Hewlett-Packard Said to Be Close to Buying E.D.S.

The Hewlett-Packard Company, the personal computer and printer maker, is close to a deal to acquire the Electronic Data Systems Corporation, the operator of corporate computer systems, for $12 billion to $13 billion, people with knowledge of the talks said Monday.

The price range suggested that Electronic Data Systems would fetch at least a 26 percent premium, based on Friday’s closing share price of $18.86.

Terms were not clear, these people said, but the deal could be announced as early as Tuesday. These people warned that negotiations were continuing and may not lead to a transaction.