Dell Inc., the world’s third-largest personal-computer maker, agreed to buy 3Par Inc. for about $1.15 billion, gaining equipment and software to bolster its growing corporate data-center business.

3Par investors will get $18 a share in cash, Dell said in a statement today. That’s almost double the stock’s closing price of $9.65 on Aug. 13. 3Par, based in Fremont, California, makes hardware and software for reducing data-storage requirements.

Dell is seeking to compete with companies such as Hewlett- Packard Co. and International Business Machines Corp. in the market for more complex computer systems and technology services that yield higher profits than desktop and laptop PCs. Dell said in June that it plans to double the size of its data-center and technology-services business in part through acquisitions.

“The 3Par acquisition gives Dell the needed arrows in its quiver to step up competition in enterprise technology,” said Ashok Kumar, an analyst at Rodman & Renshaw LLC in New York.

3Par, which had declined 19 percent this year before today, rose $8.23, or 85 percent, to $17.88 at 9:31 a.m. on the New York Stock Exchange. Dell, based in Round Rock, Texas, fell 19 cents to $11.82 on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

Dell bought EqualLogic Inc. in 2007 for $1.4 billion as the foundation for its data-storage offering. Last month, Dell agreed to buy closely held storage company Ocarina Networks for an undisclosed price. The PC maker also agreed to acquire server-computer Scalent Systems Inc. that month.

Rivals’ Purchases

Dell has a best chance to challenge rivals by allowing 3Par to keep operating by itself, without too tight integration with Dell’s existing businesses, Kumar said. So far, the execution of some of Dell’s acquisitions has fallen “way short,” he said.

“If Dell’s hands-off and treats 3Par as a standalone acquisition, then they have a real shot to be a competitor in the marketplace,” he said.

Sales at Dell’s storage business increased about 4 percent to $554 million in the first quarter. The business accounts for about 4 percent of total sales.

Rivals are also racing to grow their enterprise-technology businesses through acquisitions. Oracle Corp., the world’s second-biggest software maker, bought Sun Microsystems Inc. for about $7.3 billion to expand into hardware, and HP bought 3Com Corp., a provider of networking infrastructure, for $2.7 billion this year.

Dell hired IBM’s top dealmaker David Johnson last year to help lead the company’s acquisition strategy. In 2009, Dell bought Perot Systems Corp. for about $3.6 billion, marking the largest purchase in its 25-year history. Chief Executive Officer Michael Dell said last year the company would continue to be “reasonably active” in making acquisitions.

To contact the reporter on this story: Kelly Riddell in Washington at kriddell1@bloomberg.net

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