Technology Giants Trend Higher in Quarter Revenues

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Boom times may not be on the way anytime soon, but a quick look at the revenues reported by some of the big technology companies in their most recent quarters shows a promising sign.

That is, for the most part, even though companies are reporting year-over-year declines in revenues still, they are also reporting revenues that are higher than the previous sequential quarter. That means things may be starting to get better.

Channel Insider looked at the revenues of 10 selected technology vendors—giants like IBM, HP and Microsoft—and noticed the trend.

The biggest software player—Microsoft—defied the trend exhibited by the rest of sequential increase but year-over-year decline in revenue.

Some recent positive statements by executives at these companies also point to better days ahead. And while no one is using the words "optimism" or "boom," the bleakness that has pervaded 2009 seems to have lifted.

IT distributor Tech Data CEO Bob Dutkowsky told Channel Insider that he sensed a more positive tone among VARs at his company’s recent TechSelect conference.  Not that sales were higher, but that there was more in the pipeline, he said.

IT distributor Ingram Micro CEO Greg Spierkel told Channel Insider that the most recent quarter yielded better than expected on their efforts, with unit shipments more than doubling.

Dell CEO Michael Dell said in the company’s earnings statement: "We are seeing improvement in overall underlying IT demand that is continuing into the fourth quarter."