Compaq, the world's second largest computer company, has said it will post a loss of about 15 US cents per share for the second quarter which ends this month. Its problems continue after it recorded a rise in earnings of just 15 US cents per share in the last quarter, where Wall Street had predicted earnings of 31 US cents. The company, which employs 2,200 people in Ireland, has announced a radical shake-up, with the company splitting into three global business groups - enterprise solutions and services; personal computer; and consumer. Each division will have a separate market-driven profit-and-loss target to meet.

As part of the changes, Compaq has announced the retirement from the end of this month of Mr Andreas Barth, senior vice-president and general manager of Compaq for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Mr Barth will be replaced by Mr Werner Koepf, who was previously vice-president and managing director of the general business group responsible for managing Compaq's business activities across 11 European countries.