WILMINGTON, DE, NOVEMBER 5, 2008 . . . Hercules Incorporated (NYSE: HPC) announced that at its special shareholders meeting held earlier today Hercules’ shareholders adopted the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated July 10, 2008, pursuant to which Ashland Inc. has agreed to acquire Hercules. The Merger Agreement was adopted by holders of more than two-thirds of Hercules’ outstanding common stock, as required by Hercules’ Certificate of Incorporation and the Merger Agreement. The terms of the Merger Agreement call for Hercules shareholders to receive, for each share of Hercules common stock, $18.60 in cash and 0.0930 of a share of Ashland common stock.
Hercules and Ashland expect the transaction to close on November 13, 2008.
Hercules manufactures and markets chemical specialties globally for making a variety of products for home, office and industrial markets. For more information, visit the Hercules website at www.herc.com.