News
Dell Shares Plunge on Lowered 2Q Outlook
Shares of Dell Inc. plunged to their lowest level in nearly five years Friday
after the world's largest computer maker lowered its second-quarter earnings
outlook below Wall Street's estimates, due mainly to aggressive price cuts in
a slowing market.
The company said it expects fiscal second-quarter earnings between 21 cents
and 23 cents per share on sales of about $14 billion, below the earnings of
32 cents per share on sales of $14.2 billion analysts polled by Thomson Financial
had expected. The company's previous outlook was roughly in line with consensus
estimates.
Analysts had been expecting the company to lower its sales outlook, but the
resulting profit shortfall surprised investors, who sent the company's shares
down $2.47, or 11 percent, to $19.63 in morning trading on the Nasdaq. The last
time the stock traded near that price was in 2001.
Dell's operating margins were already low, so even a seemingly minor revenue
shortfall can compress them quite a bit, leading to much lower earnings than
a company with strong margins would see, said ThinkEquity analyst Eric M. Ross.
"Internally, the company is in disarray. They are finding it difficult
to compete because they are so used to winning," Ross added. "It's
taking them more effort to be the low cost, low price provider."
Round Rock, Texas-based Dell pioneered the direct sales model it is known for.
But the company is facing tough competition from rivals such as Hewlett-Packard
Co. and China's Lenovo Group Ltd.
Dell's worldwide PC shipments grew about 11 percent in the second quarter,
according to research firms IDC and Gartner Inc. But others saw faster growth,
and as a result Dell's global market share barely budged.
Even Apple, which holds a tiny fraction of the computer market, is flexing
its muscles. The company's fiscal third-quarter profit was boosted not only
by iPod sales, but demand for its notebook computers as well.
Apple was able to take advantage of falling component prices in a way Dell
hasn't, said Shaw Wu of American Technology Research. The analyst, who has a
"Buy" rating on both Apple and Dell, said he thought Dell could withstand
some of the pressure thanks to the lower component prices.
"Obviously they didn't," he said.
Microsoft's delayed launch of the Vista operating system has weighed on Dell,
Wu said, adding that it will help drive hardware sales once it is released.
Dell's news weighed on rival Hewlett Packard Co.'s stock as well as the tech
sector in general. Shares of the Palo Alto, Calif.-based HP slid $1.38, or 4.3
percent, to $30.42 in morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
Apple's shares edged up 14 cents to $60.64 on the Nasdaq.
Dell plans to post its second-quarter results for the quarter on Aug. 17.