer their own variant of Unix preinstalled on server hardware, and nearly all computer manufacturers offer server hardware for the Linux operating system. IBM’s endorsement of Linux has accelerated its acceptance as an alternative to both traditional Unix and Windows server operating systems. Linux’s competitive position has also benefited from the large number of compatible applications now produced by many leading commercial software developers and non-commercial software developers. A number of companies supply versions of Linux, including Novell and Red Hat.follows:

Mr. Gates co-founded Microsoft in 1975 and served as its Chief Executive Officer from the time the original partnership was incorporated in 1981 until January 2000, when he resigned as Chief Executive Officer and assumed the position of Chief Software Architect. In June 2006, Mr. Gates stepped down as Chief Software Architect and announced a two-year transition plan out of a day-to-day role in the Company. Mr. Gates has served as Chairman since our incorporation.

 Part I Mr. Ballmer was appointed Chief Executive Officer in January 2000. He served as President from July 1998 to February 2001. Previously, he had served as Executive Vice President, Sales and Support since February 1992. He joined Microsoft in 1980.

Item 1Mr. Bach was named President, Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division in September 2005. He had been Senior Vice President, Home and Entertainment since March 2000. Before holding that position, he had been Vice President, Home and Retail since March 1999, and Vice President, Learning, Entertainment and Productivity, and Vice President, Desktop Applications Marketing since 1996. Mr. Bach joined Microsoft in 1988.

We compete in the business of providing enterprise-wide computing solutions with several companies that provide competing solutions and middleware technology platforms. IBM and Sun Microsystems lead a group of companies focused on the Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition (J2EE). Commercial software developers that provide competing server applications for PC-based distributed client/server environments include Oracle, IBM, and Computer Associates.

Numerous commercial software vendors offer competing commercial software applications for connectivity (both Internet and intranet), security, hosting, and e-business servers. In addition, IBM has a large installed base of Lotus Notes and cc:Mail, both of which compete with our collaboration and e-mail products. There are also a significant number of non-commercial software products that compete with our solutions, including the widely-deployed Apache Web Server.

Our products for software developers compete against offerings from BEA Systems, Borland, IBM, Macromedia, Oracle, Sun Microsystems, and other companies.

We believe that our server products provide customers with significant advantages in innovation, performance, total costs of ownership, productivity, applications development tools and environment, compatibility with a broad base of hardware and software applications, security, and manageability.

Information Worker.    While we are the leader in business and personal productivity software applications for personal computers, competitors to the Microsoft Office System include many software application vendors such as Apple, Corel, IBM, Oracle, Sun Microsystems, Novell, Red Hat, and local application developers in Europe and Asia. IBM (Smartsuite) and Corel (WordPerfect Suite) have significant installed bases with their office productivity products. Apple may preinstall certain of their application software products on various models of their PCs, competing directly with our applications. The OpenOffice.org project provides a freely downloadable cross-platform application that also has been adapted by various commercial software vendors (Sun, Novell, Red Hat, IBM, and others) to sell under their brand. Corel’s suite, and many different local software suites around the world are aggressively priced for OEMs to preinstall on low-priced PCs. In addition to traditional client-side applications, Web-based offerings such as SimDesk can also provide an alternative to Microsoft Office System products.

Further, as customers have increasingly demanded additional functionality and products, including new server and service offerings, additional vendors are competing in the Information Worker segment, most notably in document management, collaboration tools, real time messaging and business intelligence. As just one example, Microsoft competes with IBM broadly in messaging and collaboration with our approach that spans multiple Information Worker products. We believe that our products compete effectively through ease of use, improving users’ personal productivity, providing tools for effective teaming and collaboration, better information management and control, and for many customers, a lower total cost of ownership than alternatives.

Microsoft Business Solutions.    The products of Microsoft Business Solutions are targeted at small and midsized businesses (SMB) and larger organizations and divisions of global enterprises. The SMB segment for business solutions is highly fragmented with many companies in this business. Well-known vendors focused on providing solutions for small and midsized businesses, such as Intuit and Sage, compete against us for a portion of this segment. The segment consisting of large organizations and divisions of global enterprises continues to be intensely competitive with a small number of primary vendors providing products and services such as SAP, Oracle/Peoplesoft and Siebel. In addition these large enterprise-focused vendors are repositioning some of their business applications to focus on the SMB segment, and divisions of global enterprises, and thus also compete against us for a portion of the market opportunity. Our business solution products also compete with hosted solutions offered by companies such as Salesforce.com. In addition, there are thousands of other vendors in specific localities or industries that offer their own solutions. We believe that our business solutions across financial management, supply chain management, and customer relationship management (CRM) compete effectively in our target segments by offering integrated solutions that address multiple segment needs across industries and vertical markets through consistent innovation that are delivered through a growing network of partners and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs).

MSN.    MSN competes with Yahoo!, Google, AOL, and a vast array of Web sites and portals that offer content and online services of all types to end users, and we compete with these organizations to provide advertising opportunities for merchants to reach their audiences. MSN also competes for narrowband internet access users with Earthlink, AOL and other ISPs for dial-up internet access in the United States. The global online advertising market has grown significantly over the past several years, and we anticipate this trend to continue especially in display and

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Ms. Brummel was named Senior Vice President, Human Resources in December 2005. She had been Corporate Vice President, Human Resources since April 2005. From 1995 to April 2005, she had been Corporate Vice President of the Home & Retail Division. Since joining Microsoft in 1989, Ms. Brummel has held a number of management positions at Microsoft, including general manager of Consumer Productivity business, product unit manager of the Kids business and product unit manager of Desktop and Decision reference products.

Mr. Johnson was named Co-President, Microsoft Platforms and Services Division in search-based advertising. September 2005. He had been Group Vice President, Worldwide Sales, Marketing and Services since March 2003. Before that position, he had been Senior Vice President, Microsoft Americas since February 2002 and Senior Vice President, U.S. Sales, Marketing, and Services since August 2001, and prior to assuming that role, he had been Vice President, U.S. Sales, Marketing and Services. He joined Microsoft in 1992.

Mr. Liddell was named Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company in May 2005. Mr. Liddell served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of International Paper Company since March 2003, and prior to becoming Chief Financial Officer, he held the positions of Vice President-Finance and Controller. Mr. Liddell served as Chief Executive Officer of Carter Holt Harvey Limited, an affiliate of International Paper, from 1999 to 2002 and Chief Financial Officer from 1995 to 1998.

Mr. Raikes was named President, Microsoft Business Division in September 2005. He had been Group Vice President, Information Worker Business since June 2004. Before that position, he had been Group Vice President, Productivity and Business Services since August 2000 and Group Vice President, Sales and Support since July 1998. Mr. Raikes joined Microsoft in 1981.

Mr. Smith was appointed Senior Vice President, Legal and Corporate Affairs, General Counsel and Secretary in November 2001. Mr. Smith was also named Chief Compliance Officer effective July 2002. He had been Deputy General Counsel for Worldwide Sales and previously was responsible for managing the European Law and Corporate Affairs Group, based in Paris. He joined Microsoft in 1993.

Mr. Turner was appointed Chief Operating Officer in September 2005. Before joining Microsoft, he was Executive Vice President and President and Chief Executive Officer of the Sam’s Club division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. From September 2001 to August 2002, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Wal-Mart’s Information Systems Division. From March 2000 to September 2001, he served as its Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of the Information Systems Division.

EMPLOYEES

As of June 30, 2006, we employed approximately 71,000 people on a result competitors are aggressively developing internetfull-time basis, 44,000 in the United States and 27,000 internationally. Of the total, 28,000 were in product research and development, 21,000 in sales and marketing, 13,000 in product support and consulting services, that provide enhanced functionality for end users2,000 in communication services, improvementsmanufacturing and distribution, and 7,000 in information services such as internet search,general and advertising infrastructureadministration. Our success is highly dependent on our ability to attract and support services including more effective ways of connecting advertisers with audiences. We have built our own algorithmic search engine to provide end users with more relevant search results, broader selection of content, and expanded set of search services, and we are investing to support the continued growthretain qualified employees. None of our advertising business. Weemployees are also investing insubject to collective bargaining agreements.

AVAILABLE INFORMATION

Our Internet address is www.microsoft.com. There we make available, free of charge, our communication services,annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and our technology, operations,any amendments to those reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with or furnish it to the Securities and sales efforts to supportExchange Commission (“SEC”). Our SEC reports can be accessed through the continued growthinvestor relations section of our advertising business. We will continue to introduce new products and services aimed at attracting additional users by improving the user experience in an effort to increaseWeb site. The information found on our satisfaction levelsWeb site is not part of this or any other report we file with our end users and merchant customers. Dueor furnish to the continuing trend of consumers migrating from narrowbandSEC.

ITEM 1A.    RISK FACTORS

Challenges to broadband Internet access, we expect our narrowband Internet access subscriber basebusiness model may reduce our revenues and operating margins.    Our business model has been based upon customers paying a fee to continue to decline. We believelicense software that we can compete effectively acrossdeveloped and distributed. Under this license-based software model, software developers bear the breadthcosts of our internet services by providing usersconverting original ideas into software products through investments in research and development, offsetting these costs with software innovation in the form of information and communication services that help them find, discover, and experience what they want online and by providing merchants with effective advertising results through improved systems and sales support.

Mobile and Embedded Devices.    Windows Mobile software faces substantial competitionrevenue received from Nokia, Openwave Systems, PalmSource, QUALCOMM, and Symbian. The embedded operating system segment is highly fragmented with many competitive offerings. Key competitors include IBM, Wind River, and versions of embeddable Linux from commercial Linux vendors such as Metrowerks and MontaVista Software. MapPoint competitors include DeLorme, MapInfo, Mapquest.com, Rand McNally, Webraska Mobile Technologies, Google, and Yahoo!. The telematics market is also highly fragmented, with competitive offerings from IBM and automotive suppliers building on various real-time operating system platforms from commercial Linux vendors, QNX Software Systems, Wind River, and others. We believe that our products compete effectively by providing a familiar development framework that enables developers to easily write and deploy innovative applications for mobile or embedded devices; providing a flexible platform that allows customers and partners to build differentiated and profitable business models; and providing end users significant benefits such as ease of use, personal productivity, and better information management and control.

