May 7, 1999
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Dell Says Co. Could Gain As Compaq Searches For CEO
Dow Jones Newswires
NEW YORK -- Dell Computer Corp. (DELL) could gain ground on archrival Compaq Computer Corp. (CPQ) while that company searches for a new chief executive, Michael Dell said in a television interview.
"In the short term, that may create some opportunities for us," Dell, founder and chief executive of the company, said in the interview with CNBC.
Compaq dismissed Eckhard Pfeiffer from the chief executive's office April 18. The company is being run by director and co-founder Ben Rosen until a permanent chief executive is found.
Dell repeated his frequent assertion that the company would continue to grow faster than the computer industry rate, which is forecast to be about 14% in 1999.
"People are going to continue to see Dell is growing much faster than the market," he said. "Certainly we expect we will be the best-performing company in our sector."
He said Dell is getting "more comfortable" with the year 2000 transition. Some observers have worried that corporate spending on technology will slow later this year as companies concentrate on repairing outdated software systems.
"We haven't seen as dramatic an impact" as some had forecast, Dell said.
Further, he said Dell should see strong demand from the small-business and government markets in the second half of 1999.
- By Christopher Grimes; 201-938-5253
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