[Double_a_92]

That's more a language issue than a number issue. 1000% is already a factor, it's literally the number 10.

The problem is that the whole sentence doesn't make sense with a number there. "Company claims 10 price hike drove it from VMware..."

[xnorswap]

By that argument, 100% is also a factor, but you wouldn't interpret "100% cost increase" as an unchanged cost, so a 10x price shouldn't be described as a "1000% cost increase".

[sjburt]

“10x price hike” would have been totally clear. “Factor of 10 price hike” would probably be a formal way to say it.