HP Outlines Job Cuts, Trims Revenue Views, Sets $2.6 Bil Charge Analysts: Smart Moves Early 2/3s of 15,000 jobs cuts to come sooner, by Oct., but key units will add jobs.(A)

Byline: MURRAY COLEMAN

After a bitter six-month proxy fight, the gritty details are emerging in Hewlett-Packard's $19 billion purchase of rival Compaq.

Those include faster-than-expected job cuts, bigger-than-expected cost savings and less-than-expected sales growth.

So said HP Chief Executive Carly Fiorina and other executives Tuesday, when they met with analysts for the first time since the May 3 merger.

Analysts mostly liked what they heard, which included plans to take a one-time $2.6 billion restructuring charge this year.

"They're making some smart moves early," said Harry Fenik, a Sageza Group analyst. "It's looking better …