Thursday, software giant Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) said its sales of Windows 7 touched record levels, and detailed plans to continue to deliver shareholder value in the long term.
"Windows 7 is the simply best PC operating system we have ever built," Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer said. "It enables people to do more of what they want to do more easily and more quickly, and customers are responding. Since launch, we've already sold twice as many units of Windows 7 than any other operating system we've ever launched in a comparable time," he added.
Ballmer also indicated the momentum the company was experiencing in other key areas of its business, with delivery of products and services including Bing, Windows Server 2008, Windows Azure, and the upcoming release of Microsoft Office 2010.
Microsoft said over 98% of the voting shareholders supported the company's executive compensation practices in Microsoft's first vote on executive compensation, also known as "say on pay." In September, the company's board adopted a triennial "say on pay" model in which the company's shareholders will have the opportunity to vote every three years on the compensation program for the company's named executive officers.
Microsoft shareholders also elected nine directors to serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders. The company also voted down two shareholder proposals related to healthcare reform and charitable contributions.
According to Microsoft, all director nominees, the "say on pay" proposal and the ratification of the independent auditor each received a vote of over 98% of votes cast. It said that the proposed amendments to the articles of incorporation received a vote of over 99% of votes cast and 85% of shares entitled to vote.
Microsoft board of directors consists of William Gates, Chairman; Steven Ballmer, Chief Executive Officer; Dina Dublon, former chief financial officer of JPMorgan Chase; Raymond V. Gilmartin, former chairman, president and chief executive officer of Merck & Co. Inc.; Reed Hastings, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Netflix Inc.; Dr. Maria Klawe, president of Harvey Mudd College; David Marquardt, general partner at August Capital; Charles Noski, former vice chairman of AT&T Corp.; and Dr. Helmut Panke, former chairman of the board of management at BMW Bayerische Motoren Werke AG. Seven of the nine board members are independent, consistent with the requirement in the company's governance guidelines that a substantial majority be independent.
MSFT is currently trading on the Nasdaq at $29.89, down $0.22 or 0.73%.
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June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.