Michael Dell is in New York this week for customer meetings amid Microsoft‘s big Windows 8 launch. Sure, Dell hopes to cash in on the new operating system across tablets, ultrabooks and PCs. But that’s only one Dell priority within a much grander strategy. Where is Michael taking the company next? The VAR Guy will pursue answers later today during a one-on-one interview with Mr. Dell.
Dell’s Q2 2013 quarterly earnings (announced today) disappointed Wall Street, and the company cut its full-year earnings expectations amid the wait for Windows 8. But take a closer look and you’ll find financial bright spots involving Dell’s AppAssure, Wyse and SonicWall acquisitions.
Dell’s (NASDAQ: DELL) Q4 2013 earnings beat expectations but revenues and net income declined overall. Among the interesting twists: Dell’s earnings call and press release didn’t mention Windows 8 PC sales momentum at all, though the earnings call briefly mentioned some “touch” computing.
Dell’s (NASDAQ: DELL) board of directors will reportedly meet this evening (Monday, Feb. 4) to vote on a leverage buyout that may take the company private, Bloomberg reported. Indeed, Silver Lake Management, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Michael Dell are expected to to be among Dell’s key investors.
The Microsoft Surface RT is a PC. It’s not a mobile device and it’s not a tablet, it’s a PC. And Microsoft’s first self-branded computer. It is, in short, the physical incarnation of Microsoft’s Windows 8.
The expectations and competition for the Surface are daunting.
Does Michael Dell work closely with channel partners? Consider these anecdotes: Last week, Dell (pictured, left) and Channel Chief Greg Davis (right) hosted about a dozen partners in San Jose, Calif. The week before, Davis and Dell had lunch with partners in New York City. So yes, Michael Dell is focused on channel partners.
Who will own Dell (NASDAQ: DELL)? Three parties are now in the running: (1) Michael Dell and Silver Lake Partners, (2) Blackstone Group and (3) Carl Icahn, a Dell special committee confirmed today. The anticipated Blackstone and Icahn offers may exceed an earlier proposal from Michael Dell and Silver Lake Partners, which valued the company at $13.65 per share.
Dell’s (NASDAQ: DELL) Go Shop period ends today. Industry pundits are wondering if Blackstone, a private equity firm, will submit a bid to buy the PC giant. There’s even a rumor Blackstone may hire Oracle’s Mark Hurd to run Dell. Such a move sounds unlikely, which could leave Silver Lake Partners and Michael Dell as the only bidders for the company.
Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) Q4 2013 earnings are expected to arrive Feb. 19. But revenues and net income won’t be the only focus of a Q&A session with Wall Street analysts. Instead, investors and money managers will surely ask how the latest quarterly results weigh on Dell’s $24.4 billion attempt to go private. Here are seven questions that will surely come up during the Feb.
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