HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP INC
424B1, 1996-08-09
SECURITY BROKERS, DEALERS & FLOTATION COMPANIES
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<PAGE>
   
                        Filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1)
                           Registration No. 333-6431
    
   
PROSPECTUS
    
 
                                3,500,000 SHARES
 
                                     [LOGO]
 
                                  COMMON STOCK
 
   
    All of the shares of Common Stock offered hereby are being sold by Hambrecht
&  Quist Group  ("Hambrecht &  Quist," "H&Q"  or the  "Company"). Prior  to this
offering, there has been no public market  for the Common Stock of the  Company.
The  initial  public  offering price  was  determined by  agreement  between the
Company and  the  Underwriters  in  accordance  with  the  recommendation  of  a
"qualified  independent underwriter"  as required by  the Rules  of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.  See "Underwriting" for a discussion  of
the  factors considered  in determining the  initial public  offering price. The
Common Stock has been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange  under
the  symbol HMQ, subject to official notice  of issuance. Upon the completion of
this offering, the current directors and executive officers of the Company  will
exercise  voting  control over  approximately 41%  of the  Company's outstanding
Common Stock. See "Principal Stockholders."
    
                                 --------------
 
            THE SHARES OFFERED HEREBY INVOLVE A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK.
                    SEE "RISK FACTORS" COMMENCING ON PAGE 6.
                                 -------------
 
THESE SECURITIES  HAVE  NOT  BEEN  APPROVED OR  DISAPPROVED  BY  THE  SECURITIES
  AND   EXCHANGE  COMMISSION  OR  ANY  STATE  SECURITIES  COMMISSION  NOR  HAS
     THE  SECURITIES  AND  EXCHANGE  COMMISSION  OR  ANY  STATE  SECURITIES
       COMMISSION   PASSED  UPON   THE  ACCURACY  OR   ADEQUACY  OF  THIS
       PROSPECTUS.
           ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                              PRICE TO       UNDERWRITING      PROCEEDS TO
                                             PUBLIC (1)     DISCOUNT (1)(2)    COMPANY (3)
<S>                                        <C>              <C>              <C>
Per Share................................      $16.00            $1.12           $14.88
Total (4)................................    $55,927,200      $3,847,200       $52,080,000
</TABLE>
    
 
(1) Up to 65,000 shares are being reserved for sale to certain employees of  the
    Company  at the initial public offering price less Underwriting Discount. In
    determining the  total Price  to  Public and  Underwriting Discount,  it  is
    assumed that all of such reserved shares will be sold to such employees. See
    "Underwriting."
(2)  See  "Underwriting"  for  indemnification  arrangements  with  the  several
    Underwriters.
(3) Before deducting expenses payable by the Company, estimated at $800,000.
   
(4) The Company has granted the Underwriters  a 30-day option to purchase up  to
    525,000  additional shares of Common  Stock solely to cover over-allotments,
    if any. If  such option is  exercised in  full, the total  Price to  Public,
    Underwriting   Discount  and  Proceeds  to   Company  will  be  $64,327,200,
    $4,435,200 and $59,892,000, respectively. See "Underwriting."
    
                                 --------------
 
   
    The shares of Common Stock are  offered by the several Underwriters  subject
to  prior sale, receipt and  acceptance by them and subject  to the right of the
Underwriters to  reject  any  order  in  whole or  in  part  and  certain  other
conditions.  It is expected that certificates  for such shares will be available
for delivery on or about August 14, 1996 at the office of the agent of Hambrecht
& Quist LLC in New York, New York.
    
 
HAMBRECHT & QUIST LLC
 
                              MORGAN STANLEY & CO.
                                  INCORPORATED
<PAGE>
                                                               SMITH BARNEY INC.
   
August 9, 1996
    
<PAGE>
    The Company  intends  to  distribute  to  its  stockholders  annual  reports
containing consolidated financial statements audited by its independent auditors
and will make available copies of quarterly reports for the first three quarters
of each fiscal year containing unaudited financial information.
 
    IN  CONNECTION WITH THIS OFFERING, THE UNDERWRITERS MAY OVER-ALLOT OR EFFECT
TRANSACTIONS WHICH STABILIZE OR MAINTAIN THE MARKET PRICE OF THE COMMON STOCK OF
THE COMPANY AT  A LEVEL ABOVE  THAT WHICH  MIGHT OTHERWISE PREVAIL  IN THE  OPEN
MARKET.  SUCH TRANSACTIONS MAY BE  EFFECTED ON THE NEW  YORK STOCK EXCHANGE, THE
PACIFIC STOCK  EXCHANGE OR  OTHERWISE. SUCH  STABILIZING, IF  COMMENCED, MAY  BE
DISCONTINUED AT ANY TIME.
 
                                       2
<PAGE>
                               PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
 
    THE  FOLLOWING SUMMARY  IS QUALIFIED  IN ITS  ENTIRETY BY  THE MORE DETAILED
INFORMATION AND THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS  AND NOTES THERETO APPEARING  ELSEWHERE
IN  THIS PROSPECTUS. THE COMMON  STOCK OFFERED HEREBY INVOLVES  A HIGH DEGREE OF
RISK. SEE "RISK FACTORS."
 
                                  THE COMPANY
 
    Hambrecht & Quist  is a major  bracket investment bank  focused on  emerging
growth  companies and growth-oriented investors. The Company's core strength has
been  the  early  identification  of  trends,  industries  and   entrepreneurial
companies  that have  the potential  to become  broad-based drivers  of economic
growth and  change. The  Company believes  that its  industry-oriented  research
specialization  is crucial  to meeting  the demands  of its  investor and issuer
clients for sophisticated and informed  investment and strategic advice, and  to
building  long-term  relationships with  these clients.  Since its  inception in
1968, Hambrecht &  Quist has broadened  its industry focus  from technology  and
healthcare  to encompass the  branded consumer industry  and companies providing
business information, outsourcing and healthcare services.
 
   
    Hambrecht & Quist is generally considered  by the securities industry to  be
one  of  the approximately  15  major bracket  investment  banks based  on H&Q's
significant level  of participation  in  equity underwritings  as manager  or  a
co-manager  and  in  syndicates for  public  equity offerings  managed  by other
investment banks. "Major bracket" firms are smaller than the six "bulge bracket"
investment banks. The Company is one  of the smallest major bracket firms  based
on  measures such as  revenues, assets, dollar amounts  of underwritten debt and
equity, number of employees  and trading volume.  However, the Company  believes
that  based on the number of managed  or co-managed public equity offerings, H&Q
is a leading underwriter of equity  securities for emerging growth companies  in
its  industry areas  of focus.  As a  result of  the high  proportion of venture
capital  invested  in  emerging  growth  companies  located  in  California  and
Massachusetts,  the  Company's underwriting  clients  have been  concentrated in
these states. Approximately 47% of the companies for which H&Q served as manager
or co-manager of a securities offering  between January 1995 and June 1996  were
based  in California,  and approximately  11% of  these companies  were based in
Massachusetts.
    
 
    H&Q  organizes  its  research  and  investment  banking  professionals  into
industry  teams. Each team,  together with H&Q's  venture capital professionals,
endeavors to develop and maintain an  in-depth understanding of the secular  and
cyclical  trends driving that particular industry sector. In addition, each team
of professionals maintains close relationships not only with private and  public
growth  companies, but  also with  venture capital  and institutional investors,
technical  experts,  professional  service  providers  and  other  key  industry
participants.   Through  these  relationships,  H&Q  gains  the  opportunity  to
participate actively in the growth of promising entrepreneurial companies.
 
   
    H&Q has leveraged its industry expertise by providing an increasing range of
investment banking and brokerage  services and by investing  its own capital  in
emerging  growth companies. It has grown its  business by expanding the range of
services it provides to growth companies and investors, by addressing the  needs
of  larger companies and by developing  expertise in new industries and markets.
The Company has expanded its underwriting capability by increasing its corporate
finance and syndicate personnel and increased its advisory services in  mergers,
acquisitions,  strategic  partnerships, private  placements and  asset-based and
mezzanine financing. At  June 30, 1996,  H&Q made  a market in  over 300  Nasdaq
stocks  and was one of  the top three market makers  in approximately 74% of the
Nasdaq equity securities issued by companies for which H&Q served as manager  or
co-manager in an initial public offering completed between January 1991 and June
1996. H&Q also has recently increased its number of retail brokers from 41 to 62
and increased its trading of NYSE-listed securities.
    
 
    The  Company brings together  growth companies and  growth investors through
the sponsorship  of eight  regular  conferences, each  focusing on  a  different
industry  or geographic region. In addition, to facilitate the analysis of long-
term trends, the Company  has developed 11 industry  indices, starting with  the
H&Q Technology Index. The Company believes that these efforts, together with the
Company's  investment banking and brokerage  activities, have closely associated
the name Hambrecht &  Quist with entrepreneurial, high  growth companies in  its
chosen areas of focus.
 
    H&Q  is a leading  underwriter of public offerings  of equity securities for
emerging growth companies in its industry areas of focus, based on the number of
transactions completed since January 1991 in  which H&Q served as a managing  or
co-managing  underwriter.  The  number  of public  equity  offerings  managed or
co-managed by the Company has increased from 42 in 1991 to 90 in 1995 and 69  in
the first six months of calendar 1996, with H&Q
 
                                       3
<PAGE>
serving as lead manager in 43%, 57% and 42% of these transactions, respectively.
While  the  distribution of  offerings among  industries  has varied  over time,
during 1995 and the first  six months of calendar  1996, the Company managed  or
co-managed  96 public  equity offerings  in the  technology industry,  35 in the
healthcare industry, 21 in the services  industry and 7 in the branded  consumer
industry,  with H&Q serving as lead manager  in 50% of these transactions. Since
1968, Hambrecht & Quist has managed or co-managed over 650 public offerings  for
over  440 growth companies  in the technology,  healthcare, business information
and outsourcing  services, healthcare  services,  branded consumer  and  related
industries,  serving as lead  manager in more  than 260 of  these offerings. The
Company's underwriting clients  have included pioneers  in emerging  industries,
such as Adobe, Apple, Genentech and Netscape.
 
                                  THE OFFERING
 
   
<TABLE>
<S>                                              <C>
Common Stock offered by the Company............  3,500,000 shares
Common Stock to be outstanding after the         22,169,064 shares(1)
  offering.....................................
Use of proceeds................................  General corporate purposes
New York Stock Exchange symbol.................  HMQ
</TABLE>
    
 
- ------------------------------
(1)  Based on shares outstanding at June  30, 1996. Excludes 5,697,520 shares of
    Common Stock issuable upon exercise of stock options outstanding at June 30,
    1996 at a weighted average exercise  price of $7.15 per share and  3,000,000
    shares  of Common Stock reserved at June  30, 1996 for future issuance under
    the Company's 1996 Equity Plan.  See "Management -- Compensation Plans"  and
    Note 8 of Condensed Notes to Combined Financial Statements -- June 30, 1996.
 
                                       4
<PAGE>
                   SUMMARY COMBINED FINANCIAL INFORMATION(1)
              (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AND OPERATING DATA)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                               NINE MONTHS ENDED JUNE
                                                  FISCAL YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30,                       30,
                                       -----------------------------------------------------  ------------------------
<S>                                    <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>          <C>
                                         1991       1992       1993       1994       1995        1995         1996
                                       ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
COMBINED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
  DATA:
  Revenues:
    Principal transactions...........  $  23,480  $  33,438  $  30,045  $  36,411  $  53,425   $  36,316    $  75,354
    Agency commissions...............     11,135     12,557     14,221     14,242     24,603      15,911       29,094
    Investment banking...............     23,176     51,517     42,960     29,234     70,360      39,400      130,522
    Corporate finance fees...........      7,409      8,371      9,993     18,561     20,709      14,530       31,947
    Net investment gains.............      7,026      8,193      3,524     10,270     33,852      18,542       19,087
    Other............................      9,620     11,418      9,804     10,612     17,074      11,988       26,358
                                       ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
    Total revenues...................     81,846    125,494    110,547    119,330    220,023     136,687      312,362
                                       ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
  Expenses:
    Compensation and benefits........     37,424     58,044     54,917     60,175    105,370      68,750      159,738
    Brokerage and clearance..........      5,611      6,184      6,892      7,367     10,441       6,678       10,017
    Occupancy and equipment..........      6,003      6,040      6,045      6,679      7,803       5,511        7,146
    Communications...................      3,461      4,135      4,377      6,244      7,394       5,533        7,310
    Interest.........................        303      1,141      1,464        987      1,266         727        1,041
    Other(3).........................     44,382     32,226     10,256     11,315     15,131      10,790       19,717
                                       ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
    Total expenses...................     97,184    107,770     83,951     92,767    147,405      97,989      204,969
                                       ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
  Minority interest(4)...............        453        794        352        526        719         454          874
                                       ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
  Income (loss) before income tax
   provision.........................    (15,791)    16,930     26,244     26,037     71,899      38,244      106,519
  Income tax provision (credit)......     (5,878)     7,200     10,940     10,119     22,461      11,810       36,493
                                       ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
  Net income (loss)..................  $  (9,913) $   9,730  $  15,304  $  15,918  $  49,438   $  26,434    $  70,026
                                       ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
                                       ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
  Pro forma net income per
   share(5)..........................
  Pro forma weighted average shares
   outstanding(5)....................
 
