Dell reported record-high revenues for the 4th quarter of 2011, though profits were slightly down. Desktop and laptop sales slumped, while server sales have increased.
Dell’s revenue for Q4 last year was $16 billion, up 2%, while its net income was down 18%, at $764 million, compared to $927 million for the 4th quarter of 2010. Dell called 2011 the “company’s most successful financial year ever,” with a full year revenue increase of one percent to $62 billion, according to The Inquirer.
Michael Dell, chairman and CEO of the company, goes on to say, “I’m very pleased with our fiscal year results and the strong performance we’re seeing in our commercial businesses. We remain focused on developing and acquiring new technologies and capabilities, and our IT solutions portfolio has never been stronger. Customers are now seeing Dell in a fresh light, and we’re heading into the new year with strength and optimism.” Dell’s expanding strength as an enterprise solutions provider helped to drive revenues of late, which saw a record $18.6 billion in 2011. Dell’s net income for the fiscal year was $3.5 billion, up 33%.
Consumer business experienced a drop of 2% in revenue to $3.2 billion, and fell 43% in operating income to $39 million. The company attributed this to the general decline of the U.S. economy. Dell also released the Inspiron Duo last year, which has a unique flip-hinge design akin to a tablet, but likewise dropped out of the U.S. tablet market after discontinuing it’s Streak 7.
Dell expects revenue growth of 5 to 9 percent for 2012, with typical seasonal declines in its consumer and public businesses, for Q1 of this year.