Goldman Sachs sees 'challenging' 2011 for Microsoft

[vis~as]

Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer shows off a slate PC at CES 2010.

(Credit:James Martin/CNET)
Wall Street's confidence in Microsoft for next year has taken a hit, with what Goldman Sachs is attributing to the software giant's approach in both tablet PCs and mobile phones.

In a Goldman Sachs research note released over the weekend, picked up by blog Techflash, the firm says that Microsoft is due for a "more challenging year" and that the company's top-line growth (or revenue) could slow from 12 percent this year to 7 percent next year.

Microsoft beat expectations in its last fiscal quarter, pulling in $5.41 billion in net income, on revenue of $16.2 billion. The company also saw a 13 percent growth in sales, taking into account a deferral of revenue ahead of the release ofWindows 7. Some of the factors Microsoft's CFO Peter Klein had attributed to the those numbers were strong sales of Office 2010, Windows 7, and theXbox 360, as well as growth in the enterprise.

Despite that, the research note points to weaknesses in the company's tablet strategy, and mobile devices at large. "A tablet response is still not forthcoming and our early read onWindows Phone 7 has not yet changed our view that Microsoft's share in mobile OSes will remain at only the single-digit level," the research note said.

Microsoft has not yet released sales numbers on Windows Phone 7 devices, though it is expected to as part of the company's keynote speech at the Consumer Electronics Show next month. There have also been questions about if and when the company intends to bring that same experience to larger form-factor devices, like a tablet, to fit in things like instant resume and increasingly long standby times--two things Windows 7 cannot yet quite match.

In any case, Microsoft's continuing tablet strategy should come into more of a focus at CES, where last year's keynote speech featured a number of tablets, including HP's Slate 500, which had been rumored to be scrapped.





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Re: Goldman Sachs sees 'challenging' 2011 for Microsoft

Table – 1 Elevations (Including Grout)

Item (Notes 1, 2 & 3) Unpaved
Areas
(mm) Paved
Areas
(mm) Enclosed
Buildings
(mm)
(Note 6, 7) Open
Buildings
(mm)
Grade, Floors and Paving High Point 1 100,000 100,000 100,450 100,100
Low Point 2 99,850 99,850 100,300 100,000
Column (Vessel) Piers Bottom of Base Plates 3 100,150 100,150 100,600 100,250
Centrofugal Pumps Bottom of Base Plates 4 100,150 100,150 101,600 100,250
Stair & Ladder Pads (Note 5) Top 5 100,025 100,025 --- ---
Bottom 6 99,850 --- --- ---
Tanks Bottom 7 100,300 100,300 100,750 100,400
Vertical Vessels and Special Equipment Bottom of Base Rings or Support Legs 8 100,150 100,150 100,600 100,250
Tops of Spread Footings, Mats, Pile Caps, and Tie Beams (Except at Pipe Rack Column) 9 99,700
(Max) 99,700
(Max)
Tops of Pipe Rack column Footings and Their Tie Beams 10 99,550
(Max) 99,550
(Max)
Furnace Floors (Bottom of Floor Plate) Wall or Roof Fired 11 101,050 101,050
Floor fired - Operating Access Required under Floor (Note 4) 12 102,400 102,400
Floor fired - Operating Access Not Required under Floor 13 101,200 101,200
Blowers, Reciprocating Pumps, Compressors - Horizontal & Vertical 14 As
Required As
Required As
Required As
Required
Pipe Trenches & Pits Top of Cover 15 100,050 Flush with
Paving Flush with
Floor Flush with
Floor
Sewer Boxes, Catch Basins, Clean Outs Top of Cover 16 100,050 Flush with
Paving Flush with
Floor Flush with
Floor

Notes :

1. All elevations shall be referenced to the facility elevation RCD EL. 5.60 M = EL. 100,000 MM
2. All concrete support levels shown for equipment and structural items, except stairs and ladders, shall include an allowance for at least 25 MM of grout.
3. When Required
(a) Individual foundations shall be lowered to clear passing lines.
(b) Required leads from drain hubs shall be cast in the foundations.
(c) Except for columns and piers, footings and pile caps which do not project more than 300 MM beyond the perimeter of the items supported, shall extend to the point of support.
(d) The tops of large mats which support multiple plinths or piers in paved areas may be set flush with prevailing grade and sloped with paving.
4. Furnace floor shall be set to maintain 2,135 MM minimum clearance from grade to button of burner piping.
5. Ladder pad top of concrete may vary from 100,000 to 100,150 as needed to maintain rung spacing (100,025 preferred)
6. Elevations shown are for buildings with personnel access only. For building designed for forklift or truck access, HP floor shall be 100,300 and all other elevations shall be reduced accordingly.
7. Finishing building HP of floor shall be 100,100 and all other elevations shall be reduced accordingly.