Microsoft is scheduled to post quarterly results next Thursday. While things have started to look up for the Redmond-based behemoth, especially its search engine business, its main growth drivers, Windows and Office, still remain hamstrung due to the bleak state of the PC market.

Wall Street analysts are almost certain Microsoft will report a dip in profit and sales for its fiscal fourth quarter. They expect Microsoft to report earnings of around 36 cents a share and $14.38 billion in revenue, according to Reuters. It must be noted that the company had reported earnings of 46 cents a share and $15.84 billion in revenue for the same quarter last year.

With the PC market showing some signs of recovery and the chances of a search-and-online-ads deal between Yahoo and Microsoft having been revived, Microsoft has a lot to look forward to.

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