Shares of Dell Technologies (DELL +21.93%) popped on Friday after the tech giant highlighted the soaring growth of its artificial intelligence (AI)-focused businesses.By the close of trading, Dell's stock price was up more than 21%. AI-powered gainsDell's revenue rose 39% year over year to $33.4 billion in its fiscal 2026 fourth quarter, which ended on Jan. 30. The personal computer (PC) maker is enjoying booming demand for its AI infrastructure. Sales of Dell's AI-optimized servers soared 342% to $9 billio ...

Economic Outlook - BlackRock's Chief Investment Officer of Global Fixed Income, Rick Rieder, expressed optimism about the economy, citing potential tax cuts from President Trump as a means to maintain economic momentum despite concerns about the national deficit [1] - Rieder emphasized the importance of fostering a hotter economy through tax incentives and deregulation, viewing growth as a primary method to diffuse national debt [1] - He believes the Federal Reserve should cut rates to moderate levels to support a growth-oriented environment [1] Market Analysis - Rieder described the current market as fascinating yet challenging, highlighting the need for humility among investors as industries undergo rapid reevaluations [2] - He predicts the economy will grow above 5% nominal this year, with solid earnings growth expected [2] - A significant technical condition noted is the reliance on stock buybacks from hyperscalers, which have provided support during market pressures [2] Undervalued Stocks - A list of the 10 most undervalued stocks under $30 was provided, focusing on companies trading below a forward P/E of 15 and recently reporting noteworthy developments [3][5] - The strategy aims to identify stocks popular among analysts and elite hedge funds, with a historical performance of 427.7% since May 2014, outperforming benchmarks by 264 percentage points [6] Plains GP Holdings (NASDAQ:PAGP) - Plains GP Holdings reported a Q4 adjusted EBITDA of $738 million and a full-year total of $2.833 billion, undergoing a strategic transformation into a pure-play crude oil midstream provider [7] - The crude oil segment contributed $611 million to the final quarter's EBITDA, while the NGL segment faced seasonal volatility [8] - The company aims for $100 million in annual cost savings by 2027 and plans to invest ~$350 million in growth capital to enhance operations [9] HP Inc. (NYSE:HPQ) - HP reported a 7% year-over-year revenue increase for FQ1 2026, reaching $14.4 billion, driven by an 11% revenue jump in the Personal Systems segment [11] - The company faces rising input costs, particularly for DRAM and NAND memory, which have surged to ~35% of the PC bill of materials [12] - HP maintained its full-year guidance but expects to land at the lower end of its non-GAAP EPS range due to anticipated declines in PC unit demand [13]

By Jaspreet Singh Feb 24 (Reuters) - HP Inc said on Tuesday it expected volatility in memory chips to persist even into next year and forecast a slump in its PC shipments, sending its shares down around ‌6% in extended trading. The personal devices maker said it expects adjusted profit for fiscal 2026 ending October ‌31 to be at the low end of its previously issued forecast of $2.90 to $3.20 per share. It anticipates PC unit shipments to decline in the double ​digits, in line with industry trends. HP, ...

Core Viewpoint - HP Inc. anticipates fiscal 2026 results to be at the low end of its forecasts due to U.S. trade regulations and rising memory chip costs, leading to a 3.6% decline in its shares during extended trading [1] Financial Performance - HP's first-quarter revenue increased by 6.9% to $14.44 billion, surpassing analysts' average estimate of $13.94 billion [1] - The adjusted profit per share for the quarter ended January 31 was 81 cents, exceeding estimates of 76 cents [1] - Revenue from the personal systems unit, which includes consumer and commercial PCs, grew by 11% to $10.25 billion [1] - Revenue in the printing segment fell by 2% to $4.19 billion [1] Market Outlook - HP's CFO indicated that the company expects results to be closer to the low end of its range due to increasing memory costs [1] - Preliminary data from IDC suggests a low double-digit decline in unit shipments for smartphones and personal computers in 2026 [1] - Global PC spending is projected to rise to $219.57 billion by 2027 [1] Strategic Adjustments - HP, similar to peers like Dell, has implemented supply chain adjustments and price increases to mitigate the impact of fluctuating tariffs and rising memory chip prices [1] - The company is benefiting from the growing adoption of AI-powered personal computers and the ongoing Windows 11 upgrade cycle [1]

Tech enthusiasts’ craze for artificial intelligence program OpenClaw has sparked a blistering rally in shares of Raspberry Pi, the company that makes one of the simplest forms of personal computers https://t.co/dGRflkXltE ...

Market Overview - The S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average fell more than 1% as investors reacted to jobs data and awaited the January inflation report [1][15] - The Dow dropped 669.42 points (1.34%) to 49,451.98, the S&P 500 decreased by 108.71 points (1.57%) to 6,832.76, and the Nasdaq Composite lost 469.32 points (2.03%) to 22,597.15 [6][15] Technology Sector - Cisco Systems reported a less-than-impressive quarterly update, leading to a 12.3% drop in its shares, the largest one-day selloff since May 2022, which negatively impacted the broader technology sector [2][8] - The S&P 500 software index fell 1.7%, marking its second consecutive loss, with AppLovin experiencing a significant decline of 19.7% after its fourth-quarter results [9][15] - Concerns about AI disruption affected transportation companies, with the Dow Jones Transport Average sinking 4% [10][15] AI Investment and Competition - Investors are focused on which sectors can enhance productivity through AI investments while also worrying about industries that may face disruption [3][5] - Major tech companies, including Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft, are expected to spend around $650 billion in the competition for AI dominance [9][15] Employment and Economic Indicators - A stronger-than-expected jobs report raised concerns that the Federal Reserve may be less likely to cut interest rates [7][15] - The number of Americans filing new unemployment claims decreased less than anticipated, indicating lingering disruptions from winter storms [7][15] Market Dynamics - Declining issues outnumbered advancers on both the NYSE and Nasdaq, with a ratio of 2.17-to-1 on the NYSE and 2.74-to-1 on the Nasdaq [12][15] - The Philadelphia SE Semiconductor index finished down 2.5%, while Equinix shares rose 10.4% due to strong AI-linked demand forecasts [11][15]