<CAPTION>
 
                                                JUNE 30, 1996
                                       -------------------------------
                                                                AS
                                                     PRO     ADJUSTED
                                        ACTUAL    FORMA(2)    (2)(6)
                                       ---------  ---------  ---------
<S>                                    <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>          <C>
COMBINED BALANCE SHEET DATA:
  Total assets.......................   $ 486,736     $ 463,708      $ 514,988
  Debt obligations...................      11,252        11,252         11,252
  Stockholders' equity...............     170,394       155,725        207,005
  Book value per common share
   outstanding.......................                 $    8.34      $    9.34
 
<CAPTION>
                                         FISCAL YEAR     NINE MONTHS
                                       ENDED SEPTEMBER      ENDED
                                             30,          JUNE 30,
                                       ---------------  -------------
<S>                                    <C>              <C>
                                            1995            1996
                                       ---------------  -------------
                                                PRO FORMA(2)
COMBINED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
  DATA:
  Revenues:
    Principal transactions...........     $  53,425       $  75,354
    Agency commissions...............        24,603          29,094
    Investment banking...............        70,360         130,522
    Corporate finance fees...........        20,709          31,947
    Net investment gains.............        26,439          15,383
    Other............................        16,809          26,159
                                            -------     -------------
    Total revenues...................       212,345         308,459
                                            -------     -------------
  Expenses:
    Compensation and benefits........       105,370         159,738
    Brokerage and clearance..........        10,441          10,017
    Occupancy and equipment..........         7,803           7,146
    Communications...................         7,394           7,310
    Interest.........................         1,266           1,041
    Other(3).........................        15,131          19,717
                                            -------     -------------
    Total expenses...................       147,405         204,969
                                            -------     -------------
  Minority interest(4)...............           300             364
                                            -------     -------------
  Income (loss) before income tax
   provision.........................        64,640         103,126
  Income tax provision (credit)......        28,442          45,374
                                            -------     -------------
  Net income (loss)..................     $  36,198       $  57,752
                                            -------     -------------
                                            -------     -------------
  Pro forma net income per
   share(5)..........................     $    1.83       $    2.78
                                            -------     -------------
                                            -------     -------------
  Pro forma weighted average shares
   outstanding(5)....................        19,827          20,769
                                            -------     -------------
                                            -------     -------------
<S>                                    <C>        <C>
COMBINED BALANCE SHEET DATA:
  Total assets.......................
  Debt obligations...................
  Stockholders' equity...............
  Book value per common share
   outstanding.......................
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                            NINE MONTHS
                                                                                               ENDED
                                                FISCAL YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30,               JUNE 30,
                                     -----------------------------------------------------  ------------
                                       1991       1992       1993       1994       1995         1996
                                     ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ------------
<S>                                  <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>           <C>          <C>
OPERATING DATA:
  Total employees(7)...............        291        327        350        426        498          617
  Return on average equity.........         --        34%        37%        28%        58%          62%(8)
  Compensation and benefits expense
   as a percentage of total
   revenues........................        46%        46%        50%        50%        48%          51%
  Non-compensation and benefits
   expense as a percentage of total
   revenues........................        73%        40%        26%        27%        19%          14%
 
<CAPTION>
<S>                                  <C>
OPERATING DATA:
  Total employees(7)...............
  Return on average equity.........
  Compensation and benefits expense
   as a percentage of total
   revenues........................
  Non-compensation and benefits
   expense as a percentage of total
   revenues........................
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------------
(1) See Note 1 of Notes to Combined Financial Statements--September 30, 1995 for
    an explanation of the basis of presentation.
(2)  Gives effect to the transactions described under "Restructuring" and to the
    Tax Distribution.  See "Management's  Discussion and  Analysis of  Financial
    Condition and Results of Operations--Overview."
(3)  Includes $36.9 million in fiscal 1991  and $22.9 million in fiscal 1992 for
    settlement of  certain litigation  relating to  MiniScribe Corporation.  See
    "Business--Legal Proceedings."
(4)  Represents the pro  rata interest of  owners other than  the Company in the
    earnings of Hambrecht & Quist Guaranty Finance.
(5) See  Note 8  of  Notes to  Pro Forma  Combined  Financial Statements  for  a
    discussion  of the number of shares used in calculating pro forma net income
    per share.
   
(6) As adjusted to reflect the sale of the shares of Common Stock offered hereby
    and the application  of the estimated  net proceeds therefrom.  See "Use  of
    Proceeds" and "Capitalization."
    
(7) Shown at end of period.
(8) Shown on an annualized basis.
                         ------------------------------
 
   
    UNLESS  OTHERWISE INDICATED, ALL INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS (I) REFLECTS
THE TRANSACTIONS DESCRIBED UNDER "RESTRUCTURING" WITH NO EXERCISE OF DISSENTERS'
RIGHTS AND (II) ASSUMES NO EXERCISE OF THE UNDERWRITERS' OVER-ALLOTMENT  OPTION.
SEE "RESTRUCTURING" AND "UNDERWRITING."
    
 
                                       5
<PAGE>
                                  RISK FACTORS
 
    THIS  PROSPECTUS CONTAINS FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS  THAT INVOLVE RISKS AND
UNCERTAINTIES. ACTUAL RESULTS  COULD DIFFER MATERIALLY  FROM THOSE DISCUSSED  IN
THE  FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AS A RESULT  OF CERTAIN FACTORS, INCLUDING THOSE
SET FORTH BELOW AND ELSEWHERE IN  THIS PROSPECTUS. THE FOLLOWING FACTORS  SHOULD
BE  CONSIDERED CAREFULLY IN ADDITION TO  THE OTHER INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS
PROSPECTUS BEFORE PURCHASING THE COMMON STOCK OFFERED HEREBY.
 
RISK OF REDUCED REVENUES DURING PERIODS OF DECLINING PRICES OR REDUCED ACTIVITY
IN MARKET FOR EMERGING GROWTH COMPANY SECURITIES
 
    The Company's revenues are  likely to be lower  during periods of  declining
prices  or inactivity  in the  market for growth  company securities  due to the
Company's focus on serving growth  companies and their investors. The  Company's
business  is  particularly  dependent  on the  market  for  equity  offerings by
companies in the  technology, healthcare, business  information and  outsourcing
services,  healthcare services  and branded  consumer industries.  These markets
have historically experienced significant volatility not only in the number  and
size of equity offerings, but also in the after-market trading volume and prices
of  newly issued securities. In addition, the  number of major investors and the
size of managed  funds in the  market for growth  company securities is  smaller
than  in  many  other  industrial sectors.  This  concentration  produces higher
volatility in the number and size of corporate financing transactions  conducted
by  emerging growth companies as compared  to companies in other industries, and
higher volatility  in  the volume  of  after-market trading  of  growth  company
securities.
 
    The  recent growth in the  Company's revenues has arisen  in large part from
the significantly  increased number  and size  of underwritten  transactions  by
companies  in the Company's targeted industries,  and by the related increase in
after-market trading for such  companies during fiscal 1995  and the first  nine
months of fiscal 1996. During other periods, relatively few public offerings for
companies  in  these  industries  were  completed,  which  materially  adversely
affected the  Company's  operating  results. Underwriting  activities  in  H&Q's
targeted   industries  can  decline  for  a  number  of  reasons.  For  example,
underwriting activities decreased significantly in the period from August  1990,
when  hostilities commenced between Iraq and  Kuwait, until the first quarter of
calendar 1991. Underwriting  activity experienced  a similar drop  in the  third
quarter  of calendar 1994,  after interest rates in  the United States increased
sharply. In recent weeks, the market  for equity securities in general, and  for
companies  in the  industries on  which the  Company focuses  in particular, has
experienced a significant decline.  For example, from its  all-time high on  May
20,  1996 through July 23, 1996 the  Hambrecht & Quist Technology Index declined
by 22.5%. As a result of this market decline, many pending securities  offerings
have been delayed or canceled, including several offerings which the Company was
managing  or co-managing.  Certain offerings completed  in July  and August 1996
have been effected at lower valuations  and smaller total dollar sizes than  the
price  ranges  indicated in  the preliminary  prospectuses for  these offerings.
There can be no  assurance that this trend  will not continue. Underwriting  and
brokerage  activity  can  also be  materially  adversely affected  for  a growth
company or industry segment by disappointments in quarterly performance relative
to analysts' expectations, or by changes in long-term prospects.
 
SEPTEMBER 1996 QUARTERLY REVENUES AND NET INCOME EXPECTED TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY
LOWER DUE TO RECENT MARKET DECLINE
 
    The recent  market decline  and  the resulting  reduction in  the  Company's
business  will cause the Company's revenues and net income in the quarter ending
September 30, 1996 to be substantially lower than its revenues and net income in
each of the first three quarters of fiscal 1996. Further, as a result of general
seasonal trends  for  quarters ending  on  September 30,  the  Company's  fourth
quarter  results  are  particularly  dependent  on  revenues  for  the  month of
September to offset typically lower revenues during the August vacation  period.
Because of the volatility and uncertainties caused by present market conditions,
the Company's revenues for the month of September 1996 and the fourth quarter of
fiscal  1996 are particularly  difficult to predict, and  such revenues could be
even lower than present expectations if market conditions deteriorate. There can
be no assurance that this market decline,  or the related adverse effect on  the
Company's operating results, will not continue or worsen.
 
                                       6
<PAGE>
RISKS OF REDUCED REVENUES DUE TO ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND MARKET CONDITIONS
 
    Reductions  in public offering and merger  and acquisition activities due to
changing economic,  political or  market conditions  could cause  the  Company's
revenues to decline materially. The amount and profitability of these activities
are  affected by  many national  and international  factors, including economic,
political and market  conditions; the  level and volatility  of interest  rates;
legislative   and  regulatory  changes;  currency  values;  inflation;  and  the
availability of short-term and long-term funding and capital. Any one or more of
these factors  may contribute  to  reduced levels  of securities  offerings  and
merger and acquisition activities, which would result in lower revenues from the
Company's investment banking, trading and sales activities.
 
RISKS OF REDUCED REVENUES DUE TO DECLINING MARKET VOLUME, PRICE OR LIQUIDITY
 
    The  Company's revenues  may decrease  in the event  of a  decline in market
volume, prices or liquidity. The securities  business is subject to declines  in
the  volume of securities transactions and  in market liquidity, which generally
result in lower revenues  from trading activities  and commissions. Lower  price
levels   of  securities  may   result  in  a   reduced  volume  of  underwriting
transactions, which would cause  a reduction in  revenue from corporate  finance
fees,  as well as the recognition of losses from declines in the market value of
securities held in trading, investment and underwriting positions. Sudden  sharp
declines  in market values of securities can  result in illiquid markets and the
failure of issuers and counterparties to  perform their obligations, as well  as
increases  in customer claims. In such markets,  the Company may incur losses in
its principal trading and market-making activities.
 
RISK OF LOSSES DUE TO FRAUD OR MISTAKES OF CUSTOMERS OR EMPLOYEES
 
    The Company is  exposed to the  risk of  significant losses as  a result  of
customer  fraud, employee  errors, misconduct and  fraud (including unauthorized
transactions by  traders) and  failures  in connection  with the  processing  of
securities  transactions.  There can  be no  assurance  that the  Company's risk
management procedures  and  internal  controls will  prevent  such  losses  from
occuring.
 
DEPENDENCE ON CASH INFLOWS TO MUTUAL FUNDS
 
    A  slow-down or reversal of cash inflows to mutual funds could lead to lower
underwriting and brokerage revenues for the Company, since mutual funds purchase
a significant portion of the securities offered to the public by emerging growth
companies. The demand  for new  equity offerings  during calendar  1995 and  the
first six months of calendar 1996 was driven in part by institutional investors,
particularly  large  mutual  funds, seeking  to  invest cash  received  from the
public. From January 1996 through May 1996, the mutual fund industry received an
aggregate net cash inflow of approximately $124 billion. The financial press has
reported that the net aggregate amount invested in certain mutual funds  focused
on  technology and other  growth industries declined during  June and July 1996.
The financial press has  also reported that  such funds experienced  significant
declines  in net asset values  due to the recent  market decline. The public may
withdraw additional cash from these  and other mutual funds  as a result of  the
decline  in the market generally or as a  result of a decline in mutual fund net
asset values. To the extent that the  decline in cash inflows into mutual  funds
and  the  decline in  net  asset values  of these  funds  reduce demand  by fund
managers for new equity  offerings by emerging  growth companies, the  Company's
business and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
 
RISK OF REDUCED REVENUES DUE TO FOCUS ON RELATIVELY FEW INDUSTRIES
 
    Because  the Company focuses on relatively few industries, a general decline
in the market for securities of companies within any such industry, particularly
technology or healthcare,  could lead  to substantially lower  revenues for  the
Company.  The market for securities offerings in each of the industries on which
the Company focuses may also be subject to industry-specific risks. For example,
the prospects for growth in the  personal computer market affect companies in  a
number   of  other  industries,  such  as  semiconductor-related  companies  and
companies in  the  software  and  networking  equipment  industries.  Similarly,
changes  in policies by  the United States  Food and Drug  Administration or the
United States Health Care Financing  Administration can produce sharp swings  in
the   market  for  the  securities  of  biotechnology  and  healthcare  services
companies. Technology and healthcare underwriting transactions continue to  play
a  large role in the Company's  investment banking and research activities. This
industry concentration exposes the Company  to the risk of substantial  declines
in  revenue  in  the event  of  downturns  in underwriting  activities  in these
industries.
 
                                       7
<PAGE>
RISKS OF LOSSES DUE TO REGIONAL CONCENTRATION OF EMERGING GROWTH COMPANIES
 
    Because many of the  companies within the industries  served by the  Company
are  located in California and Massachusetts,  a natural disaster or significant
economic downturn in California or Massachusetts could substantially reduce  the
Company's  revenues. Approximately 47% of the  companies for which H&Q served as
manager or co-manager  of a securities  offering between January  1995 and  June
1996 had principal offices located in California, and approximately 11% of these
companies had principal offices located in Massachusetts. As a result, a natural
disaster  in one  of these states,  particularly in  California, could adversely
affect the companies  in that state,  which in turn  could reduce the  Company's
underwriting  and brokerage business relating to those companies. In addition, a
regional economic downturn in one of  these states could have an adverse  effect
on  emerging  growth  companies in  that  state  due to  the  interdependence of
companies  in  the  technology  and   healthcare  industries.  For  example,   a
significant downturn in computer sales could not only affect California computer
manufacturers  but also adversely  affect orders for  semiconductors produced by
California  companies,  which  in  turn  could  adversely  affect  purchases  of
semiconductor manufacturing equipment produced in California. Any adverse effect
on  emerging growth industries concentrated in California, Massachusetts, or, to
a lesser extent, in other states in which emerging growth technology, healthcare
or service  companies are  also  concentrated could  also reduce  the  Company's
underwriting and brokerage business relating to those companies.
 
RISK OF REDUCED REVENUES DUE TO DECLINE IN TRADING OF GROWTH COMPANY SECURITIES
 
    The   Company's   revenues   from  brokerage   transactions   are  generally
substantially lower when the level of public offering and trading activities  of
securities  of  emerging growth  companies declines.  H&Q derives  a significant
portion of its revenues from brokerage transactions related to the securities of
growth companies. In the  past, revenues from  such brokerage transactions  have
declined  when underwriting activities  in these industry  sectors declined, the
volume of  trading on  the Nasdaq  Stock  Market ("Nasdaq")  or New  York  Stock
Exchange ("NYSE") declined, or industry sectors or individual companies reported
results  below investors'  expectations. See  "Business--Investment Banking" and
"--Sales, Trading and Syndicate."
 
