HP’s PC shipments drop overshadows strong revenue growth, shares slide

HP's PC shipments fell in the third quarter, dampening the company's strong results and causing its shares to drop 10 percent in extended trading. Despite a 12.5 percent revenue growth, rising commodity prices and limited benefits from lower-cost inventory are anticipated to further strain margins in the Personal Systems segment during the fourth quarter.

CFO Karen Parkhill indicated on a post-earnings call that below seasonal revenue performance is expected in the fourth quarter due to commodity-driven price increases. Analysts project HP's adjusted earnings per share to range between 69 cents and 79 cents for the quarter, surpassing the average estimate of 67 cents. The company's annual forecast for adjusted earnings per share has been raised to a range of $3.19 to $3.29, factoring in an 8 cents boost from anticipated tariff refunds.

HP's PC segment experienced an 18 percent revenue increase in the third quarter, but shipments declined by 16 percent. The company is facing a global memory chip shortage driven by massive AI data center expansions, leading to a focus on selling more expensive, higher-margin products, including AI PCs. Printing revenue decreased by 2 percent to $3.9 billion in the three months ended July 31.