NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Dell Computer Corp. is expected to show an improvement in revenue and profit when it reports its latest quarterly results after Thursday's close, as the computer-hardware heavyweight continued to snatch market share from its main competitors.

On July 11, Dell raised its financial targets for the quarter, its fiscal second, telling investors it believes it is continuing to gain market share amid weak overall demand.

At that time, the company said it expects to report revenue of roughly $8.3 billion, which would be up about 9 percent from last year's second quarter. Earnings are expected to come in at 19 cents per share, which would be a 19 percent improvement over the 16 cents per share the company reported during last year's fiscal second-quarter.

Previously, Dell had forecast revenue for its second quarter, which ended Aug. 2, of $8.2 billion and earnings of 18 cents per share.

Like most other technology companies, Dell is still being affected by continued weakness in corporate technology spending, and it's still waiting for the rebound.

Even so, the company, which derives the bulk of its revenue from personal computer sales and the remainder from other products, such as data-storage systems and networking equipment, has stood out among its competitors as one of the few to actually gain share in its core markets.

Prior to the July 11 announcement, Dell executives already had raised the bar for the fiscal second-quarter when they reported the company's first-quarter results, crediting gains in market share and reduced costs for the more optimistic outlook.

Of course, Dell has not been completely shielded from the harsh climate in its end markets. Faced with slumping PC sales, the company has cut more than 5,700 jobs since early 2001.

But Dell has had a number of things working in its favor in recent quarters that have enabled it to weather the industry slowdown, not the least of which is its business model.

The Round Rock, Tex.-based company is credited as the creator of the build-to-order sales model, under which customers order their computers directly from the company, making for more efficient supply-chain management and lower manufacturing costs.

"Dell has a very competitive model," said Loren Loverde, an analyst who covers the PC industry at high-tech research firm International Data Corp.

"They keep inventory low. They have very responsive systems, and they have maintained their growth momentum for a long time," Loverde said. "In fact, over this whole downturn, they've maintained positive unit growth."

By IDC's count, in each of the past three quarters Dell has shown year PC unit-shipment growth in excess of 10 percent while the overall industry was declining, and most of its top competitors logged annual declines in unit shipments.

At the same time, Dell has become much more aggressive in trying to win over consumers.

Computer buyers have responded to Steven, the character Ben Curtis, 21, plays in the popular Dell TV commercials.

The company has invested heavily in a consumer-focused U.S. advertising campaign featuring the hip, young character "Steven," whose catch phrase, "Dude, you're gettin' a Dell," has resulted in the company's recognition factor among consumers doubling since he first appeared on the scene in early 2001, according to Dell executives.

Dell's success in the consumer market has come mostly at the expense of rivals Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ: up $1.41 to $14.63, Research, Estimates) -- which bought out Compaq Computer earlier this year -- and Gateway Inc. (GTW: up $0.39 to $4.34, Research, Estimates).

Lingering customer concerns about the integration of HP and Compaq's operations also has been a benefit to Dell, as many of those two company's corporate customers, concerned about the possibility of a rough transition, have turned to Dell as a more stable alternative.

While most of Dell's revenue still is derived from PCs, the company in recent quarter has been locking in on areas where it can extend the direct business model that has worked in the PC industry, aiming to increase the proportion of revenue derived from enterprise products such as servers and data-storage systems.

So far, company watchers have been impressed by Dell's efforts to expand its market segment coverage and leverage its business model to keep pressure on competitors in a difficult market.

Because it pre-announced the quarter, investors and analysts generally expect Dell's second-quarter numbers to come in either at or slightly above the forecast it provided last month. Analysts at Salomon Smith Barney, Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse First Boston and Banc of America Securities all said they expect Dell's revenue to come in slightly above the $8.3 billion the company forecast.

Executives' business outlook during a conference call after the company releases the earnings results will be what sets the tone for its stock, as well as the technology sector as a whole.

At last count, analysts polled by earnings tracker First Call were forecasting fiscal third-quarter revenue of roughly $8.56 billion and a profit if 21 cents per share.