Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Listen to this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Podbean, Podtail, ListenNotes, TuneIn

The volatility of the geopolitical and macroeconomic environment in recent years has caused some problems in the trade, treasury, and payments industries. 

However, industry actors have adapted and are working together to build resilience and make international trade even stronger.

To hear about developments in the factoring and supply chain finance world, Trade Finance Global (TFG) spoke with Çağatay Baydar, Chairman at FCI and Irina Tyan, Principal Banker, TFP at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

Challenges and growth in the factoring industry

The factoring industry has demonstrated impressive growth since the turn of the century despite facing significant challenges, particularly in emerging markets. 

Baydar said, “The growth rate in 2023 was 3.3% globally in the volume of the world factoring and in 2022 it was 18%. Over the last 20 years, the average growth rate has been 8% which shows that factoring is becoming a mainstream financial product globally, which is very good indeed.”

The sector, which revolves around the purchase of receivables from businesses to provide them with immediate liquidity, has become an essential component of global trade finance, but it also faces challenges. One of the primary challenges is the bureaucratic and infrastructural limitations inherent in the current system. 

Factoring, being an invoice-based product, requires a significant amount of paperwork and documentation, which can be cumbersome and traditionally relies on a paper-based system that only adds to the administrative burden for businesses.

In developed regions like Europe, factoring’s penetration rate – a measure of the amount of trade volume that uses factoring – is around 15%, reflecting a more mature understanding and use of this financial product. By contrast, in emerging markets, the penetration rate is significantly lower, with countries like Turkey and Georgia showing rates as low as 3%.

This discrepancy highlights the knowledge gap and infrastructural deficiencies in these regions. Businesses in these markets often lack the necessary awareness and understanding of factoring, which limits their ability to leverage this financial tool to its full potential.

However, factoring usage in some emerging markets is growing.

Tyan said, “We see the progress in the countries where we started five to seven years ago, like Georgia. We recently had a workshop in Jordan, where we also see a more adapted market, more ready to look into this type of product.”

Further collaboration and efforts to promote regulatory reforms and technological advancements may be what is needed to drive factoring growth in these underutilised regions.

Regulatory reforms and technological integration

Regulatory reforms are crucial for the sustained growth and development of the factoring industry, and legal clarity is particularly important in emerging markets, where the absence of a well-defined regulatory environment can pose significant barriers to factoring’s growth.

One of the key areas that require attention is the standardisation of data exchange formats. 

Creating common data standards for supply chain transactions can facilitate smoother integration between different platforms and financial institutions, improving efficiency, reducing administrative burdens, and enhancing the overall effectiveness of the factoring process. 

Another important aspect of regulatory reform is cybersecurity. 

Tyan said, “As this product heavily relies on platforms, clear regulation on data security and cybersecurity is crucial to build trust among the participants.”

Ensuring the integrity and security of transactions protects sensitive financial information from potential cyber threats and is vital for the long-term sustainability and credibility of the industry.

Digitalising to draw clients and talent to factor

The factoring industry has been significantly transformed by the integration of digital technologies that have made the process faster, more efficient, and more accessible, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). 

Traditionally, the paperwork involved in factoring, particularly for international transactions, slowed down the process and added to its complexity but digital platforms are allowing for quicker access to funds and improving the overall client experience.

Baydar said, “Today, with digitalisation and the platforms, we are making our business much faster, quicker, and more effective. This really helps SMEs to touch the money very soon, very quickly. This makes our clients happier than before because they can experience a very fast, very effective, seamless transaction.”

This shift not only speeds up transactions but also minimises the risk of errors and fraud associated with manual paperwork and can help attract more young professionals to the industry. 

Baydar said, “Young people prefer to work with new technology and high-level startup businesses rather than traditional models.”

The new generation of workers is drawn to innovation and technologically advanced sectors. By embracing digital advancements, the factoring industry can position itself as a forward-thinking and dynamic field, appealing to young talent looking for exciting career opportunities. This influx of new talent is essential for sustaining the industry’s growth and development in the long term.

Organisations that fail to embrace digitalisation risk being left behind in a rapidly evolving market, meaning that investing in digital solutions is not just an option but a necessity for the future of the factoring industry.

