BusinessWeek Online reports:

For years, Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ ) seemed locked into the role of computerdom’s least likely to succeed. Caught in a no-man’s land between hyperefficient Dell Inc. (DELL ) and technology powerhouse IBM, HP became known mostly for epic earnings misses, a controversial merger with Compaq Computer Corp. (HPQ ), and acrimony among employees and investors during the stormy reign of Chief Executive Carleton S. Fiorina.

Funny how a 40% rise in the stock price can change the mood. That’s how much HP’s stock has risen since April, when Mark V. Hurd moved from NCR Corp. (NCR ) to take control of the Silicon Valley giant. Since then, HP has grabbed share in key markets such as PCS and storage gear, and shown crisp execution reminiscent of its glory days. In its most recent quarter, ended Oct. 31, HP beat Wall Street’s expectations by 12%.

[Continue reading Can This Really Be Hewlett-Packard?]

[tags]business,hp,hewlett-packard,mark v. hurd,silicon valley[/tags]