Home and Entertainment.    The home and entertainment business is highly competitive and is characterized by limited platform life cycles, frequent introductions of new products and titles, and the development of new technologies. The markets for our products are characterized by significant price competition. We anticipate continued pricing pressure from our competitors. From time to time, we have responded to this pressure by reducing prices on certain products. Our competitors vary in size from very small companies with limited resources to very large, diversified corporations with substantial financial and marketing resources. We compete primarily on the basis of price, product quality and variety, timing of product releases, and effectiveness of distribution and marketing.

Our Xbox hardware business competes with console platforms from Nintendo and Sony, both of which have a large established base of customers. The video game consoles have on average 5 to 7 year lifecycles. We have announced the expected release in the first half of fiscal year 2006 of a new console, the Xbox 360. Sony and Nintendo have also announced new versions of their game consoles. Success in this transition to the next generation of consoles depends on the computational power of the console, the ease of developing games for the console, the ability to provide new revenue sources such as advertising and downloadable content, and providing exclusive game content that is sought after by gamers.products. We believe the Xbox 360 is positioned well against competitive console products basedlicense-based software model has had substantial benefits for users of software, allowing them to rely on significant innovation inour expertise and the hardware architecture, new developer tools, expanded revenue sources, and continued strong exclusive content from our 1^st party game franchises such as Halo.

In addition to competing againstexpertise of other software published for non-Xbox platforms, our games business also competes with numerous companiesdevelopers that have been licensed by uspowerful incentives to develop innovative software that is useful, reliable, and publishcompatible with other software for the Xbox console. These competitors include Acclaim Entertainment, Activision, Atari, Capcom, Eidos, Electronic Arts, Sega, Take-Two Interactive, Tecmo, THQ, and Ubi Soft, among others. Our PC hardware products face aggressive competition from computer and other hardware manufacturers, many of which are also current or potential partners. Our MSTV business faces competition primarily from ad hoc, point-solutions that address sub-segments of the TV delivery platform, but do not provide end-to-end solutions for the network operator. Our largest MSTV competitors include IBM, Cisco, UTStarcom, and Siemens/Myrio.hardware. In recent years

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certain “open source” software business models have evolved into a growing challenge to our license-based software model. Open source commonly refers to software whose source code is subject to a license allowing it to be modified, combined with other software and redistributed, subject to restrictions set forth in the license. A number of commercial firms compete with us using an open source business model by modifying and then distributing open source software to end users at nominal cost and earning revenue on complementary services and products. These firms do not have to bear the full costs of research and development for the software. A prominent example of open source software is the Linux operating system. While we believe our products provide customers with significant advantages in security and productivity, and generally have a lower total cost of ownership than open source software, the popularization of the open source software model continues to pose a significant challenge to our business model, including continuing efforts by proponents of open source software to convince governments worldwide to mandate the use of open source software in their purchase and deployment of software products. To the extent open source software gains increasing market acceptance, sales of our products may decline, we may have to reduce the prices we charge for our products, and revenue and operating margins may consequently decline.

Another development is the software-as-a-service business model, by which companies provide applications, data, and related services over the Internet. Providers use primarily advertising or subscription-based revenue models. Recent advances in computing and communications technologies have made this model viable and enabled the rapid growth of some of our competitors. We are devoting significant resources toward developing our own software-as-a-service strategies. It is uncertain whether these strategies will prove successful.

We face intense competition.    We continue to experience intense competition across all markets for our products and services. Our competitors range in size from Fortune 100 companies to small, specialized single-product businesses and open source community-based projects. While we believe the breadth of our businesses and product portfolio offers benefits to our customers that are a competitive advantage, our competitors that are focused on a narrower product line may be more effective in devoting technical, marketing, and financial resources to compete with us. In addition, barriers to entry in our businesses generally are low. The Internet as a distribution channel and the non-commercial software model described above have reduced barriers to entry even further. Open source software vendors are devoting considerable efforts to developing software that mimics the features and functionality of our products. In response to competitive factors, we are developing versions of our products with basic functionality that are sold at lower prices than the standard versions. These competitive pressures may result in decreased sales volumes, price reductions, and/or increased operating costs, such as for marketing and sales incentives, resulting in lower revenue, gross margins and operating income.

We may not be able to protect our intellectual property rights against piracy, infringement of our patents by third parties, or declining legal protection for intellectual property.    We defend our intellectual property rights and combat unlicensed copying and use of software and intellectual property rights through a variety of techniques. Preventing unauthorized use or infringement of our rights is difficult. Piracy of our products represents a loss of revenue to us. While this adversely affects U.S. revenue, the impact on revenue from outside the United States is more significant, particularly in countries where laws are less protective of intellectual property rights. Similarly, the absence of harmonized patent laws makes it more difficult to ensure consistent respect for patent rights. Future legal changes could make this even more challenging. Throughout the world, we actively educate consumers about the benefits of licensing genuine products and obtaining indemnification benefits for intellectual property risks, and we educate lawmakers about the advantages of a business climate where intellectual property rights are protected. However, continued educational and enforcement efforts may fail to enhance revenue. Reductions in the legal protection for software intellectual property rights or compliance with additional intellectual property obligations impacting the rights of software developers could both adversely affect revenue.

Third parties may claim we infringe their intellectual property rights.    From time to time we receive notices from others claiming we infringe their intellectual property rights. The number of these claims may grow. Responding to these claims may require us to enter into royalty and licensing agreements on less favorable terms, require us to stop selling or to redesign affected products, or to pay damages or to satisfy indemnification commitments with our customers including contractual provisions under various license arrangements. If we are required to enter into such agreements or take such actions, our operating margins may decline as a result. We have made and expect to continue making significant expenditures to settle claims related to the use of technology and intellectual property rights as part of our strategy to manage this risk.

 Part I 

Item 1A

We may not be able to protect our source code from copying if there is an unauthorized disclosure of source code.    Source code, the detailed program commands for our operating systems and other software programs, is critical to our business. While we license certain portions of our source code for various software programs and operating systems to a number of licensees, we take significant measures to protect the secrecy of large portions of our source code. If an unauthorized disclosure of a significant portion of our source code occurs, we could potentially lose future trade secret protection for that source code. The loss of future trade secret protection could make it easier for third parties to compete with our products by copying functionality, which could adversely affect our revenue and operating margins. Unauthorized disclosure of source code could also increase certain risks described in the next paragraph.

Security vulnerabilities in our products could lead to reduced revenues or to liability claims.    Maintaining the security of computers and computer networks is a critical issue for us and our customers. Hackers develop and deploy viruses, worms, and other malicious software programs that attack our products. While this is an industry-wide problem that affects computers across all platforms, it affects our products in particular because hackers tend to focus their efforts on the most popular operating systems and programs and we expect them to continue to do so. We devote significant resources to address these critical issues. We focus on engineering even more secure products, enhancing security and reliability options and settings when we deliver products, and providing guidance to help our customers make the best use of our products and services to protect against computer viruses and other attacks on their computing environment. In addition, we are working to improve the deployment of software updates to address security vulnerabilities discovered after our products are released. We are also investing in mitigation technologies that help to secure customers from attacks even when such software updates are not deployed. We advise customers on how to help protect themselves from security threats through the use of our online automated security tools, our published security guidance, and the deployment of security software such as firewalls, anti-virus, and other security software. The cost of these steps could reduce our operating margins. Despite these efforts, actual or perceived security vulnerabilities in our products could lead some customers to seek to return products, to reduce or delay future purchases, or to use competing products. Customers may also increase their expenditures on protecting their existing computer systems from attack, which could delay adoption of new technologies. Any of these actions by customers could adversely affect our revenue. In addition, actual or perceived vulnerabilities may lead to claims against us. While our license agreements typically contain provisions that eliminate or limit our exposure to such liability, there is no assurance these provisions will be held effective under applicable laws and judicial decisions.

We are subject to government litigation and regulatory activity that affects how we design and market our products.    As a leading global software maker we receive scrutiny from government agencies under U.S. and foreign competition laws. Some jurisdictions also provide private rights of action for competitors or consumers based on alleged anti-competitive conduct. For example, we have been involved in the following actions.

Lawsuits brought by the U.S. Department of Justice, 18 states, and the District of Columbia in two separate actions were resolved through a Consent Decree that took effect in November 2001 and a Final Judgment entered in November 2002. These proceedings imposed regulatory constraints on our Windows operating system businesses, including limits on certain contracting practices, required disclosure of certain software program interfaces, limits on Microsoft’s ability to ensure the visibility of certain Windows features in new PCs, and required licensing of certain communications protocols. While we believe we currently are in full compliance with the Decree and Judgment, if we fail to comply with them in the future additional restrictions could be imposed on us that would adversely affect our business.

In March 2004, the European Commission determined that we must create new versions of Windows that do not include certain multimedia technologies, many of which are required for certain Web sites, software applications and other aspects of Windows to function properly, and we must provide our competitors with specifications for how to implement certain communications protocols supported in Windows. Microsoft has appealed both determinations to European courts. As a result of the Commission decision, we have incurred and will (absent a reversal of this ruling) continue to incur duplicative development costs. The Commission ruling obligates Microsoft to make available specifications for certain Windows communications protocol technologies on licensing terms that are closely regulated by the Commission. The availability of these licenses may enable competitors to develop software products that better mimic the functionality of Microsoft’s own products which could result in a reduction in sales of our products. Pending resolution of Microsoft’s appeal, there will remain uncertainty about the legal principles that govern

 Part I 

Item 1A

product design issues for future releases of Microsoft products in Europe. These uncertainties could cause Microsoft to modify product design and delay release dates for Windows or other products.

In December 2005, the Korean Fair Trade Commission (“KFTC”) completed an investigation of whether including streaming media technology or instant messenger technology in Windows, or including Windows Media Services as an optional component of Windows Server, violates the Korean Fair Trade Law. The KFTC ruled that we had violated the law and issued a remedial order requiring us to offer two versions of Windows PC operating systems, one with Windows Media Player and Instant Messenger removed and another with those functionalities but also including opportunities for OEMs to install competing media player and instant messenger programs. If upheld on appeal, these remedies could adversely affect the utility and competitive position of Windows PC operating systems in the Korean market.

