After battling Carl Icahn, Michael Dell has successfully been able to buy back his company (with the help of private equity firm Silver Lake) and take it private. Michael has bet his own fortune on Dell going private and succeeding again. Michael Dell hopes to refocus the company without the pressures of shareholders and make innovate PCs and get more into the mobile business. Microsoft has invested $2 billion in Dell to help finance this deal. Let’s take a look at Dell’s history:
1984
Michael Dell, 19 years old, starts a computer business, at first called PC’s Limited, as a pre-med freshman at the University of Texas at Austin
1985
The company designs its first computer, the Turbo PC, featuring an Intel 8088 processor running at 8MHz with a 10MB hard drive and a 5.25-inch floppy drive.
1988
The company, now known as Dell, holds an initial public offering, raising $30 million and valuing itself at about $85 million.
1989
Dell introduces its first laptop, the 316LT. It weighs about 15 pounds with the battery.
1992
At 27 years old, Mr. Dell now heads a company that makes the Fortune 500 rankings.
1995
Dell’s shares approach $100 before a two-for-one stock split.
1996
Dell becomes an early pioneer as an Internet retailer in the electronics industry, launching a website. Six months later, the company is making $1 million in sales per day through the site.
1997
Dell ships its 10 millionth computer.
2000
Dell becomes number one in world-wide market share among computer makers for the first time.
2003
Dell begins expanding into other product lines, including printers and consumer electronics, such as the Dell Digital Jukebox music player.
2004
Mr. Dell steps down as chief executive, handing the job to Kevin Rollins. The company founder stays on as chairman.
2006
Hewlett-Packard overtakes Dell as the largest personal-computer manufacturer as Dell’s growth slows.
2007
Mr. Dell returns as chief executive.
2009
Dell buys Perot Systems for $3.9 billion, one in a string of acquisitions the company makes to get beyond the slumping personal-computer market.
2010
Dell unveils the Streak tablet, which it later discontinues because of weak demand.
2012
Dell explores going private as its profits and stock price shrink.
Feb 5 2013
Dell agrees to be acquired by its founder, Mr. Dell, and private-equity firm Silver Lake Partners in a $24.4 billion deal. Shareholders will receive $13.65 a share in cash. Mr. Dell will continue to lead the company as chairman and chief executive. The buyout represents the heft of Mr. Dell, Microsoft, Silver Lake Partners and a handful of investment banks.
Mar 6, 2013
Southeastern Asset Management Inc., Dell’s largest independent shareholder and the loudest critic of the $24.4 billion deal since it was announced, has weighed whether to attempt a counter-bid, people familiar with the matter said. Southeastern, with 8.4%, has also considered whether to try to join a deal to take the company private while retaining an ownership stake.
Mar 25, 2013
Dell confirms that it is has received alternative takeover proposals from financier Carl Icahn, who has a 4.6% stake in Dell, and Blackstone Group. Mr. Icahn’s firm had earlier entered into a confidentiality agreement with Dell that allows the firm to look at Dell’s books. Mr. Dell risks losing his CEO job if a rival bidder wins
Apr 18, 2013
Blackstone ends its pursuit of Dell, less than a month after the private-equity firm said it would try to top a leveraged buyout by the computer maker’s founder and a rival investment firm. Blackstone’s offer would have kept part of the company in the hands of public shareholders.
May 2013
Mr. Icahn and Southeastern Asset Management Inc. propose an alternative, offering to give Dell shareholders the option to keep holding stock in the company, and take an additional $12 a share in cash or stock.
July 8, 2013
Institutional Shareholder Services, a leading shareholder-advisory firm, recommends that Dell stockholders vote in favor of the $24.4 billion effort to take the computer maker private. The recommendation improves the odds of Mr. Dell’s buyout winning approval. The firm also strongly criticizes Mr. Icahn’s proposal, which envisions borrowing money to pay out shareholders rather than use such funds for a buyout.
July 18, 2013
Dell’s shareholder meeting is adjourned until July 24, a signal that the company didn’t think it had the votes to pass its proposed $24.4 billion sale to Michael Dell and Silver Lake.
July 24, 2013
Mr. Dell and Silver Lake revise their buyout offer for the company, raising it by 10 cents a share and making the new bid conditional on a change in how the vote is counted. The shareholder vote on the deal is delayed again until Aug. 2.
Aug 1, 2013