Taxes on Earnings	3 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2019
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Taxes on Earnings	Taxes on Earnings Provision for Taxes On December 22, 2017, the TCJA was enacted into law. Given the significance of the legislation, the SEC staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 (SAB 118) in December 2017, which allows registrants to record provisional amounts during a one year “measurement period”. As of January 31, 2019, HP has completed its accounting for the tax effects of the TCJA with no material changes to the provisional amounts recorded during the measurement period. In January 2018, the FASB released guidance on the accounting for tax on the Global Minimum Tax provisions of TCJA. The Global Minimum Tax provisions impose a tax on foreign income in excess of a deemed return on tangible assets of foreign corporations. The guidance indicates that either accounting for deferred taxes related to Global Minimum Tax inclusions or to treat any taxes on Global Minimum Tax inclusions as period cost are both acceptable methods subject to an accounting policy election. HP has elected to treat the Global Minimum Tax inclusions as period costs. HP’s effective tax rate was 10.8% and (114.1)% for the three months ended January 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The difference between the U.S. federal statutory tax rate of 21% and HP’s effective tax rate for the three months ended January 31, 2019 is primarily due to favorable tax rates associated with certain earnings from HP’s operations in lower-tax jurisdictions throughout the world. For the three months ended January 31, 2018 HP’s effective tax rate generally differs from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 23% due to the impact of U.S. tax reform, and favorable tax rates associated with certain earnings from HP’s operations in lower-tax jurisdictions throughout the world. During the three months ended January 31, 2019, HP recorded $9 million of net tax benefits related to discrete items in the provision for taxes. As noted above, HP has completed its analysis of the full impact of TCJA. As of January 31, 2019, HP recorded tax benefit of $21 million related to final tax reform adjustments and recorded a tax benefit of $12 million related to restructuring. These benefits were partially offset by uncertain tax position charges of $20 million and other tax charges of $4 million. In addition to the discrete items mentioned above, HP recorded excess tax benefits of $27 million on stock options, restricted stock units and performance-adjusted restricted stock units. During the three months ended January 31, 2018, HP recorded $1.1 billion of net tax benefits related to discrete items in the provision for taxes. As of January 31, 2018, HP had not yet completed its analysis of the full impact of TCJA however HP recorded a provisional tax benefit of $1.1 billion related to $5.5 billion net benefit for the decrease in our deferred tax liability on unremitted foreign earnings, partially offset by $3.2 billion net expense for the repatriation tax payable in installments over eight years and $1.2 billion net expense for remeasurement of our deferred tax assets and liabilities for the revaluation of our deferred assets and liabilities to the new U.S. tax rate of 21%. This amount also included tax benefits related to audit settlements, acquisition charges and other tax benefits of $32 million, $18 million and $12 million, respectively, offset by uncertain tax position charges of $43 million. Uncertain Tax Positions As of January 31, 2019, the amount of unrecognized tax benefits was $7.8 billion, of which up to $1.5 billion would affect HP’s effective tax rate if realized. The amount of unrecognized tax benefits increased by $39 million for the three months ended January 31, 2019. HP recognizes interest income from favorable settlements and interest expense and penalties accrued on unrecognized tax benefits in the provision for taxes in the Consolidated Condensed Statements of Earnings. As of January 31, 2019 and 2018, HP had accrued $181 million and $278 million, respectively, for interest and penalties. HP engages in continuous discussions and negotiations with taxing authorities regarding tax matters in various jurisdictions. HP expects to complete resolution of certain tax years with various tax authorities within the next 12 months. It is also possible that other federal, foreign and state tax issues may be concluded within the next 12 months. HP believes it is reasonably possible that its existing unrecognized tax benefits may be reduced by up to $6.4 billion within the next 12 months of which up to $743 million would affect HP’s effective tax rate if realized. HP is subject to income tax in the United States and approximately 60 other countries and is subject to routine corporate income tax audits in many of these jurisdictions. In addition, HP is subject to numerous ongoing audits by federal, state and foreign tax authorities. The U.S. Internal Revenue Service is conducting an audit of HP’s 2013, 2014, and 2015 income tax returns.