We believe our integrated approach to delivery of product innovation benefits consumers and business. Current or future government regulatory efforts and court decisions may hinder or delay our ability to provide these benefits thereby reducing the attractiveness of our products and the revenues that come from them. Moreover, there always remains the risk of new legal action, either by these or other governments or private claimants including with respect to products or features that haven’t been scrutinized or been the subject of objections in the past. The outcome of such legal actions could adversely affect us in a variety of ways, including:

Our online offerings are subject to government regulation of the Internet domestically and internationally in areas such as user privacy, data protection, and online content. The application of these laws and regulations to our business is often unclear and sometimes may conflict. Compliance with these regulations may involve significant costs or require changes in business practices that result in reduced revenue. Noncompliance could result in penalties being imposed on us or orders that we cease conducting the noncompliant activity.

Our business depends largely on our ability to attract and retain talented employees.    Our business is based on successfully attracting and retaining talented employees. The market for highly skilled workers in our industry is extremely competitive. We are limited in our ability to recruit internationally by restrictive domestic immigration laws. If we are less successful in our recruiting efforts, or if we are unable to retain key employees, our ability to develop and deliver successful products and services may be adversely affected.

Delays in product development schedules may adversely affect our revenues.    The development of software products is a complex and time-consuming process. New products and enhancements to existing products can require long development and testing periods. Significant delays in new product releases or significant problems in creating new products could adversely affect our revenue.

We make significant investments in new products and services that may not be profitable.    We have made and will continue to make significant investments in research, development, and marketing for new products, services, and technologies, including Windows Vista, the 2007 Microsoft Office system, Xbox 360, MSN Search, Windows Server and Windows Live. Investments in new technology are inherently speculative. Commercial success depends on many factors including innovativeness, developer support, and effective distribution and marketing. Significant revenue from new product and service investments may not be achieved for a number of years, if at all. Moreover, new products and services may not be profitable, and even if they are profitable, operating margins for new products and businesses may not be as high as the margins we have experienced historically.

 Part I 

Item 1A

Declines in demand for software could occur.    If overall market demand for PCs, servers, and other computing devices declines significantly, or consumer or corporate spending for such products declines, our revenue will be adversely affected. In addition, our revenue would be unfavorably impacted if customers reduce their purchases of new software products or upgrades to existing products because new product offerings are not perceived as providing significant new functionality or other value to prospective purchasers. We are making significant investments in Windows Vista and the 2007 Microsoft Office system. If these products are not perceived as offering significant new functionality or value to prospective purchasers, our revenue and operating margins could be adversely affected.

We have claims and lawsuits against us that may result in adverse outcomes.    We are subject to a variety of claims and lawsuits. Adverse outcomes in some or all of the claims pending against us may result in significant monetary damages or injunctive relief against us that could adversely affect our ability to conduct our business. While management currently believes that resolving all of these matters, individually or in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse impact on our financial position or results of operations, the litigation and other claims are subject to inherent uncertainties and management’s view of these matters may change in the future. There exists the possibility of a material adverse impact on our financial position and the results of operations for the period in which the effect of an unfavorable final outcome becomes probable and reasonably estimable.

We may have additional tax liabilities.    We are subject to income taxes in both the United States and numerous foreign jurisdictions. Significant judgment is required in determining our worldwide provision for income taxes. In the ordinary course of our business, there are many transactions and calculations where the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. We are regularly under audit by tax authorities. Although we believe our tax estimates are reasonable, the final determination of tax audits and any related litigation could be materially different from our historical income tax provisions and accruals. Based on the results of an audit or litigation, a material effect on our income tax provision, net income or cash flows in the period or periods for which that determination is made could result.

We may be at risk of having insufficient supplies of certain Xbox 360 components or console inventory.    Some components of the Xbox 360 are obtained from a single supplier and others may be subject to an industry-wide supply shortage. If a component delivery from a sole-source supplier is delayed or becomes unavailable or industry shortages occur, we may be unable to obtain replacement supplies on a timely basis, resulting in reduced console and game sales. Components are ordered based on forecasted console demand so we may experience component shortages for the Xbox 360 or, alternatively, excess console inventory that may require us to record charges to cost of revenue. Xbox 360 consoles will be assembled in Asia; disruptions in the supply chain may result in console shortages that would affect our revenues and operating margins.

If our goodwill or amortizable intangible assets become impaired we may be required to record a significant charge to earnings.    Under generally accepted accounting principles, we review our amortizable intangible assets for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. Goodwill is required to be tested for impairment at least annually. Factors that may be considered a change in circumstances indicating that the carrying value of our goodwill or amortizable intangible assets may not be recoverable include a decline in stock price and market capitalization, reduced future cash flow estimates, and slower growth rates in our industry. We may be required to record a significant charge to earnings in our financial statements during the period in which any impairment of our goodwill or amortizable intangible assets is determined, negatively impacting our results of operations.

Changes in accounting may affect our reported earnings and operating income.    Generally accepted accounting principles and accompanying accounting pronouncements, implementation guidelines, and interpretations for many aspects of our business, such as revenue recognition for software, accounting for investments, and treatment of goodwill or amortizable intangible assets, are highly complex and involve subjective judgments. Changes in these rules or their interpretation or changes in our products or business could significantly change our reported earnings and operating income and could add significant volatility to those measures, without a comparable underlying change in cash flow from operations. See Note 1 in “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” and “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Critical Accounting Policies” of this report.

We operate a global business that exposes us to additional risks.    We operate in over 100 countries and a significant part of our revenue comes from international sales. Pressure to make our pricing structure uniform might

 Part I 

Item 1A

require that we reduce the sales price of our software in the United States and other countries. Operations outside of the United States may be affected by changes in trade protection laws, policies and measures, and other regulatory requirements affecting trade and investment; unexpected changes in regulatory requirements for software; social, political, labor or economic conditions in a specific country or region; and difficulties in staffing and managing foreign operations. While we hedge a portion of our international currency exposure, significant fluctuations in exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies may adversely affect our net revenues.

General economic and geo-political risks may affect our revenue and profitability.    Inflation, softness in corporate information technology spending, or other changes in general economic conditions that affect demand for computer hardware or software could adversely affect our revenue or our investment portfolio. Abrupt political change, terrorist activity, and armed conflict pose a risk of general economic disruption in affected countries or generally and could require changes in our operations and security arrangements, thus increasing our operating costs. These conditions may lend additional uncertainty to the timing and budget for technology investment decisions by our customers.

Catastrophic events may disrupt our business.    We are a highly automated business and a disruption or failure of our systems in the event of a major earthquake, cyber-attack, terrorist attack, or other catastrophic event could cause delays in completing sales and providing services. Our corporate headquarters, a significant portion of our research and development activities, and certain other critical business operations are located in the Seattle, Washington area, and we have other business operations in the Silicon Valley area of California, both of which are near major earthquake faults. A catastrophic event that results in the destruction or disruption of any of our critical business or information technology systems could severely affect our ability to conduct normal business operations and, as a result, our future operating results could be adversely affected.

Acquisitions and joint ventures may have an adverse effect on our business.    We expect to continue making acquisitions or entering into joint ventures as part of our long-term business strategy. These transactions involve significant challenges and risks including that the transaction does not advance our business strategy, that we don’t realize a satisfactory return on the investment we make, or that we may experience difficulty in the integration of new employees, business systems, and technology, or diversion of management’s attention from our other businesses. These factors could adversely affect our operating results or financial condition.

We have limited insurance.    We maintain third party insurance coverage against various liability risks and risks of property loss. Because of the unavailability or high cost of conventional insurance arrangements, we have entered into captive insurance arrangements for the purpose of protecting against possible catastrophic and other risks not covered by traditional insurance markets. As of June 30, 2006, the face value of captive insurance arrangements was $2.0 billion. Actual value at any particular time will vary due to deductibles, exclusions, other restrictions, and claims. While we believe these arrangements are an effective way to insure against liability and property damage risks, the potential liabilities associated with the risks discussed in this report or other events could exceed the coverage provided by such arrangements.

Improper disclosure of personal data could result in liability and harm our reputation.    We store and process significant amounts of personally identifiable information as we offer a large array of products and services to our customers. It is possible that our security controls over personal data, our training of employees and vendors on data security, and other practices we follow may not prevent the improper disclosure of personally identifiable information. Such disclosure could harm our reputation and subject us to liability under laws that protect personal data, resulting in increased costs or loss of revenue. Our software products also enable our customers to store and process personal data. Perceptions that our products do not adequately protect the privacy of personal information could inhibit sales of our products.

Other risks that may affect our business.    Other factors that may affect our performance may include:

 Part I 

Item 1B, 2, 3, 4

ITEM 1B.    UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

We have received no written comments regarding our periodic or current reports from the staff of the SEC that were issued 180 days or more preceding the end of our fiscal year 2006 that remain unresolved.

Item 1

RISK FACTORS

Challenges to our business model may reduce our revenues and operating margins.    Our business model is based upon customers agreeing to pay a fee to license software developed and distributed by us. Under this commercial software model, software developers bear the costs of converting original ideas into software products through investments in research and development, offsetting these costs with the revenue received from the distribution of their products. We believe the commercial software model has had substantial benefits for users of software, allowing them to rely on our expertise and the expertise of other software developers that have powerful incentives to develop innovative software that is useful, reliable, and compatible with other software and hardware. In recent years, a non-commercial software model has evolved that presents a growing challenge to the commercial software model. Under the non-commercial software model, open source software produced by loosely associated groups of unpaid programmers and made available for license to end users without charge is distributed by firms at nominal cost that earn revenue on complementary services and products, without having to bear the full costs of research and development for the open source software. The most notable example of open source software is the Linux operating system. There is a wide variety of other open source software available, such as Open Office.org and Eclipse. While we believe our products provide customers with significant advantages in security and productivity, and generally have a lower total cost of ownership than open source software, the popularization of the non-commercial software model continues to pose a significant challenge to our business model, including recent efforts by proponents of open source software to convince governments worldwide to mandate the use of open source software in their purchase and deployment of software products. To the extent open source software gains increasing market acceptance, sales of our products may decline, we may have to reduce the prices we charge for our products, and revenue and operating margins may consequently decline.

