<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001104659-08-074125
<TYPE>8-K/A
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>2
<PERIOD>20081202
<ITEMS>8.01
<ITEMS>9.01
<FILING-DATE>20081202
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20081202
<FILER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>STAPLES INC
<CIK>0000791519
<ASSIGNED-SIC>5940
<IRS-NUMBER>042896127
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0227
</COMPANY-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>8-K/A
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-17586
<FILM-NUMBER>081224783
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>500 STAPLES DRIVE
<STREET2>P O BOX 9328
<CITY>FRAMINGHAM
<STATE>MA
<ZIP>01702
<PHONE>5082535000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>500 STAPLES DR
<CITY>FRAMINGHAM
<STATE>MA
<ZIP>01702
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</FILER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>8-K/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>a08-24966_28ka.htm
<DESCRIPTION>8-K/A
<TEXT>

<html>

<head>





</head>

<body lang="EN-US">

<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div style="border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-left:none;border-right:none;border-top:solid windowtext 3.0pt;padding:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in;">

<p style="border:none;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;padding:0in;text-autospace:none;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

</div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">UNITED
STATES</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Washington,
D.C. 20549</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">FORM&nbsp;8-K/A</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold;">CURRENT REPORT</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Pursuant to Section&nbsp;13 or 15(d)&nbsp;of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Date of Report
(Date of earliest event reported):&nbsp;<b>&#160; December&nbsp;2, 2008</b></font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Staples,&nbsp;Inc.</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Exact Name of
Registrant as Specified in Charter)</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="center">

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Delaware</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">0-17586</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">04-2896127</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(State or Other
  Juris-</font></p>
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;diction of Incorporation</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Commission</font></p>
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;File Number)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(IRS Employer</font></p>
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;Identification No.)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

</div>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="center">

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Five
  Hundred Staples Drive, Framingham, MA</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">01702</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Address of
  Principal Executive Offices)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Zip Code)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

</div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">508-253-5000</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Registrant&#146;s
telephone number, including area code)</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Former Name or
Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Check the appropriate box
below if the Form&nbsp;8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the
filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see
General Instruction A.2 below):</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Wingdings" style="font-size:10.0pt;">o</font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Written
communications pursuant to Rule&nbsp;425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
230.425)</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Wingdings" style="font-size:10.0pt;">o</font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Soliciting
material pursuant to Rule&nbsp;14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Wingdings" style="font-size:10.0pt;">o</font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule&nbsp;14d-2(b)&nbsp;under the Exchange Act (17
CFR 240.14d-2(b))</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Wingdings" style="font-size:10.0pt;">o</font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pre-commencement communications
pursuant to Rule&nbsp;13e-4(c)&nbsp;under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.13e-4(c))</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div style="border-bottom:solid windowtext 3.0pt;border-left:none;border-right:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in;">

<p style="border:none;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;padding:0in;text-autospace:none;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

</div>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="left"></div>

</div>
<!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='',FILE='C:\JMS\105627\08-24966-2\task3245603\24966-2-ba.htm',USER='105627',CD='Dec  1 19:28 2008' -->


<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">


<div>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 8.01&#160; Other Events</font></b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As previously reported, Staples,&nbsp;Inc. (&#147;Staples&#148;) acquired
Corporate Express N.V. (&#147;Corporate Express&#148;), a Dutch office products
distributor with operations in North America, Europe and Australia, through a
tender offer for all of its outstanding capital stock.&#160;&#160; Staples previously filed on Form&nbsp;8-K on
July&nbsp;2, 2008, as amended by Form&nbsp;8-K/A filed September&nbsp;3, 2008,
historical and pro forma financial information with respect to Staples and
Corporate Express, including an unaudited pro forma condensed combined
statement of operations for the fiscal year ended February&nbsp;2, 2008, and
for the six months ended August&nbsp;2, 2008.&#160;
Staples is filing this Form&nbsp;8-K/A to update the pro forma financial
information with respect to the acquisition of Corporate Express by providing a
pro forma condensed combined statement of operations for the nine months ended November&nbsp;1,
2008, illustrating the effects of the Corporate Express acquisition as if it
had been consummated as of the beginning of the fiscal year.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">In accordance with Rule&nbsp;11-02(c)(1)&nbsp;of Regulation S-X of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, a pro forma balance sheet has not
been prepared to give effect to the acquisition of Corporate Express as of November&nbsp;1,
2008, as it is reflected in the condensed combined balance sheet presented in
Staples&#146; quarterly report on Form&nbsp;10-Q for the nine months ended November&nbsp;1,
2008, which was filed on December&nbsp;2, 2008.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item&nbsp;9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits.</font></b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(b)&nbsp;Pro forma
financial information.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The unaudited pro forma condensed combined statement of operations of
Staples, giving effect to the acquisition of Corporate Express for the nine
months ended November&nbsp;1, 2008, is attached as an exhibit hereto.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="left"></div>