Core Insights - The personal computer market is expected to face rising DRAM and NAND/SSD prices due to supply shortages driven by AI data center demand, leading to increased selling prices by PC vendors in 2026 [2] - Apple is well-positioned with its Mac business benefiting from the new macOS Tahoe 26 and M5 chip, which enhances performance and user experience [3][4] - HP is experiencing strong early adoption of AI-enabled PCs, but faces challenges with declining PC unit volumes and rising memory costs impacting earnings in 2026 [7][8] Apple Insights - Apple's Mac business is gaining market share, with a 9% share in 2025, up 30 basis points year-over-year, and shipments growing 11.1% to 25.6 million [5] - The M5 chip, built on 3 nm technology, offers significant performance improvements, including over four times the peak GPU compute performance of the previous M4 chip [4] - Apple's diversified manufacturing base, including operations in India and Vietnam, is expected to help manage supply chain challenges in 2026 [6] HP Insights - HP's AI PCs accounted for over 30% of total shipments in Q4 2025, with expectations to rise to 40-50% in fiscal 2026, leading to higher average selling prices [7] - Despite the growth in AI PCs, HP anticipates a decline in overall PC unit volumes in fiscal 2026, with only slight revenue growth expected from higher specifications [8] - HP's market share was 20.2% in 2025, with shipments growing 8.4% year-over-year to 57.5 million [10] Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for HP's fiscal 2026 earnings is $3.00 per share, reflecting a 4% decrease from fiscal 2025 [11] - In contrast, the consensus for Apple's fiscal 2026 earnings has increased to $8.13 per share, indicating a 9% growth over fiscal 2025 [12] Stock Performance and Valuation - Over the past 12 months, Apple shares have appreciated by 10.3%, while HP shares have dropped by 40.2% [13] - HP shares are considered cheaper with a Value Score of A, trading at 0.33X forward price/sales, compared to Apple's 7.83X, which has a Value Score of F [16] Conclusion - Apple's strong Mac portfolio and technological advancements position it favorably in the PC market, while HP faces challenges from memory shortages and declining demand [19]

Group 1 - Dell Technologies (DELL.US) saw a pre-market increase of over 2%, reaching $121.75 [1] - Omdia's latest report indicates a significant recovery in the global PC market, with total shipments expected to reach 279.5 million units in 2025, a 9.2% increase from 2024 [1] - The fourth quarter of 2025 is projected to see shipments exceed 75 million units, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 10.1%, which will be a key driver for annual growth [1] Group 2 - Dell's fourth-quarter year-on-year growth rate reached 26%, setting a record for quarterly shipments [1] - The company's total annual shipments amounted to 41.89 million units, with a market share increase of 2 percentage points year-on-year [1]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the article highlights a significant recovery in the global PC market, with a projected total shipment of 279.5 million units in 2025, representing a 9.2% increase from 2024 [1] - The fourth quarter of 2025 is expected to see a shipment of over 75 million units, with a year-on-year growth rate of 10.1%, which will be a key driver for the annual growth [1] - Dell Technologies reported a year-on-year growth rate of 26% in the fourth quarter, achieving a record single-quarter shipment of 41.89 million units, and increasing its market share by 2 percentage points [1]

Core Insights - Dell Technologies (DELL) and Apple (AAPL) are significant competitors in the personal computer (PC) market, with Dell focusing on Windows-based PCs and Apple expanding its macOS-based offerings [1][2] Market Overview - The PC market is projected to grow from $222.64 billion in 2025 to $344.13 billion by 2030, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.10% [2] Dell Technologies - Dell's Client Solutions Group (CSG) reported revenues of $12.47 billion in Q3 of fiscal 2026, marking a 3% year-over-year increase, with commercial revenue up 5% to $10.6 billion [4] - The ongoing PC refresh cycle presents a significant opportunity for Dell, with approximately 500 million PCs eligible for Windows 11 upgrades and another 500 million older PCs that cannot run the new OS [5] - Despite a modest revenue growth driven by AI-enabled PCs, Dell faces challenges from declining consumer PC revenue and macroeconomic pressures [10][11] Apple Inc. - Apple's Mac sales rose 12.7% year-over-year to $8.5 billion in Q4 of fiscal 2025, with nearly half of buyers being first-time users [6] - The introduction of the M5 chip in the new MacBook Pro has enhanced performance, providing up to 3.5 times faster AI capabilities compared to previous models [7] - Strategic partnerships with enterprises have strengthened Apple's market position, with companies adopting Mac products to boost productivity [8] Stock Performance and Valuation - Over the past six months, DELL shares increased by 14.3%, while AAPL shares surged by 40.2%, attributed to strong Mac demand [11] - DELL shares are considered undervalued with a Price/Earnings ratio of 0.71X, while AAPL shares are viewed as overvalued at 8.98X [14] - Earnings estimates for DELL are projected at $9.89 per share for fiscal 2026, indicating a 21.50% year-over-year increase, while AAPL's estimate is $8.12 per share, reflecting an 8.85% increase [16] Conclusion - Both companies are positioned to benefit from the growing PC market, but Apple's strong demand for Macs and innovative product offerings provide it with a competitive advantage over Dell [20]