Services and Financing on the Installed BaseNarrow moat

Dell Technologies (DELL) — moat facet

Dell's stickiest business is the support it sells on installed equipment, and it stopped growing just as hardware sales exploded.

The part of Dell that behaves like a classic moat is not the hardware but what follows it. Services revenue, mostly support and maintenance on installed equipment, was $23,133 million in fiscal 2026 at a gross margin of about 44.8%, against about 13.7% for products12. Services were about 20% of revenue and about 46% of gross profit3.

Gross margin rate by type, FY2026 (%)44.8%Services13.7%ProductsDell Technologies Form 10-K FY2026; calculated from revenue and cost by type
Support earns three times the hardware margin.

Customers pay for that support in advance. Deferred revenue stood at $29,718 million at 31 July 2026, half of it due beyond a year4. And Dell finances equipment through Dell Financial Services, whose debt rose from $14,646 million to $20,660 million in six months56.

These three things, support contracts, prepaid float and customer financing, tie a buyer to Dell for the life of the equipment. A company with Dell servers under Dell support, financed by Dell, has three reasons to buy the replacement from Dell.

The trouble is direction. Services revenue fell about 4% in fiscal 20267 and was flat in the second quarter of fiscal 2027, $5,859 million8, while product revenue grew 72%9. The AI customers are buying enormous amounts of hardware and, so far, not a proportionate amount of Dell support.

The financing arm is larger than its debt suggests. Dell Financial Services funded $11.9 billion of originations in fiscal 2026 and held a $14.3 billion global portfolio of financing receivables at the end of January 2026, which Dell describes as having "a strong credit quality"10. Dell offers customers "utility, subscription, as-a-Service, leases, loans, and immediate pay models"11, each of which keeps it involved in the equipment after the sale.

This is a narrow moat that is narrowing as a share of the business. Services gross margin, about 44.8% in fiscal 202612, is the measure of its quality; services revenue is the measure of its size, and two more flat quarters against booming hardware would say the installed base is growing without the annuity that used to come with it.

Moat trajectory: Narrowing

Services revenue down 4% in FY2026 and flat in Q2 FY2027.

The number that tests this moat
Moat Explorer calc
Services gross margin
About 44.8% (FY2026)

The quality of the annuity; a falling rate would mean support is being discounted to win hardware.

How it's calculated: Services revenue ($23,133M) less services cost of revenue ($12,774M), divided by services revenue, FY2026 10-K.
Source: Moat Explorer calculation from Dell filings ↗
Aspects of the moat
DIG DEEPER 01
A Fifth of Revenue, Nearly Half the Gross Profit
Services are a fifth of Dell's revenue but earn nearly half its gross profit, at more than three times the margin of the hardware.
DIG DEEPER 02
$29.7 Billion Collected in Advance
Dell holds nearly $30 billion of customers' money for support it has not yet delivered, half of it due beyond a year.
DIG DEEPER 03
Dell Financial Services: The Lender Inside
Dell lends its customers the money to buy its servers, and that lending book grew 41% in six months.
DIG DEEPER 04
Direct Sales, Channel Partners and a Big Supply Chain
Dell reaches customers through a large direct sales force and partners that bring in about 40% of revenue, and it did it with 19% fewer people.
⚠ Threats to the moat
⚠ THREAT 01
The VMware Resale Revenue That Went Away
Dell lost most of a $5.6 billion revenue line when Broadcom bought VMware, a reminder that resold revenue belongs to the maker.
⚠ THREAT 02
Fewer People Behind the Support
Dell cut about a fifth of its staff in two years while its installed base of complex systems grew, and support is a people business.
References
  1. ReportedServices revenue, mostly support and maintenance on installed equipment, was $23,133 million in fiscal 2026 at a gross margin of about 44.8%, against about 13.7% for products.
    Dell Technologies Form 10-K for fiscal 2026 (year ended 30 January 2026) - Item 7 MD&A and segment note: ISG and CSG revenue, operating income and drivers. — FY2026 · publ. March 2026 · source ↗
  2. Moat Explorer calcServices revenue, mostly support and maintenance on installed equipment, was $23,133 million in fiscal 2026 at a gross margin of about 44.8%, against about 13.7% for products.
