Ticker Talk: News and Notes

* Among today’s stocks to watch: Dell Computer. After the market closes, the No. 1 direct seller of personal computers is likely to report a fiscal first-quarter profit of 16 cents a share, according to the average analyst estimate from First Call Corp. Dell earned a split-adjusted 11 cents a share in the year-earlier period. On Monday, Dell shares gained $2.06 to close at $43.25 on Nasdaq.