Dell Inc. to go private after shareholders’ OK

9/13/2013

ROUND ROCK, Texas — Dell Inc. shareholders have approved a $24.8 billion offer from its founder to buy the company and take it private, ending the struggling computer maker’s quarter-century history as a publicly held company.

Like other PC makers, Dell Inc. has been hit hard as consumers shift from traditional desktops and laptops to tablets and other mobile devices.

Michael Dell, the company's chairman, CEO, and founder, made his offer with an investment group led by Silver Lake Partners. He has said he can turn the company around. But he has said the process will involve a painful realignment that is likely to trim its earnings for another year or two. He believes the turnaround will be easier away from Wall Street and its fixation with short-term results.