Microsoft Corp. shares soared to a record high Friday after the software giant reported first-quarter sales and earnings that topped analysts’ estimates, buoyed by growing demand for cloud-based software and services.<br />Shares of Microsoft rose as much as 6.2 percent to $60.79 in after-hours trading.<br />They later pared gains to $60.43, still adding nearly $25 billion to its market value.<br />The company's shares have doubled since August 2013 with Chief Executive Satya Nadella restoring investor confidence by focusing on mobile and cloud computing rather than PCs.
