Dell ties with Compaq on Q2 U.S. PC shipments
By Eric Auchard
NEW YORK, July 27 (Reuters) - Dell Computer Corp.'s <DELL.O> rapid growth in personal computer shipments within the U.S. in the second quarter pulled it into a tie for first place with long-time market leader Compaq Computer Corp. <CPQ.N>, according to separate reports released on Monday.
Meanwhile, International Business Machines Corp. <IBM.N> dropped from the top five ranks of PC vendors in terms of combined commercial and consumer PC shipments within the United States.
Overall, both U.S. and worldwide industry growth was mediocre during the second quarter due to efforts to reduce a glut of inventory that had flooded sales channels in the first half of 1998 and to continued economic woes in Asia.
Worldwide, Compaq remained No. 1 and significantly ahead of the rest of the pack, while Dell and IBM ranked No. 2 and No. 3, swapping positions with each other from a year ago.
These are the preliminary findings from separate surveys released on Monday by International Data Corp. (IDC) and Dataquest, two leading technology market research firms, and based on estimates provided by the PC makers themselves.
"Dell and Compaq were neck and neck for the top spot (in the United States)," said Christine Arrington, a personal computer industry analyst with Framingham, Mass.-based IDC.
And the shares are going down....
Market is really strange.
L.M.T. |
