How tough is the economy? We wonder.

Last week Microsoft announced it was laying off 1,400 workers immediately and would lay off up to a total of 5,000 in the next 18 months.

The problem? The Redmond software giant only made a profit of $4.17 billion in the last financial quarter. By the way, that profit number was billion with a “B.” The company is hardly wallowing in red ink.

Nonetheless, 1,400 workers now are out of a job. All because Microsoft had to deal with missing Wall Street’s forecast for earnings of 49 cents per share by two cents.

In contrast, Detroit’s automakers would be thrilled to be making even that much.

Yes, we know Detroit is cutting jobs – thousands and thousands of them. But the reality is that they have no choice. They’re losing money, not just making a tiny bit less.

Actually, Microsoft’s total revenue is up for the past quarter to $16.63 billion, an increase of two percent. Not huge, but better than a lot of companies in this country and abroad.

Unfortunately for the workers, Wall Street wanted $17.08 billion. If your counting, that’s a $450,000 million misstep by Microsoft – real money to most companies, but a drop in the bucket to the maker of Windows and XBox.

To its credit, Microsoft softened the blow to those being laid off by using the 60-day federal WARN notice (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act) to essentially put employees on 60 days of paid leave. Most employees also will qualify for a severance package.

Still, it’s disheartening to see one of region’s – and country’s – great companies resorting to cutbacks while its revenue is actually increasing and it has billions in the bank.

Craig Groshart, Bellevue Reporter editor, can be reached at 425-453-4233 or cgroshart@bellevuereporter.com