3Com Reports First Quarter Results for Fiscal 2009

3Com Corporation (NASDAQ: COMS) has reported financial results for its fiscal 2009 first quarter, which ended August 29, 2008. Revenue in the quarter was $342.7 million compared to revenue of $319.4 million in the corresponding period in fiscal 2008, a 7 per cent increase.

Net income in the quarter was $79.8 million, or $0.20 per diluted share, compared with a net loss of $18.7 million, or $0.05 per share, in the first quarter of fiscal year 2008. In the first quarter of fiscal 2009, 3Com recorded a $70.0 million, or $0.17 per diluted share, benefit from the previously disclosed resolution of a patent dispute between the company and Realtek. On a non-GAAP basis, net income was $43.4 million, or $0.11 per diluted share, compared with net income of $12.2 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, for the first quarter of fiscal year 2008.

"Overall this was an excellent quarter for 3Com as we achieved GAAP profitability," Peter Chai, Vice President and General Manager, 3Com Asia Pacific. "In addition, we delivered our three key objectives in the quarter: solid year-over-year revenue growth, improved profit margins, including record gross margins again, and strong cash generation. These results exceeded our revised guidance for the quarter, and showed several examples of improved execution of our strategy and the benefit of efficiencies gained from our integration activities. We believe that our strategy offers a compelling value proposition of price-performance leadership to value-conscious enterprise customers."

In the first quarter, 3Com generated $39.3 million in cash from operations. 3Com's cash and cash equivalents balance at August 29, 2008, was $541.4 million.

For additional financial information, please refer to the Investor Relations section of our Web site.

Safe Harbor

This news release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including forward-looking statements regarding our business objectives and goals. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, risks relating to: our ability to grow profitably, expand outside of China, maintain and expand in China, improve expense controls while making investments to grow and other risks detailed in the Company's filings with the SEC, including those discussed in the Company's annual report filed with the SEC on Form 10-K for the year ended May 30, 2008.

3Com Corporation does not intend, and disclaims any obligation, to update any forward-looking information contained in this release or with respect to the announcements described herein.

The non-GAAP measures used by the Company exclude restructuring, amortization, in-process research and development, stock-based compensation expense and, if applicable in the relevant period, unusual items, such as the $70 million Realtek benefit and those other items detailed in the tables attached to this press release. The required reconciliations and other disclosures for all non-GAAP measures used by the Company are set forth later in this press release, in the Current Report on Form 8-K furnished to the SEC on the date hereof and/or in the investor relations section of our Web site, www.3com.com.

References to the financial information included in this news release reflect rounded numbers and should be considered approximate values.

About 3Com Corporation

3Com Corporation (NASDAQ: COMS) is a leading provider of secure, converged voice and data networking solutions for enterprises of all sizes. 3Com offers a broad line of innovative products backed by world class sales, service and support, which excel at delivering business value for its customers. Through its TippingPoint division, 3Com is a leading provider of network-based intrusion prevention systems that deliver in-depth application protection, infrastructure protection, and performance protection. For further information, please visit www.3com.com, or the press site www.3com.com/pressbox.

Copyright (C) 2008 3Com Corporation. 3Com, the 3Com logo and TippingPoint are registered trademarks and H3C is a trademark of 3Com Corporation or its wholly owned subsidiaries. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective holders.