HP (HPQ) Another Company Punished by Guidance

It no longer matters in these uncertain times what the most recent quarter is for a company, if guidance doesn't show future growth and success, a company is punished, with the latest being Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HPQ).

Upside surprise

Non-GAAP EPS for HP's fiscal first quarter was $1.36, compared with guidance of $1.28 to $1.30 and the consensus estimate of $1.29. Revenue of $32.3 billion was shy of the $33 billion consensus. Positives included a 40 basis point improvement in operating margin year-over-year, driven by a 150 basis point uptick in gross margin and helped by "benign" component pricing.

There was a lot to like about the quarter. Although revenue grew only 4%, operating cash flow increased 28% year-over-year. HP enjoyed strength in commercial hardware, including servers, networking, PCs, and printers. In services, margins expanded and megadeal signings hit a record. Printer hardware strength bodes well for future high-margin consumables demand.

Disappointing guidance

Current quarter guidance included non-GAAP EPS of $1.19 to $1.21, versus an analyst estimate of $1.26, and revenue of $31.4 billion to $31.6 billion, versus a consensus forecast of $32.6 billion.





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