</div>
<!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='2',FILE='C:\JMS\105627\08-24966-2\task3245603\24966-2-ba.htm',USER='105627',CD='Dec  1 19:28 2008' -->


<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">


<div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">SIGNATURES</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Pursuant to the
requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly
caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly
authorized.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="center">

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:49.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">STAPLES, INC.</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:49.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:49.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Date
  December&nbsp;1, 2008</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:3.44%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">By:</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="45%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:45.56%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ John J.
  Mahoney</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:3.44%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="45%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:45.56%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Name:&nbsp;&nbsp;
  John J. Mahoney</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:3.44%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="45%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:45.56%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Title:&nbsp;&nbsp;
  Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

</div>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">3</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="left"></div>

</div>
<!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='3',FILE='C:\JMS\105627\08-24966-2\task3245603\24966-2-ba.htm',USER='105627',CD='Dec  1 19:28 2008' -->


<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">


<div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">EXHIBIT INDEX</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="12%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:12.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Exhibit&nbsp;<br>
  Number</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.14%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="82%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:82.28%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Description</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="12%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:12.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="82%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:82.28%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="12%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:12.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">99.1</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="82%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:82.28%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Unaudited pro
  forma Condensed Combined Statement of Operations relating to the acquisition
  of Corporate Express N.V.</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="left"></div>

</div>
<!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='4',FILE='C:\JMS\105627\08-24966-2\task3245603\24966-2-ba.htm',USER='105627',CD='Dec  1 19:28 2008' -->


</body>

</html>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-99.1
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>a08-24966_2ex99d1.htm
<DESCRIPTION>EX-99.1
<TEXT>

<html>

<head>





</head>

<body lang="EN-US">

<div>

<p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Exhibit&nbsp;99.1</font></b></p>

