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MARK AUSTIN THOMAS: Hewlett Packard will announce its earnings today and they’re expected to meet Wall Street’s expectations. Charla Bear says with competitors faltering, HP can make some gains.

CHARLA BEAR: Hewlett Packard has a few tricks up its sleeve as computer sales slow.

The world’s No. 2 PC seller also dominates the printing industry.

Technology analyst Rob Enderle says that keeps HP stable when one of its divisions lags.

ROB ENDERLE: Tthe printing industry is relatively immune to the quarterly fluctuations that occur the other segments HP is in.

Endlerle says HP has also streamlined its business, something it was behind in doing.

ENDERLE: They were running in a race and Hewlett Packard had dropped far behind because it was wearing lead shoes. HP took off the lead shoes, the rest of the track had to slow down, but HP relative to the rest of the track sped up a lot.

But some say challenges remain from the company’s merger with Compaq and continuing PC price wars.

I’m Charla Bear for Marketplace.