In the wake of speculation that Dell is marshaling its resources to buy back stock and become a private company once again, there are new rumors that Microsoft might be involved. There are reports that Microsoft is considering investing up to $ 3 billion for a stake in the private Dell.

Although Michael Dell asserts that Dell is not a PC company, and Dell has expanded its horizons to different areas of technology, the brand is synonymous with “PC” in the minds of most people, and Dell’s fortunes have waned some as the PC industry suffers from somewhat anemic sales.

By going private, Dell would be free to take risks it couldn’t get away with as a publicly traded company. Shareholders are a skittish bunch, and doing anything too bold or dramatic is generally frowned upon on Wall Street.

Would Dell also benefit from a marriage with Microsoft? They’re already closely tied as partners in a symbiotic relationship that would be considered common law marriage in most states. Dell could use the extra cash to facilitate the buyout, and there are potential strategic advantages to a closer Microsoft partnership.

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