Michael Dell posted a scan of the original prospectus on the June 22 anniversary to recall how Dell Computer Corporation first sold 3.5 million shares to the public at $8.50 each, bringing the company $30 million and an $85 million market cap right after its 1984 founding.
38 years ago today, Dell Computer went public.
We raised $30M at an $85M market cap.
IPO price: $8.50/share Split-adjusted: about 9 cents
Grateful to every customer, partner, and team member past, present, and future who made it possible. 🙏
Keep building. Onward 🚀
#PlayNiceButWin
After decades of stock splits the original $8.50 share price now equals roughly nine cents on a split-adjusted basis, showing how early investors who held through the growth would see their stakes transformed.
Paul Graham looked at the prospectus artwork and guessed 1990, a reminder that design cues can drift from the actual filing date even when exchange records fix the event to 1988.
Many users celebrate Dell's 38-year milestone since the 1988 IPO as an inspiring American success story of long-term compounding and execution, while others criticize past SEC issues and customer service problems.
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@MichaelDell Before looking at the date I tried to date that prospectus just by the logo, and I guessed 1990.
38 years ago today, Dell Computer went public.
We raised $30M at an $85M market cap.
IPO price: $8.50/share Split-adjusted: about 9 cents
Grateful to every customer, partner, and team member past, present, and future who made it possible. 🙏
Keep building. Onward 🚀
#PlayNiceButWin
@MichaelDell SMCI shares will rise like Sandisk shares. Join the flight as soon as possible. #SMCI #SNDK
@MichaelDell HOW IT ALL STARTED
@MichaelDell @neuralink @ABCSharkTank #TheAetherBrainnetwork By Ryan Scott Bogert designs... #TheNeuroRing and #TheAetherBrain by Ryan Scott Bogert designs... How much do you think this is worth @MichaelDell ?
@MichaelDell Wild
You never explained why you discontinued the VERY ICONIC Dell Dimension series man. These used to be the gold standard for desktop computers for a very long time. These fall into the category of "Great American Designs" because we could remove Dell & EVERYBODY would still know EXACTLY who made this desktop.
Was such a great time to be alive, but I would love to know why these babies were discontinued!
@MichaelDell Hey @grok can you take inflation and dollar devaluation into account and give updated numbers in terms of today’s dollars?
@MichaelDell Michael Dell personally paid a $4M SEC penalty after the SEC said Dell manipulated its accounting and misled investors. Dell paid $100M. That’s part of the legacy too.
@MichaelDell Congratulations @MichaelDell.
As an early customer I know why you have been successful - you put customer service first and also changed the game with customer-driven customization.
American Excellence! 🇺🇸🫡
@MichaelDell I remember that special day. And intraday this morning, you were 7 billion dollars away from 4th place in being the wealthiest person in the world potentially surpassing Jeff Bezos. Thank you for your hard work over the years.
@MichaelDell @MichaelDell Maybe you'd like to aquire the NeuroRing IP? God knows I'll be long dead before @neuralink tries anything or even @ABCSharkTank makes me an offer...Especially considering it's sandboxed specifically for the #AetherBrain network...also by me...#TheNeuroRing...
@MichaelDell You’re a legend with a givers heart!
What stands out most isn't the IPO price or the market cap...it's the consistency.
For nearly four decades, $DELL has adapted through PCs, servers, cloud computing, AI, and everything in between.
A remarkable example of what long-term thinking and relentless execution can accomplish. Congratulations, @MichaelDell
@MichaelDell I bought a Dell back then, please convert that purchase $1k to IPO shares. Thanks. Another Beautiful American Success 🙏💪❤️❤️
@MichaelDell You took the company private in 2013 giving stockholders only $13.88 a share till the stock went public again in 2018 so your information is incorrect, KEVIN ROLLINS KILLED DELL when he took over. how could you make up facts and post them on x
@MichaelDell You’ve done it the right way all along. Long and strong DELL. Oh, and on behalf of all Americans thank you to you and your wife for your amazing contribution to America’s kids.
@MichaelDell The Dell Inspiron was my first computer. I bought it direct from Dell in 2000. I had a dial-up connection, and—please remind me exactly how much!—a paltry amount of RAM by today's standards. I traded up to a MacBook in 2009. 😎
My first laptop at school was a Dell (early 2000s) - we’d had a mix of Amstrad and HP at home in the 90s (I think!?). I spent a decade or so on Macs at home and Lenovo or HP at work. Now I have a Dell XPS laptop and it’s comfortably the best computer I’ve ever used. Congratulations on 38 years of innovation and renewal - it’s an amazing achievement to have created a company that can continuously do that over such a long period.
@MichaelDell Was my 1st computer.. thanks, still have the same email today.. http://prodigy.net..
@MichaelDell I remember getting our first PC Limited system. A 286 maybe?
One of my favorite things was getting PC magazine to see ads for your newest systems. A glimpse of what was possible.