Microsoft profit, revenue beats Wall Street view

(Reuters) - Microsoft Corp on Thursday reported revenue and profit above Wall Street expectations, as sales of its hardware and cloud-computing products helped to offset a decline in the company's core Windows business.

Shares rose 2.8 percent to $44.55 in after-hours trading.

"The company beat across the board," said FBR Capital markets analyst Daniel Ives. "The Street will cheer these results as it appears Microsoft is back on the right track after a head-scratching performance last quarter."

Microsoft's revenue rose 6 percent to $21.7 billion, helped by the inclusion of Nokia's phone handset business. Wall Street had expected $21.1 billion on average, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Earnings per share declined to 61 cents per share from 68 cents in the year-ago quarter. Analysts had expected 51 cents, on average.

(Reporting by Bill Rigby; editing by Gunna Dickson)