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Dell Technologies Inc.: Q2 FY2027 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2027, from the documents filed with the SEC on 1 September 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 4 raised, 3 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Record quarterly revenue: Net revenue was $47.0 billion, up 58% from $29.8 billion. Six-month revenue reached $90.8 billion, up 71%. Source
  • Record diluted EPS: Diluted EPS was $6.34, up 273%. Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $7.04, up 203%. Source
  • Full-year revenue guidance raised: Full-year revenue guidance raised by $25 billion to $192.0 billion, with AI-Optimized Servers guidance raised to $74.0 billion. Source
  • ISG revenue rose 89%: ISG net revenue was $31.8 billion, up 89% year over year. Regions were not reported in the documents. Source
  • AI-Optimized Servers revenue rose 100%: AI-Optimized Servers revenue was $16.4 billion, up 100%. Six-month AI-Optimized Servers revenue reached $32.5 billion, up 222%. Source
  • AI orders and backlog: The AI server business booked $60.9 billion in orders, recognized $16.4 billion in revenue and ended the quarter with a $95 billion backlog. Source
  • Gross margin rate rose: GAAP gross margin was 20.9% of net revenue against 18.3%. Gross margin dollars rose 80% to $9.8 billion. Source
  • Record shareholder returns: Returned a record $4.3 billion to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends. Repurchases were $3.8 billion in the quarter. Source

“In our second quarter, we delivered record revenue of $47 billion, record EPS and a record $4.3 billion returned to shareholders”

David Kennedy, chief financial officer, Dell Technologies

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceThird quarter FY27$49.0 billionNew
GAAP diluted EPS SourceThird quarter FY27$6.10New
Non-GAAP diluted EPS SourceThird quarter FY27$6.50New
Revenue SourceFull year FY27$192.0 billionRaised from $167.0 billion
AI-Optimized Servers revenue SourceFull year FY27$74.0 billionRaised from $60.0 billion
GAAP diluted EPS SourceFull year FY27$24.37Raised from $17.31
Non-GAAP diluted EPS SourceFull year FY27$25.50Raised from $17.90

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year FY27 revenue guidance raised from $167.0 billion to $192.0 billion. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year FY27 AI-Optimized Servers revenue guidance raised from $60.0 billion to $74.0 billion. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year FY27 GAAP diluted EPS guidance raised from $17.31 to $24.37. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year FY27 non-GAAP diluted EPS guidance raised from $17.90 to $25.50. Source
  • New guidance: Third-quarter FY27 revenue and EPS guidance given; the prior release gave second-quarter guidance only. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Record quarterly revenue: Net revenue was $47.0 billion, up 58% from $29.8 billion. Six-month revenue reached $90.8 billion, up 71%. Source
  • Record diluted EPS: Diluted EPS was $6.34, up 273%. Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $7.04, up 203%. Source
  • Full-year revenue guidance raised: Full-year revenue guidance raised by $25 billion to $192.0 billion, with AI-Optimized Servers guidance raised to $74.0 billion. Source

Segment results

  • ISG revenue rose 89%: ISG net revenue was $31.8 billion, up 89% year over year. Regions were not reported in the documents. Source
  • ISG operating income rose: ISG operating income was $4.8 billion, 15.0% of ISG revenue against 8.8% a year earlier. ISG made 81% of reportable segment operating income. Source
  • CSG revenue rose 20%: CSG revenue was $15.0 billion, up 20%. Commercial was $13.2 billion, up 22%, and Consumer was $1.8 billion, up 7%. Source
  • CSG operating income rose 42%: CSG operating income was $1.1 billion, up 42%, a 7.6% margin against 6.4%. CSG made 19% of reportable segment operating income. Source

“IT environments have shifted from cost centers to value drivers that fuel growth and competitive advantage, and customers are investing accordingly”

Jeff Clarke, vice chairman and chief operating officer, Dell Technologies

Products and customers

  • AI-Optimized Servers revenue rose 100%: AI-Optimized Servers revenue was $16.4 billion, up 100%. Six-month AI-Optimized Servers revenue reached $32.5 billion, up 222%. Source
  • Traditional servers and networking up 122%: Traditional Servers and Networking revenue was $10.5 billion, up 122% year over year. Source
  • Storage revenue rose 26%: Storage revenue was $4.9 billion, up 26%. Six-month storage revenue rose 17%. Source
  • Products revenue rose 72%: Products revenue was $41.1 billion, up 72%. Services revenue was $5.9 billion, flat year over year. Source

Demand and the order book

  • AI orders and backlog: The AI server business booked $60.9 billion in orders, recognized $16.4 billion in revenue and ended the quarter with a $95 billion backlog. Source
  • Growth broadened beyond AI servers: Clarke cited traditional servers and networking up 122%, storage up 26% and client solutions up 20% as broader revenue growth. Source
  • AI momentum described as accelerating: Kennedy said AI momentum is accelerating and that the company's position is expanding across the portfolio. Source

“Our second quarter results underscore the compounding benefits of our competitive advantages, the breadth of our portfolio and the strength of our operating model”

Jeff Clarke, vice chairman and chief operating officer, Dell Technologies

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin rate rose: GAAP gross margin was 20.9% of net revenue against 18.3%. Gross margin dollars rose 80% to $9.8 billion. Source
  • Operating expenses rose 21%: Total GAAP operating expenses were $4.4 billion, up 21%. Research and development rose 41% and SG&A rose 15%. Source

Capital, cash and returns

  • Record shareholder returns: Returned a record $4.3 billion to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends. Repurchases were $3.8 billion in the quarter. Source
  • Operating and free cash flow down: Cash from operations was $2.2 billion, down 13%. Free cash flow was $986 million, down 47%. Adjusted free cash flow was $8.1 billion, up 224%. Source
  • Capital spending rose: Capital expenditures and capitalized software development costs were $1.2 billion, against $675 million a year earlier. Source
  • Inventories and payables increased: Inventories were $21.3 billion at July 31, 2026, against $10.4 billion at January 30, 2026. Accounts payable were $49.7 billion, against $33.6 billion. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Advantages used for growth and share: Kennedy said the company used its strengths to drive growth, share gains, profitability and cash generation during the quarter. Source
  • Non-GAAP excludes amortization and stock pay: Non-GAAP results exclude $96 million of amortization of intangibles and $184 million of stock-based compensation expense in the quarter. Source
  • Diluted share count declined: Diluted weighted average shares were 652 million, down 5%, and 654 million for six months, down 6%. Source

Coming up, as management said on 1 September 2026

  • Quarterly dividend payable October 30: Board declared a $0.63 per common share quarterly cash dividend on September 1, payable October 30 to holders of record as of October 20. Source
  • Third-quarter period ends October 30: The third-quarter guidance covers the three months ending October 30, 2026. The full-year guidance covers the fiscal year ending January 29, 2027. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Backlog Source$95 billion AI server backlog at quarter end
Gross margin Source20.9% GAAP; 21.1% non-GAAP
Segment revenue SourceISG $31.8 billion, up 89%
Segment revenue SourceCSG $15.0 billion, up 20%

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The prior release gave second-quarter revenue guidance. The current release reports second-quarter revenue of $47.0 billion without stating a status against it.
  • Not stated: The prior release raised the FY27 AI server revenue expectation to $60 billion. The current release gives $74.0 billion for the full year.

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.