Hoover's Unveils Enhanced Online Service

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Doubles Industry Coverage, Delivers Intuitive Navigation & Powerful Search Tools

AUSTIN, TEXAS - August 12, 2003 -Hoover's, Inc., a leading provider of authoritative business information, today announced the launch of the newly redesigned Hoover's Online (www.hoovers.com). The Website delivers an improved customer experience through intuitive navigation and powerful search tools, allowing faster access to Hoover's database of 12 million companies including in-depth coverage of 22,000 of the world's top companies and some of the most up-to-date business information in the industry.

"Hoover's prides itself on enabling our customers to gain insight into their customers, prospects and business partners," said Russell Secker, Hoover's executive vice president of product and marketing. "Our unique advantage is the depth of our information on companies, industries and the people who lead them. The enhancements to Hoover's Online supply our customers easier, faster and better ways to access and use the information they need."

Hoover's Online balances the needs of its subscribers, advertisers and e-commerce partners by offering a separate environment for subscribers to more rapidly target and use the information they need. Among the many improvements, Hoover's customers will immediately benefit from:

• Improved Navigation: Streamlined, more intuitive navigation easily and quickly guides users to the information and tools they need.
• Expanded Industry Coverage: Coverage doubled from 300 to more than 600 industries. An industry keyword search function has been added, as well as immediate access to industry news.
• Launched "Find Similar Companies": "Reverse" search tool locates companies with attributes similar to those of high-value customers and prospects.
• Increased Export Options: Increased flexibility when downloading information. Download tools allow customized selection of individual fields and support Microsoft Excel and other formats that are downloadable into contact management systems.

"The new Hoover's Online is absolutely wonderful, especially the way the content and tools are laid out and accessible from one screen," said Kathleen Pearson, business development manager for the Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis law firm based in Nashville. "The new design saves me tons of time. Now I can get to the tools I need quicker, allowing me to do my job faster and more effectively."

"With businesses requiring faster delivery and access to up-to-date, comprehensive information, identifying and addressing these needs has become a critical imperative," said Leslie Jacobs Barrett, vice president and lead analyst at Outsell, Inc., the only research and advisory firm providing decision support for and about the world of information content. "Over the past 18 months, Hoover's has been engaged in a company-wide, customer-focused effort to develop enhancements that should have a positive impact on the Hoover's Online experience."

For information on becoming a Hoover's subscriber, log onto www.Hoovers.com or call 888-310-6087.

About Hoover's, Inc. - The Business Information Authority(sm)

Hoover's, Inc., a subsidiary of D&B, is a leading provider of business information. Hoover's provides authoritative, up-to-date information for sales, marketing, business development, and other professionals who need intelligence on U.S. and global companies, industries, and the people who shape them. This information, along with powerful tools to search, sort, download and integrate the content, is available through Hoover's Online (www.hoovers.com), the company's premier online service. Hoover's business information is also available through corporate intranets and distribution agreements with licensees, as well as via print and CD-ROM products.

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