UPDATED 08:00 EDT / JUNE 10 2015

NEWS

HP fronts up $100M to settle Autonomy-related shareholder suit

Hewlett-Packard Co. is forking over another $100 million as the courtroom drama over its ill-fated $11.7 billion acquisition of Autonomy Corp. continues

In the latest round, HP said it’s decided to cough up the cash to settle class-action litigation tied to the 2011 deal. The company said it had made an agreement with the Dutch pension fund PGGM Vermogensbeheer, the lead plaintiff in a securities class action arising from the impairment charge taken by HP following the acquisition.

“While HP believes the action has no merit, it is desirable and beneficial to HP and its shareholders to resolve the case as further litigation would be burdensome and protracted,” the company said in a statement t0 the Associated Press.

“No individual is contributing to the settlement. HP and its current and former officers, directors, and advisors will be released from any Autonomy-related securities claims as part of the settlement,” HP continued.

Under the agreement, HP’s insurers will pay $100 million into a settlement fund that will be used to compensate those who bought shares in HP between August 19, 2011 and November 20, 2012.

PGGM Vermogensbeheer filed the suit back in November 2012 at the North California District Court, shortly after HP made allegations against Autonomy’s former management team that they “outright misrepresented” the company’s value prior to the acquisition.

Last month, HP made public the details of its ongoing lawsuit against former Autonomy executives Mike Lynch and Sushovan Hussain. The company is seeking around $5 billion in damages from the pair, saying their accounting irregularities forced HP to ultimately write down 80 percent of the $11 billion it paid for the company.

Not surprisingly, Lynch and Hussain deny the allegations, and have since said they plan to counter-sue HP for $148 million. They claim HP’s allegations are “false and negligent”, and have lost them money. They added that HP’s allegations amount to a “smear campaign” against them. Throughout the history of the case, Lynch in particular has been vehement in his denials of any wrongdoing, saying that any problems with the company are the result of HP’s poor management.

HP acquired Autonomy during Leo Apotheker’s 11-month tenure as the company’s CEO. At the time, HP said it bought the firm to boost its enterprise software capabilities.

Image credit: Brett_Hondow via Pixabay.com

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