Compaq aandeelhouders stemmen met grote meerderheid vóór fusie met Hewlett-Packard

Gouda, 21 maart 2002 - Compaq aandeelhouders hebben de voorgestelde fusie van het bedrijf met Hewlett-Packard goedgekeurd tijdens een bijzondere aandeelhoudersvergadering op 20 maart 2002. De stemverhouding was 9:1 vóór de fusie.

"Het verheugt me dat de aandeelhouders van Compaq inzien welke mogelijkheden de fusie tussen deze twee belangrijke technologiebedrijven biedt en daarmee de Board of Directors en het management volledig ondersteunen," zegt Michael Capellas, Compaq chairman en chief executive officer. "De gezamenlijke kracht van Compaq en HP biedt een unieke kans om de informatietechnologie-industrie opnieuw vorm te geven. Hoewel de officiële uitslag van de stemming van de HP-aandeelhouders nog niet vast staat, zijn we gereed om onze klanten, medewerkers en aandeelhouders de meerwaarde te bieden die zij verwachten. Waar het bij deze fusie uiteindelijk om gaat is marktleiderschap. Wij zijn daar klaar voor."

Over Compaq
Compaq Computer Corporation ('Compaq') is opgericht in 1982 en is een van 's werelds marktleiders op het gebied van enterprise-technologie en -oplossingen. Compaq ontwerpt, ontwikkelt, produceert en levert hardware, software, oplossingen en diensten, waaronder toonaangevende enterprise opslag- en ICT-oplossingen, fouttolerante bedrijfskritische oplossingen en communicatieproducten, alsmede draagbare en desktop personal computers die in meer dan 200 landen worden verkocht.

Meer informatie over Compaq en haar producten en diensten is beschikbaar op http://www.compaq.nl.

This document contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the possibility that the Hewlett-Packard/Compaq merger does not close or that prior to the closing of the proposed merger, the businesses of the companies suffer due to uncertainty; the market for the sale of certain products and services may not develop as expected; that development of these products and services may not proceed as planned; that Compaq and Hewlett-Packard are unable to transition customers, successfully execute their integration strategies, or achieve planned synergies; other risks that are described from time to time in Compaq and Hewlett-Packard's Securities and Exchange Commission reports (including but not limited to Compaq's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2001, HP's annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2001, and subsequently filed reports). If any of these risks or uncertainties materializes or any of these assumptions proves incorrect, Compaq's results could differ materially from Compaq's expectations in these statements. Compaq assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE MERGER AND WHERE TO FIND IT

On February 5, 2002, HP filed a Registration Statement with the SEC containing a definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus regarding the Merger. Investors and security holders of HP and Compaq are urged to read the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus filed with the SEC on February 5, 2002 and any other relevant materials filed by HP or Compaq with the SEC because they contain, or will contain, important information about HP, Compaq and the Merger. The definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials (when they become available), and any other documents filed by HP or Compaq with the SEC, may be obtained free of charge at the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the documents filed with the SEC by HP by contacting HP Investor Relations, 3000 Hanover Street, Palo Alto, California 94304, 650-857-1501. Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Compaq by contacting Compaq Investor Relations, P.O. Box 692000, Houston, Texas 77269-2000, 800-433-2391. Investors and security holders are urged to read the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus and the other relevant materials (when they become available) before making any voting or investment decision with respect to the Merger.


- Einde persbericht -

Achtergrondinformatie:
Compaq Computer B.V.
Jeanette de Wilde, tel. 0182 - 565807, e-mail: Jeanette.dewilde@compaq.com Of
Monogram Communication Strategies (MCS) BV
Perlita Fränkel, tel. 023 - 5628208, e-mail: perlitaf@monogram.nl