EX-99 7 ex996.txt EX. 99.6 Exhibit 99.6 (Text of graph posted to Ashland Inc.'s website concerning Ashland Specialty Chemical Company's gross profit) ASCC Gross Profit (%) - 3 Month Rolling Average 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- January 36.0 33.9 36.0 34.2 33.0 February 35.1 33.4 36.6 34.2 33.0 March 34.4 33.2 37.6 33.4 33.0 April 34.4 33.8 38.4 33.1 32.5 May 34.4 34.3 38.5 32.5 31.7 June 34.0 34.4 38.0 33.1 30.7 July 33.2 34.1 37.3 33.7 30.7 August 33.3 34.4 36.5 34.4 30.3 September 34.1 34.9 36.4 33.7 October 34.3 35.5 36.2 33.4 November 34.4 35.7 35.5 33.2 December 33.8 36.0 34.9 33.5 ASCC Gross Profit (%) - 12 Month Rolling Average 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- January 36.4 34.0 34.8 36.5 33.3 February 36.3 33.9 35.2 36.2 33.3 March 36.1 33.8 35.7 35.7 33.3 April 35.8 33.8 36.0 35.2 33.1 May 35.4 33.9 36.3 34.7 33.0 June 34.9 33.9 36.6 34.4 32.7 July 34.6 34.0 36.8 34.3 32.3 August 34.6 34.2 36.8 34.1 31.9 September 34.7 34.1 37.0 33.8 October 34.5 34.3 37.0 33.6 November 34.3 34.5 36.8 33.5 December 34.1 34.6 36.7 33.4