<p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Selected Financial Data</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Staples,&nbsp;Inc. and Corporate
Express N.V.</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed
Combined Statement of Operations</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">1.
Description of Transaction</font></b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">In July&nbsp;2008,
Staples,&nbsp;Inc. (&#147;Staples&#148; or the &#147;Company&#148;) acquired Corporate Express N.V.
(&#147;Corporate Express&#148;), a Dutch office products distributor with operations in
North America, Europe and Australia, through a tender offer for all of its
outstanding capital stock.&#160; The
acquisition of Corporate Express establishes a contract business in Europe and
Canada and increases Staples contract business in the United States.&#160; The acquisition also extends the Company&#146;s
geographic reach to Australia and New Zealand.&#160;
As a result of the acquisition, the Company has operations in 27
countries.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">At the time the tender
offer was fully settled on July&nbsp;23, 2008, Staples had acquired more than
99% of the outstanding capital stock of Corporate Express.&#160; Staples intends by the end of fiscal year
2009 to acquire the remaining capital of Corporate Express by means of a
compulsory acquisition procedure in accordance with the Dutch Civil Code.&#160; In July&nbsp;2008, Staples also acquired all
of the outstanding 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due July&nbsp;1, 2014 and
all of the outstanding 7.875% Senior Subordinated Notes due March&nbsp;1, 2015
of Corporate Express U.S. Finance Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Corporate
Express.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The aggregate cash
purchase price of 2.8 billion Euros (approximately $4.4 billion, net of cash
acquired) for the capital stock and for the repayment of most of Corporate
Express&#146; debt was funded primarily with the sale of notes under the Company&#146;s
commercial paper program, which is backstopped by the Company&#146;s $3.0 billion
credit agreement, and additional funds from the Company&#146;s $400.0 million term credit
facility, its existing revolving credit facility and available cash and
short-term investments.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The unaudited pro
forma condensed combined statement of operations reflecting the combination of
Staples and Corporate Express is provided for informational purposes only. The
pro forma information is not necessarily indicative of what the companies&#146;
results of operations actually would have been had the acquisition been
completed at the dates indicated. In addition, the unaudited pro forma
condensed combined financial information does not purport to project the future
financial position or operating results of the combined company.&#160; The pro forma information is based on
historical consolidated financial information, which has been adjusted to give
effect to pro forma events that are (i)&nbsp;directly attributable to the
merger and (ii)&nbsp;factually supportable.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The unaudited pro
forma condensed combined statement of operations was prepared using the
purchase method of accounting. Accordingly, the historical consolidated
statement of operations has been adjusted to give effect to the impact of the
consideration issued in connection with the acquisition.&#160; Staples&#146; cost to acquire Corporate Express
has been preliminarily allocated to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed
based upon their estimated fair values as of the date of the acquisition.&#160; This allocation is dependent upon certain
valuations and other studies that have not progressed to a stage where
sufficient information is available to make a definitive allocation.&#160; Therefore, the purchase price allocation
adjustments are preliminary. &#160;Changes to
these adjustments could impact the depreciation, amortization and income tax
adjustments included in the unaudited pro forma condensed combined statements
of operations.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The unaudited pro
forma condensed combined statement of operations include certain purchase
accounting adjustments, including items expected to have a continuing impact on
the combined results, such as increased amortization expense on acquired intangible
assets.&#160; The unaudited pro forma
condensed combined statements do not reflect any nonrecurring charges, such as
restructuring costs, or the realization of potential cost savings.&#160; No assurances can be made that Staples will
realize efficiencies related to the integration of the businesses sufficient to
offset incremental transaction, merger-related, integration and restructuring
costs over time.&#160; Cost savings, if
achieved, could result from, among other things, the reduction of overhead
expenses, changes in corporate infrastructure, consolidated purchasing, sharing
of best practices, and logistics network efficiencies.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="left"></div>

</div>
<!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='',FILE='C:\JMS\105592\08-24966-2\task3246366\24966-2-ma.htm',USER='105592',CD='Dec  2 05:03 2008' -->


