Hewlett-Packard controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
2020
Judge triples Quanta damages award to HP
Ruling
In HP's price-fixing case, a federal judge tripled a jury's damages award against Quanta Storage, bringing the award to $528 million before deducting amounts paid by other companies. The ruling increased the jury's original award in the litigation.
A federal judge tripled a jury’s damages award against Quanta Storage in HP’s price-fixing case, bringing the award to $528 million before deducting amounts paid by other companies.
Source excerpt
He tripled the damages award, as authorised under antitrust law, to $528 million before deducting the $89 million in colonies paid by the other companies HP accused of participating in the price-fixing scheme.
San Francisco: HP Inc. was awarded $439 million in damages against Quanta Storage Inc. and its US subsidiary after a federal judge tripled a juryâs 2019 award for damages caused by a widespread scheme to inflate the price of optical disk drives..
2019
Icahn criticizes HP management over Xerox offer rejection
Public backlash
In a public letter to HP shareholders, investor Carl Icahn alleged that HP management rejected customary mutual due diligence for self-interested reasons, including preserving executive and board positions.
Source excerpt
伊坎在致惠普股东的公开信中写道，“因为我看不出惠普有其他合理的理由拒绝进行惯常的相互尽职调查，我不禁怀疑，这是否只是一种拖延战术，目的是保住CEO和董事会成员的高薪职位，他们担心合并后其职位可能会受到影响。”
2012
Autonomy accounting dispute
After acquiring Autonomy, HP announced a substantial impairment and alleged that accounting irregularities had affected the company’s reported financial condition before the transaction. Former Autonomy executives disputed HP’s claims. The episode resulted in prolonged civil litigation and regulatory attention in the United States and United Kingdom.
2012
Autonomy acquisition accounting controversy
Hewlett-Packard recorded a large impairment after acquiring Autonomy in 2011 and alleged that accounting improprieties had inflated the software company’s reported value. Autonomy’s former executives disputed HP’s allegations, and the episode led to litigation, regulatory attention and criticism of HP’s acquisition due diligence and governance. The matter concerns the pre-2015 Hewlett-Packard company and is not an operating event of HP Inc. after the corporate separation. After acquiring Autonomy, HP alleged that the company’s former management had misrepresented its financial position and recorded improper transactions. Former Autonomy executives rejected the allegations, and the dispute generated extensive litigation and regulatory scrutiny.
2006
Board-leak investigation and pretexting controversy
HP acknowledged that investigators hired during an inquiry into board leaks used deceptive methods to obtain telephone records belonging to directors, journalists and others. The controversy led to investigations and the resignation of chair Patricia Dunn.
1980
Accusations concerning operations in apartheid-era South Africa
Activists supporting divestment from South Africa criticized HP’s operations and technology sales in the country, alleging that the company’s activities helped automate or support apartheid-era administration.