SIGNIFICANT FLUCTUATIONS IN QUARTERLY OPERATING RESULTS DUE TO LEVEL OF BUSINESS
ACTIVITY AND TIMING OF TRANSACTIONS
 
    The Company's revenues and operating  results may fluctuate from quarter  to
quarter  and from year  to year due  to a combination  of factors. These factors
include the  number  of underwriting  and  merger and  acquisition  transactions
completed  by the Company's  clients, access to public  markets for companies in
which the  Company has  invested as  a principal,  valuations of  the  Company's
principal   investments,  the  level  of   institutional  and  retail  brokerage
transactions, variations in expenditures for personnel, litigation expenses, and
the expenses of establishing new business units. The Company's revenues from  an
underwriting  transaction  are recorded  only  when the  underwritten securities
commence trading,  and revenues  from a  merger or  acquisition transaction  are
recorded  only  when  retainer  fees are  received  or  the  transaction closes.
Accordingly,  the  timing  of  the  Company's  recognition  of  revenue  from  a
significant  transaction can materially affect the Company's quarterly operating
results. The Company's cost structure currently is oriented to meeting the level
of demand for corporate finance transactions experienced during fiscal 1995  and
the  first nine months of  fiscal 1996. As a  result, despite the variability of
professional incentive  compensation, the  Company  could experience  losses  if
demand  for these transactions declines more  quickly than the Company's ability
to change its cost structure. There can be no assurance that the Company will be
able to sustain profitability on a quarterly or annual basis. See  "Management's
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."
 
DEPENDENCE ON ABILITY TO RETAIN AND RECRUIT PERSONNEL
 
    The  Company's business is dependent on the highly skilled, and often highly
specialized, individuals it employs. Retention of research, investment  banking,
sales   and  trading,  venture  capital,  money  management  and  administrative
professionals is particularly important to the Company's prospects. Hambrecht  &
Quist's  strategy is to  establish relationships with  its prospective corporate
clients in advance of  any transaction and to  maintain such relationships  over
the  long term  by providing advisory  services to corporate  clients in equity,
convertible debt and merger and acquisition transactions. Research professionals
contribute significantly to the Company's ability  to secure a role in  managing
public offerings.
 
                                       8
<PAGE>
    COMPETITION  FOR PROFESSIONAL  EMPLOYEES.   From time  to time,  Hambrecht &
Quist has  experienced losses  of  research, investment  banking and  sales  and
trading  professionals, including recent losses  of research analysts. The level
of competition for key personnel has increased recently, particularly due to the
market entry  efforts  of  certain  international  commercial  banks  and  other
investment  banks  targeting or  increasing their  efforts in  some of  the same
industries that H&Q serves, most notably technology and healthcare. There can be
no assurance that losses of key  personnel due to such competition or  otherwise
will  not occur in  the future. The  loss of an  investment banking, research or
sales and trading professional, particularly a senior professional with a  broad
range  of contacts  in an  industry, could  materially and  adversely affect the
Company's operating results. See "Business--Employees" and "Management."
 
    LIMITATIONS OF EMPLOYEE RETENTION MECHANISMS.   The Company depends on  many
key employees, including its managing directors, and in particular on its senior
executive  officers. The loss of any key employee could materially and adversely
affect the Company. While Hambrecht &  Quist generally does not have  employment
agreements  with  its  employees,  it  attempts  to  retain  its  employees with
incentives such  as  long-term  deferred compensation  plans,  the  issuance  of
Company  stock subject to continued  employment and the grant  of options to buy
Company stock that vest over a number of years of employment. These  incentives,
however,  may  be  insufficient  in  light  of  the  increasing  competition for
experienced professionals  in  the  securities  industry,  particularly  if  the
Company's  stock  price declines  or fails  to appreciate  sufficiently to  be a
competitive source of a portion of professional compensation. See "--Significant
Competition" and "Management--Compensation Plans."
 
    RISK  OF   REDUCED  REVENUES   DUE  TO   INABILITY  TO   RECRUIT   QUALIFIED
PERSONNEL.   The Company expects further growth  in the number of its personnel,
even if the current market decline continues. Competition for employees with the
qualifications desired by  the Company  is intense, especially  with respect  to
research  and investment banking  professionals with expertise  in industries in
which  underwriting  or  advisory  activity  is  robust.  Competition  for   the
recruiting  and  retention of  employees  has recently  increased  the Company's
compensation costs, and  the Company  expects that  continuing competition  will
cause  its compensation costs to continue to increase. There can be no assurance
that the Company will be  able to recruit a  sufficient number of new  employees
with  the desired qualifications in a timely  manner. The failure to recruit new
employees could materially and adversely affect the Company's operating results.
 
SIGNIFICANT COMPETITION
 
    The securities  business is  intensely competitive.  Many of  the  Company's
competitors  have  greater  capital,  financial  and  other  resources  than the
Company. The Company competes for venture capital and other principal investment
opportunities in  the  United  States  through  wholly  owned  subsidiaries  and
internationally  through  entities in  which  it holds  minority  interests. The
Company competes worldwide  for growth-oriented  institutional investor  clients
and  for  United States  underwritings of  equity  offerings by  emerging growth
companies in H&Q's  areas of  focus. During  fiscal 1995,  less than  5% of  the
Company's   revenues  was  derived  from  international  corporate  finance  and
brokerage services.
 
    RISK OF LOST MARKET SHARE DUE TO  COMPETITION FROM NEW MARKET ENTRANTS.   In
addition  to  competition  from  firms  currently  in  the  securities business,
domestic commercial banks and investment banking boutiques have recently entered
the business.  In  recent years,  large  international banks  have  entered  the
markets served by United States investment banks, including the markets in which
the  Company competes. Certain  large international banks  have hired investment
banking, research and sales and trading  professionals from the Company and  its
competitors  in the recent  past, and the  Company expects that  these and other
competitors will continue to try to recruit professionals away from the Company.
The loss  of any  key professional  could materially  and adversely  affect  the
Company's  operating results. The Company  expects competition from domestic and
international  banks  to  increase  as  a  result  of  recent  and   anticipated
legislative and regulatory initiatives in the United States to remove or relieve
certain  restrictions  on  commercial  banks.  The  Company's  focus  on  growth
companies also  subjects it  to direct  competition from  a group  of  specialty
securities  firms and  smaller investment  banking boutiques  that specialize in
providing services to the emerging growth company sector. Such competition could
adversely affect the  Company's operating  results, as  well as  its ability  to
attract and retain highly
 
                                       9
<PAGE>
skilled  individuals.  As  a  result of  increasing  competition,  revenues from
individual underwriting transactions  have been increasingly  allocated among  a
greater  number of co-managers,  a trend which has  resulted in reduced revenues
for certain transactions.
 
    RISK OF  REDUCED  REVENUES DUE  TO  COMPETITION ASSOCIATED  WITH  ELECTRONIC
SECURITIES  TRANSACTIONS.   The  Company also  faces competition  from companies
offering electronic  brokerage services,  a rapidly  developing industry.  These
competitors  may have lower costs or provide fewer services, and may offer these
customers more attractive pricing or other  terms, than the Company offers.  The
Company  also anticipates  competition from  underwriters who  attempt to effect
public  offerings  for   emerging  growth   companies  through   new  means   of
distribution, including transactions effected using electronic media such as the
Internet.  In addition, disintermediation  may occur as  issuers attempt to sell
their securities directly to purchasers, including sales using electronic  media
such  as the Internet. To  the extent that issuers  and purchasers of securities
transact business without the assistance of financial intermediaries such as the
Company, the  Company's  operating  results could  be  adversely  affected.  See
"Business--Competition."
 
RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH FEDERAL, STATE AND FOREIGN REGULATION
 
    The  securities  industry and  the business  of the  Company are  subject to
extensive regulation  in  the  United  States by  the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission   ("SEC"),  state   securities  regulators   and  other  governmental
regulatory authorities. The  business of the  Company also is  regulated in  the
United  States by industry self-regulatory organizations ("SROs"), including the
National Association of Securities  Dealers, Inc. ("NASD"),  the NYSE and  other
exchanges.  In addition, the business of the Company is subject to regulation by
governmental authorities and SROs in other countries or territories in which the
Company operates, including France, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Kingdom. The Company's  international
operations  also  require  compliance  with the  United  States  Foreign Corrupt
Practices Act. See "Business--Legal Proceedings" and "Regulation."
 
    POTENTIAL LIMITS  ON OPERATIONS  DUE  TO NET  CAPITAL  REQUIREMENTS.   As  a
registered  broker-dealer  and  member  of  the  NYSE,  the  Company's principal
subsidiary, Hambrecht &  Quist LLC ("H&Q  LLC"), is subject  to the net  capital
rules  of the SEC,  NYSE and NASD. The  Company's other registered broker-dealer
subsidiary, RvR Securities Corp. ("RvR Securities"), is also subject to the  net
capital  rules  of the  SEC and  NASD.  These rules,  which specify  minimum net
capital requirements for  registered broker-dealers and  NYSE and NASD  members,
are  designed to assure that broker-dealers maintain adequate regulatory capital
in relation to their liabilities and the size of their customer business.  These
requirements have the effect of requiring that at least a substantial portion of
a  broker-dealer's  assets  be  kept  in  cash  or  highly  liquid  investments.
Compliance with the net capital  requirements could limit those operations  that
require  the  intensive  use  of  capital,  such  as  underwriting  and  trading
activities. These rules also  could restrict the  Company's ability to  withdraw
capital  from H&Q LLC and RvR Securities even in circumstances where H&Q LLC and
RvR Securities have more than the  minimum amount of required capital. See  "Net
Capital Requirements."
 
    COMPLIANCE  WITH  VENTURE  CAPITAL  REGULATIONS.    In  connection  with the
Company's venture capital  activities, H&Q and  its affiliates, as  well as  the
venture  capital  funds  that  they  manage,  are  relying  on  exemptions  from
registration under  the  Investment  Advisers  Act  of  1940,  as  amended  (the
"Advisers  Act"),  the  Investment  Company  Act  of  1940,  as  amended,  state
securities laws  and laws  of various  foreign countries.  Failure to  meet  the
requirements  of any such exemptions could have a material adverse effect on the
manner in which the Company, its  affiliates and the venture capital funds  they
manage carry out their investment activities and on the compensation received by
the Company and its affiliates from the venture capital funds.
 
    RISK  OF  PENALTIES  DUE TO  NONCOMPLIANCE.    Compliance with  many  of the
regulations applicable to the Company  involves a number of risks,  particularly
in  areas where applicable regulations may be subject to varying interpretation.
In the event of non-compliance by H&Q  LLC or RvR Securities with an  applicable
regulation,  governmental regulators  and SROs  may institute  administrative or
judicial  proceedings  that  may  result  in  censure,  fine,  civil   penalties
(including  treble  damages  in the  case  of insider  trading  violations), the
issuance of cease-and-desist  orders, the  deregistration or  suspension of  the
non-compliant   broker-dealer   or   investment  adviser,   the   suspension  or
disqualification of the broker-dealer's officers  or employees or other  adverse
consequences. The Company recently agreed to a censure and a $40,000 fine by the
NYSE relating to
 
                                       10
<PAGE>
certain  loans  to  brokerage  customers  in  fiscal  1994  against  pledges  of
restricted securities. The imposition of any  future penalties or orders on  H&Q
LLC  could have a material adverse effect on the Company's operating results and
financial condition. See "Regulation."
 
    RISKS ASSOCIATED  WITH  CHANGING  REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT.    The  regulatory
environment  in which the Company operates is subject to change. The Company may
be adversely affected as a result  of new or revised legislation or  regulations
imposed  by  the SEC,  other United  States  or foreign  governmental regulatory
authorities or SROs. The  Company also may be  adversely affected by changes  in
the   interpretation  or  enforcement  of  existing  laws  and  rules  by  these
governmental authorities and SROs.
 
    NASDAQ ANTITRUST  LITIGATION.    Much  of  the  Company's  underwriting  and
market-making business involves securities traded on Nasdaq. Nasdaq's operations
have  been the  subject of  extensive scrutiny  in the  media and  by government
regulators, including by the Antitrust Division of the United States  Department
of  Justice. This  scrutiny has included  allegations of  collusion among Nasdaq
market-makers. H&Q LLC and 23 other Nasdaq market-makers recently entered into a
Stipulation and Order with the Department of Justice in which they agreed not to
engage in any  collusive activities  relating to  prices, quotes  or spreads  in
Nasdaq-traded  securities.  See  "Business--Legal  Proceedings--Nasdaq Antitrust
Litigation."
 
    POTENTIAL ADVERSE EFFECTS OF PROPOSED CHANGES IN NASDAQ OPERATIONS.  It  has
been  reported in the media that the SEC has  submitted to the NASD a draft of a
disciplinary case the SEC may file against the NASD, as well as a report setting
out the SEC's findings in detail. The SEC's case reportedly concerns the  NASD's
enforcement  oversight  of  Nasdaq.  According  to  these  media  reports,  NASD
officials have  proposed  a number  of  changes to  Nasdaq's  operations,  which
proposals  currently are being reviewed by government regulators. The Company is
unable to predict  the outcome of  any of  these proposals, and  certain of  the
changes  proposed by  NASD officials,  if effected,  could adversely  affect the
Company's operating results.
 
    RISK OF CHANGES IN OTHER BUSINESS REGULATIONS.  The Company's businesses may
be materially affected not only by  regulations applicable to it as a  financial
market  intermediary,  but  also  by  regulations  of  general  application. For
example, the volume of  the Company's underwriting,  merger and acquisition  and
principal  investment businesses  in a given  time period could  be affected by,
among other things, existing and proposed tax legislation, antitrust policy  and
other  governmental  regulations  and  policies  (including  the  interest  rate
policies of  the  Federal  Reserve  Board)  and  changes  in  interpretation  or
enforcement  of existing laws  and rules that affect  the business and financial
communities. The  level  of business  and  financing  activity in  each  of  the
industries  on  which the  Company  focuses can  be  affected not  only  by such
legislation   or   regulations   of   general   applicability,   but   also   by
industry-specific legislation or regulations.
 
RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT ACTIVITIES
 
    The  Company uses  a portion of  its own  capital in a  variety of principal
investment activities,  each of  which involves  risks of  illiquidity, loss  of
principal  and revaluation of  assets. At June 30,  1996 the Company's principal
investments represented  $25.4 million  invested in  non-marketable  securities,
venture  capital funds and investment partnerships and $58.4 million invested in
marketable securities. The Company purchases equity securities and, to a  lesser
extent,  debt securities, in  venture capital and other  high risk financings of
early-stage, pre-public  or  "mezzanine  stage" and  turnaround  companies.  The
Company  also provides asset-based financing  and purchases equity securities as
part of bridge or mezzanine financing transactions. The Company's  nonmarketable
investments  at June  30, 1996 valued  at $48.8  million, and the  report of the
Company's independent  public accountants  on the  Company's combined  financial
statements  includes a statement regarding the inherent uncertainty of valuation
of the Company's nonmarketable investments. The Company's investments, like  its
other  activities,  are  concentrated  in  a  small  number  of  industries  and
companies, and the companies in which the Company has invested as principal face
rapidly changing and  highly competitive environments,  increasing the risks  of
illiquidity  and loss  of principal,  and creating  risks associated  with asset
revaluation  as  market  conditions  change.  In  addition,  the  management  of
principal  investments often  requires substantial attention  from the Company's
professionals, particularly  if the  entity in  which the  Company has  invested
experiences financial difficulties, a restructuring or a sale.
 
                                       11
<PAGE>
    RISK  OF LOSSES DUE TO ILLIQUIDITY OF  INVESTMENTS.  The absence of a public
market for securities received in  principal investments means that the  Company
will not receive a return on its capital invested for an indeterminate period of
time,  if  at all.  A public  market for  these securities  may not  develop for
several years, if ever. The timing of access to liquidity depends on the general
market for initial public offerings of securities or mergers and acquisitions as
well as  the  particular company's  results  and  prospects and  trends  in  the
relevant  industry.  Delayed  access  to liquidity  could  adversely  affect the
Company's returns on its principal investments, which would adversely affect the
Company's operating results.
 
    RISK OF LOSS  OF CAPITAL INVESTED  IN PRINCIPAL TRANSACTIONS.   The  Company
also  risks the loss of capital it has invested as a principal. The companies in
which H&Q invests often rely on new or developing technologies or novel business
models, or concentrate  on markets which  have not yet  developed and may  never
develop  sufficiently to  support successful operations.  Companies supported by
venture capital have a high incidence of operating losses and business  failure,
which  typically results  in loss  of capital  invested. Companies  to which H&Q
provides mezzanine financing  often require  substantial cash  to support  their
operations,  risking loss  of H&Q's  principal if the  company in  which H&Q has
invested is  unable  to  raise  additional capital  through  an  initial  public
offering  of  its  securities.  If  a  business  that  has  received asset-based
financing from H&Q fails,  H&Q will be required  to repossess collateral,  which
may not be salable at a price equal to H&Q's initial investment. The entities in
which  H&Q  invests  as a  principal  often  are unable  to  obtain conventional
financing. The equity securities  that H&Q receives will  be subordinate to  the
issuer's  debt, may also be subordinate to other classes of equity and typically
will not provide  dividend income.  Debt securities  purchased by  H&Q may  rank
subordinate to other debt of the issuer. There can be no assurance that H&Q will
not  experience  significant  losses as  a  result of  its  principal investment
activities. A material loss  of capital would  adversely affect H&Q's  operating
results and financial condition.
 
    VOLATILITY OF PRINCIPAL INVESTMENTS; ADJUSTMENTS TO CARRYING VALUE.  H&Q may
be  required to mark up or mark down the value of its principal investments as a
result of industry- or company-specific factors  over which H&Q has no  control.
Publicly traded securities held as principal investments, which at June 30, 1996
aggregated  $58.4 million, are subject to significant volatility, increasing the
risk of a mark-down as a result of  a decline in market prices generally or  the
price   of  the  particular  security.  For  example,  the  Company's  principal
investment in The BISYS Group, Inc. ("BISYS") generated a pretax investment gain
of $14.7  million for  the  nine months  ended June  30,  1996, but  would  have
generated a pretax investment loss of $4.2 million between July 1, 1996 and July
24, 1996 if interim financial statements had been prepared for such period. If a
significant  mark-down of  a material  asset were  to occur  in the  future, the
Company's operating  results and  financial condition  would be  materially  and
adversely  affected.  See  "Management's Discussion  and  Analysis  of Financial
Condition and Results of  Operations," "Business--Venture Capital and  Principal
Investment  Activities"  and "--Risk  Management",  Notes 2  and  6 of  Notes to
Combined Financial Statements--September 30, 1995 and Note 4 of Condensed  Notes
to Combined Financial Statements--June 30, 1996.
 
RISK OF LOSSES FROM UNDERWRITING AND TRADING
 
    The  Company's underwriting, securities trading and market-making activities
are conducted by the Company as  principal and subject the Company's capital  to
significant  risks, including market, credit,  counterparty and liquidity risks.
These activities often involve the purchase, sale or short sale of securities as
principal in markets that may be  characterized by relative illiquidity or  that
may  be particularly susceptible to rapid fluctuations in liquidity. The Company
from time  to  time has  large  position  concentrations in  securities  of,  or
commitments  to, a  single issuer,  or issuers  engaged in  a specific industry,
particularly as a result of  the Company's underwriting activities. The  Company
tends to concentrate its trading positions and underwriting activities in a more
limited  number  of industry  sectors and  portfolio  companies than  many other
investment banks, which might result in  higher trading losses than would  occur
if  the Company's positions and activities  were less concentrated. In addition,
the trend  in all  major capital  markets, for  competitive and  other  reasons,
toward larger commitments on the part of lead underwriters means that, from time
to time, an underwriter (including a co-manager) may retain significant position
concentrations in individual securities. See "Business-- Risk Management."
 
                                       12
<PAGE>
RISK OF LOSSES FROM LITIGATION AND POTENTIAL LIABILITY UNDER SECURITIES LAWS
 
    Many  aspects  of  the  Company's  business  involve  substantial  risks  of
liability. An underwriter is exposed to substantial liability under federal  and
state  securities  laws,  other  federal and  state  laws  and  court decisions,
including decisions with respect to  underwriters' liability and limitations  on
indemnification  of underwriters by issuers. For example, a firm that acts as an
underwriter may be held liable for  material misstatements or omissions of  fact
in  a prospectus  used in  connection with the  securities being  offered or for
statements made by its securities analysts or other personnel.
 
    HEIGHTENED  RISK  OF  LOSSES  DUE  TO  INCREASING  FREQUENCY  OF  SECURITIES
LITIGATION.    In  recent  years,  there has  been  an  increasing  incidence of
litigation involving the securities industry, including class actions that  seek
substantial  damages. The Company has been active in the underwriting of initial
public offerings  and follow-on  offerings  of the  securities of  emerging  and
mid-size  growth companies, which often involve a  higher degree of risk and are
more volatile than the securities of more established companies. In  comparision
with more established companies, such emerging and mid-size growth companies are
also  more  likely to  be  the subject  of  securities class  actions,  to carry
directors and officers  liability insurance  policies with lower  limits, or  no
such  insurance, and  to become insolvent.  Each of these  factors increases the
likelihood that  an underwriter  of  an emerging  or mid-size  growth  company's
securities  will be required to contribute to any adverse judgment or settlement
of a securities lawsuit.
 
    FREQUENT  CLAIMS  AGAINST  UNDERWRITERS.    The  plaintiffs'  attorneys   in
securities  class  action lawsuits  frequently name  as defendants  the managing
underwriters of a public offering. H&Q LLC  is a named defendant in a number  of
class  action lawsuits  relating to  public offerings  in which  it served  as a
managing underwriter. In addition, H&Q  LLC is currently directly or  indirectly
subject  to  over  30  shareholder  class  action  lawsuits  relating  to public
offerings in which H&Q LLC served as a member of the underwriting syndicate  but
not  as a  managing underwriter. Plaintiffs'  attorneys also  name as defendants
investment banks  which  provide advisory  services  in merger  and  acquisition
transactions.  H&Q LLC is currently a defendant in one such lawsuit. The Company
anticipates that additional securities class action lawsuits naming H&Q LLC as a
defendant will be filed from time to  time in the future, particularly in  light
of  the increased number of  public offerings H&Q LLC  has underwritten, and the
increased number of  merger and acquisition  transactions in which  H&Q LLC  has
provided  advisory service,  in recent years,  and the fact  that the securities
involved in certain of such transactions have experienced, or may in the  future
experience,  significant declines in market value. In such lawsuits, all members
of the underwriting syndicate typically are  included as members of a  defendant
class  and/or are required by law, or  pursuant to the terms of the underwriting
agreement, to bear a portion of  any expenses or losses (including amounts  paid
in  settlement of  the litigation)  incurred by the  underwriters as  a group in
connection with the litigation, to the extent not covered by the indemnification
obligation of the issuer of the securities underwritten. H&Q LLC has on occasion
participated in settlements of these types of lawsuits by making payments to the
plaintiff class. There  can be no  assurance that  the Company, H&Q  LLC or  RvR
Securities will not find it necessary to make substantial settlement payments in
the  future. The Company has agreed to  indemnify H&Q LLC against any expense or
liability it may incur in connection with any such lawsuits.
 
    As the number of suits to which  the Company is a party increases, the  risk
to  the Company's assets also increases. If  the plaintiffs in any suits against
the Company were to successfully prosecute their claims, or if the Company  were
to  settle  such suits  by making  significant payments  to the  plaintiffs, the
Company's operating  results and  financial condition  could be  materially  and
adversely  affected. As is  common in the securities  industry, the Company does
not carry  insurance  that would  cover  any  such payments.  In  addition,  the
Company's  charter documents  allow indemnification  of the  Company's officers,
directors and agents  to the maximum  extent permitted under  Delaware law.  The
Company  has  entered into  indemnification agreements  with these  persons. The
Company has  been  and in  the  future may  be  the subject  of  indemnification
assertions under these charter documents or agreements by officers, directors or
agents of the Company who are or may become defendants in litigation.
 
    DIVERSION OF MANAGEMENT ATTENTION.  In addition to these financial costs and
risks,  the defense  of litigation  has, to a  certain extent,  diverted, and is
expected  to  divert  in   the  future,  the  efforts   and  attention  of   the
 
                                       13
<PAGE>
Company's  management and  staff. The amount  of time that  management and other
employees are required to  devote in connection with  the defense of  litigation
could  be substantial  and might  materially divert  their attention  from other
responsibilities within  the  Company.  Securities class  action  litigation  in
particular  is highly complex  and can extend  for a protracted  period of time,
thereby consuming substantial time  and effort of  the Company's management  and
substantially increasing the cost of such litigation.
 
    UNCERTAIN  LEGAL ENVIRONMENT.  The laws relating to securities class actions
are currently in a state of flux. The eventual impact of the Private  Securities
Litigation  Reform  Act of  1995 on  securities class  action litigation  is not
known. In  addition, there  are certain  proposed California  ballot  initiative
provisions  which  the Company  believes would,  if passed,  make it  easier for
securities class action plaintiffs to litigate in California state court.
 
    LITIGATION RISKS RELATED  TO PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT  ACTIVITIES.  The  Company
also  has been  subject to  litigation in state  and federal  courts relating to
companies in which the  Company has invested  as a principal.  The risk of  such
litigation is magnified where H&Q has a substantial or controlling interest in a
company,  or where one or more of H&Q's employees serves on a company's Board of
Directors. On occasion, such litigation has produced results materially  adverse
to  H&Q. In  particular, during  1991 and  1992, the  Company settled litigation
relating  to  MiniScribe  Corporation  ("MiniScribe")  at  an  aggregate   cost,
including  expenses, of  approximately $59.8  million. All  payments relating to
such MiniScribe settlements were  made prior to  May 31, 1996.  There can be  no
assurance that the Company, as a result of its investments as a principal or the
service  of the Company's employees as directors of other entities or otherwise,
will not lead to similar litigation or settlement payments in the future.
 
    RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH OTHER DISPUTES.  In the normal course of business, the
Company is also a  defendant in various civil  actions and arbitrations  arising
out of its activities as a broker-dealer in securities, as an underwriter, as an
employer  and as a result  of other business activities.  The Company has in the
past made substantial  payments in  connection with the  resolution of  disputed
claims,  and there can  be no assurance that  substantial payments in connection
with the resolution of disputed claims will not occur in the future.
 
    An adverse resolution of any pending or future lawsuits against H&Q LLC, RvR
Securities or  the  Company  could materially  affect  the  Company's  operating
results and financial condition. See "Business--Legal Proceedings."
 
RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH MANAGEMENT OF GROWTH
 
    Over  the past several years, the Company has experienced significant growth
in its business  activities and  the number of  its employees.  This growth  has
required  and  will  continue  to  require  increased  investment  in management
personnel, financial and management systems and controls, and facilities, which,
in the absence of continued revenue growth, would cause the Company's  operating
margins  to  decline from  current  levels. In  addition,  as is  common  in the
securities industry, the Company is and will continue to be highly dependent  on
the  effective  and reliable  operation  of its  communications  and information
systems. The Company  believes that  its current and  anticipated future  growth
will  require implementation of new  and enhanced communications and information
systems and training of its personnel to operate such systems. Any difficulty or
significant delay in the implementation or operation of existing or new  systems
or  the training  of personnel could  adversely affect the  Company's ability to
manage growth. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial  Condition
and   Results  of  Operations"  and  "Business--Accounting,  Administration  and
Operations."
 
RISK OF SYSTEMS FAILURE
 
    The Company's business is highly dependent on communications and information
systems. Any failure or interruption of the Company's systems, or of the systems
of the Company's clearing broker, could cause delays in the Company's securities
trading activities, which could have a material adverse effect on the  Company's
operating  results. There can be  no assurance that the  Company or its clearing
broker will not suffer any such systems failure or interruption, whether  caused
by  an  earthquake, fire,  other natural  disaster, power  or telecommunications
failure, act of  God, act of  war or  otherwise, or that  the Company's  back-up
procedures  and capabilities  in the event  of any such  failure or interruption
will be adequate.
 
                                       14
<PAGE>
DEPENDENCE ON AVAILABILITY OF CAPITAL AND FUNDING
 
    A substantial  portion of  the  Company's total  assets consists  of  highly
liquid  marketable securities and short-term receivables arising from securities
transactions. The funding needs of the Company to date have been satisfied  from
internally generated funds and paid-in capital. In addition, the Company borrows
limited  amounts on a collateralized basis from a bank to support the activities
of its Executive Financial Services group.  On a pro forma basis, the  Company's
cash  at June 30, 1996  would have been reduced prior  to the completion of this
offering by approximately $9.3 million through the transactions described  under
"Restructuring" and the satisfaction of commitments of Hambrecht & Quist L.P. to
make  a tax distribution of a portion of the partnership's taxable income to its
partners ("Tax Distribution"). There can be no assurance that adequate financing
to support  the  Company's  businesses  will  be  available  in  the  future  on
attractive  terms,  or  at all.  See  "Management's Discussion  and  Analysis of
Financial Condition and  Results of Operations--Overview"  and "--Liquidity  and
Capital Resources."
 