News summary

• First quarter revenue of $22.2 billion, up 6% year over year
• Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG) revenue of $9.2 billion, up 22% year over year, with record servers and networking revenue of $5.5 billion, up 42%
• Client Solutions Group (CSG) revenue of $12.0 billion, flat year over year, with commercial client revenue at $10.2 billion, up 3%
• Diluted earnings per share of $1.32, up 67% year over year, and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $1.27, down 3%

ROUND ROCK, Texas, May 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ —

Full story

Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) announces financial results for its fiscal 2025 first quarter. Revenue was $22.2 billion, up 6% year over year. Operating income was $920 million and non-GAAP operating income was $1.5 billion, down 14% and 8% year over year, respectively. Cash flow from operations was $1.0 billion. Diluted earnings per share was $1.32, and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share was $1.27, up 67% and down 3% year over year, respectively.

Dell returned $1.1 billion to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends and ended the quarter with $7.3 billion in cash and investments.

“We again demonstrated our ability to execute and deliver strong cash flow, with AI continuing to drive new growth,” said Yvonne McGill, chief financial officer, Dell Technologies. “Revenue was up 6% at $22.2 billion, servers and networking revenue was up 42%, and we generated $7.9 billion of cash flow from operations over the last 12 months.”

First Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Results

Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG) delivered first quarter revenue of $9.2 billion, up 22% year over year. Servers and networking revenue was a record $5.5 billion, up 42%, with demand strength across AI and traditional servers. Storage revenue was flat at $3.8 billion. Operating income was $736 million.

Client Solutions Group (CSG) delivered first quarter revenue of $12.0 billion, flat year over year. Commercial client revenue was $10.2 billion, up 3% year over year, and Consumer revenue was $1.8 billion, down 15%. Operating income was $732 million.

“No company is better positioned than Dell to bring AI to the enterprise,” said Jeff Clarke, vice chairman and chief operating officer, Dell Technologies. “Servers and networking hit record revenue in Q1, with our AI-optimized server orders increasing sequentially to $2.6 billion, shipments up more than 100% to $1.7 billion, and backlog growing more than 30% to $3.8 billion.”

Dell Technologies World

On May 20, Dell expanded the industry’s broadest AI solutions portfolio from desktop to data center to cloud with innovations designed to accelerate AI adoption and innovation:

• The Dell AI Factory combines Dell infrastructure, solutions and services optimized for AI workloads with an open ecosystem of partners including NVIDIA, Meta, Microsoft and Hugging Face.
• The Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA includes the new PowerEdge XE9680L server, which offers direct liquid cooling in a 4U form factor and can support 72 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs in a single rack – 33% more GPU density per node compared to the XE9680.
• Dell PowerStore software updates give customers up to a 66% performance boost, native sync replication for file and block and improved multicloud data mobility capabilities.
• New AI PCs are Copilot+ and powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon® X Elite and Snapdragon® X Plus processors, delivering exceptional battery life and AI performance.

Operating Segments Results

Conference call information

As previously announced, the company will hold a conference call to discuss its performance and financial guidance on May 30 at 3:30 p.m. CDT. Prior to the start of the conference call, prepared remarks and a presentation containing additional financial and operating information prior to financial guidance may be downloaded from investors.delltechnologies.com. The conference call will be broadcast live over the internet and can be accessed at https://investors.delltechnologies.com/news-events/upcoming-events.

For those unable to listen to the live broadcast, the final remarks and presentation with financial guidance will be available following the broadcast, and an archived version will be available at the same location for one year.

About Dell Technologies

Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL) helps organizations and individuals build their digital future and transform how they work, live and play. The company provides customers with the industry’s broadest and most innovative technology and services portfolio for the AI era.

Copyright © 2024 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved. Dell Technologies, Dell, EMC and Dell EMC are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. Other trademarks may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures:

This press release presents information about non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating expenses, non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP net income attributable to Dell Technologies Inc., non-GAAP earnings per share attributable to Dell Technologies Inc. – diluted, free cash flow, and adjusted free cash flow, all of which are non-GAAP financial measures provided as a supplement to the results provided in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”). A reconciliation of each non-GAAP financial measure to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure is provided in the attached tables for each of the fiscal periods indicated.

