Back to top

Image: HPE Newsroom

Hewlett Packard (HPE) Falls 10% in a Month: Should You Buy the Dip?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (HPE - Free Report) recently witnessed a notable drop in its stock price, falling 10.2% over the past month. This decline is more pronounced compared to the broader Zacks Computer – Integrated Systems industry, which declined by 6.1%.

The slide in Hewlett Packard Enterprise's stock can be attributed largely to macroeconomic factors, including inflation concerns, high interest rates and a generally uncertain economic outlook. These pressures have affected the entire tech sector, and HPE has not been spared.

Despite these short-term challenges, Hewlett Packard Enterprise's strategic initiatives and solid fundamentals suggest a positive long-term outlook. Let’s dive into why the recent dip in HPE's stock could present a good buying opportunity.

Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Strengthening Market Position

Hewlett Packard Enterprise is focusing heavily on growth areas like artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing and hybrid solutions. These areas are pivotal as they align with broader industry trends. HPE's investments in AI and edge computing are particularly noteworthy, as these technologies are crucial for industries requiring real-time data processing and analytics.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise's AI systems have shown significant growth, with cumulative AI system orders reaching $4.6 billion in the second quarter of fiscal 2024. The company reported a tripling of its enterprise AI customer base year over year, highlighting a growing demand for AI solutions.

HPE's GreenLake platform, an as-a-service model for cloud and hybrid IT solutions, has been a major growth driver. GreenLake offers customers flexibility and scalability, enabling efficient management of workloads across both on-premises and cloud environments. In the second quarter, the number of customer organizations using GreenLake increased by nearly 9% sequentially, reaching 34,000. This platform is gaining traction among enterprises aiming to modernize their IT infrastructure.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise continues to innovate, expanding its product offerings to meet the changing needs of its customers. This includes enhancing the HPE Alletra storage offerings, expanding file storage capabilities for AI-driven unstructured data and launching the HPE Aruba Networking Enterprise Private 5G solution.

Additionally, Hewlett Packard Enterprise's partnership with Microsoft Corporation (MSFT - Free Report) to extend the Azure AI platform to HPE infrastructure and its collaboration with NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA - Free Report) for co-engineered enterprise solutions are key strategic initiatives that enhance HPE's competitive positioning in the AI and hybrid cloud markets.

Expanding Networking Portfolio

A significant development for Hewlett Packard Enterprise is its pending acquisition of Juniper Networks, Inc. (JNPR - Free Report) , a leader in networking and cybersecurity solutions. This acquisition is poised to strengthen HPE's networking portfolio, enabling the company to offer comprehensive solutions that integrate networking, security and cloud services. Juniper’s advanced network infrastructure technologies, combined with HPE’s existing capabilities, are expected to create a powerful synergy. This will allow HPE to provide more robust and secure networking options, enhancing its competitiveness in the market.

This strategic acquisition aligns with Hewlett Packard Enterprise's goal to expand its presence in the enterprise networking space. As businesses increasingly adopt complex IT architectures, the demand for secure, high-performance networking solutions is growing. By integrating Juniper's technologies, HPE is positioning itself to meet these demands effectively.

Impressive Prospects

Hewlett Packard Enterprise's recent financial performance has been impressive. The company’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 6.9%.

Moreover, the consensus mark for HPE’s fiscal 2024 and 2025 revenues implies that Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s sustained focus on expanding its product portfolio through innovations, partnerships and acquisitions will keep the company on the growth trajectory.

Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Attractive Valuation and Financial Health

From a valuation perspective, HPE presents an attractive investment opportunity. The stock is currently trading at a lower price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio compared to the Zacks Computer – Integrated Systems industry average. This suggests that the market may be undervaluing HPE, making it an appealing option for value-oriented investors.

Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

HPE boasts strong financial health, with a solid balance sheet and consistent cash flow generation. As of Apr 30, 2024, the company had $2.68 billion in cash and cash equivalents. In the first half of fiscal 2024, HPE generated operating cash flow of $1.16 billion and free cash flow of $128 million. The company has been proactive in returning capital to shareholders, distributing $386 million through dividends and share repurchases in the first half of the fiscal year.

Conclusion: A Worthwhile Investment

While the recent decline in Hewlett Packard Enterprise's stock price may cause concern among some investors, it also presents a potential buying opportunity. The company's initiatives in AI, cloud and hybrid solutions, along with the strategic acquisition of Juniper Networks, position it for long-term growth. HPE's efforts to strengthen its market position and expand its networking capabilities are likely to drive sustained performance improvements.

Moreover, the stock's attractive valuation metrics offer a favorable risk-reward profile. With strong fundamentals, promising long-term prospects and a commitment to innovation, Hewlett Packard Enterprise stands out as a compelling investment opportunity.

HPE stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Published in