HP and Compaq Merger Fight Gets Even Uglier
WinInfo | at | by Mike
If you thought the battle between the people who do and don't support the Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Compaq merger couldn't get any uglier, think again. With the clock ticking down to the March 19 shareholder vote on the merger at both companies, the opponents are unloading every trick in the book, from full-page national newspaper ads to publicity campaigns aimed at smearing leaders of the competing factions. The latest charge from Walter Hewlett--an HP board member, leader of the group that opposes the merger, and son of HP cofounder William Hewlett--is that HP CEO Carly Fiorina and Compaq CEO Michael Capellas will earn compensation packages worth more than $110 million if the deal goes through.