TECHNOLOGY - Jan. 30, 1996

Compaq Maintains PC Sales Lead: Personal computer sales grew faster overseas than in the United States last year and Compaq Computer Corp. widened its worldwide lead, the market research firm Dataquest reported. Just less than 60 million PCs were shipped in 1995, up about 25% from 47.9 million in 1994. Growth in 1994 over 1993 was 23.3%. In the United States, 22.5 million PCs were shipped, up 21% from 18.6 million in 1994. Dataquest’s preliminary year-end report also said Packard Bell Electronics Inc. passed Apple Computer Inc. in U.S. sales to take second place behind Compaq. IBM and Gateway 2000 followed. San Jose-based Dataquest and other market research firms measure sales in terms of the number of PCs shipped to distributors and retailers.