Topic: Growth Stocks

HEWLETT-PACKARD CO. $20 – New York symbol HPQ

HEWLETT-PACKARD CO. $20 (New York symbol HPQ; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 1.9 billion; Market cap: $38.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.3; Dividend yield: 2.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.hp.com), like IBM (see left), wants to cut its reliance on selling computer hardware. However, it has faced some setbacks.

In 2011, the company considered spinning off its personal computer and printer operations, which together account for 50% of its revenue. It eventually decided to hang onto these businesses and make them more profitable instead.

Hewlett also wants to expand its software division, which supplies just 3% of its revenue. That’s why it paid $11.0 billion for U.K.-based Autonomy in October 2011. This company’s software helps businesses organize information in different formats, including email and web pages.

However, Hewlett wrote down the value of this investment by $8.8 billion after it accused Autonomy’s former owners of using improper accounting policies to make the company seem more profitable than it was. Even so, Autonomy’s technology should enhance Hewlett’s software.

The stock has recovered strongly after dropping to just $11.35 in November 2012. However, it is vulnerable to a sharp setback if the company’s earnings continue to weaken.

Hewlett-Packard is still a hold.

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