    Moat Explorer calculation from Dell Technologies' reported figures ($ millions unless stated; fiscal years labelled by the year they end). Margins FY2026: gross margin 22,707 / 113,538 = 20.0% (FY2024 21,069 / 88,425 = 23.8%; FY2025 21,250 / 95,567 = 22.2%); operating margin 8,149 / 113,538 = 7.2%. Products gross margin 90,405 - 78,057 = 12,348, 12,348 / 90,405 = 13.7%; services gross margin 23,133 - 12,774 = 10,359, 10,359 / 23,133 = 44.8%; services share of revenue 23,133 / 113,538 = 20.4%; services share of gross margin 10,359 / 22,707 = 45.6%. Growth FY2026: revenue 113,538 / 95,567 - 1 = 18.8%; services 23,133 / 24,147 - 1 = -4.2%; ISG revenue 60,826 / 43,593 - 1 = 39.5%; ISG operating income 7,111 / 5,579 - 1 = 27.5%; United States 63,140 / 51,014 - 1 = 23.8%; foreign 50,398 / 44,553 - 1 = 13.1%. Revenue FY2024 to FY2026 113,538 / 88,425 - 1 = 28.4%; employees 97,000 / 120,000 - 1 = -19.2%; revenue per employee 88,425 / 120,000 = 0.74 and 113,538 / 97,000 = 1.17. AI servers: 24,683 / 1,873 = 13.2 times; share of revenue 24,683 / 113,538 = 21.7% (FY2024 1,873 / 88,425 = 2.1%); share of ISG 24,683 / 60,826 = 40.6%; Q2 FY2027 share of ISG 16,401 / 31,782 = 51.6%; first half 16,132 + 16,401 = 32,533, 32,533 / 74,000 = 44.0%; second half needed 74,000 - 32,533 = 41,467, about 20,700 a quarter; FY2027 guidance share 74.0 / 192.0 = 38.5%; FY2027 guidance 74.0 / 24.683 = 3.0 times. Orders: Q4 FY2026 AI orders about 64 - 30 = 34 billion; Q2 FY2027 orders to revenue 60.9 / 16.4 = 3.7. ISG share of segment operating income: FY2024 4,286 / 7,998 = 53.6%; FY2026 7,111 / 9,944 = 71.5%. Q2 FY2027 CSG share 1,142 / (4,781 + 1,142) = 19.3%. ISG operating margin: FY2022 3,736 / 34,366 = 10.9%; FY2023 5,045 / 38,356 = 13.2%. CSG operating margin: FY2024 3,712 / 48,916 = 7.6%; Q1 FY2026 653 / 12,509 = 5.2%; Q2 FY2026 803 / 12,503 = 6.4%; Q4 FY2026 629 / 13,494 = 4.7%; Q1 FY2027 1,170 / 14,609 = 8.0%; Q2 FY2027 1,142 / 15,034 = 7.6%. CSG operating income FY2022 to FY2026 2,833 / 4,365 - 1 = -35.1%. Q2 FY2027 client: CSG revenue 15,034 / 12,503 - 1 = 20.2%; CSG operating income 1,142 / 803 - 1 = 42.2%. Traditional servers and networking first half FY2027 8,543 + 10,531 = 19,074. Servers and networking growth FY2025 27,136 / 17,624 - 1 = 54.0%, FY2026 44,195 / 27,136 - 1 = 62.9%; share of revenue 44,195 / 113,538 = 38.9%; Q2 FY2027 16,401 + 10,531 = 26,932, 26,932 / 46,971 = 57.3%. Line changes FY2022 to FY2026: servers and networking 44,195 / 17,901 - 1 = 146.9%; storage 16,631 / 16,465 - 1 = 1.0%; commercial 44,062 / 45,576 - 1 = -3.3%; consumer 6,922 / 15,888 - 1 = -56.4%. Storage 16,631 / 17,958 - 1 = -7.4%; storage share of revenue 16,631 / 113,538 = 14.6%; storage share of ISG 16,631 / 60,826 = 27.3%. Consumer share of revenue 15,888 / 101,197 = 15.7% (FY2022) and 6,922 / 113,538 = 6.1% (FY2026); consumer against FY2015 6,922 / 10,880 - 1 = -36.4%. Commercial share of revenue 44,062 / 113,538 = 38.8%. Servers and networking plus commercial 44,195 + 44,062 = 88,257, 88,257 / 113,538 = 77.7%. Corporate and other FY2022 101,197 - 17,901 - 16,465 - 45,576 - 15,888 = 5,367; corporate and other change 1,728 / 5,624 - 1 = -69.3%. Geography: United States share 43,986 / 88,425 = 49.7% (FY2024), 51,014 / 95,567 = 53.4% (FY2025), 63,140 / 113,538 = 55.6% (FY2026). Largest customer: 12% x 113,538 = 13,625; 13,625 / 60,826 = 22.4% of ISG; all other customers 113,538 - 13,625 = 99,913. Remaining performance obligations due within twelve months: 132 x 77% = 101.6 billion. Server share: Dell lead over Supermicro 16.5 - 7.6 = 8.9 points in Q1 2026 against 10 - 9.5 = 0.5 points in 2025; Supermicro plus HPE 7.6 + 3.0 = 10.6%. Inventories 21,290 / 10,437 = 2.04 times; payables 49,723 - 33,630 = 16,093; inventory increase 21,290 - 10,437 = 10,853; payables less inventories 49,723 - 21,290 = 28,433; payables less inventories and receivables 49,723 - 21,290 - 22,918 = 5,515. DFS-related debt 20,660 / 14,646 - 1 = 41.1%. Debt: FY2020 7,737 + 44,319 = 52,056; net core debt 13,983 - 11,569 = 2,414; net debt 31,503 - 11,528 = 19,975 (January 2026) and 34,466 - 11,569 = 22,897 (July 2026); interest paid 1,354 / 8,149 = 16.6%. Goodwill and intangibles 19,547 + 4,533 = 24,080, 24,080 / 101,286 = 23.8%; other assets 101,286 - 24,080 = 77,206. Capital returns: buybacks first half FY2027 5.4 billion / 20 million shares = about $270 a share; dividends paid 1,459 / 5,936 = 24.6% of net income; annual dividend 0.37 x 4 = 1.48, 0.445 x 4 = 1.78, 0.525 x 4 = 2.10, 0.63 x 4 = 2.52, 2.52 / 1.48 - 1 = 70%; Q2 FY2027 buybacks and dividends 3,796 + 405 = 4,201. Guidance: FY2027 revenue 192.0 / 113.538 - 1 = 69%; non-AI revenue 192.0 - 74.0 = 118.0 against 113,538 - 24,683 = 88,855, 118.0 / 88.855 - 1 = 32.8%; implied second half 192.0 - 90.8 = 101.2 billion; implied fourth quarter 101.2 - 49.0 = 52.2 billion; implied second-half GAAP EPS 24.37 - 11.58 = 12.79; guidance raised 192 - 140 = 52 billion. Voting at 1 September 2026: Class A 276,744,341 / 635,812,750 = 43.5% of shares; votes 276.7 million x 10 = 2,767 million, Class B 43.6 million x 10 = 436 million, Class C 315.4 million; total 3,519 million; Class A 2,767 / 3,519 = 78.6%, Class B 436 / 3,519 = 12.4%, Class C 315 / 3,519 = 9.0%. Valuation: