Goldman Sachs is lacking this morning with an comprehensive re-examine of the software industry as second-quarter earnings begin rolling in next week. Broadly, the analysts see chief notice officers — CIOs — tightening their belts.
“Our latest IT spending indicators suggest ongoing caution in 2008 spending plans on a year-over-year ground. CIO expectations of growth in budgets remains well below 1-year and 2-year ago levels,” the analysts wrote.
Goldman asked CIOs in a inspection last month, “Which of the following software-related projects are most likely to get delayed if your IT roll continues to make tight in 2H2008?”
Upgrades to Microsoft’s flagship products, Windows Vista and Office 2007, topped the think best, with 43 percent of respondents saying they would delay upgrading to Vista and 39 percent saying they would stay upgrading to Office 2007.
Despite that, Goldman writes, Microsoft’s three elephantine product cycles “still remain in fairly timely stages (Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 and Office 2007) and while not immune to IT slowing, they do create some top-line momentum.”
Microsoft reports its fiscal fourth-quarter and full-year results on Thursday, July 17, after the markets close.
Goldman expects Microsoft earnings per share for the year of $1.88, up 32 percent.
Original text: http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2008/07/vista_office_2007_top_cios_lists_of_software_proje.html
