Dell Computer Corp also said that sales of notebook products more than tripled over sales in fiscal 1995; European business grew 55% in fiscal 1996, partly driven by good results in Germany and France, but sales in the Asia-Pacific region soared by 181% over the year; a drop in gross profit margins to 18.1% in the fourth quarter from 21% was partly offset by lower operating expenses; the company cut its backlog of orders in half as component shortages eased in the fourth quarter, and the backlog stood at six days as the company closed the quarter on January 28, down from 12 days in the third.