trailing revenue 113,538 - 53,154 + 90,813 = 151,197; trailing net income 5,936 - 2,129 + 7,571 = 11,378; P/E 357.89 / 11.378 = 31.5; P/S 357.89 / 151.2 = 2.37; year-end market value over the next fiscal year: 37.89 / 4.616 = 8.2, 54.95 / 3.250 = 16.9, 42.90 / 5.563 = 7.7, 28.80 / 2.442 = 11.8, 54.43 / 3.388 = 16.1, 82.18 / 4.592 = 17.9, 86.61 / 5.936 = 14.6. Q2 FY2027 cash from operations 2,225 / 4,133 = 54%. Further: ISG operating income 7,111 / 4,286 - 1 = 65.9%; Q2 FY2026 AI orders about 30 - 12.1 - 12.3 = 5.6 billion; operating income 8,149 / 2,622 = 3.1 times (FY2020 to FY2026); NVIDIA Data Center revenue against Dell ISG revenue 89.0 / 31.782 = 2.8 times; buybacks 2,080 + 2,588 + 6,014 = 10,682; ISG revenue 60,826 / 14,714 = 4.1 times (FY2015 to FY2026); IEIT, Lenovo and HPE 2025 server shares 4.1 + 4.0 + 3.1 = 11.2%; Commercial share of client revenue 45,576 / 61,464 = 74.2% (FY2022), 39,814 / 48,916 = 81.4% (FY2024); consumer share of revenue 9,102 / 88,425 = 10.3% (FY2024); Dell server growth against the market 244.1 / 80.4 = 3.0 times. Services share of Q2 FY2027 revenue 5,859 / 46,971 = 12.5%; commercial share of client revenue 44,062 / 50,984 = 86.4%; client revenue growth FY2026 50,984 / 48,393 - 1 = 5.4%; consumer Q1 FY2027 1,589 / 1,463 - 1 = 8.6%; CSG first half FY2027 2,312 / 29,643 = 7.8%; annual dividend cost 0.63 x 4 x 635.8 million = about 1,602; remaining performance obligations 132 / 38 = 3.5 times; EPS guidance 24.37 / 11.52 = 2.1 times; AI backlog against second-half AI revenue needed 95 / 41.5 = 2.3 times; commercial first half FY2027 13,020 + 13,192 = 26,212, 26,212 / 44,062 = 59.5%; storage share of ISG 16,261 / 33,885 = 48.0% (FY2024) and 4,850 / 31,782 = 15.3% (Q2 FY2027); consumer share of Q2 FY2027 revenue 1,842 / 46,971 = 3.9%; AI orders less AI revenue in Q2 FY2027 60.9 - 16.4 = 44.5 billion; consumer share of client revenue 10,880 / 39,634 = 27.5% (FY2015) and 6,922 / 50,984 = 13.6% (FY2026) - segment margins and growth rates. — FY2015-FY2027 · publ. September 2026 · source ↗
    Method: Arithmetic on figures reported in Dell Technologies' Forms 10-K and 10-Q, results releases, IDC data and market data; operands shown in the source line.
  3. Moat Explorer calcServices were about 20% of revenue and about 46% of gross profit.
    Moat Explorer calculation from Dell Technologies' reported figures ($ millions unless stated; fiscal years labelled by the year they end). Margins FY2026: gross margin 22,707 / 113,538 = 20.0% (FY2024 21,069 / 88,425 = 23.8%; FY2025 21,250 / 95,567 = 22.2%); operating margin 8,149 / 113,538 = 7.2%. Products gross margin 90,405 - 78,057 = 12,348, 12,348 / 90,405 = 13.7%; services gross margin 23,133 - 12,774 = 10,359, 10,359 / 23,133 = 44.8%; services share of revenue 23,133 / 113,538 = 20.4%; services share of gross margin 10,359 / 22,707 = 45.6%. Growth FY2026: revenue 113,538 / 95,567 - 1 = 18.8%; services 23,133 / 24,147 - 1 = -4.2%; ISG revenue 60,826 / 43,593 - 1 = 39.5%; ISG operating income 7,111 / 5,579 - 1 = 27.5%; United States 63,140 / 51,014 - 1 = 23.8%; foreign 50,398 / 44,553 - 1 = 13.1%. Revenue FY2024 to FY2026 113,538 / 88,425 - 1 = 28.4%; employees 97,000 / 120,000 - 1 = -19.2%; revenue per employee 88,425 / 120,000 = 0.74 and 113,538 / 97,000 = 1.17. AI servers: 24,683 / 1,873 = 13.2 times; share of revenue 24,683 / 113,538 = 21.7% (FY2024 1,873 / 88,425 = 2.1%); share of ISG 24,683 / 60,826 = 40.6%; Q2 FY2027 share of ISG 16,401 / 31,782 = 51.6%; first half 16,132 + 16,401 = 32,533, 32,533 / 74,000 = 44.0%; second half needed 74,000 - 32,533 = 41,467, about 20,700 a quarter; FY2027 guidance share 74.0 / 192.0 = 38.5%; FY2027 guidance 74.0 / 24.683 = 3.0 times. Orders: Q4 FY2026 AI orders about 64 - 30 = 34 billion; Q2 FY2027 orders to revenue 60.9 / 16.4 = 3.7. ISG share of segment operating income: FY2024 4,286 / 7,998 = 53.6%; FY2026 7,111 / 9,944 = 71.5%. Q2 FY2027 CSG share 1,142 / (4,781 + 1,142) = 19.3%. ISG operating margin: FY2022 3,736 / 34,366 = 10.9%; FY2023 5,045 / 38,356 = 13.2%. CSG operating margin: FY2024 3,712 / 48,916 = 7.6%; Q1 FY2026 653 / 12,509 = 5.2%; Q2 FY2026 803 / 12,503 = 6.4%; Q4 FY2026 629 / 13,494 = 4.7%; Q1 FY2027 1,170 / 14,609 = 8.0%; Q2 FY2027 1,142 / 15,034 = 7.6%. CSG operating income FY2022 to FY2026 2,833 / 4,365 - 1 = -35.1%. Q2 FY2027 client: CSG revenue 15,034 / 12,503 - 1 = 20.2%; CSG operating income 1,142 / 803 - 1 = 42.2%. Traditional servers and networking first half FY2027 8,543 + 10,531 = 19,074. Servers and networking growth FY2025 27,136 / 17,624 - 1 = 54.0%, FY2026 44,195 / 27,136 - 1 = 62.9%; share of revenue 44,195 / 113,538 = 38.9%; Q2 FY2027 16,401 + 10,531 = 26,932, 26,932 / 46,971 = 57.3%. Line changes FY2022 to FY2026: servers and networking 44,195 / 17,901 - 1 = 146.9%; storage 16,631 / 16,465 - 1 = 1.0%; commercial 44,062 / 45,576 - 1 = -3.3%; consumer 6,922 / 