EFFECTS OF RESTRUCTURING
 
   
    The  transactions  described  in  "Restructuring"  involved  a distribution,
principally to the Company's existing equity securityholders, of $5.0 million in
cash, an additional cash amount for  the Tax Distribution of approximately  $4.4
million  (of  which approximately  $800,000 was  accrued at  June 30,  1996) and
securities with a book  value at June 30,  1996 of approximately $20.6  million.
These   distributions  not   only  reduced   the  Company's   total  assets  and
stockholders' equity but also reduced the amount of investment assets, including
the amount of non-marketable  investments, from which  the Company can  generate
future  net investment gains or losses. The restructuring transactions will also
result in a  higher effective income  tax rate on  the Company's future  taxable
income.  Holders of interests in the entities participating in the restructuring
transactions who perfect their statutory dissenters' rights under the California
Corporations Code will not receive shares  of Company Common Stock, but  instead
will  be entitled to have their interests  purchased by the entity in which they
hold an interest for cash at fair market value, determined as of the day  before
the  first announcement of  the terms of the  restructuring transactions. To the
extent  that  holders  of  interests  in  the  entities  participating  in   the
restructuring  transactions exercise their dissenters'  rights, the Company will
be required  to pay  cash for  dissenters' interests,  and fewer  shares of  the
Company's  Common Stock  will be outstanding.  Any substantial  cash payments to
dissenters may  have  a  material  adverse effect  on  the  Company's  financial
condition. See "Restructuring."
    
 
RISKS OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
 
    Executive officers, directors and employees of the Company from time to time
invest,  or  receive a  profit  interest, in  investments  in private  or public
companies or  investment funds  in which  the Company,  or an  affiliate of  the
Company,  is an investor or for which the Company carries out investment banking
assignments, publishes  research or  acts as  a market-maker.  In addition,  the
Company  has in the  past organized and  may in the  future organize businesses,
such as  Hambrecht &  Quist Guaranty  Finance or  Hambrecht &  Quist  Transition
Capital, in which employees of H&Q acquire minority interests. There are certain
risks  that, as  a result  of such investment  or profits  interest, a director,
officer or  employee  may  take  actions which  would  conflict  with  the  best
interests  of Hambrecht  & Quist.  See "Business--Venture  Capital and Principal
Investment Activities," and "Certain Transactions."
 
CONTROL OF THE COMPANY; ANTI-TAKEOVER EFFECTS OF CERTAIN CHARTER PROVISIONS
 
    Upon the  completion  of  this offering,  the  Company's  current  executive
officers  and  directors  will  beneficially  own  approximately  41.0%  of  the
outstanding Common Stock. Accordingly, these  stockholders, if they were to  act
as  a group, may be  able to elect all of  the Company's directors, increase the
authorized capital and otherwise control the  policies of the Company. Upon  the
completion  of this  offering, the  Company's Board  of Directors  will have the
authority to issue up  to 5,000,000 shares of  Preferred Stock and to  determine
the  price,  rights,  preferences and  privileges  of those  shares  without any
further vote or action by the stockholders. The rights of the holders of  Common
Stock  will be subject to,  and may be adversely affected  by, the rights of the
holders of any Preferred Stock that may be issued in the future. The issuance of
shares of Preferred Stock, while potentially providing desirable flexibility  in
connection  with possible acquisitions and  other corporate purposes, could have
the effect of making it more difficult  for a third party to acquire a  majority
of  the outstanding  voting stock  of the Company.  In addition,  the Company is
subject   to    the    provisions   of    Section    203   of    the    Delaware
 
                                       15
<PAGE>
General  Corporation Law,  which will  prohibit the  Company from  engaging in a
"business combination" with an  "interested stockholder" for  a period of  three
years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested
stockholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner.
The  application  of Section  203  also could  have  the effect  of  delaying or
preventing a  change  of control  of  the  Company. Certain  provisions  of  the
Company's  Certificate of  Incorporation and  Bylaws, including  provisions that
provide for the Board of Directors to be divided into three classes to serve for
staggered three-year terms,  may have  the effect  of delaying  or preventing  a
change  of control of the Company, which could adversely affect the market price
of the Company's  Common Stock. See  "Management," "Principal Stockholders"  and
"Description of Capital Stock."
 
ABSENCE OF PRIOR MARKET FOR COMMON STOCK
 
   
    Prior  to this  offering, there  has been  no public  market for  the Common
Stock, and there can be no assurance  that an active public market will  develop
or,  if developed, will be sustained following this offering. The initial public
offering price of the Common  Stock was determined through negotiations  between
the  Company and  the Representatives  of the  Underwriters, based  upon several
factors. For a discussion of the  factors taken into account in determining  the
initial  public  offering price,  see "Underwriting."  Certain factors,  such as
sales of Common Stock into the market by existing stockholders, fluctuations  in
operating  results  of the  Company or  its  competitors, market  conditions for
similar stocks and  market conditions generally  for emerging growth  companies,
particularly in the technology and healthcare industries, could cause the market
price  of the  Common Stock to  fluctuate substantially. In  addition, the stock
market has  experienced  significant price  and  volume fluctuations  that  have
particularly  affected the market  prices of equity  securities of companies and
that have often been unrelated to  the operating performance of such  companies.
Accordingly,  the  market price  of the  Common  Stock may  decline even  if the
Company's operating results or prospects have not changed.
    
 
SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
 
    Sales of  a substantial  number of  shares  of Common  Stock in  the  public
market,  whether by  purchasers in  this offering  or other  stockholders of the
Company, could adversely affect the prevailing market price of the Common Stock,
and could  impair the  Company's  future ability  to  raise capital  through  an
offering  of its equity securities. Assuming  no exercise of stock options after
June 30, 1996, and  assuming transferability of shares  which may be subject  to
vesting  or other contractual restrictions,  immediately after the completion of
this offering there will be 22,169,064  shares of Common Stock outstanding,  all
of  which will  be freely  tradeable in the  public markets,  subject in certain
cases to the  volume and  other limitations set  forth in  Rule 144  promulgated
under  the  Securities Act  of 1933  ("Securities Act").  All of  the 18,669,064
shares outstanding immediately prior to this offering will be subject to  lockup
restrictions ("Lockup"), unless released by all of Hambrecht & Quist LLC, Morgan
Stanley & Co. Incorporated and the Company. The Lockup prohibits the disposition
of  any such shares until  the date 18 months after  the date of this Prospectus
("Effective Date"),  provided that  six months  after the  Effective Date,  each
stockholder  may sell the greater of 10,000  shares or 5% of the holder's shares
outstanding on  the  Effective  Date  (an  aggregate  maximum  of  approximately
2,014,000  shares), and 12 months after the Effective Date, each stockholder may
sell an additional number of shares equal to the greater of 10,000 shares or  5%
of  the  holder's  shares  outstanding  on  the  Effective  Date  (an additional
aggregate maximum of approximately 1,472,000 shares). Any shares subject to  the
Lockup  may be released  at any time with  or without notice  to the public. See
"Shares Eligible for Future Sale" and "Underwriting."
 
NO SPECIFIC USE OF PROCEEDS
 
    The Company has not  designated any specific use  for the net proceeds  from
the  sale by  the Company  of Common Stock  offered hereby.  Rather, the Company
intends to  use  the net  proceeds  primarily for  general  corporate  purposes,
including  working  capital  and potential  principal  investments. Accordingly,
management will have  significant flexibility  in applying the  net proceeds  of
this offering. See "Use of Proceeds."
 
IMMEDIATE AND SUBSTANTIAL DILUTION
 
   
    Purchasers  of  Common  Stock  in this  offering  will  experience immediate
dilution in net  tangible book  value of  $6.66 per  share. To  the extent  that
currently outstanding options to purchase Common Stock are exercised, purchasers
of Common Stock will experience additional dilution. See "Dilution."
    
 
                                       16
<PAGE>
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
 
    This  Prospectus contains forward-looking statements, which may be deemed to
include the Company's plans to  identify emerging trends and industries,  expand
the range of services it offers, increase the number of its investor and company
clients,   expand  its  role  in  capital  markets  outside  the  United  States
(particularly in Europe and Asia), increase its principal investment activities,
expand its client base and investment banking activities in the branded consumer
industry and increase the number of  its personnel. Actual results could  differ
from  those projected in any forward-looking statements for the reasons detailed
in the  other sections  of this  "Risk Factors"  portion of  the Prospectus,  or
elsewhere in this Prospectus.
 
                                       17
<PAGE>
                                  THE COMPANY
 
   
    Hambrecht  & Quist  Group, a Delaware  corporation, was formed  as a holding
company  for  all  of  the  operations  of  Hambrecht  &  Quist  following   the
Restructuring  described below. The  Restructuring was effected  in August 1996.
The Company is the  successor to the businesses  conducted by Hambrecht &  Quist
Group,  a California corporation  established in 1983  ("Group California"), and
Hambrecht & Quist, L.P.,  a California limited  partnership established in  1993
("LP").  In  1983, Group  California succeeded  to the  business of  Hambrecht &
Quist, a California  partnership formed  in 1968. Unless  the context  otherwise
requires,  "Hambrecht &  Quist," "H&Q"  and the  "Company" refer  to Hambrecht &
Quist Group,  a  Delaware  corporation, and  its  predecessors,  affiliates  and
subsidiaries.  Hambrecht  &  Quist  and H&Q  are  registered  trademarks  of the
Company.
    
 
   
    The Company operates primarily as a holding company and indirectly owns  all
of  the subsidiaries and equity interests in affiliated entities that previously
were owned by either Group California or  LP. Hambrecht & Quist LLC ("H&Q  LLC")
is  the Company's principal investment banking subsidiary and securities broker-
dealer.
    
 
   
    The Company's other principal operating subsidiaries or affiliated entities,
which are  directly or  indirectly  wholly owned  except  as indicated,  are  as
follows:  RvR Securities  Corp. ("RvR  Securities"), a  registered broker-dealer
serving  companies  with   smaller  capitalizations  than   H&Q  LLC's   typical
underwriting   clients;  Hambrecht  &   Quist  Capital  Management  Incorporated
("Capital Management"), a registered investment  adviser to two publicly  traded
closed-end  mutual  funds;  Hambrecht  & Quist  Venture  Partners,  a California
Limited Partnership  ("Venture Partners"),  a  venture capital  fund  management
partnership in which the Company has a controlling general partnership interest;
Hambrecht  &  Quist  Guaranty  Finance,  LLC  (together  with  its  predecessor,
Hambrecht & Quist  Guaranty Finance, L.P.,  "Guaranty Finance"), an  87.5%-owned
subsidiary  of the  Company engaged  in asset-based  financing; and  Hambrecht &
Quist Transition Capital, LLC ("Transition Capital"), an 87.5%-owned  subsidiary
of  the Company formed in 1996 to  provide bridge loans and mezzanine financings
to emerging growth companies.
    
 
    In addition, the Company's international activities are carried out in  part
through  Hambrecht & Quist Saint Dominique,  a 50%-owned joint venture formed in
1996 that provides investment banking  services to emerging growth companies  in
Europe.
 
    The  Company also maintains  minority investments in  H&Q Asia Pacific, Ltd.
("Asia Pacific"), which provides financial advisory and fund management services
in the  Asia Pacific  region, Beeson  Gregory Holdings  Limited, a  London-based
brokerage firm and financial adviser specializing in growth companies, De Santis
Capital  Management, L.P., a  registered investment adviser,  and EASDAQ S.A., a
Nasdaq-type stock market for  emerging growth companies  in Europe. The  Company
also  has a 20%  interest in Lewco  Securities Corp. ("Lewco"),  which acts as a
clearing broker and depository for Schroder Wertheim & Co. and the Company.
 
    The Company's  executive  offices  are  located  at  One  Bush  Street,  San
Francisco, California 94104, and its telephone number is (415) 576-3300.
 
                                       18
<PAGE>
                                 RESTRUCTURING
 
   
    In   August  1996,  the  Company  engaged   in  a  series  of  restructuring
transactions (collectively,  the  "Restructuring").  Immediately  prior  to  the
Restructuring,  the Company operated through  two entities, Group California and
LP, and a  majority of the  outstanding shares and  options of Group  California
were  owned  by  members  of  the Board  of  Directors,  Managing  Directors and
Principals of  the Company,  and  ownership positions  of the  shareholders  and
optionholders  of  Group California  and  the beneficial  owners  of partnership
interests in LP were substantially the same.
    
 
    Prior to the Restructuring, Group California owned 70% of H&Q LLC and all of
the Company's interests in its subsidiaries and affiliates, other than  Guaranty
Finance,  as well as certain securities held for investment; LP owned 30% of H&Q
LLC and 70% of Guaranty Finance;  and Guaranty Finance was 15% owned  indirectly
by Daniel H. Case III, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and
15%  owned  indirectly  by the  President  of  the General  Partner  of Guaranty
Finance, who is otherwise unaffiliated with the Company.
 
   
    The principal  objective of  the  Restructuring was  to eliminate  the  dual
ownership  structure of  Group California  and LP in  order to  create a simpler
organizational structure, while retaining the tax efficiencies achieved to  date
with   respect  to   portfolio  investments  presently   held  by   LP.  In  the
Restructuring, LP distributed  to a  liquidating trust  for the  benefit of  its
partners   (i)  $5.0  million  in  cash,  (ii)  an  additional  cash  amount  of
approximately $4.4 million  (representing 50%  of LP's profits  between June  1,
1996  and  the  closing  date  of  the  Mergers,  as  defined  below,  of  which
approximately $800,000  was  accrued  at  June  30,  1996),  and  (iii)  certain
securities with a book value as of June 30, 1996 of approximately $18.5 million,
including  the  securities  distributed  to  LP  from  Guaranty  Finance.  These
securities represent investments that have a market value higher than their  tax
basis  and were distributed in order to achieve the tax efficiencies afforded by
the LP partnership  structure. The  securities include 519,107  shares of  BISYS
with  a book  value on June  30, 1996  of approximately $13.6  million and other
securities owned by LP, and other investments with a book value on such date  of
approximately  $4.9 million  that were  distributed to  LP by  Guaranty Finance.
Guaranty Finance also distributed to its minority equity holders securities with
a book value, as  of June 30, 1996,  of approximately $2.1 million.  Immediately
following the LP and Guaranty Finance distributions, LP was merged with and into
the  Company, and Group California  merged with a subsidiary  of the Company and
became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (the "Mergers"). Pursuant to the
Mergers, the partners of LP and the shareholders of Group California who do  not
perfect  their statutory  dissenters' rights  under the  California Corporations
Code will receive 24 shares of Company Common Stock for each LP equity ownership
unit and four shares of Company Common Stock for each share of Group  California
Common  Stock. Such shares will  be subject to the  restrictions on transfer set
forth in "Shares Eligible  for Future Sale." The  information set forth in  this
Prospectus  assumes that  there will be  no exercise of  dissenters' rights. The
Mergers are intended to be non-taxable  transactions under Sections 351 and  368
of  the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. See "Risk Factors--Effects of
Restructuring."
    
