Hewlett-Packard Co. posted a 30% jump in...

Hewlett-Packard Co. posted a 30% jump in third-quarter earnings from a year ago to $192 million. The Palo Alto-based computer maker reported $2.43 billion in sales, up 19%. The firm met most analysts’ expectations with a big jump in foreign orders in the period, U.S. orders that barely surpassed last year’s record and an overall 39% profit hike per share. However, analysts expressed concern about the quality of the computer maker’s earnings, noting that it benefited significantly from a reduction in its tax rate that exaggerated results.