15,888 - 1 = -56.4%. Storage 16,631 / 17,958 - 1 = -7.4%; storage share of revenue 16,631 / 113,538 = 14.6%; storage share of ISG 16,631 / 60,826 = 27.3%. Consumer share of revenue 15,888 / 101,197 = 15.7% (FY2022) and 6,922 / 113,538 = 6.1% (FY2026); consumer against FY2015 6,922 / 10,880 - 1 = -36.4%. Commercial share of revenue 44,062 / 113,538 = 38.8%. Servers and networking plus commercial 44,195 + 44,062 = 88,257, 88,257 / 113,538 = 77.7%. Corporate and other FY2022 101,197 - 17,901 - 16,465 - 45,576 - 15,888 = 5,367; corporate and other change 1,728 / 5,624 - 1 = -69.3%. Geography: United States share 43,986 / 88,425 = 49.7% (FY2024), 51,014 / 95,567 = 53.4% (FY2025), 63,140 / 113,538 = 55.6% (FY2026). Largest customer: 12% x 113,538 = 13,625; 13,625 / 60,826 = 22.4% of ISG; all other customers 113,538 - 13,625 = 99,913. Remaining performance obligations due within twelve months: 132 x 77% = 101.6 billion. Server share: Dell lead over Supermicro 16.5 - 7.6 = 8.9 points in Q1 2026 against 10 - 9.5 = 0.5 points in 2025; Supermicro plus HPE 7.6 + 3.0 = 10.6%. Inventories 21,290 / 10,437 = 2.04 times; payables 49,723 - 33,630 = 16,093; inventory increase 21,290 - 10,437 = 10,853; payables less inventories 49,723 - 21,290 = 28,433; payables less inventories and receivables 49,723 - 21,290 - 22,918 = 5,515. DFS-related debt 20,660 / 14,646 - 1 = 41.1%. Debt: FY2020 7,737 + 44,319 = 52,056; net core debt 13,983 - 11,569 = 2,414; net debt 31,503 - 11,528 = 19,975 (January 2026) and 34,466 - 11,569 = 22,897 (July 2026); interest paid 1,354 / 8,149 = 16.6%. Goodwill and intangibles 19,547 + 4,533 = 24,080, 24,080 / 101,286 = 23.8%; other assets 101,286 - 24,080 = 77,206. Capital returns: buybacks first half FY2027 5.4 billion / 20 million shares = about $270 a share; dividends paid 1,459 / 5,936 = 24.6% of net income; annual dividend 0.37 x 4 = 1.48, 0.445 x 4 = 1.78, 0.525 x 4 = 2.10, 0.63 x 4 = 2.52, 2.52 / 1.48 - 1 = 70%; Q2 FY2027 buybacks and dividends 3,796 + 405 = 4,201. Guidance: FY2027 revenue 192.0 / 113.538 - 1 = 69%; non-AI revenue 192.0 - 74.0 = 118.0 against 113,538 - 24,683 = 88,855, 118.0 / 88.855 - 1 = 32.8%; implied second half 192.0 - 90.8 = 101.2 billion; implied fourth quarter 101.2 - 49.0 = 52.2 billion; implied second-half GAAP EPS 24.37 - 11.58 = 12.79; guidance raised 192 - 140 = 52 billion. Voting at 1 September 2026: Class A 276,744,341 / 635,812,750 = 43.5% of shares; votes 276.7 million x 10 = 2,767 million, Class B 43.6 million x 10 = 436 million, Class C 315.4 million; total 3,519 million; Class A 2,767 / 3,519 = 78.6%, Class B 436 / 3,519 = 12.4%, Class C 315 / 3,519 = 9.0%. Valuation: trailing revenue 113,538 - 53,154 + 90,813 = 151,197; trailing net income 5,936 - 2,129 + 7,571 = 11,378; P/E 357.89 / 11.378 = 31.5; P/S 357.89 / 151.2 = 2.37; year-end market value over the next fiscal year: 37.89 / 4.616 = 8.2, 54.95 / 3.250 = 16.9, 42.90 / 5.563 = 7.7, 28.80 / 2.442 = 11.8, 54.43 / 3.388 = 16.1, 82.18 / 4.592 = 17.9, 86.61 / 5.936 = 14.6. Q2 FY2027 cash from operations 2,225 / 4,133 = 54%. Further: ISG operating income 7,111 / 4,286 - 1 = 65.9%; Q2 FY2026 AI orders about 30 - 12.1 - 12.3 = 5.6 billion; operating income 8,149 / 2,622 = 3.1 times (FY2020 to FY2026); NVIDIA Data Center revenue against Dell ISG revenue 89.0 / 31.782 = 2.8 times; buybacks 2,080 + 2,588 + 6,014 = 10,682; ISG revenue 60,826 / 14,714 = 4.1 times (FY2015 to FY2026); IEIT, Lenovo and HPE 2025 server shares 4.1 + 4.0 + 3.1 = 11.2%; Commercial share of client revenue 45,576 / 61,464 = 74.2% (FY2022), 39,814 / 48,916 = 81.4% (FY2024); consumer share of revenue 9,102 / 88,425 = 10.3% (FY2024); Dell server growth against the market 244.1 / 80.4 = 3.0 times. Services share of Q2 FY2027 revenue 5,859 / 46,971 = 12.5%; commercial share of client revenue 44,062 / 50,984 = 86.4%; client revenue growth FY2026 50,984 / 48,393 - 1 = 5.4%; consumer Q1 FY2027 1,589 / 1,463 - 1 = 8.6%; CSG first half FY2027 2,312 / 29,643 = 7.8%; annual dividend cost 0.63 x 4 x 635.8 million = about 1,602; remaining performance obligations 132 / 38 = 3.5 times; EPS guidance 24.37 / 11.52 = 2.1 times; AI backlog against second-half AI revenue needed 95 / 41.5 = 2.3 times; commercial first half FY2027 13,020 + 13,192 = 26,212, 26,212 / 44,062 = 59.5%; storage share of ISG 16,261 / 33,885 = 48.0% (FY2024) and 4,850 / 31,782 = 15.3% (Q2 FY2027); consumer share of Q2 FY2027 revenue 1,842 / 46,971 = 3.9%; AI orders less AI revenue in Q2 FY2027 60.9 - 16.4 = 44.5 billion; consumer share of client revenue 10,880 / 39,634 = 27.5% (FY2015) and 6,922 / 50,984 = 13.6% (FY2026) - revenue mix, concentration, geography and market share. — FY2015-FY2027 · publ. September 2026 · source ↗
    Method: Arithmetic on figures reported in Dell Technologies' Forms 10-K and 10-Q, results releases, IDC data and market data; operands shown in the source line.
