1.   Assuming that the FTC does drop its opposition, the merger would create a company second in size only to Exxon Mobil.

2.   That put the company second to BellSouth among the nine carriers rated, each by its own customers.

3.   HP and Compaq survived a bruising half-year shareholders battle to finally combine forces, creating a computer company second only to IBM.

4.   HP and Compaq survived a bruising six-month shareholders battle to finally join forces, creating a computer company second only to IBM.