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Dell Technologies (DELL)

7 quarters tracked (Q3'25 to Q2'27) · latest call September 1, 2026
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78%
Kept of 32 resolved
25
Kept or exceeded
7
Missed
7
Still pending
Share count, 3 yrs/yr · accretor

Score History

QuarterCall dateDisclosureFinancial qualityKeptMissed
Q2'27September 1, 20267/121 high, 3 medium, 1 low flags11Call sheet →
Q1'27May 28, 20265/123 high, 4 medium, 1 low flags31Call sheet →
Q4'26February 26, 20268/121 high, 2 medium, 3 low flags42Call sheet →
Q3'26November 25, 20259/123 medium, 3 low flags60Call sheet →
Q1'26May 29, 20259/123 medium, 3 low flags30Call sheet →
Q4'25February 28, 202510/123 medium, 3 low flags42Call sheet →
Q3'25November 26, 202410/122 medium, 4 low flags41Call sheet →
Disclosure: the 6-item rubric, each scored 0-2, out of 12. Financial quality: flagged indicators by severity. Kept and missed count the prior-quarter promises scored on that call.

Promise Ledger · All Quarters

MarkedStatusPromise
Q2'27ExceededMaintain operating expense rate below 9% of revenue (Q1)
Q2 Opex rate 8.5% of revenue, better than 9% target
Q2'27MissedDeliver AI server revenue growth >800% YoY (Q1)
Q2 AI revenue only $16.4 bn versus $16.1 bn prior, growth ~102% YoY, far below 800% target
Q1'27DeliveredContinue share repurchase program
Bought 11M shares though at higher prices ($147 vs $125)
Q1'27DeliveredOperating expense discipline
OpEx at 8.4% of revenue, lowest in 20 years
Q1'27PendingCSG margins to improve after January 6 price increases
Guiding Q2 CSG margins to moderate to ~6%, needs verification
Q1'27PendingMaintain mid-single digit operating margins on AI
Still claiming this but with massive mix shift ahead
Q1'27Exceeded$50B AI revenue for FY2027
Now guiding to $60B at midpoint, 20% increase
Q1'27MissedLightning storage general availability in first half of fiscal year
Zero mention this quarter despite being a key initiative last quarter
Q4'26MissedDisciplined cost management and OpEx scaling
OpEx up 5% vs down 2% prior quarter, citing 'variable compensation tied to outperformance'
Q4'26ExceededCSG momentum would continue with commercial growth
Commercial up 16% vs 5% in Q3, sixth consecutive quarter of growth
Q4'26DeliveredStorage Dell IP portfolio continued outperformance
Revenue turned positive at +2% with 'continued outperformance'
Q4'26ExceededTraditional server demand momentum continuing
Went from double-digit growth to 'demand significantly outpaced supply'
Q4'26MissedQ4 outlook for commodity costs 'largely unchanged from last quarter'
Now calling environment 'unprecedented' and 'highly dynamic' - clearly worse than expected
Q4'26DeliveredAI server profitability would improve sequentially in Q3
ISG operating margin up 240 bps to 14.8%, though still calling it mid-single-digits
Q3'26Exceeded$20B AI server shipments for full year
Now guiding $25B with $9.4B in Q4 alone
Q3'26DeliveredOperating expenses down low single digits
OpEx down 2% in Q3, maintaining discipline despite revenue growth
Q3'26DeliveredImproved profitability in second half across CSG and ISG
ISG operating income rate up 360 bps to 12.4%, CSG stable at 6%
Q3'26DeliveredCSG to grow low to mid-single digits
Q3 up 3% YoY, commercial up 5%, on track for full-year guidance
Q3'26ExceededTraditional server business to grow in second half
Delivered double-digit demand growth, though pricing pressure showed in P&L conversion
Q3'26PendingStorage expected to be flat for the year
Still tracking toward flat but Q3 was down 1%, needs Q4 improvement
Q3'26DeliveredAI margin rates to improve in the second half
Achieved mid-single digits, though framed as cost normalization rather than sustainable improvement
Q1'26ExceededTraditional server momentum continues
Sixth consecutive quarter of growth but moderating
Q1'26DeliveredStorage business growth continuation
Third consecutive quarter of growth at 6%
Q1'26DeliveredOpEx down low single digits
Q1 OpEx down 2% and guiding continued reductions
Q1'26PendingCSG to grow low to mid-single digits
Maintained despite consumer weakness
Q1'26PendingISG operating margins roughly flat year-over-year
Still committed despite AI margin dilution
Q1'26Pending$15B AI server shipments for FY26 (minimum)
Reiterated with more confidence, now '$15B plus' with emphasis
Q4'25DeliveredContinue to drive efficiencies in the business
OpEx down 6% in Q4, 4% for full year while growing revenue
Q4'25ExceededOperating income rate up sequentially
Hit 11.2% vs 9.0% in Q3, driven by ISG margin expansion
Q4'25ExceededQ4 EPS $2.50 plus or minus $0.10
Delivered $2.68, beat by $0.18 on better ISG margins
Q4'25DeliveredCSG revenue growth rate up low-single-digits
CSG up 1%, technically in range but barely
Q4'25MissedISG revenue growth rate up mid-20s
ISG grew 22%, below mid-20s range due to AI shipment timing
Q4'25MissedQ4 revenues between $24B-$25B
Came in at $23.9B, below $24B floor despite strong AI and storage performance
Q3'25PendingOpEx down low single digits for full year
OpEx down 2% in Q3, tracking toward full-year commitment
Q3'25DeliveredTraditional server demand continues to improve
Fourth consecutive quarter of YoY growth with double-digit demand improvement
Q3'25ExceededAI server backlog remains healthy at $3.8B
Backlog grew to $4.5B, up $700M from Q2
Q3'25DeliveredStorage profitability improvement through price discipline
Storage revenue turned positive 4% YoY with double-digit Dell IP growth
Q3'25DeliveredISG operating margin rate to continue to improve in second half
ISG margins expanded from 11% to 13.3%, exceeding expectations
Q3'25MissedWe expect CSG growth in the second half of the year
CSG down 1% in Q3, now pushing growth expectations into FY26
Each row is a promise from the prior call, scored against the quarter in "Marked". Kept-promise rate counts resolved promises only; pending is excluded.
Promise-kept rate counts resolved promises only (pending excluded).
Scores, kept-promise rates, and flags on this site reflect the author's opinion, applying a stated methodology to statements management made on public earnings calls. Informational and educational purposes only - not investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any security. Sources believed reliable but not guaranteed; the author may hold positions in the securities discussed.

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