Dell Computer Corp. expects revenue and net income for its fourth fiscal quarter to be better than previously announced, thanks to an increase in its PC sales during the quarter.
Dell now expects revenue of US$8 billion for its fourth quarter, which ends Feb. 1, up from previous expectations of $7.6 billion, the company said in a statement. Dell also expects to report earnings of $0.17 per share, compared to the $0.16 per share it forecast at the close of its third quarter in November. A consensus of analysts polled by Thomson Financial/First Call expect the company to report earnings of $0.16 per share.
Dell raised its expectations mainly because of better than expected PC sales to consumers, the company said.
In fact, Dell was the only company to post a year-on-year increase in PC shipments both worldwide and in the U.S. according to figures released Thursday by market research group International Data Corp. (IDC). Dell now has a 27.5 percent market share in the U.S. and a 14.2 percent market share worldwide in unit shipments, putting it at the top of the two markets.
The overall PC market declined in both markets, with unit shipments dropping 10.1 percent in the U.S., and 6.7 percent worldwide, according to IDC. Dell will report its 2002 fourth-quarter earnings and give guidance on its first fiscal quarter of 2003 on Feb. 14, the company said.