H&R Block Responds to Intuit Advertising Lawsuit
KANSAS CITY, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 3, 2006--H&R Block Inc. (NYSE:HRB) today said it was not surprised by the lawsuit filed by competitor Intuit Inc. The lawsuit involves an H&R Block television commercial that highlights the value of Block's 90,000 tax professionals available to personally address taxpayers' questions.
"We do have the world's largest retail network ready to offer taxpayers personal assistance that is not available through their software product. In addition, we announced last week that our digital sales increased 58 percent in early March. We see this simply as a maneuver to try and halt the progress of a successful competitor," said Tom Allanson, H&R Block's senior vice president and general manager of Digital Tax Solutions.
In January, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri issued an order under which Intuit Inc. immediately changed its television and radio commercials that H&R Block claimed were inaccurate. Block had successfully challenged its competitor's claim that its software prepared more tax returns than in H&R Block's 12,000 offices nationwide. H&R Block's claims for money damages and a permanent injunction are still pending.
CONTACT: H&R Block Inc.
Media Relations
Linda McDougall, 816-932-7542
lmcdougall@hrblock.com
or
Investor Relations
Scott Dudley, 816-932-8342
scottdudley@hrblock.com
SOURCE: H&R Block Inc.