We face intense competition.    We continue to experience intense competition across all markets for our products and services. Our competitors range in size from Fortune 100 companies to small, single-product businesses that are highly specialized and open source community-based projects. While we believe the breadth of our businesses and product portfolio offers benefits to our customers that are a competitive advantage, our competitors that are focused on a narrower product line may be more effective in devoting technical, marketing, and financial resources to compete with us. In addition, barriers to entry in our businesses generally are low. The Internet as a distribution channel and non-commercial software model described above have reduced barriers to entry even further. Non-commercial software vendors are devoting considerable efforts to developing software that mimics the features and functionality of various of our products. In response to competitive factors, we are developing versions of our products with basic functionality that are sold at lower prices than the standard versions. See Part I, Item 1 of this report for additional information about our competitors. These competitive pressures may result in decreased sales volumes, price reductions, and/or increased operating costs, such as for marketing and sales incentives, resulting in lower revenue, gross margins, and operating income.

We may not be able to protect our intellectual property rights against piracy, infringement of our patents by third parties, or declining legal protection for intellectual property.    We defend our intellectual property rights and combat unlicensed copying and use of software and intellectual property rights through a variety of techniques. Preventing unauthorized use or infringement of our rights is difficult. Piracy of our products represents a loss of revenue to us. While this adversely affects U.S. revenue, the impact on revenue from outside the United States is more significant, particularly in countries where laws are less protective of intellectual property rights. Similarly, the absence of harmonized patent laws makes it more difficult to ensure consistent respect for patent rights. Moreover, future legal changes could make this even more challenging. Throughout the world, we actively educate consumers about the benefits of licensing genuine products and obtaining indemnification benefits for intellectual property risks, and we educate lawmakers about the advantages of a business climate where intellectual property rights are protected. However, continued educational and enforcement efforts may not affect revenue positively, and revenue could be adversely affected by reductions in the legal protection for intellectual property rights for software developers or by compliance with additional legal obligations impacting the intellectual property rights of software developers.

Third parties may claim we infringe their intellectual property rights.    From time to time we receive notices from others claiming we infringe their intellectual property rights. The number of these claims may grow. Responding to these claims may require us to enter into royalty and licensing agreements on less favorable terms, require us to stop selling or to redesign affected products, or to pay damages or to satisfy indemnification commitments with our customers including contractual provisions under various license arrangements. If we are required to enter into such agreements or take such actions, our operating margins may decline as a result. We have made and expect to

 Part I 

Item 1

continue making significant expenditures to acquire the use of technology and intellectual property rights, including via cross-licenses of broad patent portfolios, as part of our strategy to manage this risk.

We may not be able to protect our source code from copying if there is an unauthorized disclosure of source code.    Source code, the detailed program commands for our operating systems and other software programs, is the most significant asset we own. While we license certain portions of our source code for various software programs and operating systems to a number of licensees, we take significant measures to protect the secrecy of large portions of our source code. If an unauthorized disclosure of a significant portion of our source code occurs, we could potentially lose future trade secret protection for that source code. The loss of future trade secret protection could make it easier for third parties to compete with our products by copying functionality, which could adversely affect our revenue and operating margins. Unauthorized disclosure of source code could also increase certain risks described in the next paragraph.

Security vulnerabilities in our products could lead to reduced revenues or to liability claims.    Maintaining the security of computers and computer networks is an issue of critical importance for us and our customers. There are malicious hackers who develop and deploy viruses, worms, and other malicious software programs that attack our products. While this is an industry-wide phenomenon that affects computers across all platforms, it affects our products in particular because hackers tend to focus their efforts on the most popular operating systems and programs and we expect them to continue to do so. We devote significant resources to addressing these critical issues. We are focusing our efforts on engineering even more secure products, enhancing security and reliability options and settings when we deliver products, and providing guidance to help our customers make the best use of our products and services to protect against computer viruses and other attacks on their computing environment. In addition, we are working to improve the deployment of software updates to address security vulnerabilities discovered after our products are released. We are also investing in mitigation technologies that help to secure customers from attacks even when such software updates are not deployed. We are also advising customers on how to help protect themselves from security threats through the use of our online automated security tools, our published security guidance, and the deployment of security software such as firewalls, antivirus, and other security software. The cost of these steps could adversely affect our operating margins. Despite these efforts, actual or perceived security vulnerabilities in our products could lead some customers to seek to return products, to reduce or delay future purchases, or to use competitive products. Customers may also increase their expenditures on protecting their existing computer systems from attack, which could delay adoption of new technologies. Any of these actions by customers could adversely affect our revenue. We devote significant resources to improving the security design and engineering of our software. Nevertheless, actual or perceived vulnerabilities may lead to claims against us. While our license agreements typically contain provisions that eliminate or limit our exposure to such liability claims, there is no assurance these provisions will be held effective under applicable laws and judicial decisions.

We are subject to government regulatory activity that affects how we design and market our products.    Lawsuits brought by the U.S. Department of Justice, 18 states, and the District of Columbia in two separate actions were resolved through a Consent Decree that took effect in November 2001 and a Final Judgment entered in November 2002. These proceedings imposed regulatory constraints on our Windows operating system businesses, including limits on certain contracting practices, required disclosure of certain software program interfaces, limits on Microsoft’s ability to ensure the visibility of certain Windows features in new PCs, and required licensing of certain communications protocols. While we believe we currently are in full compliance with the Decree and Judgment, if we fail to comply with them in the future additional restrictions could be imposed on us that would adversely affect our business. Moreover, there always remains the risk of new legal action, either by governments or private claimants including with respect to products that haven’t been scrutinized in the past.

In March 2004, the European Commission determined that we must create new versions of Windows that do not include certain multimedia technologies, many of which are required for certain Web sites, software applications, and other aspects of Windows to function properly, and we must provide our competitors with specifications for how to implement certain communications protocols supported in Windows. Microsoft has appealed both determinations to European courts. As a result of the Commission decision, we have incurred and will continue to incur duplicative development costs (absent a court decision to reverse or limit this aspect of the ruling). The availability of these alternative versions of Windows in the market also may cause confusion that harms our reputation, including among consumers and with third party software and web site developers who rely on the functionality removed from these alternative versions. The Commission ruling obligates Microsoft to make available specifications for certain Windows communications protocol technologies on licensing terms that are closely regulated by the Commission. The

 Part I 

Item 1

availability of these licenses may enable competitors to develop software products that better mimic the functionality of Microsoft’s own products which could result in a reduction in sales of our products. Unless reversed or limited on appeal, the ruling of the European Commission may be cited as a precedent in other proceedings that seek to limit our ability to continue to improve Windows by adding new functionality in response to consumer demand. The ruling also illustrates a risk that competition authorities in Europe or elsewhere may authorize competitors to distribute implementations of Microsoft communications protocols in source code form without proper contractual provisions to protect our intellectual property.

We believe our integrated approach to delivery of product innovation benefits consumers and business. Current or future government regulatory efforts may hinder our ability to provide these benefits reducing the attractiveness of our products and the revenues that come from them.

Our online services are subject to government regulation of the Internet domestically and internationally in areas such as user privacy, data protection, and online content. The application of these laws and regulations to our business is often unclear and sometimes may conflict. Compliance with these regulations may involve significant costs or require changes in business practices that result in reduced revenue. Noncompliance could result in penalties being imposed on us or orders that we cease conducting the noncompliant activity.

Our business depends largely on our ability to attract and retain talented employees.    Our business is based on successfully attracting and retaining talented employees. The market for highly skilled workers in our industry is extremely competitive. We are limited in our ability to recruit internationally by restrictive domestic immigration laws. If we are less successful in our recruiting efforts, or if we are unable to retain key employees, our ability to develop and deliver successful products and services may be adversely affected.

Delays in product development schedules may adversely affect our revenues.    The development of software products is a complex and time-consuming process. New products and enhancements to existing products can require long development and testing periods. Significant delays in new product releases or significant problems in creating new products, particularly any delays in the Windows Vista operating system, could adversely affect our revenue.

We make significant investments in new products and services that may not be profitable.    We have made and will continue to make significant investments in research, development, and marketing for new products, services, and technologies, including Windows Vista, Office 12, MSN Search, SQL Server, Windows Server and Xbox 360. Investments in new technology are inherently speculative. Commercial success depends on many factors including innovativeness, developer support, and effective distribution and marketing. Significant revenue from new product and service investments may not be achieved for a number of years, if at all. Moreover, new products and services may not be profitable, and even if they are profitable, operating margins for new products and businesses may not be as high as the margins we have experienced historically.

Declines in demand for software could occur.    If overall market demand for PCs, servers, and other computing devices declines significantly, or consumer or corporate spending for such products declines, our revenue will be adversely affected. In addition, our revenue would be unfavorably impacted if customers reduce their purchases of new software products or upgrades to existing products because new product offerings are not perceived as providing significant new functionality or other value to prospective purchasers. We are making significant investments in the next release of the Windows operating system (Windows Vista) and the next release of the Microsoft Office System (Office 12). If these products are not perceived as offering significant new functionality or value to prospective purchasers, our revenue and operating margins could be adversely affected.

We have claims and lawsuits against us that may result in adverse outcomes.    We are subject to a variety of claims and lawsuits. Adverse outcomes in some or all of the claims pending against us may result in significant monetary damages or injunctive relief against us that could adversely affect our ability to conduct our business. While management currently believes that resolving all of these matters, individually or in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse impact on our financial position or results of operations, the litigation and other claims noted above are subject to inherent uncertainties and management’s view of these matters may change in the future. There exists the possibility of a material adverse impact on our financial position and the results of operations for the period in which the effect of an unfavorable final outcome becomes probable and reasonably estimable.

We may have additional tax liabilities.    We are subject to income taxes in both the United States and numerous foreign jurisdictions. Significant judgment is required in determining our worldwide provision for income taxes. In the

 Part I 

Item 1

ordinary course of our business, there are many transactions and calculations where the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. We are regularly under audit by tax authorities. Although we believe our tax estimates are reasonable, the final determination of tax audits and any related litigation could be materially different than that which is reflected in historical income tax provisions and accruals. Based on the results of an audit or litigation, a material effect on our income tax provision, net income, or cash flows in the period or periods for which that determination is made could result.

We may be at risk of having insufficient supplies of certain Xbox 360 components or console inventory.    Some components of the upcoming Xbox 360 are obtained from a single supplier and others may be subject to an industry- wide supply shortage. If a component delivery from a sole-source supplier is delayed or becomes unavailable or industry shortages occur, we may be unable to obtain replacement supplies on a timely basis resulting in reduced console and game sales. Components are ordered based on forecasted console demand so we may experience component shortages for the Xbox 360. Similarly, if our demand forecasts for the existing Xbox console are inaccurate and exceed actual demand, we may have excess console inventory that may require us to record charges to cost of revenue for the excess inventory. Xbox 360 consoles will be assembled in Asia; disruptions in the supply chain may result in console shortages that would affect our revenues and operating margins.

