Dell's Q4 earnings results: not good

Well, Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL) sure does make it hard to find out when and how one would listen to or view a web cast about the most current quarterly results. Its investor relations website does not even include any information on when and how Dell will be reporting its Q4 and FY2007 results -- even on the day of release (today). Sorry Dell, but this is inexcusable -- investors in your company need to know all available details on when and how you'll release earnings statements, quite a bit before the actual event. Yes, we know all these accounting issues have fumbled up your releases as of late, but still. Sheesh.

With that small rant being said, Dell released numbers today on Q4 sales and profits (or lack thereof), but is waiting to release full fiscal year 2007 results (which should be coming soon, we hope). Both periods are widely said to have been inclusive of one of the worst-performing years in Dell's history. It may not stay that way for long, as Michael Dell's return to CEO just over a month ago and all the fresh talent he's lined-up during February should get Dell back on track to fight hand-to-hand with world PC leader Hewlett-Packard.

It looks like Dell won't exactly be having any kind of conference call or web cast to report on its Q4 earnings (yet). The company probably does not want to expand on its pretty dismal performance in the PC arena -- PC desktop shipments shrank 18% while revenue sank 17%. Additionally, notebook PC shipments went up 2% but revenue sank 2%. Was this a quarter Dell needed to get past and forget about? Absolutely. More on Dell's results here. Caution: it's a stinker.