Personal computer shipments up 2.8%, as remote working increased due to coronavirus pandemic
The quarter's results were much better than the coronavirus-affected first quarter, in which shipments cratered by over 12%.
Reversing the previous quarter's decline, global PC shipments rose in the second quarter. According to preliminary data compiled by tech industry researcher Gartner, the rise clocked in at 2.8% on a year-over-year basis. The first quarter decline, as tracked by the company, was a steep 12.3%.
According to Gartner, two factors in particular helped turn the growth dynamic around: significant increases in the Europe, Middle East and Africa mega-region, and a rapid recovery in the supply chain after the massive disruptions engendered by the global coronavirus outbreak (which also affected the buying behavior of both businesses and individuals).
Also, wrote the researcher, "mobile PC growth was particularly strong, driven by several factors including business continuity for remote working, online education and consumers' entertainment needs."
Pour by phone: Coca-Cola introduces contactless technology to pour your beverage
iPhone tricks: 10 new ones you will use all the time
Gartner's figures reveal rather uneven growth figures for the global PC vendors it tracks.
The company it ranks as No. 1 in terms of market share, China's Lenovo, enjoyed a 4% year-over-year increase to almost 16.2 million units shipped, while close runner-up HP powered to a 17% rise. Dell Technologies' Dell was essentially stagnant, while Apple managed a 5% bump.
All told during the quarter, the world's PC vendors shipped just over 64.8 million units.
Each of those vendors suffered year-over-year declines in the first quarter, save for Dell. These falls ranged from slightly over 3% for Lenovo, to the 26%-plus suffered by ASUS.
Perhaps feeling relieved, investors bid up the stocks of several big PC makers on Friday. Lenovo's shares rose by 3.2% and HP's climbed slightly higher. Both beat the gains of the top equity indexes on the day.
Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Apple. The Motley Fool recommends Gartner. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The Motley Fool is a Paste BN content partner offering financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of Paste BN.
Offer from the Motley Fool: 10 stocks we like better than HP
When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*
David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the ten best stocks for investors to buy right now ... and HP wasn't one of them! That's right – they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.