 
   
    In June  1996, Group  California created  a trust  ("Group Trust")  for  the
benefit  of certain  current and  former employees  and transferred  its limited
partnership interest in LP to the Group Trust. Prior to the effectiveness of the
Mergers, Group California purchased Mr.  Case's interest in Guaranty Finance  at
its  fair  market  value.  Mr.  Case co-founded  Guaranty  Finance  in  1983 and
purchased his interest  at fair market  value at the  time Guaranty Finance  was
initially   capitalized  in   1985.  Subsequently,  Mr.   Case  made  additional
investments  or  increased  his  percentage  ownership  indirectly  in  Guaranty
Finance,  principally by foregoing  his share of a  cash distribution that Group
California received  from Guaranty  Finance  in 1992.  The repurchase  by  Group
California  of this interest was  effected in order to  avoid the possibility or
appearance of a conflict of  interest between Mr. Case  and the Company, and  to
align  more directly  Mr. Case's  equity interests  related to  the Company with
those of other Company stockholders.  In addition, Group California purchased  a
portion  of  the  interest  in  Guaranty  Finance  held  by  the  other minority
shareholder, and sold interests in Guaranty Finance to certain Guaranty  Finance
employees  and to a non-officer employee  of the Company who devotes significant
time to Guaranty Finance. As a result  of such purchases and sales, the  Company
has  an 87.5% interest  in Guaranty Finance.  Prior to the  effectiveness of the
Mergers, the Company also sold 12.5% of Transition Capital to certain  employees
and  consultants  of Transition  Capital and  to a  non-officer employee  of the
Company who  devotes  significant  time  to  Transition  Capital.  See  "Certain
Transactions."
    
 
                                       19
<PAGE>
   
    The  historical financial  statements included elsewhere  in this Prospectus
include the combined  operations of Group  California and LP.  The entities  are
presented  on a  combined basis because  the entities have  been operating under
common management. There is a high  degree of common ownership and the  entities
were  merged in the Restructuring. The  Restructuring of Group California and LP
by their shareholders  and partners,  respectively, into  one surviving  holding
company,  Hambrecht  & Quist  Group,  will be  accounted  for at  the individual
shareholders' and  partners'  carrying  values, which  represent  the  entities'
carrying  values.  See  Note 1  of  Notes  to Combined  Financial  Statements --
September 30, 1995.
    
 
                                       20
<PAGE>
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
 
   
    The net proceeds to be received by  the Company from the sale of the  Common
Stock  offered hereby, after  deducting the underwriting  discount and estimated
offering expenses, are estimated to be approximately $51,280,000 ($59,092,000 if
the Underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full). The proceeds will
be used for general corporate purposes, including increased levels of  principal
investments.  Pending  such use,  the proceeds  will  be invested  in short-term
securities. The  Company expects  that it  will, from  time to  time, engage  in
additional  financings as the need arises to support the growth of the Company's
businesses. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations--Liquidity and  Capital Resources" and  "Business--Venture
Capital and Principal Investment Activities."
    
 
                                DIVIDEND POLICY
 
    The Company has not previously paid dividends on its Common Stock and has no
present  intention to  pay dividends  in the  future. The  timing and  amount of
future dividends, if any, will be determined by the Board and will depend, among
other factors,  upon  the  Company's  earnings,  financial  condition  and  cash
requirements at the time such payment is considered.
 
                                       21
<PAGE>
                                 CAPITALIZATION
 
   
    The  following table sets forth the  Company's combined capitalization as of
June 30, 1996  (i) on an  actual basis, giving  effect to the  issuance of  four
shares  of the Company's Common Stock for  each share of Group California Common
Stock in the Restructuring, (ii)  on a pro forma basis  giving effect to all  of
the transactions described under "Restructuring" and to the Tax Distribution and
(iii) on such pro forma basis, as further adjusted to reflect the receipt by the
Company  of the net proceeds from the sale of the shares of Common Stock offered
hereby,  after  deducting  the  underwriting  discount  and  estimated  offering
expenses  and  the  application  of  the net  proceeds  therefrom.  See  "Use of
Proceeds." This table should be read in conjunction with the Combined  Financial
Statements--June  30,  1996  and  Condensed  Notes  thereto,  "Selected Combined
Financial Data" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations" appearing elsewhere in this Prospectus.
    
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                          JUNE 30, 1996
                                                                               -----------------------------------
                                                                                 ACTUAL    PRO FORMA   AS ADJUSTED
                                                                               ----------  ----------  -----------
                                                                                         (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                                            <C>         <C>         <C>
Long-term debt...............................................................  $       --  $       --   $      --
                                                                               ----------  ----------  -----------
Stockholders' equity(1):
  Preferred Stock, none authorized, actual; par value $0.01, 5,000,000 shares                      --          --
   authorized, no shares issued and outstanding, pro forma and as adjusted...
  Common Stock, no par value, 40,000,000 shares authorized, 16,081,168 shares      23,990         187         222
   issued and outstanding, actual; par value $0.01, 100,000,000 shares
   authorized, pro forma and as adjusted; 18,669,064 shares issued and
   outstanding pro forma; 22,169,064 shares issued and outstanding as
   adjusted..................................................................
Additional paid-in capital...................................................                  44,814      96,059
Retained earnings............................................................     104,469     110,724     110,724
                                                                               ----------  ----------  -----------
  Total stockholders' equity.................................................     128,459     155,725     207,005
                                                                               ----------  ----------  -----------
Hambrecht & Quist, L.P. partners' capital....................................      41,935          --          --
                                                                               ----------  ----------  -----------
    Total long-term debt, stockholders' equity and partners' capital.........  $  170,394  $  155,725   $ 207,005
                                                                               ----------  ----------  -----------
                                                                               ----------  ----------  -----------
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
(1) Excludes 5,697,520 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of  options
    outstanding  as of  June 30,  1996 at a  weighted average  exercise price of
    $7.15 per share and 3,000,000 shares  of Common Stock reserved for  issuance
    at  June 30,  1996 under the  Company's 1996 Equity  Plan. See "Management--
    Compensation Plans"  and Note  8 of  Condensed Notes  to Combined  Financial
    Statements--June 30, 1996.
 
                                       22
<PAGE>
                                    DILUTION
 
   
    The pro forma net tangible book value of the Company as of June 30, 1996 was
approximately $155,725,000 or approximately $8.34 per share of Common Stock. Pro
forma  net tangible book value per share  represents the amount of the Company's
pro forma tangible assets, after giving  effect to the Restructuring, but  prior
to  the sale of the shares offered hereby, less its pro forma total liabilities,
divided by the  pro forma number  of shares of  Common Stock outstanding.  After
giving effect to the sale of the 3,500,000 shares of Common Stock offered hereby
(after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses), the
pro  forma net tangible book value of the Company as of June 30, 1996 would have
been  approximately  $207,005,000,  or  approximately  $9.34  per  share.   This
represents an immediate increase of $1.00 per share to existing stockholders and
an  immediate dilution of $6.66 per share  to new investors. The following table
illustrates this per share dilution:
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Initial public offering price per share(1)........................             $   16.00
<S>                                                                 <C>        <C>
  Pro forma net tangible book value per share as of June 30,
   1996...........................................................  $    8.34
  Increase per share attributable to new investors................       1.00
                                                                    ---------
Pro forma net tangible book value per share after the offering....                  9.34
                                                                               ---------
Dilution per share to new investors...............................             $    6.66
                                                                               ---------
                                                                               ---------
</TABLE>
    
 
    The following table summarizes, on  a pro forma basis  as of June 30,  1996,
the  difference between the number of shares  of Common Stock purchased from the
Company, the total consideration  paid and the average  price per share paid  by
the existing stockholders and by the investors purchasing shares of Common Stock
offered hereby:
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                             SHARES
                                                            PURCHASED              TOTAL CONSIDERATION
                                                    -------------------------  ---------------------------  AVERAGE PRICE
                                                       NUMBER       PERCENT        AMOUNT        PERCENT      PER SHARE
                                                    ------------  -----------  --------------  -----------  -------------
<S>                                                 <C>           <C>          <C>             <C>          <C>
Existing stockholders.............................    18,669,064        84.2%  $   45,001,021        44.6%    $    2.41
New investors(1)(2)...............................     3,500,000        15.8       56,000,000        55.4         16.00
                                                    ------------       -----   --------------       -----
  Total...........................................    22,169,064       100.0%  $  101,001,021       100.0%
                                                    ------------       -----   --------------       -----
                                                    ------------       -----   --------------       -----
</TABLE>
    
 
- ------------------------
   
(1) Before deducting the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses.
    
 
   
(2) Does  not reflect  the effect  on Total  Consideration or  Average Price Per
    Share of the sale of  up to 65,000 of the  shares offered hereby to  certain
    employees of the Company at $14.88 per share.
    
 
    The foregoing computations exclude 5,697,520 shares of Common Stock issuable
upon  exercise of options outstanding as of June 30, 1996, at a weighted average
exercise price of $7.15 per share and 3,000,000 shares of Common Stock  reserved
as  of June 30, 1996  for issuance under the Company's  1996 Equity Plan. To the
extent that  any  outstanding  options  are exercised,  there  will  be  further
dilution  to new investors. See "Management--  Compensation Plans" and Note 8 of
Condensed Notes to Combined Financial Statements--June 30, 1996.
 
                                       23
<PAGE>
                        SELECTED COMBINED FINANCIAL DATA
 
    The selected combined financial  data set forth  below include the  combined
operations  of Group California  and LP and  should be read  in conjunction with
"Management's Discussion  and Analysis  of Financial  Condition and  Results  of
Operations"  and the  Combined Financial  Statements and  Notes thereto included
elsewhere in this Prospectus. The combined statement of operations data for  the
fiscal  years ended September 30,  1993, 1994 and 1995  and the combined balance
sheet data  as of  September 30,  1994 and  1995 are  derived from  the  audited
Combined  Financial  Statements and  Notes  thereto included  elsewhere  in this
Prospectus. The combined statement of operations data for the nine months  ended
June 30, 1995 and 1996, and the combined balance sheet data as of June 30, 1996,
are  derived  from unaudited  financial  statements included  elsewhere  in this
Prospectus,  and  include,  in  the  opinion  of  management,  all   adjustments
(consisting   only  of  normal  recurring  adjustments)  necessary  for  a  fair
presentation of the financial position and results of operations of the  Company
for  such periods.  The results for  the year  ended September 30,  1995 and the
nine-month period ended  June 30,  1996 are  not necessarily  indicative of  the
results  to be  expected for the  entire year  ending September 30,  1996 or any
future period. The combined  balance sheet data as  of September 30, 1991,  1992
and  1993 and  the combined  statement of  operations data  for the  years ended
September 30, 1991 and 1992 have been derived from audited financial  statements
of the Company which are not included in this Prospectus. The selected pro forma
combined  financial data set forth below should  be read in conjunction with the
Pro Forma Combined Balance Sheet as of June 30, 1996 and Notes thereto  included
elsewhere  in this Prospectus.  The Pro Forma  Combined Statements of Operations
for the year ended September  30, 1995 and the nine  months ended June 30,  1996
present  the results  for the  Company as if  the Restructuring  had occurred on
October 1, 1994, and are based  on the historical Combined Financial  Statements
after  giving  effect  to  the  Restructuring.  The  pro  forma  adjustments are
described in the accompanying Notes to Pro Forma Combined Financial Statements.
 
                                       24
<PAGE>
                    SELECTED COMBINED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
              (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AND OPERATING DATA)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                 FISCAL YEAR
                                                                                          NINE MONTHS ENDED    ENDED SEPTEMBER
                                             FISCAL YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30,                   JUNE 30,              30,
                                  -----------------------------------------------------  --------------------  ---------------
<S>                               <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
                                    1991       1992       1993       1994       1995       1995       1996          1995
                                  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------------
 
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                PRO FORMA(1)
<S>                               <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
COMBINED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
  Revenues:
    Principal transactions......  $  23,480  $  33,438  $  30,045  $  36,411  $  53,425  $  36,316  $  75,354     $  53,425
    Agency commissions..........     11,135     12,557     14,221     14,242     24,603     15,911     29,094        24,603
    Investment banking..........     23,176     51,517     42,960     29,234     70,360     39,400    130,522        70,360
    Corporate finance fees......      7,409      8,371      9,993     18,561     20,709     14,530     31,947        20,709
    Net investment gains........      7,026      8,193      3,524     10,270     33,852     18,542     19,087        26,439
    Other.......................      9,620     11,418      9,804     10,612     17,074     11,988     26,358        16,809
                                  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------       -------
    Total revenues..............     81,846    125,494    110,547    119,330    220,023    136,687    312,362       212,345
                                  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------       -------
  Expenses:
    Compensation and benefits...     37,424     58,044     54,917     60,175    105,370     68,750    159,738       105,370
    Brokerage and clearance.....      5,611      6,184      6,892      7,367     10,441      6,678     10,017        10,441
    Occupancy and equipment.....      6,003      6,040      6,045      6,679      7,803      5,511      7,146         7,803
    Communications..............      3,461      4,135      4,377      6,244      7,394      5,533      7,310         7,394
    Interest....................        303      1,141      1,464        987      1,266        727      1,041         1,266
    Other(2)....................     44,382     33,226     10,256     11,315     15,131     10,790     19,717        15,131
                                  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------       -------
    Total expenses..............     97,184    107,770     83,951     92,767    147,405     97,989    204,969       147,405
                                  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------       -------
  Minority interest(3)..........        453        794        352        526        719        454        874           300
                                  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------       -------
  Income (loss) before income
   tax provision................    (15,791)    16,930     26,244     26,037     71,899     38,244    106,519        64,640
  Income tax provision
   (credit).....................     (5,878)     7,200     10,940     10,119     22,461     11,810     36,493        28,442
                                  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------       -------
  Net income (loss).............  $  (9,913) $   9,730  $  15,304  $  15,918  $  49,438  $  26,434  $  70,026     $  36,198
                                  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------       -------
                                  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------       -------
  Pro forma net income per
   share(4).....................                                                                                  $    1.83
                                                                                                                    -------
                                                                                                                    -------
  Pro forma weighted average
   shares outstanding(4)........                                                                                     19,827
                                                                                                                    -------
                                                                                                                    -------
 