If our goodwill or amortizable intangible assets become impaired we may be required to record a significant charge to earnings.    Under generally accepted accounting principles, we review our amortizable intangible assets for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. Goodwill is required to be tested for impairment at least annually. Factors that may be considered a change in circumstances indicating that the carrying value of our goodwill or amortizable intangible assets may not be recoverable include a decline in stock price and market capitalization, future cash flows, and slower growth rates in our industry. We may be required to record a significant charge to earnings in our financial statements during the period in which any impairment of our goodwill or amortizable intangible assets is determined resulting in an impact on our results of operations.

Changes in accounting may affect our reported earnings and operating income.    Generally accepted accounting principles and accompanying accounting pronouncements, implementation guidelines and interpretations for many aspects of our business, such as revenue recognition for software, accounting for financial instruments, and treatment of goodwill or amortizable intangible assets, are highly complex and involve subjective judgments. Changes in these rules, their interpretation, or changes in our products or business could significantly change our reported earnings and operating income and could add significant volatility to those measures, without a comparable underlying change in cash flow from operations. See Note 1 in “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” and “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Critical Accounting Policies” of this report.

We operate a global business that exposes us to additional risks.    We operate in over 100 countries and a significant part of our revenue comes from international sales. Pressure to make our pricing structure uniform might require that we reduce the sales price of our software in the United States and other countries. Operations outside of the United States may be affected by changes in trade protection laws, policies and measures, and other regulatory requirements affecting trade and investment; unexpected changes in regulatory requirements for software; social, political, labor, or economic conditions in a specific country or region; and difficulties in staffing and managing foreign operations. While we hedge a portion of our international currency exposure, significant fluctuations in exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies may adversely affect our future net revenues.

General economic and geo-political risks may affect our revenue and profitability.    Softness in corporate information technology spending or other changes in general economic conditions that affect demand for computer hardware or software could adversely affect our revenue. Abrupt political change, terrorist activity and armed conflict pose a risk of general economic disruption in affected countries or generally and could require changes in our operations and security arrangements, thus increasing our operating costs. These conditions may lend additional uncertainty to the timing and budget for technology investment decisions by our customers.

Catastrophic events may disrupt our business.    We are a highly automated business and a disruption or failure of our systems in the event of a major earthquake, cyber-attack, terrorist attack, or other catastrophic event could cause delays in completing sales and providing services. Our corporate headquarters, a significant portion of our research and development activities, and certain other critical business operations are located in the Seattle, Washington area, and we have other business operations in the Silicon Valley area of California, both of which are near major

 Part I 

Item 1

earthquake faults. A catastrophic event that results in the destruction or disruption of any of our critical business or information technology systems could severely affect our ability to conduct normal business operations and, as a result, our future operating results could be adversely affected.

Acquisitions and joint ventures may have an adverse effect on our business.    We expect to continue making acquisitions or entering into joint ventures as part of our long-term business strategy. These transactions involve significant challenges and risks including that the transaction does not advance our business strategy, that we don’t realize a satisfactory return on the investment we make, or that we may experience difficulty in the integration of new employees, business systems and technology, or diversion of management’s attention from our other businesses. These factors could adversely affect our operating results or financial condition.

We have limited insurance.    We maintain third party insurance coverage against various liability risks and risks of property loss. Because of the unavailability or high cost of conventional insurance arrangements, we have entered into captive insurance arrangements for the purpose of protecting against possible catastrophic and other risks not covered by traditional insurance markets. As of June 30, 2005, the face value of captive insurance arrangements was $2.0 billion. Actual value at any particular time will vary due to deductibles, exclusions, other restrictions, and claims. While we believe these arrangements are an effective way to insure against liability and property damage risks, the potential liabilities associated with the risks discussed in this report or other events could exceed the coverage provided by such arrangements.

Other risks that may affect our business.    Other factors that may affect our performance may include:

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

Our executive officers as of August 25, 2005 were as follows:

Mr. Gates co-founded Microsoft in 1975 and served as its Chief Executive Officer from the time the original partnership was incorporated in 1981 until January 2000, when he resigned as Chief Executive Officer and assumed the position of Chief Software Architect. Mr. Gates has served as Chairman since our incorporation.

 Part I 

Item 1

Mr. Ballmer was named Chief Executive Officer and a director of the Company in January 2000. He served as President from July 1998 to February 2001. Previously, he had served as Executive Vice President, Sales and Support since February 1992. He joined Microsoft in 1980.

Mr. Allchin was named Group Vice President, Platforms in December 1999. He had been Senior Vice President, Platforms since March 1999. He was previously Senior Vice President, Personal and Business Systems since February 1996. Mr. Allchin joined Microsoft in 1990.

Mr. Bach was named Senior Vice President, Home and Entertainment in March 2000. He had been Vice President, Home and Retail since March 1999. Before holding that position, he had been Vice President, Learning, Entertainment and Productivity, and Vice President, Desktop Applications Marketing since 1996. Mr. Bach joined Microsoft in 1988.

Ms. Brummel was named Corporate Vice President, Human Resources in April 2005. Previous to this position she had been Corporate Vice President of the Home and Retail Division. She joined Microsoft in 1989.

Mr. Burgum joined the Company as Senior Vice President upon Microsoft’s acquisition of Great Plains Software, Inc. in April 2001. Previous to the acquisition, he had served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Great Plains. He joined Great Plains in 1983.

Mr. Cole was named Senior Vice President, MSN and Personal Services in November 2001. Before holding that position, he had been Senior Vice President, Services Platform Division since August 2000. He had been Senior Vice President, Consumer Services since December 1999 and Vice President, Consumer Windows since March 1999. Previously, he was Vice President, Web Client and Consumer Experience and Vice President, Internet Client and Collaboration. Mr. Cole joined Microsoft in 1986.

Mr. Courtois was named Senior Vice President, President of Microsoft International in June 2005. He had been Chief Executive Officer, Microsoft Europe, Middle East, and Africa since March 2003. Previous to that, he had been Senior Vice President and President, Microsoft Europe, Middle East, and Africa since July 2000. Before holding that position, he had been Vice President, Worldwide Customer Marketing since July 1998. Mr. Courtois joined Microsoft in 1984.

Mr. Di Valerio was named Corporate Vice President, Finance and Administration and Chief Accounting Officer in May 2005. He has served as Corporate Vice President and Corporate Controller since April 2003. Before joining Microsoft, Mr. Di Valerio was the Vice President of Corporate Controllership at The Walt Disney Company from January 2001 to April 2003. Before joining Disney, Mr. Di Valerio was the Chief Financial Officer of Mindwave Software Inc. from May 2000 to October 2000. Prior to going to Mindwave, Mr. Di Valerio spent 15 years with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Mr. Johnson was named Group Vice President, Worldwide Sales, Marketing and Services in March 2003. He had been Senior Vice President, Microsoft Americas since February 2002. Mr. Johnson had been Senior Vice President, U.S. Sales, Marketing, and Services since August 2001, and before that Vice President, U.S. Sales, Marketing and Services. He joined Microsoft in 1992.

Mr. Liddell was named Senior Vice President, Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer in May 2005. Mr. Liddell served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of International Paper Company since March 2003, and prior to becoming Chief Financial Officer, he held the positions of Vice President, Finance and Controller. Mr. Liddell held leadership positions in International Paper and its New Zealand affiliate Carter Holt Harvey Limited for the ten years prior to joining Microsoft. Mr. Liddell served as Chief Executive Officer of Carter Holt Harvey Limited from 1999 to 2002 and Chief Financial Officer from 1995 to 1998.

Ms. Mathews was named Senior Vice President, Marketing in May 2005. Before holding her current position, Ms. Mathews had been Corporate Vice President, Marketing since August 2001 and Vice President Corporate Public Relations since 1999. Ms. Mathews joined Microsoft in 1993.

Mr. Mundie was named Senior Vice President and Chief Technical Officer, Advanced Strategies and Policy in August 2001. He was named Senior Vice President, Consumer Platforms in February 1996. He joined Microsoft in 1992.

Mr. Raikes was named Group Vice President, Information Worker Business in June 2004. He had been Group Vice President, Productivity and Business Services since August 2000. Mr. Raikes had been Group Vice President, Sales and Support since July 1998. Mr. Raikes joined Microsoft in 1981.

Mr. Rudder was named Senior Vice President, Server and Tools Business in June 2003. Previous to assuming that role, he was responsible for managing Developer and Platform Evangelism. Mr. Rudder joined Microsoft in 1988.

Mr. Smith was named Senior Vice President, Legal and Corporate Affairs, General Counsel and Secretary in November 2001. Mr. Smith was also named Chief Compliance Officer effective July 2002. He had been Deputy General Counsel for Worldwide Sales and previously was responsible for managing the European Law and Corporate Affairs Group, based in Paris. He joined Microsoft in 1993.

 Part I 

Item 1, 2, 3, 4

EMPLOYEES

As of June 30, 2005, we employed approximately 61,000 people on a full-time basis, 39,000 in the United States and 22,000 internationally. Of the total, 24,000 were in product research and development, 18,000 in sales and marketing, 12,000 in product support and consulting services, 2,000 in manufacturing and distribution, and 5,000 in general and administration. Our success is highly dependent on our ability to attract and retain qualified employees. Competition for employees is intense in the software industry. We believe we have been successful in our efforts to recruit qualified employees, but we cannot guarantee that we will continue to be as successful in the future. None of our employees are subject to collective bargaining agreements. We believe that our relationship with our employees is excellent.

AVAILABLE INFORMATION

Our Internet address is www.microsoft.com. There we make available, free of charge, our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with or furnish it to the SEC. Our SEC reports can be accessed through the investor relations section of our Web site. The information found on our Web site is not part of this or any other report we file with or furnish to the SEC.

