Has anyone else received a telephone call requesting them to vote for this merger?
Last Wednesday, 27 February, I received a call. The fellow identified himself and the company he represented then said he was calling me because I had not yet registered my votes [more than one account holds shares] for the merger. He wanted to know if I had received the mailing that came in a half red, half white envelope sent to people who had not voted after the original proxy information was sent. If not, he would have it sent again.
I informed him I had received everything but had not had time to even open the original proxy envelope yet [having just gotten home 3 days ago after being away since July]. Next, I told him I would read the materials then place my votes via the telephone option.
After I said this, the fellow told me that I could place my votes, "Right now," through him. He said this would be the fastest, easiest way to do it. He next stressed the importance of registering my votes because people who did not vote would have their shares counted as against votes.
With this, I laughed. I said CPQ must be pretty concerned the deal would not go through if it was having it's shareholders called asking them to vote. Trying to get some information out of him, I asked if he had heard the deal was in jeopardy of being voted against. His reply was that he worked for an independent company that had no opinion one way or the other, but that he had heard the deal would go through--then he tried _again_ to get me to vote my shares during our call.
I reiterated that I had just gotten home, again said I had not even opened the original proxy envelope, and would not vote without first reading it. Next, I told him I have been through numerous mergers and buy-outs over the years and had _never_ before received a telephone call asking me to vote. He brushed this comment off.
At the end of our conversation he reiterated the importance of registering my votes, since people who did not vote would have they shares counted as against the merger--and then gave me the, "Opportunity," one last time to vote my shares during his call.
I chucked to myself after the call. Compaq sure is spending a lot of money trying to drag, "For," votes out of it's shareholders.
Anyone else receive a call after receiving a red and white envelope?
Lynn |
