Jim,I take this as more good news for Dell,though not for all.
CHICAGO, Nov 7 (Reuter) - U.S. consumers are greeting the latest home computers -- faster than ever, but lacking new
whiz-bang features -- with a collective yawn.
Major U.S. electronics retailers said Thursday that home PC sales were weak in October and analysts see few signs of a
recovery without lower prices or a technology breakthrough.
"Everybody seems to have stopped buying PCs all of a sudden," said Janney Montgomery Scott analyst Terrence McEvoy.
Defying the downdraft are mail-order computer vendors and sellers of computers to business, which are both thriving.
Their success reflects a shifting market, analysts said.
"The business today is less first-time buyers and more repeat customers," said Robertson Stephens analyst Edward Lee.
The pool of entry-level buyers is contracting and the PC industry increasingly relies on second- or third-time buyers, who are
smarter than novices. Veterans look for vendors offering lots of peripherals, such as Compusa Inc , or discount mail-order
houses, such as Dell Computer Corp and Gateway 2000 Inc , analysts said.
That leaves generalists, like Best Buy Co Inc and Circuit City Stores Inc , to fight for a shrinking market..........
I like this part the best:"Defying the downdraft are mail-order computer vendors and sellers of computers to business, which are both thriving."
I'll go on record for an earnings forcast of $1.40/Sh
Pat |