ITEM 2.    PROPERTIES

Our corporate offices consist of approximately 9.311.0 million square feet of office building space located in King County, Washington: 7.58.5 million square feet of owned space that is situated on slightly more than 395approximately 500 acres of owned land we own in our corporate campus and approximately 1.82.5 million square feet is leased.of space we lease. We own approximately 576,000533,000 square feet of office building space domestically (outside of the Puget Sound corporate campus) and lease many sites domestically totaling approximately 2.42.7 million square feet of office building space.

We occupy many sites internationally, totaling approximately 6.36.9 million square feet that is leased and approximately 536,000883,000 square feet that is owned. These facilities include our European Operations Center that leases a 187,000 square-footsquare foot campus in Dublin, Ireland, a 56,000 square-footsquare foot disk duplication facility in Humacao, Puerto Rico, and a 155,100 square-foot159,000 square foot facility in Singapore for our Asia Pacific Operations Center and Regional headquarters. Leased office building space includes the following locations: Tokyo, Japan 511,000408,000 square feet; Unterschleissheim, Germany 381,000 square feet; Les Ulis, France 262,000 square feet; Reading, England 241,000 square feet; and Mississauga, Canada 235,000161,000 square feet. In addition to the above locations, we have various product development facilities, both domestically and internationally, as described in “Operations” above.

In May 2005, the Redmond, Washington City Council approved our proposed development agreement, which establishes the framework under which we can develop an additional 2.2 million square feet of facilities at our main campus. We also own 63 acres of land in Issaquah, Washington, which can accommodate 1.2 million square feet of office space. Our facilities are fully used for current operations of all segments, and suitable additional space is available to accommodate expansion needs. We own 63 acres of land in Issaquah, Washington, which can accommodate 1.2 million square feet of office space and we have an agreement with the City of Redmond under which we may develop an additional 2.2 million square feet of facilities at our campus in Redmond, Washington.

ITEM 3.    LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

On May 22, 2006, the Korean Fair Trade Commission (“KFTC”) denied our motion for reconsideration of the formal written ruling against us in its competition law investigation of the company. As part of its decision, however, the KFTC dropped the requirement prohibiting us from including Windows Media Player or Windows Messenger, or any feature with similar functionality, in any product other than the Windows client operating system for which we have a 50% or greater market share. Our request to stay the KFTC corrective order was denied on July 31, 2006. Our appeal of the KFTC’s decision to the Seoul High Court is still pending.

On July 1, 2005,12, 2006, the European Commission announced its determination that we announced a settlementhad not complied with IBM resolving claims asserted by IBM that arose from the circumstances ofUnited States v. Microsoft and findings of fact that identified IBM as having been impactedtechnical documentation requirements in its business by practices on which the U. S. District Court ruled2004 Decision against us, and claims relatedlevied a fine of€281 million ($351 million). We intend to IBM’s OS/2appeal this fine to the Court of First Instance. We have completed the written and SmartSuite businesses. Underoral procedures in our appeal of the agreement, we paid IBM $775Commission’s underlying March 2004 decision finding Microsoft in violation of European competition law and accompanying€497 million ($605 million) fine and extendedare awaiting a $75 million credit for IBM’s internal deploymentdecision by the Court of Microsoft software. IBM released all antitrust claims against us based on past conduct except for claims related to its server business as to which IBM will not sue us for at least two years.First Instance.

See Note 17 – Contingencies of the Notes toin “Item 8. Financial Statements (Item 8)and Supplementary Data” for information regarding other legal proceedings in which we are involved.

ITEM 4.    SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

No matters were submitted to a vote of security holders during the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2005.2006.

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Item 5

PART II

ITEM 5.    MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS, AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

Our common stock is traded on The NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol MSFT. On August 15, 2005,18, 2006, there were 149,668148,993 registered holders of record of our common stock. The high and low common stock prices per share were as follows:

In September 2003, our Board of Directors declared a common stock dividend of $0.16 per share, which was paid in November 2003. That was the only dividend declared or paid in fiscal year 2004.

See Note 12 – Stockholders’ Equity of the Notes to Financial Statements (Item 8) for information regarding dividends approved by our Board of Directors in fiscal yearyears 2006 and 2005.

On July 20, 2004,2006, we announced the completion of the repurchase program approved by our Board of Directors approved a planon July 20, 2004, to buy back up to $30 billion in Microsoft common stock over four years. The specific timing and amount of repurchases will vary based on market conditions, securities law limitations, and other factors.stock. The repurchases will bewere made using our cash resources. The repurchase program may be suspended or discontinued at any time without prior notice. We repurchased common stock in each quarter of fiscal year 20052006 as follows:

Common stock repurchases in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 20052006 were as follows:

On July 20, 2006, we announced that our Board of Directors authorized two new share repurchase programs: a $20 billion tender offer which was completed on August 17, 2006; and authorization for up to an additional $20 billion ongoing share repurchase program with an expiration of June 30, 2011. Under the tender offer, we repurchased approximately 155 million shares of common stock, or 1.5% of our common shares outstanding, for approximately $3.8 billion at a price per share of $24.75.

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On August 18, 2006, we announced that the authorization for the ongoing share repurchase program, previously announced on July 20, 2006, had been increased by approximately $16.2 billion. As a result, the company is authorized to repurchase additional shares in an amount up to $36.2 billion through June 30, 2011.

ITEM 6.    SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

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ITEM 7.    MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF

FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS FOR FISCAL YEARS 2003,2006, 2005, AND 2004 AND 2005

OVERVIEW

The following Management’s Discussion and Analysis (MD&A)(“MD&A”) is intended to help the reader understand the results of operations and financial condition of Microsoft Corporation. MD&A is provided as a supplement to, and should be read in conjunction with, our financial statements and the accompanying notes to the financial statements (Notes)(“Notes”).

We develop, manufacture, license, and support a wide range of software products for many computing devices. Our software products include operating systems for servers, PCs, and intelligent devices; server applications for distributed computing environments; information worker productivity applications; business solutions applications; and software development tools. We provide consulting and product support services, and we train and certify system integrators and developers. We sell the Xbox video game console and games, PC games, and PC peripherals. Online communication and information services are delivered through our MSN portals and channels around the world.

Our revenue historically has fluctuated quarterly and has generally been the highest in the second quarter of our fiscal year due to corporate calendar year-end spending trends in our major markets and holiday season spending by consumers. Our Home and Entertainment segment is particularly subject to seasonality as its products are aimed at the consumer market and are in highest demand during the holiday shopping season. Historically, approximately 40% to 50% ofTypically, Home and Entertainment revenue has been generated over 40% of its yearly segment revenues in theour second fiscal quarter. We believe the seasonality of revenue is likely to continue in the future.

We intend to sustain the long-term growth of our businesses through technological innovation, engineering excellence, and a commitment to delivering high-quality products and services to customers and partners. Recognizing that one of our primary challenges is to help accelerate worldwide PC adoption and software upgrades, we continue to advance the functionality, security, and value of Windows operating systems, including versions for new devices such as Tablet PCs, Media Center PCs, Portable Media Centers, and mobile devices such as Smartphones.systems. We also are also increasing our focus on emerging markets and reducing the amount of unlicensed software in those markets. In addition, we continue to develop innovative software applications and solutions tothat we believe will enhance the productivity of information workers, improve communication and collaboration in work groups, aid business intelligence, and streamline processes for small and mid-sized businesses. To sustain the growth of our Server and Tools business amid competition from other vendors of both proprietary and open source software, our goal is to deliver products that provide the best platform for network computing – the most advanced, easiest to deploy and manage and most secure – with the lowest total cost of ownership.

To take advantage of new market opportunities, weWe continue to invest in research and development ofin existing and new lines of business, such as services for consumers, businessesincluding business solutions, mobile computing, communication, entertainment, and large enterprisesothers that we believe canmay contribute significantly to our long-term growth. We also research and develop advanced technologies for future software products. Delivering breakthrough innovationWe believe that delivering innovative and high-value solutions through our integrated platform is the key to meeting customer needs and to our future growth.

We believe that over the last few years we have laid a foundation for long-term growth by delivering innovative new products, creating opportunityopportunities for partners, improving customer satisfaction with key audiences, putting some of our most significant legal cases behind us, and improving our internal business processes. Our focus in fiscal year 20062007 is building on this foundation and executing well in key areas, including continuing to innovate on our integrated software platform, delivering compelling value propositions to customers, responding effectively to customer and partner needs, and continuing to focus internally on product excellence, business efficacy, and accountability across the company.

Key market opportunities include:

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Worldwide macroeconomic factors have a strong correlation to business and consumer demand for our software, services, games and Internet service offerings. We expect that general macroeconomic trends will remain stable or experience slight improvementa broad continuation in the economic conditions and demand in fiscal year 20062007 as compared to fiscal year 2005. Our optimism is balanced by recent data which revealed slight downward revisions when compared to previous forecasts for Gross Domestic Product growth in the U.S., United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan and Latin America. The leading indicators were also revised slightly lower for the major markets. Additionally, recent surveys of chief information officers also reflect slight downward revisions in expected corporate IT spend budgets and short-term purchase intent.2006.

As open source software development and distribution evolves, we continue to seek to differentiate our products from competitivecompeting products that are based on open source software. We believe that Microsoft’s share of server unit operating systems held steadyincreased in fiscal year 2005, while Linux distributions rose slightly faster on an absolute basis.

2006.

Summary of Results for Fiscal Years 2006, 2005, and 2004

Our revenue growth for fiscal year 2006 was driven primarily by growth in SQL Server following the launch of SQL Server 2005 in the second quarter, Windows Server and other server applications, increased Xbox revenue resulting from the Xbox 360 launch in the second quarter, growth in licensing of Windows client operating systems through OEMs, and increased licensing of Office and other Information Worker products. Based on our estimates, total worldwide PC shipments from all sources grew approximately 12% to 14% and total server hardware shipments grew approximately 11% to 13% during fiscal year 2006. Foreign currency exchange rates did not have a significant impact on consolidated or operating segment revenue during the fiscal year.

