AT&T Co ran the vital statistics of Hewlett-Packard Co, Digital Equipment Corp and Apple Computer Inc through its computers before deciding that NCR Corp was the one and launching its hostile bid late last year, the Wall Street Journal reveals, noting that DEC was heading into a restructuring at a time when AT&T was trying to settle down from its own upheaval; Hewlett-Packard’s instrumentation and printer businesses were the poison pill that put AT&T off – it didn’t know enough about the businesses; and at Apple, the average age of employees and the contrast between their mental outlook and that of AT&Ters was the sticking point: AT&T says it is now looking for targets in advanced communications systems such as cellular telephony, where companies need access to capital and the business needs an owner with patience.
