The demise of the home computer industry has been well documented, with leading PC companies such as Dell and HP notably revealing to investors that serious change is required. Despite the downturn, however, several PC-related companies are now valued at their highest rates in history as stock prices continue to increase.
HP shares increased 1.7 percent in recent trading to close at $26.37 – a remarkable increase for a company that has struggled with immense competition from tablets, other notebook and home computer manufacturers, and the growing popularity of alternative computing options.
Other firms related to PC manufacturing, such as Intel, have seen their share prices rise by one percent or more as demand for products that use their technology slides further. Intel is one of the two largest PC processor manufacturers, boasting a large product line that’s popular with companies such as Dell, Apple, and HP.
Analysts believe that Intel’s investment in mobile processors has improved its long-term outlook. The demand for mobile devices has surged in the last two years as a growing number of consumers trade in their cellphones for smartphones. Many of the top smartphones, including Apple’s iPhone 5, use an Intel processor chip.
Intel’s rise, however, is particularly surprising given the tough competition that rival AMD has pushed on the company in the last twelve months. The well-known digital processor manufacturer has scored lucrative contracts with Sony and Microsoft as a some provider of hardware for their Xbox One and PlayStation 4 gaming systems.
Other PC companies benefited from stock price surges despite low demand. Owners of Microsoft stock benefited from a one percent price increase, with shares reaching $35.10 in trading. The increase in stock prices comes as leading PC market research company IDC indicated that worldwide PC sales decreased by 11 percent in the last quarter.
