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Dell countered HP’s $1.6 billion proposal for 3PAR in 2010 with a $24.30-per-share offer, but HP ultimately secured the storage company for $33 per share, or $2.35 billion in enterprise value. The bidding contest was driven by 3PAR’s storage architecture and its potential role in virtualized data centers and cloud computing.

How the 3PAR bidding contest unfolded

The offers changed quickly between August 23 and September 2, 2010. The per-share figures and transaction values below are the amounts reported at the time; enterprise value is not the same as the price paid to shareholders.

Date Bidder and offer Reported transaction value
August 23, 2010 HP proposed $24 per share $1.6 billion enterprise value (HP announcement)
August 26, 2010 Dell countered at $24.30 per share; 3PAR accepted Dell’s proposal Approximately $1.6 billion, net of cash (Dell announcement)
August 27, 2010 HP raised its offer to $27 per share $1.8 billion (HP announcement)
September 2, 2010 HP and 3PAR agreed to a final offer of $33 per share $2.35 billion enterprise value (HP announcement)

HP described its $27 offer as a “Superior Proposal” under the merger agreement between Dell and 3PAR, saying it represented a 33.3% premium to Dell’s offer price. The 3PAR–Dell agreement also included a $72 million termination fee, reported in 2010; that contractual fee was separate from the bid prices.

Why Dell and HP wanted 3PAR

3PAR’s appeal was its multi-tenant, clustered utility-storage architecture, designed for highly virtualized data centers and cloud computing. Dell said the technology mattered to its customers and could strengthen its position in cloud-based storage applications. HP framed the deal as an expansion of its storage, server, networking, and Converged Infrastructure portfolio.

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That strategic fit helps explain why the offers rose despite the bids being separated by only days. Both companies were pursuing infrastructure for data centers increasingly built around virtualization and cloud services, and 3PAR offered a storage platform positioned for those workloads.

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Who acquired 3PAR?

HP completed its acquisition of 3PAR on September 27, 2010. Dell’s higher-than-HP initial counteroffer did not win the contest; HP’s final agreement at $33 per share prevailed.

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