Industry analysts had been concerned that Microsoft might deliver an unsettling surprise in the quarterly report if Vista sales had been sluggish or if spending was spiking as the company struggled to catch up to Google in Internet services.

But the strong quarterly results and encouraging guidance for the next year eased those worries. “This brought a sigh of relief,” said Sarah Friar, an analyst for Goldman Sachs.

“The core business is doing very well,” said Charles DiBona, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein & Company.