United States Securities and Exchange Commission Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 8-K CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 10, 2003 Hercules Incorporated -------------------------------------------------------- (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Delaware 001-00496 51-0023450 ---------------------------- ------------------------ ---------------------------- (State or other jurisdiction (Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Identification of incorporation) Number) Hercules Plaza 1313 North Market Street Wilmington, Delaware 19894-0001 ---------------------------------------------------- (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code) (302) 594-5000 ---------------------------------------------------- (Registrant's telephone number, including area code) 1 Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits (c) Exhibits. 99.1 Press Release of Hercules Incorporated dated July 10, 2003. Item 9. Regulation FD Disclosure The following information is being furnished under Item 12 of Form 8-K, "Results of Operations and Financial Condition" and is included under this Item 9 in accordance with SEC Release No. 33-8216 dated March 27, 2003. On July 10, 2003, Hercules Incorporated ("Hercules") issued a press release detailing the expected second quarter 2003 financial performance, dated July 10, 2003, which is furnished as an exhibit hereto and incorporated by reference herein. The press release includes presentations of earnings from ongoing operations, which is a non-GAAP financial measure. Management believes that earnings from ongoing operations is meaningful to investors and the credit markets because it provides insight to the underlying operating results of the Company by excluding the effects of recent divestitures, restructuring charges, changes in accounting principles and other significant discrete items. This measurement is not recognized in accordance with GAAP and should not be viewed as an alternative to GAAP measures of performance. The information in this Current Report on Form 8-K, including Exhibit 99.1, shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, unless the registrant expressly states otherwise. 2 SIGNATURE Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. HERCULES INCORPORATED July 11, 2003 By: /s/ Fred G. Aanonsen ----------------------------- Fred G. Aanonsen Vice President and Controller 3 EXHIBIT INDEX Number Exhibit ------ ------- 99.1 Press Release of Hercules Incorporated dated July 10, 2003. 4