Microsoft’s Chief Financial Officer, Amy Hood, is asking employees to brace for another year of “intensity,” even as the tech giant posted a staggering $27 billion in quarterly profit. In an internal email sent Wednesday following the company’s earnings report, Hood stated that fiscal year 2026 (FY26) would demand “intensity, clarity, and bold execution.” Hood routinely sends these emails every quarter to accompany Microsoft’s financial disclosures. While they typically mirror the company’s publicly shared results, these mails sometimes reveal deeper insights into executive priorities and internal messaging.
Azure milestone and strategic priorities
As reported by Business Insider, this quarter, Hood spotlighted a major milestone: Microsoft Azure revenue surpassed $75 billion, growing 34% year-over-year, a figure disclosed by the company for the first time. She framed the achievement as a reminder of Microsoft’s growing importance to customers across sectors. Hood also echoed CEO Satya Nadella’s recent memo, reinforcing the company’s top priorities: security, quality, and AI transformation. “We’re entering FY26 with clear priorities… building on our momentum and grounded in our mission and growth-mindset culture,” she wrote. Notably absent from Hood’s message was any mention of Microsoft’s recent job cuts. The company has laid off more than 10,000 employees this year, even as its profit continues to swell. While Nadella addressed this contradiction last week, calling it the “enigma of success,” some employees reportedly found the explanation lacking.
Microsoft’s second quarter results
Microsoft posted revenue of $69.6 billion, up 12% from last year. Its net profit was $24.1 billion, with earnings per share (EPS) at $3.23. The jump was driven by strong demand for cloud services, Azure and other cloud revenue rose 31%. Microsoft’s AI business is growing fast too, now earning over $13 billion a year, up 175% from last year.
