W.R. Grace & Co.

7500 Grace Dr.

Year founded: 1832

Industry: Manufacturing

Post 200 Category: Top 125 Companies

Revenue: $2.26 Billion

Net Income/Loss: ($402,300,000.00)

Earnings per share: ($6.11)

Dividend: n/a

Stockholder equity: ($621,800,000.00)

Auditor: PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Stock: GRA

Assets: $3.54 Billion

Market capitalization: $643.30 Million

52-week high: 15.49 11/11/2004

52-week low: 2.51 5/10/2004

Chairman and CEO: Paul J. Norris

CFO: Robert M. Tarola

Employees: 6500

Local employees: 1400

Description: W.R. Grace makes chemicals and other materials used in the construction of buildings and homes and in a variety industrial products.

Developments: Grace's courtroom dealings overshadowed its business performance as corporate executives grappled with both bankruptcy proceedings and criminal charges. Grace filed a reorganization plan in November 2004 that would allow the company to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, where it has remained for more than three years because of thousands of asbestos-related claims. Creditors continue to haggle over certain aspects of the plan, which Grace amended in early 2005. Separately, the company and seven current and former officials were indicted by the U.S. attorney for Montana in February 2005 for conspiracy and other criminal charges related to an asbestos-tainted mine in Libby, Mont. Grace and the executives deny the charges, which include violations of the Clean Air Act that date back more than 25 years. If the company is found guilty, it could be forced to pay the government $280 million — double the profit it reaped from products containing asbestos from the mine. Grace is appealing another federal court ruling that it pay the Environmental Protection Agency a record $54.5 million to help clean up the Montana site. Grace's stock price got a boost, however, as lawmakers pondered legislation that would shuttle thousands of asbestos-related lawsuits from the federal courts and into a $140 billion victim compensation fund that could help Grace and other asbestos companies shed millions of dollars in liability. While Congress has proposed similar measures in the past, business lobbyists say the increasingly Republican makeup of the House and Senate may bring passage of a bill. Grace announced that chief executive Paul J. Norris would step aside in May and be succeeded by Fred Festa, president and chief operating officer, as part of the company's planned transition out of bankruptcy.

Executive Compensation
Former Chairman and CEO: P.J. Norris
Total Cash: $3,500,000.00
Total Compensation: $5,101,590.00