Hewlett-Packard to split into two separate companies

Hewlett-Packard said it would split into two listed companies, separating its computer and printer businesses from its faster-growing corporate hardware and services operations, and eliminate another 5,000 jobs as part of its turnaround plan.

HP said its shareholders would own a stake in both businesses through a tax-free transaction next year, the details of which still needed to be worked out. Each business contributes about half of HP’s revenue and profit.

Shares of the 75-year-old company, which has struggled to adapt to the new era of mobile and online computing, were up 4 per cent at $36.60 in early trading on Monday.

A spinoff of the PC business was last proposed in 2011 by then-chief executive Leo Apotheker as the company struggled in the highly competitive PC market. HP later ditched the plan - and Apotheker, replacing him with current CEO Meg Whitman.

“Make no mistake, one HP was the right thing to do to begin the turnaround of this company,” Ms Whitman said on a conference call. “But now ... this is definitely the right tactic.”

HP said it planned to cut 5,000 more jobs as part of its multi-year restructuring, raising the total under Ms Whitman to 55,000. The company currently has more than 300,000 employees.

The separation will result in a fundamental reshaping of one of technology’s most important pioneers, which is on track to generate $112 billion in revenue in the fiscal year this month.

Many investors and analysts had called for a break-up of the company, or a sale of the PC business, so that HP could focus on the more profitable operations that sell computer servers and networking gear and data storage to businesses.

HP is the latest in a line of companies, often under shareholder pressure, to spin off operations in an attempt to become more agile and capitalise on faster-growing businesses.

Online auction company eBay, which was formerly run by Ms Whitman, said last week it would spin off electronic payment service PayPal.

Reuters