<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">


<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Staples has performed an
initial review of their respective accounting policies and the differences
between International Financial Reporting Standards (&#147;IFRS&#148;) and US GAAP and
have preliminarily determined that conforming Corporate Express&#146; policies to
Staples&#146; policies creates no significant differences that impact the unaudited
pro forma condensed combined financial statements.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The unaudited pro forma
condensed combined statement of </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">operations </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">for the 39 weeks ended November&nbsp;1,
2008 assumes that the business combination took place on the first day of
fiscal 2008. &#160;Staples&#146; fiscal year is the
52 or 53 weeks ending on the Saturday closest to January&nbsp;31.&#160; Corporate Express&#146; fiscal year end is on December&nbsp;31.
&#160;Therefore, the accompanying unaudited
pro forma condensed combined statement of </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">operations </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">for the 39 weeks ended November&nbsp;1,
2008 combines the historical 39 weeks ended November&nbsp;1, 2008 statement of
operations for Staples (which includes the results of Corporate Express since
its acquisition on July&nbsp;2, 2008) and the historical six months ended June&nbsp;30,
2008 statement of operations for Corporate Express, which represents the period
Corporate Express&#146; results were not consolidated into Staples results.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">For the purpose of
preparing the unaudited pro forma condensed combined statement of operations,
Staples used its latest filed consolidated financial statements for the 39
weeks ended November&nbsp;1, 2008 from its Quarterly Report on Form&nbsp;10-Q
filed with the SEC on December&nbsp;2, 2008.&#160;
Staples used Corporate Express&#146; historical consolidated financial
statements for the six months ended June&nbsp;30, 2008.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">You should read
this information in conjunction with the:</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.25in;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">i.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">accompanying notes to the unaudited pro forma
condensed combined financial information;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.25in;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;text-indent:-9.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.25in;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">ii.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">separate historical unaudited consolidated financial
statements of Staples as of and for the quarter ended November&nbsp;1, 2008
included in Staples&#146; quarterly report on Form&nbsp;10-Q for the quarter ended November&nbsp;1,
2008.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.25in;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;text-indent:-9.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">This unaudited pro forma
condensed combined financial information of Staples and Corporate Express contains
forward-looking statements with respect to the financial condition, results of
operations, plans, objectives, future performance, synergies and the combined
businesses of Staples and Corporate Express. Statements preceded by, followed
by or that include words such as &#147;may,&#148; &#147;will,&#148; &#147;expect,&#148; &#147;intend,&#148; &#147;anticipate,&#148;
&#147;continue,&#148; &#147;estimate,&#148; &#147;project,&#148; &#147;believe,&#148; &#147;plan&#148; or similar expressions are
intended to identify some of the forward-looking statements within the meaning
of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are included, along
with this statement, for purposes of complying with the safe harbor provisions
of that Act. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties.
Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the
forward-looking statements due to, among others, the risks and uncertainties
described under the heading &#147;Risk Factors&#148; in Staples&#146; Annual Report of Form&nbsp;10-K
for the fiscal year ended February&nbsp;2, 2008 and Staples&#146; Quarterly Report
on Form&nbsp;10-Q for the quarter ended November&nbsp;1, 2008. Staples
undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking
statements for any reason, whether as a result of new information, future
events or otherwise.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="left"></div>

</div>
<!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='2',FILE='C:\JMS\105592\08-24966-2\task3246366\24966-2-ma.htm',USER='105592',CD='Dec  2 05:03 2008' -->


<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">


<div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">STAPLES, INC. AND CORPORATE EXPRESS
N.V.</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED
COMBINED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">(amounts in thousands, except per
share amounts)</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Nine Months Ended November&nbsp;1,
2008</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Staples (a)&nbsp;11/1/08</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Corporate Express<br>
  (b), (c)&nbsp;, (d)<br>
  6/30/08</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Pro forma Adjustments</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Pro Forma Combined</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Sales</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:1.3%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="10%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:10.54%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">16,910,207</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:1.3%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="10%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:10.54%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4,062,302</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(687,651</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">)(e), (i), (j)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">20,284,858</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Cost of
  goods sold and occupancy costs</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">12,323,649</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">3,210,249</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(547,040</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0.375pt .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">)(e), (i), (j)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">14,986,858</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 30.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Gross
  profit</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4,586,558</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">852,053</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(140,611</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">5,298,000</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Operating
  and other expenses</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 20.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Selling, general
  and administrative</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">3,450,599</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">766,211</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(54,400</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">)(i), (j)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4,162,410</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 20.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Integration and
  restructuring</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">132,445</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#151;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#151;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">132,445</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 20.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Amortization of
  intangibles</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">46,426</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">10,489</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">35,037</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0.375pt .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;(f), (j)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">91,952</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 30.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Total
  operating expenses</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">3,629,470</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">776,700</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(19,363</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0.375pt .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4,386,807</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Operating income</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">957,088</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">75,353</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(121,248</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">911,193</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Other income
  (expense)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(68,423</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0.375pt .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(90,190</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0.375pt .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">35,837</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0.375pt .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;(g), (i), (j)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(122,776</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0.375pt .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 30.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Earnings
  (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes, minority interests and
  discontinued operations</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">888,665</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(14,837</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(85,411</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">788,417</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Income tax
  expense (income)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">363,588</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(8,792</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(25,804</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">)(h), (i), (j)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">328,992</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Minority
  interests</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">5,859</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">12,559</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(2,129</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0.375pt .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">)(j)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">16,289</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 30.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Earnings
  (loss) from continuing operations</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">519,218</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(18,604</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(57,478</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">443,136</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Income from
  discontinued operations</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#151;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#151;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">64,268</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0.375pt .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;(i), (j)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">64,268</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 30.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Net
  income (loss)</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:1.3%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="10%" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-left:none;border-right:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:10.54%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">519,218</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:1.3%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="10%" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-left:none;border-right:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:10.54%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(18,604</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0.375pt .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:1.3%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="10%" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-left:none;border-right:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:10.54%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">6,790</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:1.3%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="10%" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-left:none;border-right:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:10.54%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">507,404</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Earnings
  per share from continuing operations</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 30.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Basic earnings
  per share</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:1.3%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="10%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:10.54%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">0.75</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:1.3%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="10%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:10.54%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">0.64</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 30.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Diluted earnings
  per share</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:1.3%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="10%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:10.54%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">0.73</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:1.3%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="10%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:10.54%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">0.62</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Average
  common stock and common stock equivalent shares outstanding</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 30.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Basic</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">696,811</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">696,811</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:32.6%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 30.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Diluted</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">710,684</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.24%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="11%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">710,684</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr height="0">
  <td width="244" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="17" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="10" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="79" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="17" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="10" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="79" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="17" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="10" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="79" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="84" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="10" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="79" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="16" style="border:none;"></td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">See accompanying Notes to Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined
Financial Statements.</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">3</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="left"></div>

