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DELL vs. MSI: Dell vs. Motorola Stock Comparison

How do Dell (DELL) and Motorola (MSI) 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

Dell (DELL) and Motorola (MSI) both fall under the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group, but DELL is classified in Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals while MSI is classified in Communications Equipment.

Company profile comparison for Dell (DELL) and Motorola (MSI)
Profile ItemDELLMSI
NameDell Technologies Inc. Class C Common StockMotorola Solutions, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupTechnology Hardware & EquipmentTechnology Hardware & Equipment
GICS IndustryTechnology Hardware, Storage & PeripheralsCommunications Equipment
GICS Sub-IndustryTechnology Hardware, Storage & PeripheralsCommunications Equipment
Market Capitalization208.88 billion USD85.07 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateAugust 17, 2016January 2, 1962
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

DELL
MSI
GSPC
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Dell (DELL) vs. Motorola (MSI), 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 Dell (DELL) and Motorola (MSI). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Dell (DELL) and Motorola (MSI)
MetricDELLMSI
Total Return (1Y)142.85%35.63%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)72.12%20.55%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)47.28%17.37%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

DELL
MSI
GSPC
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Dell (DELL) vs. Motorola (MSI), 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 Dell (DELL) and Motorola (MSI). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Dell (DELL) and Motorola (MSI)
MetricDELLMSI
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)80.23%25.11%
Beta (5Y)1.500.84
Max Drawdown (5Y)-59.59%-27.23%
Avg. Volume (3M)7.77M973.41K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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DELL and MSI 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 Dell (DELL) and Motorola (MSI)
MetricDELLMSI
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.731.25
Sortino Ratio (1Y)3.001.90

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Motorola (MSI) earns 76.98% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Dell (DELL) has no ROE this period.

DELL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

--

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

MSI

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

76.98%

MSI
76.98%
Max
42.47%
Q3
19.13%
Median
11.00%
Q1
1.63%
Min
-20.62%
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Dell (DELL) vs. Motorola (MSI): DELL does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; MSI is benchmarked against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

Motorola (MSI) at 16.54% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Dell (DELL) at 7.53%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

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%

MSI

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

16.54%

Max
27.60%
MSI
16.54%
Q3
11.66%
Median
4.08%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-11.02%
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Dell (DELL) vs. Motorola (MSI): A comparison of their net margin against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Motorola (MSI) at 24.62% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Dell (DELL) at 12.02%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

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%

MSI

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

24.62%

Max
36.27%
MSI
24.62%
Q3
18.36%
Median
8.84%
Q1
1.46%
Min
-21.39%
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Dell (DELL) vs. Motorola (MSI): A comparison of their operating margin against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Dell (DELL) and Motorola (MSI)
MetricDELLMSI
ROE (TTM)--76.98%
ROA (TTM)8.64%9.64%
Net Margin (TTM)7.53%16.54%
Operating Margin (TTM)12.02%24.62%
Gross Margin (TTM)19.91%51.75%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Dell (DELL) at 18.80% and Motorola (MSI) at 8.00% 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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Dell (DELL) vs. Motorola (MSI): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Dell (DELL) at 36.05% and Motorola (MSI) at 38.14% 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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Dell (DELL) vs. Motorola (MSI): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Dell (DELL) and Motorola (MSI)
MetricDELLMSI
Revenue Growth (YoY)18.80%8.00%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.54%8.63%
EPS Growth (YoY)36.05%38.14%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)38.89%17.15%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Dell (DELL) at 0.96 and Motorola (MSI) at 1.10 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

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

MSI

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

1.10

Max
5.34
Q3
3.02
Median
1.95
Q1
1.32
MSI
1.10
Min
0.17
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Dell (DELL) vs. Motorola (MSI): 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: Motorola (MSI) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 3.46 against its industry range, while Dell (DELL) reports no figure this period.

DELL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

--

Max
1.76
Q3
0.78
Median
0.24
Q1
0.04
Min
0.01
DELL
--

MSI

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

3.46

MSI
3.46
Max
1.76
Q3
0.78
Median
0.24
Q1
0.04
Min
0.01
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Dell (DELL) vs. Motorola (MSI): DELL does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; MSI is benchmarked against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Dell (DELL) and Motorola (MSI)
MetricDELLMSI
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.961.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)--3.46
Net Debt / EBITDA1.342.70

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Dell (DELL) at 0.73% earns its spot in the top quartile of its industry’s yields; Motorola (MSI) at 0.94% is past the top of its own peer range — territory where a dividend-safety check matters more than the headline number.

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%

MSI

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.94%

MSI
0.94%
Max
0.73%
Q3
0.31%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Dell (DELL) vs. Motorola (MSI): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Dell (DELL) at 13.43% keeps its payout in the industry’s typical band, while Motorola (MSI) at 38.94% pays out more than any of its peers — the most stretched cover in its group.

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%

MSI

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

38.94%

MSI
38.94%
Max
32.27%
Q3
14.48%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Dell (DELL) vs. Motorola (MSI): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Dell (DELL) and Motorola (MSI)
MetricDELLMSI
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.73%0.94%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)13.43%38.94%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Dell (DELL) at 19.10 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Motorola (MSI) at 41.39 sits in the richer quartile — a clear split in what investors pay for each dollar of trailing earnings.

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

MSI

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

41.39

Max
69.48
MSI
41.39
Q3
41.02
Median
26.39
Q1
19.36
Min
6.07
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Dell (DELL) vs. Motorola (MSI): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Dell (DELL) at 1.38 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Motorola (MSI) at 6.75 sits in the pricier quartile — MSI costs more per dollar of sales.

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

MSI

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

6.75

Max
11.30
MSI
6.75
Q3
5.82
Median
2.56
Q1
1.05
Min
0.00
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Dell (DELL) vs. Motorola (MSI): 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 Motorola (MSI) reports 27.75, ranking against industry peers normally.

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

MSI

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

27.75

MSI
27.75
Max
10.75
Q3
5.52
Median
3.17
Q1
1.79
Min
0.33
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Dell (DELL) vs. Motorola (MSI): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Dell (DELL) and Motorola (MSI)
MetricDELLMSI
P/E Ratio (TTM)19.1041.39
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.386.75
P/B Ratio (MRQ)-147.3227.75
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.89%2.24%