Dell Computer Corp., founded in 1984 by Michael Dell, is a well-known success story. The strategy of
Question:
Dell Computer Corp., founded in 1984 by Michael Dell, is a well-known success story. The strategy of selling computers directly to customers in an efficient and economical fashion catapulted Dell into one of the largest PC makers in the United States. The company, which went public in 1988 for $8.50 a share, was worth over $70 billion at July 30, 2001, earning a stock return of over 1500% in the last 5 years alone (see Figure 1). During this time Dell split its stock 5 times and spent over $6 billion buying back its stock. Attached are excerpts from Dell’s 2001 Annual Report.
a. How many shares did Dell buy back during fiscal 2001 (ending February 2, 2001)?
b. What was the average price per share Dell paid to buy back these shares?
c. How many shares did Dell issue under their employee plan during fiscal year 2001?
d. What was the average amount per share Dell received from their employees on issuances under employee plans during fiscal year 2001?
e. How does the amount you calculated in part (d) compare with the average price Dell paid to buy back their shares during fiscal year 2001?