  4. ReportedDeferred revenue stood at $29,718 million at 31 July 2026, half of it due beyond a year.
    Dell Technologies Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 31 July 2026 - remaining performance obligations, debt, deferred revenue, purchase obligations, share counts and risk disclosures. — Q2 FY2027 · publ. 8 September 2026 · source ↗
  5. ReportedAnd Dell finances equipment through Dell Financial Services, whose debt rose from $14,646 million to $20,660 million in six months.
    Dell Technologies Form 10-K for fiscal 2026 (year ended 30 January 2026) - financial statements and notes: balance sheet, debt, cash flow, capital returns and deferred revenue. — FY2026 · publ. March 2026 · source ↗
  6. ReportedAnd Dell finances equipment through Dell Financial Services, whose debt rose from $14,646 million to $20,660 million in six months.
    Dell Technologies Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 31 July 2026 - remaining performance obligations, debt, deferred revenue, purchase obligations, share counts and risk disclosures. — Q2 FY2027 · publ. 8 September 2026 · source ↗
  7. Moat Explorer calcServices revenue fell about 4% in fiscal 2026 and was flat in the second quarter of fiscal 2027, $5,859 million, while product revenue grew 72%.
    Moat Explorer calculation from Dell Technologies' reported figures ($ millions unless stated; fiscal years labelled by the year they end). Margins FY2026: gross margin 22,707 / 113,538 = 20.0% (FY2024 21,069 / 88,425 = 23.8%; FY2025 21,250 / 95,567 = 22.2%); operating margin 8,149 / 113,538 = 7.2%. Products gross margin 90,405 - 78,057 = 12,348, 12,348 / 90,405 = 13.7%; services gross margin 23,133 - 12,774 = 10,359, 10,359 / 23,133 = 44.8%; services share of revenue 23,133 / 113,538 = 20.4%; services share of gross margin 10,359 / 22,707 = 45.6%. Growth FY2026: revenue 113,538 / 95,567 - 1 = 18.8%; services 23,133 / 24,147 - 1 = -4.2%; ISG revenue 60,826 / 43,593 - 1 = 39.5%; ISG operating income 7,111 / 5,579 - 1 = 27.5%; United States 63,140 / 51,014 - 1 = 23.8%; foreign 50,398 / 44,553 - 1 = 13.1%. Revenue FY2024 to FY2026 113,538 / 88,425 - 1 = 28.4%; employees 97,000 / 120,000 - 1 = -19.2%; revenue per employee 88,425 / 120,000 = 0.74 and 113,538 / 97,000 = 1.17. AI servers: 24,683 / 1,873 = 13.2 times; share of revenue 24,683 / 113,538 = 21.7% (FY2024 1,873 / 88,425 = 2.1%); share of ISG 24,683 / 60,826 = 40.6%; Q2 FY2027 share of ISG 16,401 / 31,782 = 51.6%; first half 16,132 + 16,401 = 32,533, 32,533 / 74,000 = 44.0%; second half needed 74,000 - 32,533 = 41,467, about 20,700 a quarter; FY2027 guidance share 74.0 / 192.0 = 38.5%; FY2027 guidance 74.0 / 24.683 = 3.0 times. Orders: Q4 FY2026 AI orders about 64 - 30 = 34 billion; Q2 FY2027 orders to revenue 60.9 / 16.4 = 3.7. ISG share of segment operating income: FY2024 4,286 / 7,998 = 53.6%; FY2026 7,111 / 9,944 = 71.5%. Q2 FY2027 CSG share 1,142 / (4,781 + 1,142) = 19.3%. ISG operating margin: FY2022 3,736 / 34,366 = 10.9%; FY2023 5,045 / 38,356 = 13.2%. CSG operating margin: FY2024 3,712 / 48,916 = 7.6%; Q1 FY2026 653 / 12,509 = 5.2%; Q2 FY2026 803 / 12,503 = 6.4%; Q4 FY2026 629 / 13,494 = 4.7%; Q1 FY2027 1,170 / 14,609 = 8.0%; Q2 FY2027 1,142 / 15,034 = 7.6%. CSG operating income FY2022 to FY2026 2,833 / 4,365 - 1 = -35.1%. Q2 FY2027 client: CSG revenue 15,034 / 12,503 - 1 = 20.2%; CSG operating income 1,142 / 803 - 1 = 42.2%. Traditional servers and networking first half FY2027 8,543 + 10,531 = 19,074. Servers and networking growth FY2025 27,136 / 17,624 - 1 = 54.0%, FY2026 44,195 / 27,136 - 1 = 62.9%; share of revenue 44,195 / 113,538 = 38.9%; Q2 FY2027 16,401 + 10,531 = 26,932, 26,932 / 46,971 = 57.3%. Line changes FY2022 to FY2026: servers and networking 44,195 / 17,901 - 1 = 146.9%; storage 16,631 / 16,465 - 1 = 1.0%; commercial 44,062 / 45,576 - 1 = -3.3%; consumer 6,922 / 15,888 - 1 = -56.4%. Storage 16,631 / 17,958 - 1 = -7.4%; storage share of revenue 16,631 / 113,538 = 14.6%; storage share of ISG 16,631 / 60,826 = 27.3%. Consumer share of revenue 15,888 / 101,197 = 15.7% (FY2022) and 6,922 / 113,538 = 6.1% (FY2026); consumer against FY2015 6,922 / 10,880 - 1 = -36.4%. Commercial share of revenue 44,062 / 113,538 = 38.8%. Servers and networking plus commercial 44,195 + 44,062 = 88,257, 88,257 / 113,538 = 77.7%. Corporate and other FY2022 101,197 - 17,901 - 