Hewlett Packard looks past the PC
The tech giant looks for a new leader - and new areas of leadership.
Broadening its appeal
HP is scrambling to expand into more profitable businesses through acquisitions.
HP has bought more than 50 companies in the past decade, including the data-storage provider 3Par, the network equipment maker 3Com, and the information technology giant EDS.
HP has bought more than 50 companies in the past decade, including the data-storage provider 3Par, the network equipment maker 3Com, and the information technology giant EDS.
The EDS purchase more than doubled the revenue Hewlett gets from the services it offers companies to help run their networks.
All these deals enhance the firm's appeal to corporate clients. "They see this as an area where they can grow," says Tom Forester of the Forester Value Fund, which counts HP among its top 10 holdings.
But now comes a real challenge. HP's shift means it won't be competing with just Dell and Acer, but also against the biggest players in global tech: IBM, Cisco, Intel, and Oracle.
NEXT: C-Suite woes
Last updated November 11 2010: 5:59 PM ET
Source: UBS, Edward Jones, Morningstar, Bloomberg, Morgan Stanley, company filings
