DELL said its stockholders approved its $US25 billion buyout by founder and chief executive Michael Dell and investment firm Silver Lake Partners, ending a bitter contest to take the PC-maker private. As a private enterprise, with a strong private-equity partner, we'll serve our customers with a single-minded purpose and drive the innovations that will help them achieve their goals. The company hasn't disclosed the breakdown of the vote tally. Dell stockholders will receive $US13.75 in cash for each share of Dell they hold, plus payment of a special cash dividend of US13c a share, for total consideration of $US13.88 a share in cash. The agreement also guarantees the regular quarterly dividend of eight cents a share for the fiscal third quarter. The shareholder vote was repeatedly delayed as activist investor Carl Icahn and his partner, Southeastern Asset Management, agitated for a better deal. Earlier this week, while still criticising the deal and Dell's board, Mr Icahn conceded defeat after six months of trying to persuade other shareholders to vote down the deal and instead support his proposal for a so-called leverage recapitalisation of the computer maker. Dell, once the world's largest personal-computer maker, has largely been sidelined as tablets and smartphones became the more popular devices and PC sales shrank. In recent years, the company has looked to move beyond its core PC business and expand into more lucrative and high-margin businesses. To offset the slumping PC business, Dell has been on an acquisition binge, adding a variety of software, storage and networking tools. Last month, Dell reported its fiscal second-quarter earnings declined 72 per cent as it recorded flat revenue and an increase in operating expenses. The quarter marked Dell's seventh period of year-over-year profit declines amid an industry-wide slump in personal-computer sales as tablets and smartphones become more popular devices. However, results beat Wall Street expectations. Shares were flat at $US13.85.