Taxes on Earnings

Provision for Taxes

On December 22, 2017, the TCJA was enacted into law. Given the significance of the legislation, the SEC staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 (SAB 118) in December 2017, which allows registrants to record provisional amounts during a one year “measurement period”.

As of January 31, 2019, HP has completed its accounting for the tax effects of the TCJA with no material changes to the provisional amounts recorded during the measurement period.

In January 2018, the FASB released guidance on the accounting for tax on the Global Minimum Tax provisions of TCJA. The Global Minimum Tax provisions impose a tax on foreign income in excess of a deemed return on tangible assets of foreign corporations. The guidance indicates that either accounting for deferred taxes related to Global Minimum Tax inclusions or to treat any taxes on Global Minimum Tax inclusions as period cost are both acceptable methods subject to an accounting policy election. HP has elected to treat the Global Minimum Tax inclusions as period costs.

HP’s effective tax rate was 10.8% and (114.1)% for the three months ended January 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The difference between the U.S. federal statutory tax rate of 21% and HP’s effective tax rate for the three months ended January 31, 2019 is primarily due to favorable tax rates associated with certain earnings from HP’s operations in lower-tax jurisdictions throughout the world. For the three months ended January 31, 2018 HP’s effective tax rate generally differs from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 23% due to the impact of U.S. tax reform, and favorable tax rates associated with certain earnings from HP’s operations in lower-tax jurisdictions throughout the world.

During the three months ended January 31, 2019, HP recorded $9 million of net tax benefits related to discrete items in the provision for taxes. As noted above, HP has completed its analysis of the full impact of TCJA. As of January 31, 2019, HP recorded tax benefit of $21 million related to final tax reform adjustments and recorded a tax benefit of $12 million related to restructuring. These benefits were partially offset by uncertain tax position charges of $20 million and other tax charges of $4 million. In addition to the discrete items mentioned above, HP recorded excess tax benefits of $27 million on stock options, restricted stock units and performance-adjusted restricted stock units.

During the three months ended January 31, 2018, HP recorded $1.1 billion of net tax benefits related to discrete items in the provision for taxes. As of January 31, 2018, HP had not yet completed its analysis of the full impact of TCJA however HP recorded a provisional tax benefit of $1.1 billion related to $5.5 billion net benefit for the decrease in our deferred tax liability on unremitted foreign earnings, partially offset by $3.2 billion net expense for the repatriation tax payable in installments over eight years and $1.2 billion net expense for remeasurement of our deferred tax assets and liabilities for the revaluation of our deferred assets and liabilities to the new U.S. tax rate of 21%. This amount also included tax benefits related to audit settlements, acquisition charges and other tax benefits of $32 million, $18 million and $12 million, respectively, offset by uncertain tax position charges of $43 million.

Uncertain Tax Positions

As of January 31, 2019, the amount of unrecognized tax benefits was $7.8 billion, of which up to $1.5 billion would affect HP’s effective tax rate if realized. The amount of unrecognized tax benefits increased by $39 million for the three months ended January 31, 2019. HP recognizes interest income from favorable settlements and interest expense and penalties accrued on unrecognized tax benefits in the provision for taxes in the Consolidated Condensed Statements of Earnings. As of January 31, 2019 and 2018, HP had accrued $181 million and $278 million, respectively, for interest and penalties.

HP engages in continuous discussions and negotiations with taxing authorities regarding tax matters in various jurisdictions. HP expects to complete resolution of certain tax years with various tax authorities within the next 12 months. It is also possible that other federal, foreign and state tax issues may be concluded within the next 12 months. HP believes it is reasonably possible that its existing unrecognized tax benefits may be reduced by up to $6.4 billion within the next 12 months of which up to $743 million would affect HP’s effective tax rate if realized.

HP is subject to income tax in the United States and approximately 60 other countries and is subject to routine corporate income tax audits in many of these jurisdictions. In addition, HP is subject to numerous ongoing audits by federal, state and foreign tax authorities. The U.S. Internal Revenue Service is conducting an audit of HP’s 2013, 2014, and 2015 income tax returns.