Dell bottom line robust despite fall in PC sales

US computer giant Dell has seen a 28% rise in quarterly net profit to a record $1.02bn (€818m), despite steep falls in prices of personal computers.

But Dell's second-quarter revenues of $13.43bn (€10.8bn), while up 15% from a year ago, fell short of analysts' target of $13.7bn (€11bn).

Dell chief executive Kevin Rollins said: "While average selling prices were down more than we would have liked, we focused on balanced profitability and, in the process, delivered to our guidance for EPS."

Dell, which employs more than 4,000 people in Ireland, offset the price declines in personal computers by boosting unit sales faster than its rivals.

According to technology research firm Gartner, during the second quarter Dell posted a 23.6% increase in PC shipments, while the total market grew by 14.8%.