Special Note on Forward-Looking Statements:

Statements in this press release that relate to future results and events are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and are based on Dell Technologies’ current expectations. In some cases, you can identify these statements by such forward-looking words as “anticipate,” “believe,” “confidence,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “guidance,” “intend,” “may,” “objective,” “outlook,” “plan,” “project,” “possible,” “potential,” “should,” “will” and “would,” or similar words or expressions that refer to future events or outcomes.

Dell Technologies’ results or events in future periods could differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements because of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that include, but are not limited to, the following: adverse global economic conditions and instability in financial markets; competitive pressures; Dell Technologies’ reliance on third-party suppliers for products and components, including reliance on single-source or limited-source suppliers; Dell Technologies’ ability to achieve favorable pricing from its vendors; Dell Technologies’ execution of its strategy; social and ethical issues relating to the use of new and evolving technologies; Dell Technologies’ ability to manage solutions and products and services transitions in an effective manner; Dell Technologies’ ability to deliver high-quality products, software, and services; cyber attacks or other data security incidents; Dell Technologies’ ability to successfully execute on strategic initiatives including acquisitions, divestitures or cost savings measures; Dell Technologies’ foreign operations and ability to generate substantial non-U.S. net revenue; Dell Technologies’ product, services, customer, and geographic sales mix, and seasonal sales trends; the performance of Dell Technologies’ sales channel partners; access to the capital markets by Dell Technologies or its customers; material impairment of the value of goodwill or intangible assets; adverse economic conditions and the effect of additional regulation on Dell Technologies’ financial services activities; counterparty default risks; the loss by Dell Technologies of any contracts for ISG services and solutions and its ability to perform such contracts at their estimated costs; loss by Dell Technologies of government contracts; Dell Technologies’ ability to develop and protect its proprietary intellectual property or obtain licenses to intellectual property developed by others on commercially reasonable and competitive terms; disruptions in Dell Technologies’ infrastructure; Dell Technologies’ ability to hedge effectively its exposure to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates; expiration of tax holidays or favorable tax rate structures, or unfavorable outcomes in tax audits and other tax compliance matters; impairment of portfolio investments; unfavorable results of legal proceedings; expectations relating to environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations; compliance requirements of changing environmental and safety laws, human rights laws, or other laws; the effect of armed hostilities, terrorism, natural disasters, or public health issues; the effect of global climate change and legal, regulatory, or market measures to address climate change; Dell Technologies’ dependence on the services of Michael Dell and key employees; Dell Technologies’ level of indebtedness; and business and financial factors and legal restrictions affecting continuation of Dell Technologies’ quarterly cash dividend policy and dividend rate.

This list of risks, uncertainties, and other factors is not complete. Dell Technologies discusses some of these matters more fully, as well as certain risk factors that could affect Dell Technologies’ business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects, in its reports filed with the SEC, including Dell Technologies’ annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 2, 2024, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K. These filings are available for review through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Any or all forward-looking statements Dell Technologies makes may turn out to be wrong and can be affected by inaccurate assumptions Dell Technologies might make or by known or unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, including those identified in this press release. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements made in this press release, which speak only as of its date. Dell Technologies does not undertake to update, and expressly disclaims any duty to update, its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of circumstances or events that arise after the date they are made, new information, or otherwise.

SUPPLEMENTAL SELECTED NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

These tables present information about the Company’s non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating expenses, non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP net income attributable to Dell Technologies Inc., non-GAAP earnings per share attributable to Dell Technologies Inc. – diluted, free cash flow and adjusted free cash flow, all of which are non-GAAP financial measures provided as a supplement to the results provided in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”). A detailed discussion of Dell Technologies’ reasons for including these non-GAAP financial measures, the limitations associated with these measures, the items excluded from these measures, and our reason for excluding those items are presented in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Non-GAAP Financial Measures” in our periodic reports filed with the SEC. Dell Technologies encourages investors to review the non-GAAP discussion in these reports in conjunction with the presentation of non-GAAP financial measures.

SOURCE Dell Technologies