THE US computer company Dell, which employs about 1,400 people in the Republic, has reported record annual profits, boosted by higher sales in all of its regions and customer segments.
After tax profits for the year to January 28th rose 82 per cent to a record $272 million (£171 million) compared to $ 149 million in the previous 12 months. Sales increased by 52 per cent to a record $5.3 billion.
Dell's European manufacturing centre in Limerick had sales of almost $1.5 billion during the year and its share of the company's overall business increased per cent to 28 per cent. Dell's stock rose $1.125 to $36.75 on the screen based Nasdaq system after publication of the results.
Revenue from Europe increased by 55 per cent during the year, driven in part by strong results in Germany and France.
The Limerick operation currently employs just over 1,000 people, while Dell's telesales facility in Bray, Co Wicklow, employs a further 370 people.
Dell's after tax profit for the fourth quarter was $70 million, while sales for the quarter grew to a record $1.54 billion from $ 1 billion. The Irish operation accounted for 30 per cent of the sales in the fourth quarter.
Sales of portable notebook products, which are critical to the company's goal of expanding its product portfolio, more than tripled during the past 12 months.
Dell, which is one of the world's largest computer system manufacturers, also said it would repurchase up to 12 million of its shares. The Texas based company said the stock repurchase programme would allow it to provide shares to employees under its employee stock purchase and retirement plans.