16,465 - 45,576 - 15,888 = 5,367; corporate and other change 1,728 / 5,624 - 1 = -69.3%. Geography: United States share 43,986 / 88,425 = 49.7% (FY2024), 51,014 / 95,567 = 53.4% (FY2025), 63,140 / 113,538 = 55.6% (FY2026). Largest customer: 12% x 113,538 = 13,625; 13,625 / 60,826 = 22.4% of ISG; all other customers 113,538 - 13,625 = 99,913. Remaining performance obligations due within twelve months: 132 x 77% = 101.6 billion. Server share: Dell lead over Supermicro 16.5 - 7.6 = 8.9 points in Q1 2026 against 10 - 9.5 = 0.5 points in 2025; Supermicro plus HPE 7.6 + 3.0 = 10.6%. Inventories 21,290 / 10,437 = 2.04 times; payables 49,723 - 33,630 = 16,093; inventory increase 21,290 - 10,437 = 10,853; payables less inventories 49,723 - 21,290 = 28,433; payables less inventories and receivables 49,723 - 21,290 - 22,918 = 5,515. DFS-related debt 20,660 / 14,646 - 1 = 41.1%. Debt: FY2020 7,737 + 44,319 = 52,056; net core debt 13,983 - 11,569 = 2,414; net debt 31,503 - 11,528 = 19,975 (January 2026) and 34,466 - 11,569 = 22,897 (July 2026); interest paid 1,354 / 8,149 = 16.6%. Goodwill and intangibles 19,547 + 4,533 = 24,080, 24,080 / 101,286 = 23.8%; other assets 101,286 - 24,080 = 77,206. Capital returns: buybacks first half FY2027 5.4 billion / 20 million shares = about $270 a share; dividends paid 1,459 / 5,936 = 24.6% of net income; annual dividend 0.37 x 4 = 1.48, 0.445 x 4 = 1.78, 0.525 x 4 = 2.10, 0.63 x 4 = 2.52, 2.52 / 1.48 - 1 = 70%; Q2 FY2027 buybacks and dividends 3,796 + 405 = 4,201. Guidance: FY2027 revenue 192.0 / 113.538 - 1 = 69%; non-AI revenue 192.0 - 74.0 = 118.0 against 113,538 - 24,683 = 88,855, 118.0 / 88.855 - 1 = 32.8%; implied second half 192.0 - 90.8 = 101.2 billion; implied fourth quarter 101.2 - 49.0 = 52.2 billion; implied second-half GAAP EPS 24.37 - 11.58 = 12.79; guidance raised 192 - 140 = 52 billion. Voting at 1 September 2026: Class A 276,744,341 / 635,812,750 = 43.5% of shares; votes 276.7 million x 10 = 2,767 million, Class B 43.6 million x 10 = 436 million, Class C 315.4 million; total 3,519 million; Class A 2,767 / 3,519 = 78.6%, Class B 436 / 3,519 = 12.4%, Class C 315 / 3,519 = 9.0%. Valuation: trailing revenue 113,538 - 53,154 + 90,813 = 151,197; trailing net income 5,936 - 2,129 + 7,571 = 11,378; P/E 357.89 / 11.378 = 31.5; P/S 357.89 / 151.2 = 2.37; year-end market value over the next fiscal year: 37.89 / 4.616 = 8.2, 54.95 / 3.250 = 16.9, 42.90 / 5.563 = 7.7, 28.80 / 2.442 = 11.8, 54.43 / 3.388 = 16.1, 82.18 / 4.592 = 17.9, 86.61 / 5.936 = 14.6. Q2 FY2027 cash from operations 2,225 / 4,133 = 54%. Further: ISG operating income 7,111 / 4,286 - 1 = 65.9%; Q2 FY2026 AI orders about 30 - 12.1 - 12.3 = 5.6 billion; operating income 8,149 / 2,622 = 3.1 times (FY2020 to FY2026); NVIDIA Data Center revenue against Dell ISG revenue 89.0 / 31.782 = 2.8 times; buybacks 2,080 + 2,588 + 6,014 = 10,682; ISG revenue 60,826 / 14,714 = 4.1 times (FY2015 to FY2026); IEIT, Lenovo and HPE 2025 server shares 4.1 + 4.0 + 3.1 = 11.2%; Commercial share of client revenue 45,576 / 61,464 = 74.2% (FY2022), 39,814 / 48,916 = 81.4% (FY2024); consumer share of revenue 9,102 / 88,425 = 10.3% (FY2024); Dell server growth against the market 244.1 / 80.4 = 3.0 times. Services share of Q2 FY2027 revenue 5,859 / 46,971 = 12.5%; commercial share of client revenue 44,062 / 50,984 = 86.4%; client revenue growth FY2026 50,984 / 48,393 - 1 = 5.4%; consumer Q1 FY2027 1,589 / 1,463 - 1 = 8.6%; CSG first half FY2027 2,312 / 29,643 = 7.8%; annual dividend cost 0.63 x 4 x 635.8 million = about 1,602; remaining performance obligations 132 / 38 = 3.5 times; EPS guidance 24.37 / 11.52 = 2.1 times; AI backlog against second-half AI revenue needed 95 / 41.5 = 2.3 times; commercial first half FY2027 13,020 + 13,192 = 26,212, 26,212 / 44,062 = 59.5%; storage share of ISG 16,261 / 33,885 = 48.0% (FY2024) and 4,850 / 31,782 = 15.3% (Q2 FY2027); consumer share of Q2 FY2027 revenue 1,842 / 46,971 = 3.9%; AI orders less AI revenue in Q2 FY2027 60.9 - 16.4 = 44.5 billion; consumer share of client revenue 10,880 / 39,634 = 27.5% (FY2015) and 6,922 / 50,984 = 13.6% (FY2026) - segment margins and growth rates. — FY2015-FY2027 · publ. September 2026 · source ↗
    Method: Arithmetic on figures reported in Dell Technologies' Forms 10-K and 10-Q, results releases, IDC data and market data; operands shown in the source line.
