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Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) has beaten Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) and invested $240 million for a 1.6% stake in Facebook. This would value the social-networking site, which was founded in 2004, at $15 billion. Microsoft also has an advertising deal with Facebook until 2011, which it expanded to monetize the traffic of international versions of Facebook, too, which the social network is planning to launch shortly. About 60% of Facebook’s users are coming from outside the U.S.

According to the WSJ, the startup expects to break about even on a cash-flow basis this year, with revenue of $150 million.

Here’s the official press release from Microsoft and Facebook:

PALO ALTO, Calif. and REDMOND, Wash., Oct. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Facebook(R) and Microsoft Corp. today announced that Microsoft will take a $240 million equity stake in Facebook’s next round of financing at a $15 billion valuation, and the companies will expand their existing advertising partnership. Under the expanded strategic alliance, Microsoft will be the exclusive third-party advertising platform partner for Facebook, and will begin to sell advertising for Facebook internationally in addition to the United States.

“We are pleased to take our Microsoft partnership to the next level,” said Owen Van Natta, vice president of operations and chief revenue officer at Facebook. “We think this expanded relationship will allow Facebook to continue to innovate and grow as a technology leader and major player in social computing, as well as bring relevant advertising to the more than 49 million active users of Facebook.”

“Making this investment and expanding this partnership will position Microsoft and Facebook to better take advantage of advertising opportunities around the world, and is a great win for not only for our two companies, but also our collective users and advertisers,” said Kevin Johnson, president of the Platforms & Services Division at Microsoft. “We have partnered well over the past year and look forward to doing some exciting things together in the future. The opportunity to further collaborate as advertising partners is a big reason we have decided to take an equity stake, and is a strong statement of our confidence in the long-term economics of this partnership.”

Facebook continues to experience strong growth both in the U.S. and international markets; 59 percent of Facebook’s users are outside the U.S. With an average of 250,000 new users registering each day, Facebook continues to be one of the most-trafficked sites on the Internet.

On Aug. 22, 2006, the companies announced a U.S.-only strategic alliance that named Microsoft the exclusive provider of standard banner advertising on Facebook using Microsoft’s digital advertising solutions and the Microsoft(R) adCenter platform. In early 2007, the terms were extended to 2011.

The WSJ has another article reporting that Facebook is seeking additional funding beyond Microsoft’s investment. The Palo Alto-based company is looking to raise about $260 million from hedge funds and private-equity investors. After all, the software giant’s $240 million investment is significantly less than the $500 million to $1 billion investment many industry experts were expecting.