HP estimated $US1.8 billion in annual cost savings once the three-year cost-cutting program is completed. ''We are good at integrating companies ... I believe we will do it well,'' chairman and chief executive Mark Hurd told financial analysts at the company's headquarters. At the time the $US13.2 billion merger of computer services provider EDS into HP was announced in May, Hewlett-Packard counted 178,000 employees on its books and EDS had 142,000 employees. Including the value of common stock, options and restricted stock units, the enterprise value of the deal totals $US13.9 billion.