H-P Settles BackDating Class Action at Mercury

Hewlett-Packard agreed to a $117.5 million settlement of a class action involving alleged stock option backdating at Mercury Corp., which it acquired in 2006.  H-P previously paid a $25 million penalty to the SEC over the same charges.  The allegations stem from conduct prior to H-P's acquisition of the company.  Part of the controversey over the stock option backdating has been whether the shareholders can show injury from the practice; here, the parties agreed there was substantial injury.  WSJ, H-P to Pay $117.5 Million to Settle Mercury Interactive Options Case.