  8. ReportedServices revenue fell about 4% in fiscal 2026 and was flat in the second quarter of fiscal 2027, $5,859 million, while product revenue grew 72%.
    Dell Technologies second-quarter fiscal 2027 results release, Form 8-K exhibit 99.1 - segment results, AI orders and backlog, and full-year guidance - consolidated income statement. — Q2 FY2027 · publ. 1 September 2026 · source ↗
  9. ReportedServices revenue fell about 4% in fiscal 2026 and was flat in the second quarter of fiscal 2027, $5,859 million, while product revenue grew 72%.
    Dell Technologies second-quarter fiscal 2027 results release, Form 8-K exhibit 99.1 - segment results, AI orders and backlog, and full-year guidance - consolidated income statement. — Q2 FY2027 · publ. 1 September 2026 · source ↗
  10. ReportedDell Financial Services funded $11.9 billion of originations in fiscal 2026 and held a $14.3 billion global portfolio of financing receivables at the end of January 2026, which Dell describes as having "a strong credit quality".
    Dell Technologies Form 10-K for fiscal 2026 (year ended 30 January 2026) - financial statements and notes: balance sheet, debt, cash flow, capital returns and deferred revenue. — FY2026 · publ. March 2026 · source ↗
  11. ReportedDell offers customers "utility, subscription, as-a-Service, leases, loans, and immediate pay models", each of which keeps it involved in the equipment after the sale.
    Dell Technologies Form 10-K for fiscal 2026 (year ended 30 January 2026) - Item 1 business: history, customers, employees, channels and management. — FY2026 · publ. March 2026 · source ↗
  12. Moat Explorer calcServices gross margin, about 44.8% in fiscal 2026, is the measure of its quality; services revenue is the measure of its size, and two more flat quarters against booming hardware would say the installed base is growing without the annuity that used to come with it.
    Moat Explorer calculation from Dell Technologies' reported figures ($ millions unless stated; fiscal years labelled by the year they end). Margins FY2026: gross margin 22,707 / 113,538 = 20.0% (FY2024 21,069 / 88,425 = 23.8%; FY2025 21,250 / 95,567 = 22.2%); operating margin 8,149 / 113,538 = 7.2%. Products gross margin 90,405 - 78,057 = 12,348, 12,348 / 90,405 = 13.7%; services gross margin 23,133 - 12,774 = 10,359, 10,359 / 23,133 = 44.8%; services share of revenue 23,133 / 113,538 = 20.4%; services share of gross margin 10,359 / 22,707 = 45.6%. Growth FY2026: revenue 113,538 / 95,567 - 1 = 18.8%; services 23,133 / 24,147 - 1 = -4.2%; ISG revenue 60,826 / 43,593 - 1 = 39.5%; ISG operating income 7,111 / 5,579 - 1 = 27.5%; United States 63,140 / 51,014 - 1 = 23.8%; foreign 50,398 / 44,553 - 1 = 13.1%. Revenue FY2024 to FY2026 113,538 / 88,425 - 1 = 28.4%; employees 97,000 / 120,000 - 1 = -19.2%; revenue per employee 88,425 / 120,000 = 0.74 and 113,538 / 97,000 = 1.17. AI servers: 24,683 / 1,873 = 13.2 times; share of revenue 24,683 / 113,538 = 21.7% (FY2024 1,873 / 88,425 = 2.1%); share of ISG 24,683 / 60,826 = 40.6%; Q2 FY2027 share of ISG 16,401 / 31,782 = 51.6%; first half 16,132 + 16,401 = 32,533, 32,533 / 74,000 = 44.0%; second half needed 74,000 - 32,533 = 41,467, about 20,700 a quarter; FY2027 guidance share 74.0 / 192.0 = 38.5%; FY2027 guidance 74.0 / 24.683 = 3.0 times. Orders: Q4 FY2026 AI orders about 64 - 30 = 34 billion; Q2 FY2027 orders to revenue 60.9 / 16.4 = 3.7. ISG share of segment operating income: FY2024 4,286 / 7,998 = 53.6%; FY2026 7,111 / 9,944 = 71.5%. Q2 FY2027 CSG share 1,142 / (4,781 + 1,142) = 19.3%. ISG operating margin: FY2022 3,736 / 34,366 = 10.9%; FY2023 5,045 / 38,356 = 13.2%. CSG operating margin: FY2024 3,712 / 48,916 = 7.6%; Q1 FY2026 653 / 12,509 = 5.2%; Q2 FY2026 803 / 12,503 = 6.4%; Q4 FY2026 629 / 13,494 = 4.7%; Q1 FY2027 1,170 / 14,609 = 8.0%; Q2 FY2027 1,142 / 15,034 = 7.6%. CSG operating income FY2022 to FY2026 2,833 / 4,365 - 1 = -35.1%. Q2 FY2027 client: CSG revenue 15,034 / 12,503 - 1 = 20.2%; CSG operating income 1,142 / 803 - 1 = 42.2%. Traditional servers and networking first half FY2027 8,543 + 10,531 = 19,074. Servers and networking growth FY2025 27,136 / 17,624 - 1 = 54.0%, FY2026 44,195 / 27,136 - 1 = 62.9%; share of revenue 44,195 / 113,538 = 38.9%; Q2 FY2027 16,401 + 10,531 = 26,932, 26,932 / 46,971 = 57.3%. Line changes FY2022 to FY2026: servers and networking 44,195 / 17,901 - 1 = 146.9%; storage 16,631 / 16,465 - 1 = 1.0%; commercial 44,062 / 45,576 - 1 = -3.3%; consumer 6,922 / 15,888 - 1 = -56.4%. Storage 16,631 / 17,958 - 1 = -7.4%; storage share of revenue 16,631 / 113,538 = 14.6%; storage share of ISG 16,631 / 60,826 = 27.3%. Consumer share of revenue 15,888 / 101,197 = 