Door is open, horse has bolted
Why is it that these highly-paid suits imagine that their words can change the face of reality ? Do they really believe that their obscene salary impresses anyone but their mistresses ?
HP is spinning off its PC division, period. As soon as you've said that, you've introduced uncertainty and a space for competitors to wriggle in to. Denying that by spewing words is not only useless but entirely moronic. It would have been better to say something to the effect of "HP is creating and independantly-managed division for its PC branch, which HP is committed to supporting for the next 10 years".
That would have allowed the spin-off and reassured existing customers, thus shutting off a great amount of the margin they created for their competition.
But what do I know ? I've never been to those fancy management schools.