Hewlett-Packard (HPQ)

Decreased effectiveness of share-based payment awards could adversely affect our ability to attract and retain employees.

        We have historically used stock options and other forms of share-based payment awards as key components of our total rewards employee compensation program in order to align employees' interests with the interests of our stockholders, encourage employee retention and provide competitive compensation and benefit packages. In accordance with SFAS 123R, HP began recording charges to earnings for stock-based compensation expense in the first quarter of fiscal 2006. As a result, we will incur increased compensation costs associated with our stock-based compensation programs. Moreover, difficulties relating to obtaining stockholder approval of equity compensation plans could make it harder or more expensive for us to grant share-based payment awards to employees in the future. Like other companies, HP has reviewed its equity compensation strategy in light of the current regulatory and competitive environment and has decided to reduce the total number of options granted to employees and the number of employees who receive share-based payment awards. Due to this change in our stock-based compensation strategy, we may find it difficult to attract, retain and motivate employees, and any such difficulty could materially adversely affect our business.

Decreased effectiveness of share-based payment awards could adversely affect our ability to attract and retain employees.

        We have historically used stock options and other forms of share-based payment awards as key components of our total rewards employee compensation program in order to align employees' interests with the interests of our stockholders, encourage employee retention and provide competitive compensation and benefit packages. In accordance with SFAS 123R, HP began recording charges to earnings for stock-based compensation expense in the first quarter of fiscal 2006. As a result, we will incur increased compensation costs associated with our stock-based compensation programs. Moreover, difficulties relating to obtaining stockholder approval of equity compensation plans could make it harder or more expensive for us to grant share-based payment awards to employees in the future. Like other companies, HP has reviewed its equity compensation strategy in light of the current regulatory and competitive environment and has decided to reduce the total number of options granted to employees and the number of employees who receive share-based payment awards. Due to this change in our stock-based compensation strategy, we may find it difficult to attract, retain and motivate employees, and any such difficulty could materially adversely affect our business.

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