15.7% (FY2022) and 6,922 / 113,538 = 6.1% (FY2026); consumer against FY2015 6,922 / 10,880 - 1 = -36.4%. Commercial share of revenue 44,062 / 113,538 = 38.8%. Servers and networking plus commercial 44,195 + 44,062 = 88,257, 88,257 / 113,538 = 77.7%. Corporate and other FY2022 101,197 - 17,901 - 16,465 - 45,576 - 15,888 = 5,367; corporate and other change 1,728 / 5,624 - 1 = -69.3%. Geography: United States share 43,986 / 88,425 = 49.7% (FY2024), 51,014 / 95,567 = 53.4% (FY2025), 63,140 / 113,538 = 55.6% (FY2026). Largest customer: 12% x 113,538 = 13,625; 13,625 / 60,826 = 22.4% of ISG; all other customers 113,538 - 13,625 = 99,913. Remaining performance obligations due within twelve months: 132 x 77% = 101.6 billion. Server share: Dell lead over Supermicro 16.5 - 7.6 = 8.9 points in Q1 2026 against 10 - 9.5 = 0.5 points in 2025; Supermicro plus HPE 7.6 + 3.0 = 10.6%. Inventories 21,290 / 10,437 = 2.04 times; payables 49,723 - 33,630 = 16,093; inventory increase 21,290 - 10,437 = 10,853; payables less inventories 49,723 - 21,290 = 28,433; payables less inventories and receivables 49,723 - 21,290 - 22,918 = 5,515. DFS-related debt 20,660 / 14,646 - 1 = 41.1%. Debt: FY2020 7,737 + 44,319 = 52,056; net core debt 13,983 - 11,569 = 2,414; net debt 31,503 - 11,528 = 19,975 (January 2026) and 34,466 - 11,569 = 22,897 (July 2026); interest paid 1,354 / 8,149 = 16.6%. Goodwill and intangibles 19,547 + 4,533 = 24,080, 24,080 / 101,286 = 23.8%; other assets 101,286 - 24,080 = 77,206. Capital returns: buybacks first half FY2027 5.4 billion / 20 million shares = about $270 a share; dividends paid 1,459 / 5,936 = 24.6% of net income; annual dividend 0.37 x 4 = 1.48, 0.445 x 4 = 1.78, 0.525 x 4 = 2.10, 0.63 x 4 = 2.52, 2.52 / 1.48 - 1 = 70%; Q2 FY2027 buybacks and dividends 3,796 + 405 = 4,201. Guidance: FY2027 revenue 192.0 / 113.538 - 1 = 69%; non-AI revenue 192.0 - 74.0 = 118.0 against 113,538 - 24,683 = 88,855, 118.0 / 88.855 - 1 = 32.8%; implied second half 192.0 - 90.8 = 101.2 billion; implied fourth quarter 101.2 - 49.0 = 52.2 billion; implied second-half GAAP EPS 24.37 - 11.58 = 12.79; guidance raised 192 - 140 = 52 billion. Voting at 1 September 2026: Class A 276,744,341 / 635,812,750 = 43.5% of shares; votes 276.7 million x 10 = 2,767 million, Class B 43.6 million x 10 = 436 million, Class C 315.4 million; total 3,519 million; Class A 2,767 / 3,519 = 78.6%, Class B 436 / 3,519 = 12.4%, Class C 315 / 3,519 = 9.0%. Valuation: trailing revenue 113,538 - 53,154 + 90,813 = 151,197; trailing net income 5,936 - 2,129 + 7,571 = 11,378; P/E 357.89 / 11.378 = 31.5; P/S 357.89 / 151.2 = 2.37; year-end market value over the next fiscal year: 37.89 / 4.616 = 8.2, 54.95 / 3.250 = 16.9, 42.90 / 5.563 = 7.7, 28.80 / 2.442 = 11.8, 54.43 / 3.388 = 16.1, 82.18 / 4.592 = 17.9, 86.61 / 5.936 = 14.6. Q2 FY2027 cash from operations 2,225 / 4,133 = 54%. Further: ISG operating income 7,111 / 4,286 - 1 = 65.9%; Q2 FY2026 AI orders about 30 - 12.1 - 12.3 = 5.6 billion; operating income 8,149 / 2,622 = 3.1 times (FY2020 to FY2026); NVIDIA Data Center revenue against Dell ISG revenue 89.0 / 31.782 = 2.8 times; buybacks 2,080 + 2,588 + 6,014 = 10,682; ISG revenue 60,826 / 14,714 = 4.1 times (FY2015 to FY2026); IEIT, Lenovo and HPE 2025 server shares 4.1 + 4.0 + 3.1 = 11.2%; Commercial share of client revenue 45,576 / 61,464 = 74.2% (FY2022), 39,814 / 48,916 = 81.4% (FY2024); consumer share of revenue 9,102 / 88,425 = 10.3% (FY2024); Dell server growth against the market 244.1 / 80.4 = 3.0 times. Services share of Q2 FY2027 revenue 5,859 / 46,971 = 12.5%; commercial share of client revenue 44,062 / 50,984 = 86.4%; client revenue growth FY2026 50,984 / 48,393 - 1 = 5.4%; consumer Q1 FY2027 1,589 / 1,463 - 1 = 8.6%; CSG first half FY2027 2,312 / 29,643 = 7.8%; annual dividend cost 0.63 x 4 x 635.8 million = about 1,602; remaining performance obligations 132 / 38 = 3.5 times; EPS guidance 24.37 / 11.52 = 2.1 times; AI backlog against second-half AI revenue needed 95 / 41.5 = 2.3 times; commercial first half FY2027 13,020 + 13,192 = 26,212, 26,212 / 44,062 = 59.5%; storage share of ISG 16,261 / 33,885 = 48.0% (FY2024) and 4,850 / 31,782 = 15.3% (Q2 FY2027); consumer share of Q2 FY2027 revenue 1,842 / 46,971 = 3.9%; AI orders less AI revenue in Q2 FY2027 60.9 - 16.4 = 44.5 billion; consumer share of client revenue 10,880 / 39,634 = 27.5% (FY2015) and 6,922 / 50,984 = 13.6% (FY2026) - segment margins and growth rates. — FY2015-FY2027 · publ. September 2026 · source ↗
    Method: Arithmetic on figures reported in Dell Technologies' Forms 10-K and 10-Q, results releases, IDC data and market data; operands shown in the source line.
Sources
Generated September 26, 2026