Hewlett-Packard Co (HPQ.N) may spin off the world's largest PC business, part of a wrenching series of moves away from the consumer market, including killing its new tablet and buying British software company Autonomy Corp (AUTN.L) for as much as $11.7 billion. The moves underscore the problems plaguing personal computers and devices, which have long HP's business. The iconic company associated with the birth of Silicon Valley also plans to kill WebOS-based phones and the TouchPad tablet, which was launched in June but has failed to excite consumers. HP's third-largest acquisition ever and its potential departure from the PC arena sets in motion a transformation that recalls International Business Machine Corp's (IBM.N) overhaul of the last decade. The barrage of news, which forced HP to announce third-quarter earnings an hour early on Thursday, masked a sharp reduction in HP's estimates for full-year revenue and earnings that sent its shares 6 percent down to a 52-week low. They slid another 10 percent to $26.61 in after-hours trade.
Hewlett-Packard Company (HP) is a provider of products, technologies, software, solutions and services to individual consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and large enterprises, including customers in the government, health and education sectors. Shares of HPQ fell by 5.99% or $-1.88/share to $29.51. In the past year, the shares have traded as low as $29.75 and as high as $49.39. On average, 21902100 shares of HPQ exchange hands on a given day and today's volume is recorded at 96009408.
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is an information technology (IT) company. Shares of IBM fell by 4.46% or $-7.65/share to $163.83. In the past year, the shares have traded as low as $122.28 and as high as $185.63. On average, 5976650 shares of IBM exchange hands on a given day and today's volume is recorded at 15083690.
Source