Dell Technologies (DELL -1.75%) is a global technology company best known for personal computers, servers, data storage, and enterprise IT solutions. While its PC business made it a household name, Dell’s future is increasingly tied to AI-driven servers and data center infrastructure.
Founded in 1984 by Michael Dell, the company has reinvented itself multiple times, including going private in 2013 and returning to public markets in 2018. Today, Dell is navigating another transition as it invests heavily in AI hardware to stay competitive, even as those investments weigh on short-term margins.
How to buy Dell stock
Because Dell is a publicly traded company, any investor with a brokerage account can buy shares of the company.
- Open your brokerage account: Log in to your brokerage account where you handle your investments. If you don't have one yet, take a look at our favorite brokers and trading platforms to find the right one for you.
- Fund your account: Transfer money so you’re ready to invest.
- Search for Dell: Enter the ticker "DELL" into the search bar to bring up the stock's trading page.
- Decide how many shares to buy: Consider your investment goals and how much of your portfolio you want to allocate to this stock.
- Select order type: Choose between a market order to buy at the current price or a limit order to specify the maximum price you're willing to pay.
- Submit your order: Confirm the details and submit your buy order.
- Review your purchase: Check your portfolio to ensure your order was filled as expected and adjust your investment strategy accordingly.
Should you invest in Dell?
Dell operates through two main segments:
- Infrastructure Solutions Group, which includes servers, storage, and networking, now heavily tied to AI workloads.
- Client Solutions Group, which includes PCs, notebooks, and workstations.
In the first half of Dell's fiscal 2026 (ending August 1, 2025), the company reported $53.2 billion in revenue, up 12% year over year. Growth was driven primarily by infrastructure, where revenue jumped 30%, while the client segment grew a more modest 3%.
Dell’s AI strategy is already moving the needle. The company shipped $10 billion in AI solutions in the first half of fiscal 2026, more than all of fiscal 2025 combined. However, the cost of building and delivering these systems is compressing margins, making Dell more of a transitional story than a clean growth stock.
For investors comfortable with near-term margin pressure in exchange for long-term positioning in AI infrastructure, Dell may be a solid fit. More conservative investors may prefer to wait until profitability stabilizes.
NYSE: DELL
Key Data Points
Is Dell profitable?
Dell stock is profitable. The company reported net income of $2.1 billion in the first six months of its fiscal 2026, up 14% from the prior year.
Does Dell pay a dividend?
Yes, Dell pays a dividend. The company does not have a dividend history as lengthy as some other tech stocks, partially due to shifting from a public company to private, then to public again.
When Dell returned to the public markets, it was a few years before the company's board approved a dividend policy in February 2022 and began paying quarterly cash dividends again in April 2022.
Dell has maintained and steadily raised its dividend since then. In late 2025, the company pays an annual cash dividend of $2.10 per common share.
How to invest in Dell through ETFs
There are other ways to gain exposure to Dell stock without purchasing it directly. A great option for some investors is to buy an ETF. An ETF allows you to diversify your investment capital across multiple stocks with the purchase of a single fund.
Several ETFs hold shares of Dell, including the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI -0.77%), the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY -0.83%), and the Roundhill Generative AI & Technology ETF (CHAT -0.83%).
Will Dell stock split?
Dell has executed multiple stock splits throughout its company history. These include the following:
Date | Split |
|---|---|
April 10, 1992 | 3-for-2 |
Oct. 30, 1995 | 2-for-1 |
Dec. 9, 1996 | 2-for-1 |
July 28, 1997 | 2-for-1 |
March 9, 1998 | 2-for-1 |
Sept. 8, 1998 | 2-for-1 |
March 8, 1999 | 2-for-1 |
Dec. 28, 2018 | 1,806-for-1,000 |
Nov. 2, 2021 | 1,973-for-1,000 |
The bottom line
While Dell's investments in AI-driven servers, PCs, and other key product elements are currently weighing on the business's growth, these strategies are vital for the company to remain competitive.
As a market leader in the server and PC space, Dell still has a lot of room to run. Its AI server sales and backlog, as well as the continued strength of its core businesses, are still driving strong cash flow and profitability, even if growth has slowed recently.
Although Dell may not be the right fit for every portfolio, its market leadership, robust earnings, and overall strength of its financials are all green flags for the tech stock. Growth-oriented investors may want to join along for the ride.
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