Joe Wilcox at Microsoft Monitor has the most complete analysis of our fiscal 2006 Q3 results. The market doesn't like these results and is pounding our stock lower by around 6% in after market trading.

CNBC is reporting "Microsoft slammed on earnings report." More on Memeorandum.

The market is a mean and unforgiving place. Our profits are up 13%, but our stock is down. It all comes to expectations and stockholders don't like the increased expectations on the cost side of the balance sheet.

On the other hand, Xbox sales are higher than expected, and that will turn into profits in future years (the more games, and other things, sold on each Xbox brings in money that counteracts the money we're losing on each one sold).

As a blogger who works for a company, and is also a shareholder, I'm always wondering just what I should say about such events?

I know that talking about financials is about the biggest risk there is for those of us who live our lives in the public eye. I know people who've been fired from other companies for doing just that.

So, I'm just going to lay it out there and play it straight.

What would you like employees to tell you in situations like this?