HP (NYSE:HPQ) Shares Gap Down Following Insider Selling

Key Points

• HP shares fell sharply, opening at $27.30 versus a prior close of $31.83, after insider Anneliese Olson sold 18,997 shares worth approximately $618,542. The sale was reportedly made to cover tax withholding on vested equity awards.
• Analyst sentiment remains cautious: HP has a consensus rating of “Reduce”, with one Strong Buy, nine Hold, and five Sell ratings, and an average price target of $25.42.
• HP’s latest quarterly results exceeded expectations, with earnings of $0.83 per share versus a $0.66 estimate and revenue of $15.68 billion. Revenue increased 12.5% year over year, while the company maintained fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $3.19–$3.29.

HP Inc. (NYSE:HPQ - Get Free Report) gapped down prior to trading on Friday following insider selling activity. The stock had previously closed at $31.83, but opened at $27.30. HP shares last traded at $29.0090, with a volume of 6,699,660 shares trading hands.

Specifically, insider Anneliese Olson sold 18,997 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $32.56, for a total value of $618,542.32. Following the sale, the insider owned 169 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,502.64. The trade was a 99.12% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on HPQ shares. Barclays increased their price target on HP from $19.00 to $23.00 and gave the stock an "underweight" rating in a research report on Friday, August 28th. Bank of America reaffirmed an "underperform" rating on shares of HP in a research note on Thursday, August 27th. Royal Bank Of Canada began coverage on shares of HP in a research note on Thursday, September 10th. They issued a "sector perform" rating and a $33.00 price target for the company. Wall Street Zen cut HP from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, September 26th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed a "market perform" rating and issued a $32.00 price target on shares of HP in a research note on Thursday, August 27th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and five have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Reduce" and a consensus price target of $25.42.

HP Price Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $26.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 1.17. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $31.74 and a 200-day moving average price of $24.50.

HP (NYSE:HPQ - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 26th. The computer maker reported $0.83 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.66 by $0.17. The firm had revenue of $15.68 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.44 billion. HP had a negative return on equity of 947.78% and a net margin of 4.14%. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 12.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.75 earnings per share. HP has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.190-3.290 EPS and its Q4 2026 guidance at 0.690-0.790 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that HP Inc. will post 3.23 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On HP

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. First Nebraska Trust Co acquired a new stake in HP in the third quarter worth about $2,483,000. Eads & Heald Wealth Management purchased a new stake in HP in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $238,000. Welch Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of HP during the 3rd quarter worth about $284,000. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of HP during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $9,718,000. Finally, Cidel Asset Management Inc. raised its position in shares of HP by 4.2% during the 3rd quarter. Cidel Asset Management Inc. now owns 26,569 shares of the computer maker's stock worth $831,000 after purchasing an additional 1,068 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 77.53% of the company's stock.

About HP

HP Inc NYSE: HPQ is a global technology company that develops personal computing and printing products, services, and solutions. Its portfolio includes laptops, desktop computers, workstations, monitors, peripherals, printers, digital printing systems, and related supplies such as ink and toner.

The company serves consumers, small and medium-sized businesses, large enterprises, and public-sector organizations through direct sales, online channels, retailers, distributors, and other business partners.

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