<span>STORY: :: Dell</span><span>Dell shares rocketed higher in after-hours trade Thursday, jumping around 39%.</span><span>The surge came after the computer maker lifted revenue and profit expectations.</span><span>Dell says it is seeing soaring demand for AI-optimized servers used in data centers.</span><span>It’s benefiting as tech giants like Alphabet and Amazon plan to spend over $700 billion on AI-related infrastructure this year.</span><span>Dell now expects annual revenue of up to $169 billion – way up on the previous forecast of up to $142 billion.</span><span>AI server revenue is expected to hit $60 billion for fiscal 2027, $10 billion up on previous expectations.</span><span>The company has been adjusting prices constantly as strong global demand causes the cost of memory chips to soar.</span><span>:: Dell</span><span>On a call with analysts, Chief Operating Officer Jeff Clarke said he knew customers were feeling the pain.</span><span>But he said there was little sign of inflationary pressure easing.</span><span>One analyst told Reuters that Dell looked well placed to cope with the chip shortage, helped by its scale and strong relationships with suppliers.</span>