</div>
<!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='3',FILE='C:\JMS\105592\08-24966-2\task3246366\24966-2-ma.htm',USER='105592',CD='Dec  2 05:03 2008' -->


<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">


<div>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Note 1.
Basis of Pro Forma Presentation</font></b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">In July&nbsp;2008,
Staples completed its acquisition of substantially all the issued and
outstanding shares of Corporate Express. The unaudited pro forma condensed
combined statement of operations have been prepared to give effect to the
completed acquisition, which was accounted for as a purchase business
combination in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No.&nbsp;141,
&#147;Business Combinations&#148;.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Under the purchase method
of accounting, the total estimated purchase price is allocated to Corporate
Express&#146; net tangible and intangible assets based on their estimated fair
values as of July&nbsp;2, 2008, the effective date of the acquisition. The
table below represents a preliminary allocation of purchase price based on
management&#146;s estimate of the fair values of acquired assets and liabilities, as
described in the introduction to these unaudited pro forma condensed combined
financial statements (in thousands):</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="center">

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="60%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:60.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Receivables</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.16%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="22%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:22.02%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">1,352,965</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Merchandise
  inventories</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:24.18%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">737,873</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Property, plant
  and equipment</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:24.18%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">462,953</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Goodwill</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:24.18%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2,489,172</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Intangible
  assets</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:24.18%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">865,200</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Accounts payable
  and accrued expenses</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:24.18%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(1,450,735</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Other assets and
  liabilities, net</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:24.18%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(75,617</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0.375pt .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:24.18%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Net cash
  consideration</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.16%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="22%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:22.02%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4,381,811</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

</div>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The Company is in
the process of gathering information to finalize its valuation of certain
assets and liabilities, primarily the determination of amounts relating to
machinery and equipment, owned real estate, acquired leasehold interests and
capitalized software.&#160; The purchase price
will be finalized once the Company has all the necessary information to
complete its estimate, but no later than one year from the acquisition date.&#160; Independent valuation advisors were used to
assist with the estimate of the identifiable intangible asset value.&#160; The Company has utilized net book value as
its best estimate for real and personal property while it finalizes its
valuation.&#160; The impact of any
depreciation resulting from this step-up is not expected to be material to any
period presented.&#160; Upon completion of the
fair value assessment, Staples anticipates that the ultimate purchase price
allocation may differ from the preliminary assessment outlined above. Any
changes to the initial estimates of the fair value of the assets and
liabilities will be allocated to residual goodwill.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Of the total purchase
price, $865.2 million has been allocated to definite-lived intangible assets
acquired. The amortization related to the amortizable intangible assets is
reflected as pro forma adjustments to the unaudited pro forma condensed
combined statement of income.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The preliminary
allocation of the intangible assets included in these pro-forma financial
statements is as follows (amounts in thousands):</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="center">

