The Five Dumbest Things on Wall Street This Week

5. A Cold Day in Dell

Platitudes are plentiful lately at Dell (DELL Quote).

The Round Rock, Texas, computer giant is slumping after a decade of sparkling performance. Shares have fallen almost 40% over a year as earnings and sales growth have topped off.

A piece in Thursday's editions of The New York Times offers some insight into the company's troubles. The piece focuses on CEO Kevin Rollins' push to restart growth and boost profitability. But reader Frank Kilpatrick says the reason for Dell's decline is evident in comments by a lower-level exec, senior vice president for the Americas Joseph A. Marengi.

"There is a feeling of 'let's get this back to where it should be,' " Marengi confides to the Times. "It's basic business, but at the end of the day, there is a sense of urgency."

Yes, it's basic English, but that may be the most cliche-ridden comment ever.

Dumb-o-Meter score: 73. "Our goal is to provide the best quality and value to global customers like Unilever," the ever-insightful Marengi said in a press release last month.