3Com will be 2 com's

I guess they finally had enough at 3Com. Enough of the dual, schizophrenic personality. Or maybe it's better described as the petulant teenager who just wouldn't stop railing against being a part of the family. Tipping Point will get it's way and be spun out on an IPO by years end according to an announcement from Edgar Masri, 3Com's president and CEO. 

In my view, it never was a fit. TippingPoint always saw themselves as the real acquirer in the deal, or maybe as Ty Pennington leading the Extreme Makeover - Home Edition of 3Com. The next generation to take over the company. And let's face it, the integration of 3Com and TippingPoint never did happen, starting with TippingPoint being identified as a "3Com company".

I actually think this is a good move for both. TippingPoint has done well in the market and will do just as well through an IPO. When 3Com acquired them, there was no IPO options for tech companies. With their good market performance and at least a hope for positive IPO prospects, now is as good a time as any to split. And that's probably the way to look at it. More like a divorce, where the two companies just didn't end up with as much in common as they thought during the courtship. 3Com's business is in the SMB market, and overseas. TippingPoint, is ASIC-based, enterprise IPS with a new smattering of NAC thrown in.

But now, 3Com has to stand up on their own two feet. No growing IPS market and TippingPoint to bolster them up. And that's actually a good thing for 3Com. It will allow them to focus, kind of like empty-nesters. Time for the know-it-all rowdy teenagers to move out on their own, start paying their own bills and make their own way in the world.

3Com: "Honey, where's the scissors? Time to cut those apron strings from lil' Tippy. Good luck son. Your mother and I are going to do some traveling. Your going to be on your own."

Editor's note: As a reader so aptly pointed out in a comment, Tipping Point was already a public company before being purchased by 3Com. Doh! My mistake, I forgot about that. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.

Comments

[Confusedreader]

Uhhh IPO market? hello? Tippingpoint was a public company when they got bought.

[Dan York]

Mitchell, I think in your Editor's note you meant to say "*Tipping Point* was already a public company before being purchased by 3Com", unless, of course, 3Com was really buying themselves!
Dan