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="80%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:80.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="57%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:57.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Description</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.86%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="17%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:17.14%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Estimated<br>
  fair value</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.86%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="17%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:17.14%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Estimated<br>
  average<br>
  useful life</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.86%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="57%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:57.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Customer
  relationships</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.86%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:1.62%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="15%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:15.52%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">692,900</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.86%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="17%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:17.14%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">12.6 years</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.86%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="57%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:57.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Tradenames</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.86%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="17%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:17.14%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">162,300</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.86%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="17%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:17.14%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">6.9 years</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.86%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="57%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:57.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Order backlog</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.86%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="17%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:17.14%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">10,000</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.86%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="17%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:17.14%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">1.5 years</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.86%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr height="0">
  <td width="342" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="17" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="10" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="93" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="17" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="103" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="17" style="border:none;"></td>
 </tr>
</table>

</div>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The value assigned to
Corporate Express&#146; customer relationships was determined by discounting the
estimated cash flows associated with the existing customers as of the
acquisition date, taking into consideration expected attrition of the existing
customer base. The estimated cash flows were based on </font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="left"></div>

</div>
<!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='4',FILE='C:\JMS\105592\08-24966-2\task3246366\24966-2-ma.htm',USER='105592',CD='Dec  2 05:03 2008' -->


<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">


<div>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">revenues for those
existing customers net of operating expenses and net contributory asset charges
associated with servicing those customers. The estimated revenues were based on
revenue growth rates and customer renewal rates. Operating expenses were
estimated based on the supporting infrastructure expected to sustain the
assumed revenue growth rates. Net contributory asset charges were based on the
estimated fair value of those assets that contribute to the generation of the
estimated cash flows. A discount rate of 10% was deemed appropriate for valuing
the existing customer base.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#160;The acquired intangible assets related to the
Corporate Express acquisition will result in the following approximate annual
amortization expense (in thousands):</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="center">

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="60%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:60.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2008</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.16%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="22%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:22.02%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">60,200</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2009</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:24.18%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">100,500</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2010</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:24.18%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">69,900</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2011</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:24.18%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">69,900</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2012</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:24.18%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">69,900</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2013</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:24.18%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">69,900</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Thereafter</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:24.18%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">424,900</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.16%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="22%" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-left:none;border-right:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:22.02%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">865,200</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

</div>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Note&nbsp;2.&nbsp;Pro
Forma Adjustments</font></b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The pro forma adjustments
included in the unaudited pro forma condensed combined statements of income are
as follows:</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:5.28%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">a)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:92.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Represents Staples&#146;
  historical consolidated statements of operations for the 39 weeks ended November&nbsp;1,
  2008.</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:5.28%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:92.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:5.28%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">b)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:92.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Represents Corporate
  Express&#146; historical consolidated statements of operations for the six months
  ended June&nbsp;30, 2008.</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:5.28%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:92.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:5.28%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">c)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:92.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Certain
  reclassifications have been made to the Corporate Express&#146; historical
  consolidated statements of operations for the six months ended June&nbsp;30,
  2008 to conform to the presentation used in the unaudited pro forma condensed
  combined statements of operations. The reclassifications impact the
  classification of certain vendor promotional monies and certain occupancy,
  distribution and delivery expenses, but had no impact on net income.</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:5.28%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:92.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:5.28%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">d)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:92.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The results for the six
  months ended June&nbsp;30, 2008 include expenses of $124.0 million, net of
  taxes, related to strategic initiatives and certain transaction costs that
  were incurred by Corporate Express prior to the acquisition by Staples.</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:5.28%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:92.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:5.28%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">e)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:92.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Adjustment to reflect
  the recognition of sales and cost of goods sold for printing machines sold
  with repurchase commitments, net of expired repurchase commitments, in
  accordance with US GAAP. $10.8 million of sales and $8.7 million of cost of
  goods sold were recognized as the Company was released from the related
  repurchase obligations.</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:5.28%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:92.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:5.28%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">f)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:92.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Adjustment to reflect
  estimated intangible asset amortization expense of $47.3 million resulting
  from fair value adjustments to Corporate Express&#146; intangible assets, less the
  elimination of historical amortization expense related to Corporate Express
  intangible assets.</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:5.28%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:92.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:5.28%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">g)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:92.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Adjustment to reflect
  additional interest expense of $37.5 million related to the borrowings under
  the Company&#146;s commercial paper program, the $3.0 billion 2008 agreement which
  serves as a backstop to the Company&#146;s commercial paper program, the Company&#146;s
  existing revolving credit facility, and a $400.0 million term credit facility
  to partially fund the acquisition of Corporate Express (collectively the
  &#147;Acquisition Financing&#148;). Estimated interest expense related to the
  Acquisition Financing was derived based on estimated average prevailing rates
  in effect for the different instruments during the period indicated. Interest
  rates ranged from 2.6% to 5.1%. In addition, the adjustment reflects the
  elimination of $71.4 million related to the Corporate Express debt that was
  repaid at the acquisition date. No adjustment was made to reduce historical
  interest</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">5</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="left"></div>

