Hewlett-Packard, or HP for short, was founded in 1939 by Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard. Their first successful product was the HP200A, an audio oscillator. These early computer engineers worked out of their garage and flipped a coin to decide if their company would be called PH or HP.
In 1947, the company officially incorporated.
In 1957, the company went public on the NYSE under the ticker symbol: HPQ
One of the company’s earliest customers was Walt Disney Productions which bought eight Model 200B oscillators for use in certifying the surround sound systems installed in theaters for the movie Fantasia.
The company began developing semiconductors in the 1960s and today is recognized as the founding company of Silicon Valley.
In the 1970s, the company released the HP 3000, an advanced business computing server.
In 1984, the company began producing both inkjet and laser printers for the personal computers.
In 2002, HP merged with Compaq. 
In 2008, the company acquired EDS.
In 2009, the company acquired 3Com.
In 2010, the company acquired Palm. 
In 2015, the company changed its name from Hewlett-Packard Corporation to simply HP, Inc.
Today, HP is the world’s leading PC manufacturer. They also produce other technology hardware and software solutions.
The company still has headquarters located in Palo Alto, California. 