<CAPTION>
                                   NINE MONTHS
                                      ENDED
                                    JUNE 30,
                                  -------------
<S>                               <C>
                                      1996
                                  -------------
 
<S>                               <C>
COMBINED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
  Revenues:
    Principal transactions......    $  75,354
    Agency commissions..........       29,094
    Investment banking..........      130,522
    Corporate finance fees......       31,947
    Net investment gains........       15,383
    Other.......................       26,159
                                  -------------
    Total revenues..............      308,459
                                  -------------
  Expenses:
    Compensation and benefits...      159,738
    Brokerage and clearance.....       10,017
    Occupancy and equipment.....        7,146
    Communications..............        7,310
    Interest....................        1,041
    Other(2)....................       19,717
                                  -------------
    Total expenses..............      204,969
                                  -------------
  Minority interest(3)..........          364
                                  -------------
  Income (loss) before income
   tax provision................      103,126
  Income tax provision
   (credit).....................       45,374
                                  -------------
  Net income (loss).............    $  57,752
                                  -------------
                                  -------------
  Pro forma net income per
   share(4).....................    $    2.78
                                  -------------
                                  -------------
  Pro forma weighted average
   shares outstanding(4)........       20,769
                                  -------------
                                  -------------
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                         NINE MONTHS
                                                                                            ENDED           JUNE 30, 1996
                                             FISCAL YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30,               JUNE 30,    ------------------------
                                  -----------------------------------------------------  ------------
                                    1991       1992       1993       1994       1995         1996       ACTUAL    PRO FORMA(1)
                                  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ------------  ---------  -------------
<S>                               <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>           <C>        <C>
COMBINED BALANCE SHEET DATA:
  Total assets..................  $ 106,314  $ 126,420  $ 131,878  $ 155,160  $ 319,630   $  486,736   $ 486,736    $ 463,708
  Debt obligations..............      1,702     31,942     16,913     12,684     13,771       11,252      11,252       11,252
  Stockholders' equity..........     23,985     33,219     50,290     63,591    105,462      170,394     170,394      155,725
  Book value per common share
   outstanding..................                                                                                    $    8.34
 
OPERATING DATA:
  Total employees(6)............        291        327        350        426        498          617
  Return on average equity......         --        34%        37%        28%        58%          62%(7)
  Compensation and benefits
   expense as a percentage of
   total revenues...............        46%        46%        50%        50%        48%          51%
  Non-compensation and benefits
   expense as a percentage of
   total
   revenues.....................        73%        40%        26%        27%        19%          14%
 
<CAPTION>
                                       AS
                                  ADJUSTED(1)(5)
                                  -------------
<S>                               <C>
COMBINED BALANCE SHEET DATA:
  Total assets..................    $ 514,988
  Debt obligations..............       11,252
  Stockholders' equity..........      207,005
  Book value per common share
   outstanding..................    $    9.34
OPERATING DATA:
  Total employees(6)............
  Return on average equity......
  Compensation and benefits
   expense as a percentage of
   total revenues...............
  Non-compensation and benefits
   expense as a percentage of
   total
   revenues.....................
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------------
(1) Gives effect to the transactions described under "Restructuring" and to  the
    Tax Distribution.
 
(2)  Includes $36.9 million in fiscal 1991  and $22.9 million in fiscal 1992 for
    settlement of  certain litigation  relating to  Miniscribe Corporation.  See
    "Business--Legal Proceedings."
 
(3)  Represents the pro  rata interest of  owners other than  the Company in the
    earnings of Hambrecht & Quist Guaranty Finance.
 
(4) See  Note 8  of  Notes to  Pro Forma  Combined  Financial Statements  for  a
    discussion  of the number of shares used in calculating pro forma net income
    per share.
 
   
(5) As adjusted to reflect the sale of the shares of Common Stock offered hereby
    and the application of the net proceeds therefrom. See "Use of Proceeds" and
    "Capitalization."
    
 
(6) Shown at end of period.
 
(7) Shown on an annualized basis.
 
                                       25
<PAGE>
                    MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
                 FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
    This discussion  should  be  read in  conjunction  with  "Selected  Combined
Financial  Data" and the Combined Financial Statements -- September 30, 1995 and
Notes thereto and Combined Financial Statements  -- June 30, 1996 and  Condensed
Notes  thereto contained elsewhere in this Prospectus. In addition to historical
information, the  following Management's  Discussion and  Analysis of  Financial
Condition  and Results  of Operations  contains forward-looking  statements that
involve risks  and  uncertainties. The  Company's  actual results  could  differ
significantly  from those anticipated  in these forward-looking  statements as a
result of  certain factors,  including  those discussed  in "Risk  Factors"  and
elsewhere in this Prospectus.
 
OVERVIEW
 
    EFFECTS OF RECENT MARKET CONDITIONS
 
    The  Company's business  depends to a  substantial extent on  the market for
public equity offerings by emerging growth companies, particularly companies  in
the  technology and healthcare industries. These markets are affected by general
economic and market  conditions, including fluctuations  in interest rates,  the
volume  and price levels of  securities and the flow  of investor funds into and
out of equity mutual funds, and by factors that apply to particular  industries,
such  as  technological  advances  and changes  in  the  regulatory environment.
Substantial fluctuations can  occur in  the Company's operating  results due  to
these and other factors.
 
    Market  conditions for equity securities of emerging growth companies in the
technology,  healthcare,   business   information  and   outsourcing   services,
healthcare  services and branded consumer industries were negatively affected by
the increase in interest rates during the  second half of the fiscal year  ended
September   30,  1994.  Declining  interest  rates  and  an  improving  economic
environment contributed  to a  significant increase  in activity  in the  equity
markets  in the United States during fiscal  1995 and the nine months ended June
30,  1996.  The   investment  climate  for   emerging  growth  company   stocks,
particularly  technology and healthcare stocks, was strong during these periods,
with a series of records established for the Nasdaq Composite Index and for  the
Nasdaq  average daily  share volume.  These factors,  among others,  resulted in
increased revenues in the Company's operations in fiscal 1995 and the first nine
months of  fiscal  1996 and  also  contributed  to improved  valuations  of  the
Company's principal investments.
 
    The  Company's results of operations for the nine months ended June 30, 1996
were achieved during extremely  favorable market conditions, which  deteriorated
significantly  beginning in  May 1996.  In recent  weeks, the  market for equity
securities in general, and for companies in the industries on which the  Company
focuses  in particular, has experienced a significant decline. For example, from
its all-time high on May  20, 1996 through July 23,  1996 the Hambrecht &  Quist
Technology  Index declined by  22.5%. As a  result of this  market decline, many
pending securities offerings  have been delayed  or canceled, including  several
offerings  which  the Company  was  managing or  co-managing.  Certain offerings
completed in July  and August 1996  have been effected  at lower valuations  and
smaller  total dollar sizes  than the price ranges  indicated in the preliminary
prospectuses for these offerings.
 
    The recent  market decline  and  the resulting  reduction in  the  Company's
business  will cause the Company's revenues and net income in the quarter ending
September 30, 1996 to be substantially lower than its revenues and net income in
each of the first three quarters of fiscal 1996. Further, as a result of general
seasonal trends  for  quarters ending  on  September 30,  the  Company's  fourth
quarter  results  are  particularly  dependent  on  revenues  for  the  month of
September to offset typically lower revenues during the August vacation  period.
Because of the volatility and uncertainties caused by present market conditions,
the Company's revenues for the month of September 1996 and the fourth quarter of
fiscal  1996 are particularly  difficult to predict, and  such revenues could be
even lower than present expectations if market conditions deteriorate. There can
be no assurance that this market decline,  or the related adverse effect on  the
Company's operating results, will not continue or worsen.
 
                                       26
<PAGE>
    EFFECTS OF RESTRUCTURING AND TAX DISTRIBUTION
 
    Group  California succeeded in  January 1983 to the  business of Hambrecht &
Quist, a partnership  formed in 1968.  Between January 1983  and November  1993,
Group   California  conducted,  either  directly   or  through  subsidiaries  or
affiliates, all of the Company's activities. LP was formed in November 1993  for
the  purpose of owning and managing investments in certain operating affiliates.
Fiscal 1994  net  income reflects  the  tax efficiencies  associated  with  such
reorganization.  In May 1995, through a  contribution of cash and securities, LP
acquired a 30% ownership interest in the Company's broker-dealer subsidiary that
was reorganized  as H&Q  LLC,  leaving Group  California  with a  70%  ownership
position.  The Selected  Combined Financial Data  set forth  herein includes the
combined operations of Group California and LP.
 
   
    In August 1996, the Company  effected the Restructuring, pursuant to  which,
among  other things, (i) LP transferred $5.0 million in cash, an additional cash
amount of  approximately  $4.4  million (of  which  approximately  $800,000  was
accrued  as of  June 30, 1996)  for the  Tax Distribution and  assets whose book
value at June 30,  1996 was approximately $18.5  million to a liquidating  trust
for the benefit of LP's partners, (ii) Guaranty Finance distributed assets whose
book  value at June 30, 1996 was approximately $2.1 million to its equity owners
other than LP, (iii) LP and Group California entered into the Mergers,  pursuant
to  which LP was merged into the Company, Group California became a wholly owned
subsidiary of  the Company,  and  the Company  became  a holding  company  which
beneficially  owns all  of Hambrecht &  Quist's operations, and  (iv) the equity
holders of Group  California and  LP became owners  of shares  of the  Company's
Common Stock. See "Restructuring."
    
 
   
    LP's  distribution  of  approximately  $4.4 million  to  its  partners ("Tax
Distribution") was made to provide the  partners with sufficient cash to  enable
them  to  pay income  taxes on  partnership profits  that have  been or  will be
allocated to the partners for income tax reporting purposes.
    
 
   
    The Restructuring  and  the Tax  Distribution  together had  the  effect  of
reducing  the Company's total  assets and stockholders'  equity by approximately
$23.0 million and $14.7 million, respectively. The distribution of securities in
the Restructuring not only  reduced the Company's balance  sheet, but also  will
decrease  the amount of investment  assets from which the  Company can expect to
generate future  net investment  gains  or losses.  In addition,  the  Company's
effective  income tax rate following the Restructuring will increase because the
income of LP was not subject to corporate income tax.
    
 
    COMPONENTS OF REVENUES AND EXPENSES
 
    REVENUES.   Principal transactions  revenue includes  net revenue  from  the
trading  of securities  by the Company  as principal,  including principal sales
credits and  trading  profits,  and  is primarily  derived  from  the  Company's
activities  as  a  market-maker.  Agency  commissions  revenue  includes revenue
resulting from  executing listed  and  over-the-counter transactions  as  agent,
including  executing trades through a stock exchange. Investment banking revenue
includes the Company's  underwriting revenue, composed  of underwriting  selling
concessions,  management fees and  underwriting fees. The  Company believes that
revenue from principal transactions,  agency commissions and investment  banking
is  substantially  dependent  on  the  market  for  public  offerings  of equity
securities by emerging  growth companies, on  the Company's ability  to lead  or
co-manage  public offerings  of the securities  of such companies  and on Nasdaq
trading volume and spreads in the securities of such companies.
 
    Corporate finance  fees  includes  the  Company's  merger  and  acquisition,
private  placement  and  other  corporate  finance  advisory  fee  revenues. Net
investment gains  includes  realized  and  unrealized  gains  on  the  Company's
long-term  investment portfolio,  which includes investments  in publicly traded
and private companies  and venture capital  and public investment  partnerships.
One  such investment, BISYS, has  had a significant effect  on the Company's net
investment gains in recent years. In 1987,  the Company made an investment in  a
private  company,  Concord Holdings  Corp.  ("Concord"), which  subsequently was
acquired by BISYS. Appreciation in the value of the Company's shares of Concord,
and subsequently in those of BISYS, resulted in pre-tax investment gains for the
Company amounting to  $2.2 million,  $5.5 million  and $19.9  million in  fiscal
1993,  1994 and 1995, respectively, and $14.7  million for the nine months ended
June 30, 1996.  During the nine  months ended  June 30, 1996,  the Company  sold
approximately 44% of its BISYS holdings. The purpose of selling the BISYS shares
during  the  period  was  to  reduce  the  size  of  the  Company's  holdings as
restrictions on the resale of
 
                                       27
<PAGE>
   
such shares expired.  Included in BISYS  net investment gains  of $14.7  million
were  realized gains  on sales of  BISYS shares of  $17.1 million. Approximately
two-thirds of the Company's remaining BISYS holdings were distributed as part of
the Restructuring. Corporate  finance fees  and net investment  gains or  losses
depend on a small number of significant transactions and are likely to fluctuate
significantly.   Other   revenue   includes   asset   management   fees,  profit
participation distributions from managed venture investment funds, interest  and
miscellaneous income.
    
 
    EXPENSES.   Compensation  and benefits  expense includes  sales, trading and
incentive  compensation,  which   are  primarily  variable   based  on   revenue
production,  and salaries, payroll taxes,  employee benefits, temporary employee
costs and placement agency fees, which are relatively fixed in nature. Brokerage
and clearance expense includes the cost of securities clearance, floor brokerage
and exchange fees. The Company clears its securities transactions through Lewco,
which is  owned by  Schroder Wertheim  & Co.  (approximately 80%),  the  Company
(approximately  20%) and two  other minority owners.  The volume of transactions
which Lewco processes for these stockholders is generally proportional to  their
ownership  interests. The  Company reimburses  a proportionate  share of Lewco's
expenses, net  of  certain  revenues,  based on  the  volume  of  the  Company's
transactions  which Lewco  processes. Two  of the  Company's employees  serve on
Lewco's six-member Board  of Directors.  As a  result of  its relationship  with
Lewco,  the Company benefits  from the economies  of scale provided  by a large,
externally  managed  clearing  organization.   The  consent  of  Lewco's   other
stockholders  is required  for the Company  to enter  into clearing arrangements
with other broker-dealers.  The master  agreement relating  to Lewco's  clearing
arrangements  terminates on September 30, 1996, although the Company anticipates
it will be renewed.
 
    Occupancy and equipment expense includes  the rent and utility charges  paid
for  the Company's facilities, expenditures for facilities repairs and upgrades,
and  depreciation  of   computer,  telecommunications   and  office   equipment.
Communications  expense  includes charges  from providers  of telecommunications
services and news and market  data services. Interest expense relates  primarily
to bank borrowings.
 
