Proxy Firm Confirms HP's Shareholder Vote for Merger

An independent proxy certifying firm said that Hewlett-Packard shareholders appear to have narrowly approved the company's $20 billion acquisition of Compaq Computer, though the result still is not final. After spending more than three weeks going over the proxies, IVS Associates of Newark, Del., said its preliminary count showed that 837.9 million H-P shares, or 51.4%, were voted in favor of the Compaq deal, with 792.6 million, or 48.6%, against it.