</div>
<!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='5',FILE='C:\JMS\105592\08-24966-2\task3246366\24966-2-ma.htm',USER='105592',CD='Dec  2 05:03 2008' -->


<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">


<div>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:5.28%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:92.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">income to reflect the
  Company&#146;s use of available cash in this acquisition.</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:5.28%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:92.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:5.28%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">h)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:92.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Adjustment to apply the
  effective tax rate of the combined company to the pro forma adjustments.The
  effective tax rate is based on the geographic mix of earnings for the
  combined company and does not reflect tax planning strategies that may be
  implemented for the combined entity on a prospective basis.</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:5.28%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:92.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:5.28%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">i)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:92.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Adjustment to reflect
  the results of the Veenman business as a discontinued operation under US
  GAAP.&nbsp; As a result of this change, the
  following financial statement line items were adjusted by the amounts below
  (amounts in thousands):</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="center">

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="60%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:60.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:24.18%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Nine
  Months<br>
  Ended<br>
  November&nbsp;1, 2008</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Sales</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.16%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="22%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;border:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:22.02%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">25,893</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Cost of goods
  sold and occupancy costs</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:24.18%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">16,839</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Selling, general
  and administrative</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:24.18%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(55,393</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Other income
  (expense)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:24.18%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">77</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="71%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:71.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Income tax
  expense (income)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="24%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:24.18%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">256</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.2%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr height="0">
  <td width="321" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="10" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="10" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="99" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="10" style="border:none;"></td>
 </tr>
</table>

</div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:5.28%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">j)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:2.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:92.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The operating results
  of Corporate Express have been included in Staples&#146; consolidated financial
  statements since July&nbsp;2, 2008.&nbsp;
  This adjustment reflects the removal of the July&nbsp;operating
  results for Corporate Express that is included in Staples&#146; statement of operations
  for the nine months ended November&nbsp;1, 2008 to reflect nine months of
  results for Corporate Express in these pro forma statements.</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Note&nbsp;3.&nbsp;Non-recurring
items</font></b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Certain restructuring and
integration charges will be recorded subsequent to the acquisition that, under
purchase accounting, may or may not be treated as part of the purchase price
for Corporate Express.&#160; Any such costs are
not factually supportable at this time and therefore have not been reflected in
the unaudited condensed combined financial information.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Non-recurring charges
resulting from the acquisition that are not included in the pro forma condensed
combined statement of income may include the following:&#160; planning and consulting costs related to
combining the two companies, facility closure costs, systems write-offs,
retention costs, and potential asset impairments.&#160; In addition, certain historical tax assets
may be negatively impacted by the acquisition, which could result in additional
tax expense that would be recognized through an increase in the Company&#146;s
effective tax rate.&#160; At this time, the
Company is in the preliminary planning phase for the integration and,
therefore, cannot reasonably assert that the above list is complete.&#160; As additional knowledge is gained about the
acquired business, other integration and restructuring costs may be identified.</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">6</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="left"></div>

</div>
<!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='6',FILE='C:\JMS\105592\08-24966-2\task3246366\24966-2-ma.htm',USER='105592',CD='Dec  2 05:03 2008' -->


</body>

</html>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
