Dell is buying IT services provider Perot Systems for around USD3.9bn in a move aimed at expanding its business beyond the PC market. Dell says the deal, which it expects to close by January, will help provide a wider range of services for its business customers.
"We consider Perot Systems to be a premium asset which enhances our opportunities for immediate and long-term growth," says CEO Michael Dell. "This deal will significantly expand Dell's enterprise-solutions capabilities."
Perot Systems was founded in 1988 by billionaire Ross Perot. It provides IT support for customers in the health care, government and banking sectors, and reported annual sales of USD2.8bn in 2008. The company will become Dell's services unit, led by current CEO Peter Altabef.
Dell has struggled in the economic recession, recently posting a drop in Q2 earnings of nearly 23% year-on-year as it continues to suffer amid the global slowdown in PC sales. Analysts have been expecting acquisitions from the company, which hired IBM's former M&A chief earlier this year.
StrategyEye's related categories: PCs
StrategyEye's related companies: Perot Systems, Dell
