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CDW vs. DELL: CDW vs. Dell Stock Comparison

How do CDW (CDW) and Dell (DELL) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

CDW (CDW) and Dell (DELL) both fall under the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group, but CDW is classified in Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components while DELL is classified in Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals.

Company profile comparison for CDW (CDW) and Dell (DELL)
Profile ItemCDWDELL
NameCDW CorporationDell Technologies Inc. Class C Common Stock
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupTechnology Hardware & EquipmentTechnology Hardware & Equipment
GICS IndustryElectronic Equipment, Instruments & ComponentsTechnology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals
GICS Sub-IndustryTechnology DistributorsTechnology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals
Market Capitalization19.60 billion USD208.88 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateJune 27, 2013August 17, 2016
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CDW
DELL
GSPC
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CDW (CDW) vs. Dell (DELL), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for CDW (CDW) and Dell (DELL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for CDW (CDW) and Dell (DELL). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CDW (CDW) and Dell (DELL)
MetricCDWDELL
Total Return (1Y)16.85%142.85%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-6.46%72.12%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-1.35%47.28%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CDW
DELL
GSPC
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CDW (CDW) vs. Dell (DELL), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for CDW (CDW) and Dell (DELL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for CDW (CDW) and Dell (DELL)
MetricCDWDELL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)48.60%80.23%
Beta (5Y)0.901.50
Max Drawdown (5Y)-60.37%-59.59%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.60M7.77M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CDW and DELL are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for CDW (CDW) and Dell (DELL)
MetricCDWDELL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.261.73
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.373.00

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: CDW (CDW) earns 42.47% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Dell (DELL) has no ROE this period.

CDW

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

42.47%

CDW
42.47%
Max
42.47%
Q3
19.13%
Median
11.00%
Q1
1.63%
Min
-20.62%

DELL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

--

Max
42.47%
Q3
19.13%
Median
11.00%
Q1
1.63%
Min
-20.62%
DELL
--
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CDW (CDW) vs. Dell (DELL): DELL does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; CDW is benchmarked against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both CDW (CDW) at 4.48% and Dell (DELL) at 7.53% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

CDW

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

4.48%

Max
27.60%
Q3
11.66%
CDW
4.48%
Median
4.08%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-11.02%

DELL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

7.53%

Max
27.60%
Q3
11.66%
DELL
7.53%
Median
4.08%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-11.02%
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CDW (CDW) vs. Dell (DELL): A comparison of their net margin against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both CDW (CDW) at 8.14% and Dell (DELL) at 12.02% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

CDW

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

8.14%

Max
36.27%
Q3
18.36%
Median
8.84%
CDW
8.14%
Q1
1.46%
Min
-21.39%

DELL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

12.02%

Max
36.27%
Q3
18.36%
DELL
12.02%
Median
8.84%
Q1
1.46%
Min
-21.39%
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CDW (CDW) vs. Dell (DELL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for CDW (CDW) and Dell (DELL)
MetricCDWDELL
ROE (TTM)42.47%--
ROA (TTM)6.47%8.64%
Net Margin (TTM)4.48%7.53%
Operating Margin (TTM)8.14%12.02%
Gross Margin (TTM)21.00%19.91%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both CDW (CDW) at 6.79% and Dell (DELL) at 18.80% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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CDW (CDW) vs. Dell (DELL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both CDW (CDW) at 1.38% and Dell (DELL) at 36.05% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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CDW (CDW) vs. Dell (DELL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for CDW (CDW) and Dell (DELL)
MetricCDWDELL
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.79%18.80%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.89%3.54%
EPS Growth (YoY)1.38%36.05%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.21%38.89%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both CDW (CDW) at 1.27 and Dell (DELL) at 0.96 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

CDW

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

1.27

Max
5.34
Q3
3.02
Median
1.95
Q1
1.32
CDW
1.27
Min
0.17

DELL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.96

Max
5.34
Q3
3.02
Median
1.95
Q1
1.32
DELL
0.96
Min
0.17
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CDW (CDW) vs. Dell (DELL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Only one side’s leverage can be read here: CDW (CDW) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 2.98 against its industry range, while Dell (DELL) reports no figure this period.

CDW

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

2.98

CDW
2.98
Max
1.76
Q3
0.78
Median
0.24
Q1
0.04
Min
0.01

DELL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

--

Max
1.76
Q3
0.78
Median
0.24
Q1
0.04
Min
0.01
DELL
--
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CDW (CDW) vs. Dell (DELL): DELL does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; CDW is benchmarked against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for CDW (CDW) and Dell (DELL)
MetricCDWDELL
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.270.96
Debt / Equity (MRQ)2.98--
Net Debt / EBITDA3.011.34

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Dell (DELL) at 0.73% earns its spot in the top quartile of its industry’s yields; CDW (CDW) at 1.59% is past the top of its own peer range — territory where a dividend-safety check matters more than the headline number.

CDW

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

1.59%

CDW
1.59%
Max
0.73%
Q3
0.31%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

DELL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.73%

DELL
0.73%
Max
0.73%
Q3
0.31%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CDW (CDW) vs. Dell (DELL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Dell (DELL) at 13.43% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while CDW (CDW) at 29.40% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

CDW

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

29.40%

Max
32.27%
CDW
29.40%
Q3
14.48%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

DELL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

13.43%

Max
32.27%
Q3
14.48%
DELL
13.43%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CDW (CDW) vs. Dell (DELL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CDW (CDW) and Dell (DELL)
MetricCDWDELL
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.59%0.73%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)29.40%13.43%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both CDW (CDW) at 18.32 and Dell (DELL) at 19.10 sit in the cheaper earnings-multiple quartile for P/E ratio, with the market paying less for a dollar of trailing earnings than it pays for typical peers.

CDW

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

18.32

Max
69.48
Q3
41.02
Median
26.39
Q1
19.36
CDW
18.32
Min
6.07

DELL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

19.10

Max
69.48
Q3
41.02
Median
26.39
Q1
19.36
DELL
19.10
Min
6.07
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CDW (CDW) vs. Dell (DELL): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

CDW (CDW) at 0.80 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Dell (DELL) at 1.38 prices around its industry’s middle — CDW costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

CDW

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.80

Max
11.30
Q3
5.82
Median
2.56
Q1
1.05
CDW
0.80
Min
0.00

DELL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

1.38

Max
11.30
Q3
5.82
Median
2.56
DELL
1.38
Q1
1.05
Min
0.00
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CDW (CDW) vs. Dell (DELL): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Dell (DELL) reports a negative P/B ratio of -147.32, meaning negative book equity — the multiple itself is not meaningful for valuation. Meanwhile CDW (CDW) reports 7.45, ranking against industry peers normally.

CDW

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

7.45

Max
10.75
CDW
7.45
Q3
5.52
Median
3.17
Q1
1.79
Min
0.33

DELL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

-147.32

Max
10.75
Q3
5.52
Median
3.17
Q1
1.79
Min
0.33
DELL
-147.32
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CDW (CDW) vs. Dell (DELL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for CDW (CDW) and Dell (DELL)
MetricCDWDELL
P/E Ratio (TTM)18.3219.10
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.801.38
P/B Ratio (MRQ)7.45-147.32
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4.43%2.89%