loss was partially offset by a net increase in sales and marketing expense driven by incremental headcount and marketing costs in the SMS&P organization. In addition, there has been an increase in marketing and product development investments in our portfolio of business solutions. The operating loss for fiscal year 2004 increased from fiscal year 2003 due to an increase in stock-based compensation expense from the employee stock option transfer program in the second quarter of fiscal year 2004, partially offset by an increase in revenue and lower operating expenses including $42 million of lower intangibles amortization costs. 

Microsoft Business Solutions expects continued revenue growth through its portfolio of business solutions and related product releases, including newer applications such as Microsoft Office Small Business Accounting and Microsoft CRM. Continued investment in the next generation of solutions, broader geographical coverage, and plans for facilitating our partners to provide customized vertical solutions should result in improved business performance for Microsoft Business Solutions in fiscal year 2006. 

 

MSN 

 

MSN includes personal communications services, such as e-mail and instant messaging, and online information offerings, such as MSN Search and the MSN portals and channels around the world. MSN also provides a variety of online paid services in addition to MSN Internet Access and MSN Premium Web Services. Revenue is derived primarily from advertisers on MSN, from consumers and partners through subscriptions and transactions generated from online paid services, and from subscribers to MSN Narrowband Internet Access. In fiscal year 2005, we launched a new version of our MSN Search engine, which is based on our own technology. This change will help provide the ability to innovate more quickly and the opportunity to develop a long-term competitive advantage in search. In addition to the launch of MSN Search, we introduced many new products and product enhancements in fiscal year 2005, including a new version of the MSN home page which provides a richer user experience, quicker load times, higher levels of end user customization, and fewer advertisements and links. MSN launched the clarity in advertising program in fiscal year 2005, which removed paid advertising from inclusion in search results and resulted in a reduced number of advertisements that are returned with search results. 

In fiscal year 2005, MSN advertising revenue increased $193 million or 16% primarily as a result of industry and market growth, and continued growth of MSN display advertising revenue, tempered by the search clarity in advertising program and the impact of the home page redesign. Revenue from subscription and transaction services other than Internet Access increased $84 million or 88% in fiscal year 2005 as a result of growth in the number of MSN Premium subscribers through our carrier partnerships. Offsetting the overall revenue growth was a decline of $219 million or 24% in Internet Access revenue, driven by the continued migration of Internet Access subscribers to broadband or other competitively priced Internet service