Indian IT firms like TCS, Infosys to gain from HP’s enterprise services cost cuts, say analysts

NEW DELHI|MUMBAI: Hewlett-Packard’s decision to cut $2 billion (about Rs 12,700 crore) in costs in its enterprise services business could open up opportunities for Indian technology firms such as Tata Consultancy Services and Infosys, said analysts tracking the development.

Infrastructure contracts such as HP’s $400-million data centre outsourcing deal with oil company BP in 2010 and its $700-million deal with German energy provider E.ON could be taken over by Indian firms when renewed, they said. HP’s troubled enterprise services businesses provides technology consulting, outsourcing and support services and competes with companies such as TCS, Infosys, Wipro, IBM and Accenture.

"In the infrastructure space, certainly they are being challenged by cheaper Indian providers,"said an Indian IT industry consultant, declining to be identified. "And the constant round of cost-cutting is a distraction and makes them less competitive."

The 75-year-old company faces increasing pressure in India where its pricing is much higher than that of traditional outsourcing firms, and some shedding of contracts will happen with the split, giving Indian IT companies an opportunity to take over HP’s market share, said a second industry expert who also did not want to be named.

"HP has been in constant restructuring for a while; the whole company has been in flux,"said Tom Reuner, managing director at HfS Research. "It’s caught between two big rocks --the secular trend of asset light, more cloud-based IT and its own internal troubles."

The planned cuts in the enterprises services division can come from staff reductions, moving more work offshore, delaying or eliminating investments, and writing down assets that are being deprecated, said Peter Bendor-Samuel, chief executive at consulting firm Everest Group.