Dell 1Q Earnings, Sales Beat Street Estimates

Dell Computer

The Round Rock, Texas-based computer maker reported that its first-quarter profit of $457 million was down 1 percent from the $462 million it turned in for the year-ago quarter on revenue that was essentially flat.

"Our objectives are simple and unchanged: to further reduce costs; to deliver great value to customers, particularly enterprise customers; and to profitably gain market share," said Kevin Rollins, Dell's president and COO, in a statement. "We're continuing to make good on all three commitments."

Company executives were expected to spell out details of the quarter in a conference call with Wall Street analysts later Thursday.

In the statement, though, Rollins said he expects Dell's second-quarter profit to drop about 5 percent sequentially, which he said was seasonally expected, but sales "could be up 8 percent" on a year-over-year basis.