Microsoft Declares Regular Quarterly Dividend

Microsoft Declares Regular Quarterly Dividend

Board of Directors Appoints New Compensation Committee Member

REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) today announced that its Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.08 per share. The dividend is payable March 10, 2005, to shareholders of record on Feb. 17, 2005. The ex-dividend date will be Feb. 15, 2005.

The company also announced that its Board of Directors has appointed James I. Cash Jr. to the Compensation Committee, replacing Gary Reed who retired from the Board in early November.

Cash joined the Microsoft Board of Directors in June 2001 and also serves on the Audit Committee and Antitrust Compliance Committee.

A former member of Harvard's faculty, Cash has taught numerous MBA courses and executive education programs, as well as chaired Harvard's MBA program from 1992 to 1995. Cash is widely recognized for expertise in the role of information systems technology in corporations and has served as a consultant to companies and businesses worldwide.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.


Source: Microsoft Corp.

CONTACT: financial analysts and investors, Curt Anderson, General
Manager, Investor Relations, +1-425-706-3703, or media, Rapid Response Team,
Waggener Edstrom, +1-503-443-7070, rrt@wagged.com, both for Microsoft Corp.

Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/msft

NOTE TO EDITORS: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft's corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. Shareholder and financial information is available at http://www.microsoft.com/msft .

-------
Profile: intent