HP, a Silicon Valley Icon, Is Ready for Its Break-Up

HP, a Silicon Valley Icon, Is Ready for Its Break-Up

March 2, 2016 Richard Gomez 0

One of the nation's most storied tech companies will split in two this weekend, another casualty of seismic shifts in the way people use technology – and big-company sluggishness in responding.
Hewlett-Packard was an early pioneer of what became the model for Silicon Valley startups: Founded in 1939 by two Stanford graduates in a Palo Alto, California, garage, HP was long celebrated for its engineering know-how and laid-back corporate culture. It made hefty profits as it grew into a multinational giant that sold a wide range of computer gear and commercial tech services.
But after struggling to keep pace with recent trends like the rise of smartphones and cloud computing. HP's board decided last year to create two smaller companies, each with a narrower focus.
HP Inc. will sell personal computers and printers; Hewlett Packard Enterprise will sell commercial computer systems, software and tech services. Starting Monday, each will trade separately on the New York Stock Exchange..