• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechFortune 500

HP’s Outlook Still Down Despite Improved PC Sales

By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 24, 2016, 8:18 PM ET
Dion Weisler of HP, Helena Foulkes of CVS, Tom Farley of NYSE at 2015 Fortune Brainstorm Tech
Dion Weisler of HP, Helena Foulkes of CVS, Tom Farley of NYSE, and Fortune's Pattie Sellers at the 2015 Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference in Aspen.Andrew Nusca/Fortune

HP Inc. continues to face challenges during its first year as an independent company.

The printer and personal computer giant said Wednesday that its latest quarterly revenue dropped 4% year over year to $11.9 billion. This marks the third decline in quarterly sales since HP (HPQ) separated in November from its data center hardware and software sibling, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE).

In late 2014, Hewlett-Packard Company undertook a massive year-long endeavor to split itself into two separate companies, one focused on data centers and corporate IT, and the other specializing in PC and printers. The idea was that two, smaller companies could react faster and better compete in their respective areas amid a changing technology market. HP’s recent earnings report shows, however, that it’s challenging to fix a company in which sales seem to be on the decline.

Still, there were some positives in the results for the quarter ending July, 31. For one, HP said its sales in its unit for laptops and desktop computers remained flat relative to the previous year at $7.5 billion. That HP’s personal computer business didn’t decline is noteworthy considering that the overall PC market continues to plummet.

HP Inc. CEO Dion Weisler said on a call with analysts that one reason HP’s PC business was able to avoid a decline was strong demand for high-end computers by video game enthusiasts.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

“We outperformed the market,” Weisler said about HP’s PC sales.

However, the PC sales results were not enough for HP to say that business will be rosy in the current quarter. HP projected that its fiscal fourth quarter non-GAAP earnings per share would be 34 to 37 cents per share, short of the of the projected 41 cents by Wall Street analysts, according to Thomson Reuters.

HP chief financial officer Cathie Lesjak said that one of the reasons HP is projecting a lower fourth quarter earnings despite PC sales somewhat stabilizing in its recent quarter was because the company is investing a lot of money in lifting sales of its higher-end printers. The goal is to sell more of these printers in geographies where people print more, which could lead to more sells of printer supplies or related services.

“We think that is the right investment to make,” said Lesjak. The investment increase will “put pressure” on HP’s current quarter, but it will “pay dividends in supply revenue in the future,” she promised.

And despite HP’s sales of PCs remaining flat its third quarter, Weisler was hesitant to say that the same trend would continue while cautioning that he agrees with major analyst firms that predict PC sales will be weaker in the second half of 2016 compared to the first half.

Sales of HP’s newly released Chromebooks also seemed to be on the rise, according to Weisler, although he did not cite any specific numbers. Companies like HP and Lenovo sell these lower-cost Chromebook laptops through partnerships with Google (GOOG), which developed the Android-operating system that powers the devices.

Weisler said that sales of Chromebooks have made “significant headway” with education providers, and are gaining strength in other industries like finance and banking, which he said are also looking for low-cost laptops.

For more about HP, Inc., watch:

However, because Chromebooks can cost significantly less than a traditional laptop, HP stands to make less money selling those computers compared to its more expensive models. In April, the company debuted a more expensive and feature-packed version it hopes would catch on with businesses.

Shares of HP fell 6% to $13.54 in after-hours trading on Wednesday.

About the Author
By Jonathan Vanian
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jonathan Vanian is a former Fortune reporter. He covered business technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data privacy, and other topics.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon says 2026 is the year AI agents go mainstream—and the smartphone’s reign as your primary device is ending
AIFortune 500: Titans and Disruptors of Industry
Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon says 2026 is the year AI agents go mainstream—and the smartphone’s reign as your primary device is ending
By Fortune EditorsMay 10, 2026
5 hours ago
The global economy is experiencing the largest capex cycle ever, with nearly $5 trillion seen by the end of the decade—and it’s not all AI spending
EnergyAlternative energy
The global economy is experiencing the largest capex cycle ever, with nearly $5 trillion seen by the end of the decade—and it’s not all AI spending
By Jason MaMay 10, 2026
5 hours ago
AI wins have Alphabet poised to become world’s biggest company
AIAlphabet
AI wins have Alphabet poised to become world’s biggest company
By Ryan Vlastelica and BloombergMay 10, 2026
8 hours ago
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says Gen Z and millennials are using ChatGPT like a ‘life advisor’—but college students might be one step ahead
TechOpenAI
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says Gen Z and millennials are using ChatGPT like a ‘life advisor’—but college students might be one step ahead
By Sydney LakeMay 10, 2026
11 hours ago
Torsten Slok, wearing a suit, speaks on a stage with a gold and black background.
AILabor
‘The gains will be substantial’: The AI shock is looking a lot like the China shock, and a top economist says that’s actually good news
By Sasha RogelbergMay 10, 2026
12 hours ago
Young man working on laptop with headphones in modern coffeeshop
Future of Workskills gap
AI generated identical résumés for a man and a woman: Hers was more likely to be labeled ‘weak,’ while his got a 97% approval rating
By Eleanor PringleMay 10, 2026
15 hours ago

Most Popular

'Employers are increasingly turning to degree and GPA' in hiring: Recruiters retreat from ‘talent is everywhere,’ double down on top colleges
Future of Work
'Employers are increasingly turning to degree and GPA' in hiring: Recruiters retreat from ‘talent is everywhere,’ double down on top colleges
By Jake AngeloMay 9, 2026
1 day ago
‘This is the way’: Elon Musk endorses Warren Buffett’s famed 5-minute plan to fix the national debt
Economy
‘This is the way’: Elon Musk endorses Warren Buffett’s famed 5-minute plan to fix the national debt
By Jacqueline MunisMay 10, 2026
10 hours ago
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says Gen Z and millennials are using ChatGPT like a 'life advisor'—but college students might be one step ahead
Tech
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says Gen Z and millennials are using ChatGPT like a 'life advisor'—but college students might be one step ahead
By Sydney LakeMay 10, 2026
11 hours ago
Ted Cruz says the quiet part out loud: Trump accounts are Social Security personal accounts as GOP senator reveals 'dirty little secret'
Politics
Ted Cruz says the quiet part out loud: Trump accounts are Social Security personal accounts as GOP senator reveals 'dirty little secret'
By Jason MaMay 9, 2026
1 day ago
Red flag test: former CEO explains why he rejects job candidates who say they can start right away
Success
Red flag test: former CEO explains why he rejects job candidates who say they can start right away
By Orianna Rosa RoyleMay 9, 2026
1 day ago
Trump thinks he's flying to Beijing with leverage. China spent 6 years making sure he doesn't have any
Commentary
Trump thinks he's flying to Beijing with leverage. China spent 6 years making sure he doesn't have any
By Steve H. HankeMay 10, 2026
12 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.