The 4 Best Dow Performers This Week

3) Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE:HPQ)

Shares of this beleaguered but loved PC maker climbed 3.44 percent for the week. The company won’t report its earnings until February 21 after the markets close, and the expectations are for decreased earnings and revenue. Analysts are looking for non-GAAP earnings of $0.71 per share, a 22.82 percent year-over-year decline, and revenue of $27.77 billion, a 7.5 percent year-over-year decline.

*non-GAAP estimates

On the radar for HP last week is the announcement that Larry Stack, a managing direction of Global Sales chief at Accenture (NYSE:ACN), will come on board as HP’s new senior VP of Global Sales and Enterprise Services. This is not a small deal, given that HP’s Enterprise Sales unit was recently smacked with an $8 billion impairment charge related to a botched acquisition.

HP also weighed in on Dell’s (NASDAQ:DELL) leveraged buyout plan, stating: “Dell has a very tough road ahead. The company faces an extended period of uncertainty and transition that will not be good for its customers. And with a significant debt load, Dell’s ability to invest in new products and services will be extremely limited. Leveraged buyouts tend to leave existing customers and innovation at the curb. We believe Dell’s customers will now be eager to explore alternatives, and HP plans to take full advantage of that opportunity.”