Dell posts Q4 revenue jump

Global PC retailer Dell has posted its fourth quarter and full year financial results for the period ending February 1, 2008, with a healthy increase in revenues helped by an increasing focus on business customers.

The company posted USD 16 billion in revenues for the fourth quarter, up 10 per cent on the previous year, and while profit and earnings per share were both down year-on-year for those three months - largely down to reorganisation following acquisitions - the company posted healthy numbers for the full year.

In fiscal 2008 profit was just shy of USD 3 billion, up 14 per cent on fiscal 2007, while earnings per share were up to USD 1.31, a 15 per cent jump on the previous year.

Products that sold particularly well included Notebooks, while growth outside of the US also contributed to the solid numbers - Asia-Pacific and Japan saw revenue grow by 25 per cent alone.

Chairman and CEO Michael Dell said of the results: "Execution against our priorities continues to drive growth. As businesses and consumers worldwide join the 'Connected Age' - one that's underscored by more data, more devices and more users - we see enormous opportunities to enable them to simplify IT and participate."

The company has reduced its global headcount, excluding acquisitions, by 3200 in the past eight months as it strives towards a "world-class cost structure and competitiveness".