News release

HP's Vendor Rating Upgraded by Leading Technology Analyst Firm

HP today announced that it has been upgraded to a "positive" ⁽¹⁾ overall vendor rating by technology analyst firm, Gartner, Inc., in its 2005 Vendor Rating report.⁽²⁾

Published annually, Gartner's Vendor Rating reports evaluate information technology vendors based on specific criteria related to corporate viability, market offerings, and customer service and support. Vendor Rating research is a qualitative evaluation of a vendor as a whole, not just on its position within a single market.

Gartner upgraded HP to "positive," from an overall "promising" ⁽³⁾ rating in 2004. Key findings:

• In terms of corporate viability, HP received a "positive" rating in both the financial and marketing (including branding) categories;



• HP's product and service market offerings were rated "positive" overall. Under this category, HP's imaging and printing offerings were rated "strong positive" ⁽⁴⁾ and HP ProLiant servers were rated "positive";



• HP's overall technology and methodology were rated "strong positive" with the company's Linux strategy specifically rated "positive";



• Under the customer service and support category, the company's product support offering achieved a "positive" rating.

About HP

HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company's offerings span IT infrastructure, global services, business and home computing, and imaging and printing. For the four fiscal quarters ended April 30, 2005, HP revenue totaled $83.3 billion. More information about HP (NYSE, Nasdaq: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com.

⁽¹⁾ According to Gartner, a vendor who receives a "positive" rating demonstrates strength in specific areas, but is largely opportunistic. Existing customers should continue incremental investments, while potential customers should put this vendor on a shortlist of tactical alternatives.

⁽²⁾ Gartner Research "Vendor Rating: Hewlett-Packard" by Carl Claunch et al. July 26, 2005.

⁽³⁾ According to Gartner, vendors who receive a "promising" rating show potential in specific areas; however, initiative or vendor has not fully evolved or matured. Existing customers should watch for a change in status and consider scenarios for short- and long-term impact while potential customers should plan for and be aware of issues and opportunities related to the evolution and maturity of this initiative or vendor.

⁽⁴⁾ According to Gartner, a vendor who receive a "strong positive" rating is a solid provider of strategic products, services or solutions. Existing customers should continue investments while potential customers should consider this vendor a strong strategic choice.

Linux is a U.S. registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.

Vendor Rating Disclaimer
The Vendor Rating is copyrighted (July 26, 2005) by Gartner, Inc. and is reused with permission. The Vendor Rating is an evaluation of a vendor as a whole and is based on Gartner's assessment of the vendor's vision and execution for a product or service, relative to Gartner's analysis of clients' requirements. It is not intended as a comparison relative to competitors in the market. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in the Vendor Rating, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings. Gartner disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.