Revenue growth for fiscal year 2005 was driven by growth in licensing of Windows Server^™ operating systems and other server applications, licensing of Windows^® Client client operating systems through OEMs, and increased licensing of Office and other Information Worker products. The license revenue growth resulted from growth in server hardware and PC shipments, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, and overall improvements in IT spending. The November 2004 launch of the “Halo 2^®”2” Xbox game also contributed to the overall revenue growth for the company. Based on our preliminary estimates,Total worldwide PC shipments from all sources grew aboutapproximately 11% to 13% and total server hardware shipments grew approximately 13% to 14% during fiscal year 2005 as compared to fiscal year 2004. The net impact of foreign exchange rates on revenue was positive in 2005, primarily due to relative strengthening of most foreign currencies, particularly the euro and Japanese yen, against the U.S. dollar. Had the exchange rates from the previous year been in effect in fiscal year 2005, translated international revenue growth earned in local currencies would have been approximately $873 million or two percentage points lower for fiscal year 2005. We hedge a portion of our international currency exposures, thereby reducing our overall exposure. Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates have a greater impact on non-OEM commercial and retail license business as a significant portion of those product revenues are denominated in foreign currencies. The vast majority of OEM license revenue is denominated in U.S. dollars. Partially offsetting revenue growth rates was a $1.1$1.08 billion decline in earned revenue from Upgrade Advantage in fiscal year 2005. The Upgrade Advantage contract value reached its expiration dates in the first quarter of fiscal year 2005. This revenue was recognized over fiscal year 2003 and fiscal year 2004 and in the first quarter of fiscal year 2005 when the contract period expired.

Revenue growth in fiscal Fiscal year 2004 revenue growth was primarily driven by the growth in licensing of Windows Clientclient operating systems through OEMs, Windows Server operating systems, Office and other server applications as a result of growth in PC and server hardware shipments. The worldwide PC shipment growth rate from all sources was estimated at 13% and the Windows server shipment was estimated at 18% in fiscal year 2004 as compared to fiscal year 2003. The net impact of foreign exchange rates on revenue was positive in fiscal year 2004 due to a relative strengthening of most foreign currencies versus the U.S. dollar. This resulted in approximately $1.10 billion growth in total revenue. Revenue

Operating income for fiscal year 2006 increased primarily reflecting the revenue increase and a $991 million decrease in costs for legal settlements and legal contingencies. These changes were partially offset by a $1.62 billion increase in cost of revenue primarily related to Xbox 360 and a $1.26 billion increase in sales and marketing expense primarily as a result of increased investments in partner marketing and product launch-related spending. Headcount-related costs, including stock-based compensation expense, increased $682 million or 7% resulting from both an increase in salaries and benefits for existing headcount and a 16% growth in headcount over the past twelve months. Stock-based compensation expense decreased $733 million or 30% reflecting a continuing decline in stock option amortization expense.

Operating income increased in fiscal year 2003 was driven primarily by multi-year licensing that occurred before the Licensing 6.0 transition date in the first quarter of fiscal year 2003. The fiscal year 2003 revenue growth also reflected a $933 million or 13% increase associated with OEM licensing of Windows operating systems and a $309 million or 23% increase in revenue from Xbox video game consoles.

For fiscal year 2005 the operating income increase was driven bydue to a decline in stock-based compensation expense; increased revenue in Server and Tools, Client and Information Worker, which have higher gross margins as compared to other segments; and a reduction in legal costs associated with major litigation. In addition, strong sales of Halo 2 reduced the overall operating loss for the Home and Entertainment segment for fiscal year 2005. The $3.29 billion decrease in stock-based compensation expense was partially offset by increased operating expenses of $562 million related to increased salary and benefits for new and existing headcount. General and administrative expenses related to major litigation declined in fiscal year 2005 due to the $2.53 billion of charges related to the settlement of Sun

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settlement of Sun Microsystems litigation and the fine imposed by the European Commission in fiscal year 2004. This effect was partially offset by legal expenses of $2.08 billion related to settlements with IBM, Novell, Gateway, and end-user class action plaintiffs to resolve antitrust issues and other matters. In fiscal year 2004, the operating income decline was caused primarily by $2.53 billion of legal charges and $2.21 billion of stock-based compensation expense related to our employee stock option transfer program, mainly offset by an increase in revenue. In fiscal year 2003, the growth in operating income reflected an increase in revenue, partially offset by an increase in operating expenses related to employee and related costs associated with headcount and increased legal settlement expenses, primarily the Time Warner settlement charge of $750 million.

In fiscal year 2004, weWe implemented changes in employee compensation in fiscal year 2004 whereby employees are granted stock awards rather than stock options. We also completed an employee stock option transfer program in the second quarter of fiscal year 2004 in which employees could elect to transfer all of their vested and unvested stock options with a strike price of $33$33.00 or higher to JPMorgan.JPMorgan Chase Bank (“JPMorgan”). The unvested options that were transferred to JPMorgan became vested upon the transfer. A total of 345 million of the 621 million eligible options were transferred, which resulted in additional stock-based compensation expense of $2.21 billion in the second quarter of fiscal year 2004. As a result of these changes, stock-based compensation expense decreased in fiscal years 2006 and 2005, and we expect stock-based compensation expense related to stock options to continue to decrease for at least the next threein fiscal years.year 2007.

The following table shows total stock-based compensation expense by segment and by income statement classification for fiscal years 2003, 2004 and 2005.

Fiscal Year 2007 Outlook

In fiscal year 2006,2007, we expect continued double digit revenue to grow atgrowth primarily as a higher rate than fiscal year 2005, mainly due toresult of the upcoming launches of new products. We expect higher revenue growth in fiscal year 2006 as compared to fiscal year 2005 in HomeWindows Vista and Entertainment primarily driven by the launch of Xbox 360.2007 Microsoft Office system. We estimate worldwide PC shipments will grow between 7% to 9%8% and 10%. We expect that PC unit growth rates will be higher in the consumer segment than in the business segment and higher in emerging markets than in mature markets. We estimate worldwide server unit shipments will grow between 11% to 13%10% and 12% in fiscal year 20062007 as compared to fiscal year 2005.2006. We do not expect a benefitsignificant impact from year-over-year foreign currency exchange rates in fiscal year 2006.2007.

We expect our operating income growth rate in fiscal year 2006 to exceedlag our revenue growth rate. Operating income is expected to reflect lower operating expensesrate in the first half of fiscal year 2007 due to loweran increasing mix of Xbox 360 console revenue and related costs, coupled with significant investments in preparation for legal settlements than incurredthe launches of our flagship products. We expect this trend to reverse in the second half of the fiscal year 2005 and a reduction in stock-based compensation expense. Thewhen we expect operating loss for Home and Entertainment is expectedincome to increase in fiscal year 2006 driven by the launch of and investments in Xbox 360.

grow faster than revenue.

SEGMENT PRODUCT REVENUE/OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)

Our seven segments arewere Client; Server and Tools; Information Worker; Microsoft Business Solutions; MSN; Mobile and Embedded Devices; and Home and Entertainment. On July 17, 2006, we announced a change in our operating segments reflecting the culmination of our realignment announced in September 2005. These changes will be effective for fiscal year 2007; the seven segments discussed in this analysis are presented the way we internally managed and monitored performance at the business group level in fiscal years 2006, 2005, and 2004.

The revenue and operating income/(loss) amounts in this section are presented on a basis consistent with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)(“GAAP”) and include certain reconciling items attributable to each of the

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segments. The segment information appearing in Note 18 – Segment Information of the Notes to Financial Statements is presented on a basis consistent with the Company’s internal management reporting, in accordance with SFASStatement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 131,Disclosures about Segments of an Enterprise and Related Information. Certain corporate level expenses have been excluded from our segment operating results and are analyzed separately. Fiscal years 20032005 and 2004 amounts have been restated for certain internal reorganizations and to conform to the current period presentation including reclassifying certain legal settlements from business segments to corporate-level expense.fiscal year 2006 presentation.

Client

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Client includes revenue fromconsists of premium edition operating systems, including Windows XP Professional, and Home, Media Center Edition, Tablet PC Edition, and other standard Windows operating systems.systems, including Windows XP Home. Premium offerings are Windows operating systems sold at a premium above Windows XP Home. Client revenue growth is correlatedcorrelates with the growth of corporate and consumer purchases of PCs from OEMs that pre-install versions of Windows operating systems because the OEM channel accounts for over 80% of total Client revenue.

Client revenue increased in fiscal year 2006 reflecting $1.18 billion or 12% growth in OEM revenue driven by 17% growth in OEM license units from increased PC unit shipments, partially offset by a $118 million or 6% decrease in revenue from commercial and retail licensing of Windows operating systems. During the year, the mix of OEM Windows operating systems licensed with premium edition operating systems as a percentage of total OEM Windows operating systems licensed (“OEM Premium Mix”) increased two percentage points to 52%. OEM revenue growth included an increase to revenue of $89 million resulting from the alignment of our billings associated with OEM distributors in our system builder channel with both industry standards and other Microsoft channels. The operating results for all periods presented have been restateddifferences between unit growth rates and revenue growth rates from year to reflectyear are affected by changes in the reorganizationOEM Premium Mix, changes in the geographical mix, and the channel mix of the Windows Security group from Serverproducts sold by large, multi-national OEMs versus those sold by local and Tools to Client.

regional system builders. Client revenue increased in fiscal year 2005 driven by 12% growth in OEM license units and $886 million or 10% growth in OEM revenue from increased PC unit shipments, partially offset by a $198 million or 9% decrease in revenue from commercial and retail licensing of Windows operating systems. This channel-mix shift reflects our customers’ continued preference for upgrading their PC operating systems through theThe OEM channel when they replace their PCs versus the purchase of a multi-year licensing agreement. The mix of OEM Windows operating systems licensed with premium edition operating systems as a percentage of total OEM Windows operating systems licensed during the yearPremium Mix remained flat at 50% of total OEM Windows operating systems as compared to the previous year. Revenue earned from Upgrade Advantage declined by $99 million in fiscal year 2005 contributing to the decrease in commercial and retail licensing revenue. The differences between unit growth rates and revenue growth rates from year to year are affected by the mix of premium versions of

Client operating systems licensed during the year, changes in the geographical mix, the channel mix of products sold by large, multi-national OEMs versus those sold by local and regional system builders, and previous changes to deferral rates and product lives for undelivered elements of unearned revenue. Client revenue increaseincome increased in fiscal year 2004 was driven by 14% growth in OEM licenses and 16% growth2006 reflecting the increase in OEM revenue onpartially offset by a $224 million increase in sales and marketing expenses, excluding headcount-related costs, mainly driven by increased consumer PC unit shipmentsinvestments in the first half of thepartner marketing and Windows Vista pre-launch programs. Headcount-related costs increased 6% in fiscal year 2006 reflecting both a 13% increase in headcount primarily associated with Windows Vista and growthfurther investments in business PC unit shipmentsour sales and marketing organization, and an increase in the second half of fiscal year 2004.

salaries and benefits for existing headcount, partially offset by a decrease in stock-based compensation expense. Client operating income increased in fiscal year 2005 primarily due to an increase in OEM revenue and a $444 million decrease in stock-based compensation expense. These factors were partially offset by an increase in sales and marketing expenses associated with “Start Something,” a globally launched advertising campaign, marketing for security initiatives, and an increase in salary and benefits for new and existing headcount. The additional headcount for research and development was primarily devoted to the continued development of the Windows Client next-generation operating system. The operating income for fiscal year 2004 has been restated for a reclassification of legal settlement charges totaling $700 million from Client to corporate expenses to conform to the current year presentation. Client operating income increased for fiscal year 2004 compared to fiscal year 2003 mainly due to growth in revenue, partially offset by increased operating expenses primarily related to stock-based compensation expense from the employee stock option transfer program in the second quarter of fiscal year 2004.

