News highlights:

• HP inc. (“HP”) reiterates fiscal 2021 financial outlook provided at Q3 2021 earnings
• Estimates GAAP diluted net earnings per share (“EPS”) for fiscal 2022 of $3.86 to $4.06
• Estimates non-GAAP diluted net EPS for fiscal 2022 of $4.07 to $4.27
• Estimates fiscal 2022 free cash flow of at least $4.5 billion
• Expects to return at least 100% of fiscal 2022 free cash flow to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases
• HP announces annual dividend increase of approximately 29% to $1 per share

PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today at HP’s 2021 Securities Analyst Meeting (“SAM”), the company reiterated its fiscal 2021 financial outlook provided at Q3 2021 earnings, and provided details on its strategy and opportunities for long-term growth, along with its financial outlook for fiscal 2022.

“We continue to build a stronger HP. We have delivered exceptional financial performance since our last investor day in 2019 – and we are confident in our plans to deliver sustained revenue, operating profit, EPS and free cash flow growth,” said Enrique Lores, President and Chief Executive Officer, HP Inc. “We are strengthening our core business, building a more growth-oriented portfolio, and creating a more digital company to meet changing customer needs and capitalize on secular trends across our categories.”

Fiscal 2022 outlook

For fiscal 2022, the company estimates GAAP diluted net EPS to be in the range of $3.86 to $4.06 and estimates non-GAAP diluted net EPS to be in the range of $4.07 to $4.27. Fiscal 2022 non-GAAP diluted net EPS estimates exclude $0.21 per diluted share, primarily related to restructuring and other charges, acquisition-related charges, amortization of intangible assets, non-operating retirement-related (credits)/charges, tax adjustments and the related tax impact on these items.

Based on the current environment, HP anticipates generating free cash flow of at least $4.5 billion for fiscal 2022.

For fiscal 2022, the company indicated that it expects to return at least 100% of free cash flow through dividends and share repurchases. The HP Board of Directors has approved an increase to the planned annual dividend amount to $1.00 per share, reflecting an approximately 29% increase from the prior dividend. The balance is expected to be returned to shareholders through share repurchases.

“This is a record 29 percent increase in our annual dividend, underscoring our confidence in our ability to grow earnings and free cash flow in fiscal 2022 and beyond,” said Marie Myers, Chief Financial Officer. “We remain deeply committed to aggressively returning capital to shareholders while also investing in attractive opportunities we see to drive profitable growth and long-term value creation.”

Webcast details

A webcast of today’s event, along with management presentations and other materials, is available at https://investor.hp.com/events/event-details/2021/HP-Securities-Analyst-Meeting/default.aspx. This news release contains only a summary of some of the information being presented at today’s event and should be read in conjunction with the management presentations and other materials made available on that website.  

About HP Inc.

HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ) creates technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere. Through our product and service portfolio of personal systems, printers and 3D printing solutions, we engineer experiences that amaze. More information about HP Inc. is available at www.hp.com.

Forward-looking statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements based on current expectations and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties. If the risks or uncertainties ever materialize or the assumptions prove incorrect, the results of HP and its consolidated subsidiaries may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions.

All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including but not limited to any statements regarding the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the actions by governments, businesses and individuals in response to the situation; projections of net revenue, margins, expenses, effective tax rates, net earnings, net EPS, cash flows, benefit plan funding, deferred taxes, share repurchases, foreign currency exchange rates or other financial items; any projections of the amount, timing or impact of cost savings or restructuring and other charges, planned structural cost reductions and productivity initiatives; any statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations, including, but not limited to, our business model and transformation, our sustainability goals, our go-to-market strategy, the execution of restructuring plans and any resulting cost savings, net revenue or profitability improvements or other financial impacts; any statements concerning the expected development, performance, market share or competitive performance relating to products or services; any statements regarding current or future macroeconomic trends or events and the impact of those trends and events on HP and its financial performance; any statements regarding pending investigations, claims or disputes; any statements of expectation or belief, including with respect to the timing and expected benefits of acquisitions and other business combination and investment transactions; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Forward-looking statements can also generally be identified by words such as “future,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “predicts,” “projects,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “can,” “may,” and similar terms.

Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include factors relating to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the actions by governments, businesses and individuals in response to the situation, the effects of which may give rise to or amplify the risks associated with many of these factors listed here; HP’s ability to execute on its strategic plan, including the previously announced initiatives, business model changes and transformation; execution of planned structural cost reductions and productivity initiatives; HP’s ability to complete any contemplated share repurchases, other capital return programs or other strategic transactions; the need to address the many challenges facing HP’s businesses; the competitive pressures faced by HP’s businesses; risks associated with executing HP’s strategy and business model changes and transformation; successfully innovating, developing and executing HP’s go-to-market strategy, including online, omnichannel and contractual sales, in an evolving distribution and reseller landscape; the development and transition of new products and services and the enhancement of existing products and services to meet customer needs and respond to emerging technological trends; successfully competing and maintaining the value proposition of HP’s products, including supplies; the need to manage (and reliance on) third-party suppliers, including with respect to component shortages, and the need to manage HP’s global, multi-tier distribution network, limit potential misuse of pricing programs by HP’s channel partners, adapt to new or changing marketplaces and effectively deliver HP’s services; challenges to HP’s ability to accurately forecast inventories, demand and pricing, which may be due to HP’s multi-tiered channel, sales of HP’s products to unauthorized resellers or unauthorized resale of HP’s products or HP’s uneven sales cycle; integration and other risks associated with business combination and investment transactions; the results of the restructuring plans, including estimates and assumptions related to the cost (including any possible disruption of HP’s business) and the anticipated benefits of the restructuring plans; the protection of HP’s intellectual property assets, including intellectual property licensed from third parties; the hiring and retention of key employees; the impact of macroeconomic and geopolitical trends and events, including the effects of inflation; risks associated with HP’s international operations; the execution and performance of contracts by HP and its suppliers, customers, clients and partners, including logistical challenges with respect to such execution and performance; changes in estimates and assumptions HP makes in connection with the preparation of its financial statements; disruptions in operations from system security risks, data protection breaches, cyberattacks, extreme weather conditions, medical epidemics or pandemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and other natural or manmade disasters or catastrophic events; the impact of changes to federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations, including environmental regulations and tax laws; potential impacts, liabilities and costs from pending or potential investigations, claims and disputes; and other risks that are described herein and the risks discussed in HP’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020 and that are otherwise described or updated from time to time in HP’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

As in prior periods, the financial information set forth in this release reflects estimates based on information available at this time. While HP believes these estimates to be reasonable, these amounts could differ materially from reported amounts in HP’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2021 and October 31, 2022 and HP’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements. HP’s Investor Relations website at investor.hp.com contains a significant amount of information about HP, including financial and other information for investors. HP encourages investors to visit its website from time to time, as information is updated, and new information is posted.