We anticipate that worldwide PC shipments will grow at approximately 7% to 9% in fiscal year 2006, continuing to influence our growth in Client revenue. In addition, we estimate that increasing shipments of laptops as a percentage of total PC systems will continue to positively influence Client revenue growth due to shorter replacement cycles for laptops. The time between operating system releases may affect our ability to close some multi-year licensing agreements. We expect growth rates in emerging markets to continue to outpace mature market growth rates. Piracy continues to be a challenge in both emerging and mature markets. We intend to focus on growing OEM licenses faster than the overall market by reducing piracy, particularly in the mature markets, through initiatives such as Windows Genuine Advantage. Client commercial and retail licensing revenues are expected to continue to lag behind overall Client revenue growth, but we expect to see improvements in these channels in fiscal year 2006 compared to fiscal year 2005. We anticipate a modest increase in our premium product mix in fiscal year 2006, although we

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anticipate shipments of the premium-priced Media Center Edition will grow as a percentage of the total operating system shipments. Major investments in fiscal year 2006 will focus on development of Windows Vista, the next-generation PC operating system, and will include marketing initiatives such as the global “Start Something” campaign.

Vista.

Server and Tools

Server and Tools consists of server software licenses and client access licenses (CALs)(“CAL”) for Windows Server, Microsoft SQL Server,^®, Exchange Server and other server products. It also includes developer tools, training, certification, Microsoft Press, Premier and Professional product support services, and Microsoft Consulting Services. Server and Tools concentrates on licensing products, applications, tools, content and services that make information technology professionals and developers more productive and efficient. The segment uses multiple channels for licensing including pre-installed OEM versions, licenses through partners, and licenses directly to end customers. The licenses are sold both as one-time licenses and as multi-year volume licenses depending upon the needs of different customers.licenses. Server and Tools uses product innovation and partnerships with information technology professionals to drive the adoption and sales growth of its products.

Server and Tools growth isrevenue increased during fiscal year 2006 mainly driven by performance of the overall market for information technology – both hardware and software. The operating results for previous years have been restated for the reorganization of thegrowth in SQL Server, Windows Security group from Server, and ToolsCore CAL. SQL Server 2005 and Visual Studio 2005 were launched in the second quarter of fiscal year 2006 and produced revenue growth in these product lines. Revenue is impacted by overall server hardware shipments which we estimate grew 11% to Client13% in fiscal year 2006. Server and Server applications revenue, including CAL revenue, and developer tools, training and certification revenue grew $1.31 billion or 16% during fiscal year 2006. The results reflect broad adoption of Windows Server products, especially SQL Server, which grew over 30% for

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the reorganization ofyear. Consulting, Premier and Professional product support services from Information Workerrevenue increased $218 million or 15% primarily due to Server and Tools.

Server and Tools revenue growth inhigher demand for services. In fiscal year 2005, was mainly driven by growth in Server and Server application revenue, including CAL revenue, which grew $1.1$1.10 billion or 17% in fiscal year 2005 reflecting broad adoption of Windows Server System^™ products, including Windows Server, SQL Server, Exchange Server, and Management Servers. We estimate that overall server hardware shipments grew 13% to 14% during fiscal year 2005 and that Windows-based server shipments grew at a comparable rate for the same period.. Consulting, and Premier, and Professional product support services revenue increased $241 million or 19% compared to the previous year, primarily due to increased consultant utilization and new Premier customers.year. Foreign currency exchange rate changes accounted for approximately $284 million or three percentage points of total Server and Tools revenue growth, which was offset by a $314 million decline in Upgrade Advantage revenue earned. In fiscal year 2004, Server and Server applications revenue, including CAL revenue, grew $1.28 billion or 25%. Foreign currency exchange rates contributed approximately $350 million or five percentage points of Server and Tools revenue growth in fiscal year 2004 compared to fiscal year 2003. Consulting and Premier product support services revenue increased $192 million or 18% compared to fiscal year 2003 due to increased customer penetration from new product offerings.

Server and Tools operating income growth forincreased during fiscal year 2005 was2006 primarily reflecting increased revenue, partially offset by increased sales and marketing expenses. Excluding headcount-related costs, sales and marketing expenses increased $274 million due to additional spending to support long-term strategies and marketing expenses primarily related to the launch of SQL Server 2005 and Visual Studio 2005. Total Server and Tools headcount-related costs increased 5% related to both an 11% increase in headcount and an increase in revenuesalaries and benefits for existing headcount, partially offset by a decrease in stock-based compensation expense. In fiscal year 2005, Server and Tools operating income increased primarily due to increased revenue and a $1.07 billion decrease in stock-based compensation expense. This increase was partially offset by an increase in sales and marketing costs and headcount-related costs fromas a result of increased hiring and increases in salary and benefits. Operating income for the previous year has been restated for a reclassification of $1.22 billion of legal settlements from Server and Tools to corporate expenses to conform to the current year presentation. Server and Tools operating income for fiscal year 2004 increased slightly due to the revenue increase offset by increased stock-based compensation charges, including $651 million related to the employee stock option transfer program in the second quarter of fiscal year 2004.

We expect worldwide server hardware shipments to grow 11% to 13% in fiscal year 2006. However, we face strong competition from Linux-based, Unix, and other server operating systems. We anticipate little or no year-over-year foreign currency exchange rate impacts in fiscal year 2006. We also expect Server and Tools operating expenses to increase during fiscal year 2006 due to expected investment in headcount and new marketing initiativesan increase in salaries and upcoming product releases, including SQL Server 2005 and Visual Studio 2005.

 Part II 

Item 7

benefits for existing headcount.

Information Worker

Information Worker primarily consists of the Microsoft Office Systemsystem of programs, servers, services,solutions, and solutionsservices designed to increase personal, team, and organization productivity. Information Worker includes Microsoft Office, Microsoft Project, Microsoft Visio,^®, SharePoint^® Portal Server CALs,CAL, and other information worker products including Microsoft LiveMeeting^®Office Communications Server and OneNote^®. Most revenue from this segment comes from licensing our Office System products.OneNote. Revenue growth depends on the ability to add value to the core Office product set and expand our product offerings in other information worker areas such as document lifecycleenterprise content management, collaboration, unified communications, and business intelligence. Beginning

Information Worker revenue increased in fiscal year 2005, the Small2006 primarily reflecting a $521 million or 5% increase in volume licensing, retail packaged products, and Mid-Market Solutions & Partners (SMS&P) organization, which was historically partpreinstalled versions of Information Worker, was re-alignedOffice in Microsoft Business Solutions. As a result of this change, Information Worker results have been restated to reflect the reclassification of the SMS&P organization to Microsoft Business Solutions. The results for previous periods have also been restated due to the reclassification of Professional product support services from Information Worker into Server and Tools.

Japan, while OEM revenue increased $66 million or 4%. Information Worker revenue increased in fiscal year 2005 primarily due toreflecting a 3%$269 million or $269 million3% increase in volume licensing, retail packaged product, and pre-installed versions of Office in Japan, a 6%$91 million or $91 million6% increase in OEM revenue, and the impact of foreign currency exchange rates, partially offset by reduced Upgrade Advantage earned revenue. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates accounted for approximately $367 million or three percentage points of the revenue growth for fiscal year 2005, as compared to the previous fiscal year, offset by a $663 million decline in Upgrade Advantage earned revenue. Revenue growth for

Information Worker operating income increased in fiscal year 2004 from volume licensing, retail packaged product and pre-installed versions of Office in Japan was2006 primarily due to the revenue growth, partially offset by a $283 million or 15% in aggregate. This increase was driven by recognition of unearned revenue primarily from a large increase in multi-year licenses signed previous to the transition to our Licensing 6.0 programssales and approximately $110 millionmarketing expenses related to the launch of Office 2003. OEM licensing revenue grew 29% or $325 million. Foreign currency exchange rates provided approximately $485supporting field sales efforts and a $71 million or 5% of total Information Worker revenue growth.

10% increase in research and development expenses. Headcount-related costs increased 14% during fiscal year 2006 reflecting both an 18% increase in headcount related to supporting field sales efforts and research and development investments in future products and an increase in salaries and benefits for existing headcount, partially offset by a decrease in stock-based compensation expense. Information Worker operating income growth for fiscal year 2005 was primarily due to the revenue growth and a $304 million decrease in stock-based compensation expense. Operating expenses were also impacted by a reduction in marketing campaign costs from the previous period associated with the launch of Office 2003. This decline was offset by an increase in headcount-related costs from increased hiring and increases in salary and benefits. Information Worker operating income in fiscal year 2004 increased from the previous year primarily due to growth in revenue, partially offset byas a result of an increase in operating expenses, primarily related to $351 million of stock-based compensation expense from the employee stock option transfer programheadcount and an increase in the second quarter of fiscal year 2004salaries and higher sales and marketing expenses.

The revenue growth ratebenefits for Information Worker is expected to be higher in fiscal year 2006 than fiscal year 2005. We expect sustained momentum in our OEM and multi-year licensing offerings and increased purchasing of Office System 2003 as enterprises complete their product evaluations. We expect to see slowing revenue from packaged product late in the year as we approach the next version launch. We anticipate little or no year-over-year foreign currency exchange rate benefit in fiscal year 2006.existing headcount.

Microsoft Business Solutions