    Other expense includes professional services and litigation expenses, travel
and  entertainment  and miscellaneous  expenses.  Although the  Company  has not
experienced significant  fluctuations from  the settlement  of lawsuits  in  the
ordinary  course of  business, a  significant litigation  judgment or settlement
could have a  material adverse  effect on  the Company's  operating results  and
financial condition. In fiscal 1991 and 1992, the Company incurred $36.9 million
and  $22.9  million, respectively,  of  pre-tax settlement  expenses  related to
litigation involving MiniScribe. Payments of  the settlement accruals were  made
in  each fiscal year beginning in fiscal 1991 and ending in the third quarter of
fiscal 1996.  As  of May  31,  1996, all  payments  related to  such  litigation
settlements had been paid in full. See "Business--Legal Proceedings."
 
    MINORITY  INTEREST.  Minority interest reflects the pro rata interest of the
owners  other  than   the  Company   in  earnings  of   Guaranty  Finance.   See
"Restructuring."
 
                                       28
<PAGE>
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
    The  following table  sets forth certain  financial data as  a percentage of
total revenues:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                           FISCAL YEAR
                                                                                                         ENDED SEPTEMBER
                                              FISCAL YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30,    NINE MONTHS ENDED JUNE     30, 1995
                                                                                          30,            ---------------
                                             ----------------------------------  ----------------------
                                                1993        1994        1995        1995        1996      PRO FORMA(1)
                                             ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------
<S>                                          <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>
COMBINED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
  Revenues:
    Principal transactions.................       27.2%       30.5%       24.3%       26.6%       24.1%         25.2%
    Agency commissions.....................       12.9        11.9        11.2        11.6         9.3          11.6
    Investment banking.....................       38.9        24.5        32.0        28.8        41.8          33.1
    Corporate finance fees.................        9.0        15.6         9.4        10.6        10.2           9.8
    Net investment gains...................        3.2         8.6        15.4        13.6         6.1          12.5
    Other..................................        8.8         8.9         7.7         8.8         8.5           7.8
                                                 -----       -----       -----       -----       -----         -----
    Total revenues.........................      100.0       100.0       100.0       100.0       100.0         100.0
                                                 -----       -----       -----       -----       -----         -----
  Expenses:
    Compensation and
     benefits..............................       49.7        50.4        47.9        50.3        51.1          49.6
    Brokerage and clearance................        6.2         6.2         4.7         4.9         3.2           4.9
    Occupancy and
     equipment.............................        5.4         5.6         3.5         4.0         2.3           3.7
    Communications.........................        4.0         5.2         3.4         4.0         2.3           3.5
    Interest...............................        1.3         0.9         0.6         0.5         0.3           0.6
    Other..................................        9.3         9.5         6.9         8.0         6.4           7.2
                                                 -----       -----       -----       -----       -----         -----
    Total expenses.........................       75.9        77.8        67.0        71.7        65.6          69.5
                                                 -----       -----       -----       -----       -----         -----
  Minority interest........................        0.3         0.4         0.3         0.3         0.3           0.1
                                                 -----       -----       -----       -----       -----         -----
  Income before income tax provision.......       23.8        21.8        32.7        28.0        34.1          30.4
  Income tax provision.....................       10.0         8.5        10.2         8.7        11.7          13.4
                                                 -----       -----       -----       -----       -----         -----
  Net income...............................       13.8%       13.3%       22.5%       19.3%       22.4%         17.0%
                                                 -----       -----       -----       -----       -----         -----
                                                 -----       -----       -----       -----       -----         -----
 
<CAPTION>
                                              NINE MONTHS
                                              ENDED JUNE
                                               30, 1996
                                             -------------
 
<S>                                          <C>
COMBINED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
  Revenues:
    Principal transactions.................        24.5%
    Agency commissions.....................         9.4
    Investment banking.....................        42.3
    Corporate finance fees.................        10.3
    Net investment gains...................         5.0
    Other..................................         8.5
                                                  -----
    Total revenues.........................       100.0
                                                  -----
  Expenses:
    Compensation and
     benefits..............................        51.8
    Brokerage and clearance................         3.2
    Occupancy and
     equipment.............................         2.3
    Communications.........................         2.4
    Interest...............................         0.3
    Other..................................         6.5
                                                  -----
    Total expenses.........................        66.5
                                                  -----
  Minority interest........................         0.1
                                                  -----
  Income before income tax provision.......        33.4
  Income tax provision.....................        14.7
                                                  -----
  Net income...............................        18.7%
                                                  -----
                                                  -----
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
(1)  Gives  effect  to   the  Restructuring  and   the  Tax  Distribution.   See
    "Restructuring" and "--Overview."
 
NINE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 1996 AND 1995
 
    REVENUES.   Total  revenues increased 129%  from $136.7 million  in the 1995
fiscal period to $312.4 million in the 1996 fiscal period.
 
    Principal transactions revenue increased 108% from $36.3 million in the 1995
fiscal period to $75.4 million in the 1996 fiscal period. This increase was  due
to  a significant  increase in  underwriting activity,  resulting in substantial
after-market trading, an increase in Nasdaq market activity overall, as well  as
the benefit derived from the Company's expansion of its equity sales and trading
capabilities.
 
    Agency  commissions  increased 83%  from $15.9  million  in the  1995 fiscal
period to $29.1 million in the 1996 fiscal period. This increase was due to  the
expansion  of the Company's institutional listed equity business and an increase
in both the number of retail  brokers in its Executive Financial Services  group
and the average production of these brokers.
 
    Investment  banking revenue  increased 231% from  $39.4 million  in the 1995
fiscal period to $130.5 million  in the 1996 fiscal  period, and increased as  a
percentage of revenues from 28.8% to 41.8%. The Company managed or co-managed 39
public  offerings during the 1995 fiscal period  compared to 114 during the 1996
fiscal period.
 
    Corporate finance fees increased 120% from $14.5 million in the 1995  fiscal
period  to $31.9 million in the 1996 fiscal period. This increase was due to the
completion of several large advisory assignments during the 1996 fiscal period.
 
                                       29
<PAGE>
    Net investment gains for the period  increased 3% from $18.5 million in  the
1995  fiscal period to  $19.1 million in  the 1996 fiscal  period. The net gains
related primarily  to the  Company's investment  in BISYS,  which accounted  for
$13.1  million of  total investment  gains in the  1995 fiscal  period and $14.7
million in the 1996 fiscal period.
 
    Other revenue increased by 120% from $12.0 million in the 1995 fiscal period
to $26.4 million in the 1996 fiscal period. The increase was due primarily to an
increase in asset management fees,  profit participation distributions from  the
management  of venture investments, and an increase in interest income on margin
loans outstanding.
 
    EXPENSES.  Total  expenses increased  109% from  $98.0 million  in the  1995
fiscal period to $205.0 million for the 1996 fiscal period.
 
    Compensation  and benefits expense increased 132%  from $68.8 million in the
1995 fiscal period to $159.7 million in the 1996 fiscal period. The increase was
due  primarily  to   increased  sales,  trading   and  incentive   compensation.
Compensation  and benefits expense  as a percentage  of total revenues increased
from 50.3% to 51.1%; this change was attributable to a change in revenue mix and
the related differences in compensation  payout rates for the different  sources
of  revenue.  Average  employee headcount  was  443  in the  1995  fiscal period
compared to 557 in the 1996 fiscal period.
 
    Brokerage and clearance expense increased 50% from $6.7 million in the  1995
fiscal  period to $10.0  million in the  1996 fiscal period.  As a percentage of
total revenues, brokerage and clearance expense decreased from 4.9% in the  1995
fiscal  period to 3.2% in the 1996 fiscal period. The percentage decline was due
primarily to efficiencies experienced by Lewco.
 
    Occupancy and equipment expense increased 30% from $5.5 million in the  1995
fiscal  period  to  $7.1  million in  the  1996  fiscal period  as  a  result of
expenditures to repair and  upgrade office facilities in  San Francisco and  New
York and an increase in depreciation expense due to acquisitions of computer and
telecommunications equipment.
 
    Communications  expense increased 32%  from $5.5 million  in the 1995 fiscal
period to $7.3  million in  the 1996  fiscal period.  This increase  was due  to
increases  in  telecommunications and  market data  expenses resulting  from the
hiring of additional employees in the 1996 fiscal period.
 
    Interest expense  increased  43% from  approximately  $700,000 in  the  1995
fiscal  period to  approximately $1.0  million in  the 1996  fiscal period. This
increase related primarily to fluctuations  in bank financing levels during  the
two periods.
 
    Other  expense increased 83% from $10.8 million in the 1995 fiscal period to
$19.7 million in the 1996 fiscal period. Of this increase, $3.3 million was  due
to increased accruals for professional services due to higher levels of business
activity,   and  the  remainder  was  due  primarily  to  increases  in  travel,
entertaining, conferences and miscellaneous expenses.
 
    INCOME TAX PROVISION.  The Company's effective income tax rate was 30.9%  in
the  1995 fiscal period  and increased to  34.3% in the  1996 fiscal period. The
Company's effective income  tax rate  in each fiscal  period was  less than  the
combined federal and state statutory income tax rates because LP was not subject
to  corporate federal or state income tax.  The lower effective tax rate for the
nine months ended June 30,  1995 was due to the  fact that net investment  gains
were reported primarily through LP and, therefore, were not subject to corporate
income  tax. The Restructuring will result  in higher effective income tax rates
on the Company's future taxable income.
 
                                       30
<PAGE>
FISCAL YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1995 AND 1994
 
    REVENUES.  Total revenues increased 84%  from $119.3 million in fiscal  1994
to $220.0 million in fiscal 1995.
 
    Principal  transactions revenue increased  47% from $36.4  million in fiscal
1994 to $53.4 million in fiscal 1995.  The increase was due in part to  benefits
realized  from investments made in prior periods in the Company's Nasdaq trading
capabilities as well as  a significant improvement  in market conditions  during
the last six months of fiscal 1995.
 
    Agency  commissions increased 73% from $14.2 million in fiscal 1994 to $24.6
million in fiscal 1995. This increase resulted from increased market activity as
well as growth  in the number  of brokers in  the Company's Executive  Financial
Services and institutional equity businesses.
 
    Investment  banking revenue increased 141% from $29.2 million in fiscal 1994
to $70.4 million in fiscal 1995. This increase resulted from the increased level
of underwriting transactions in fiscal 1995, particularly in the technology  and
healthcare  industries. The Company managed or co-managed 36 public offerings in
fiscal 1994 and 71 in fiscal 1995.
 
    Corporate finance fees increased  11% from $18.6 million  in fiscal 1994  to
$20.7 million in fiscal 1995.
 
    Net  investment gains  increased 229% from  $10.3 million in  fiscal 1994 to
$33.9 million in fiscal  1995. The Company's investment  in BISYS accounted  for
$5.5  million and $19.9 million of the total net investment gains in fiscal 1994
and fiscal  1995,  respectively. No  other  single investment  accounted  for  a
significant portion of the total gain.
 
    Other  revenue  increased 61%  from $10.6  million in  fiscal 1994  to $17.1
million in fiscal 1995. This increase was due primarily to an increase in profit
participation distributions received from  venture capital investment funds  the
Company   manages  and  higher  margin   interest  income  attributable  to  the
above-described expansion of the Executive Financial Services group.
 
    EXPENSES.  Total expenses increased 59% from $92.8 million in fiscal 1994 to
$147.4 million in fiscal 1995.
 
    Compensation and benefits expense increased 75% from $60.2 million in fiscal
1994 to $105.4 million  in fiscal 1995  but decreased as  a percentage of  total
revenues  from  50.4%  to  47.9%.  This  percentage  decrease  was  attributable
primarily to a change  in the mix  of revenue in fiscal  1995, which included  a
larger  percentage of net  investment gains with  lower incremental compensation
costs. Average employee headcount was 396 in fiscal 1994 and 458 in fiscal 1995.
 
    Brokerage and clearance expense  increased 41% from  $7.4 million in  fiscal
1994  to  $10.4 million  in fiscal  1995,  consistent with  the increase  in the
Company's brokerage business, partially offset  by lower per ticket  transaction
costs from economies of scale achieved by Lewco.
 
    Occupancy  and equipment expense  increased 17% from  $6.7 million in fiscal
1994 to $7.8 million in fiscal 1995, primarily due to a scheduled rent  increase
for the Company's San Francisco office facility.
 
    Communications  expense increased  18% from $6.2  million in  fiscal 1994 to
$7.4 million  in fiscal  1995, due  in part  to increases  in telephone,  market
quotation   and   news  services   for  new   employees   and  an   increase  in
telecommunications supplies.
 
    Interest expense increased  28% from  $1.0 million  in fiscal  1994 to  $1.3
million  in fiscal 1995, primarily  due to an increase  in borrowings to support
the operations of Guaranty Finance.
 
    Other expense  increased 34%  from $11.3  million in  fiscal 1994  to  $15.1
million  in fiscal 1995. Of the increase, $1.5 million was due to an increase in
the cost of the  industry conferences sponsored by  the Company. The balance  of
the increase was primarily due to an increase in professional services resulting
from the overall increase in the Company's business activities.
 
    INCOME  TAX PROVISION.  The Company's effective income tax rate was 38.9% in
fiscal 1994 and 31.2% in fiscal 1995. The Company's effective income tax rate in
each year was less than the combined federal and state statutory rate due to the
fact that H&Q LLC and  LP were not subject to  material federal or state  income
tax. The decrease in the effective combined tax rate in fiscal 1995 was a result
of the higher percentage of the combined pretax income that was reported through
LP in fiscal 1995.
 
                                       31
<PAGE>
FISCAL YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1994 AND 1993
 
    REVENUES.  Total revenues increased 8% from $110.5 million in fiscal 1993 to
$119.3  million  in  fiscal  1994.  Underwriting  and  sales  activity  declined
significantly during the second half of fiscal 1994 as a result of many factors,
including rising interest rates.
 
    Principal transactions revenue  increased 21% from  $30.0 million in  fiscal
1993 to $36.4 million in fiscal 1994. The increase occurred primarily during the
first  half  of  the  year,  prior to  the  aforementioned  reduction  in market
activity.
 
    Agency commissions was unchanged at $14.2  million in each fiscal year.  The
effect  of the slowdown in market activity  that occurred during the second half
of fiscal 1994  was offset  in part by  incremental revenue  resulting from  the
addition of new brokers in the Company's Executive Financial Services group.
 
    Investment  banking revenue decreased 32% from  $43.0 million in fiscal 1993
to $29.2 million in fiscal 1994. This decline was due to a substantial reduction
in underwriting activity  during the  second half  of fiscal  1994. The  Company
managed  or  co-managed 45  public offerings  during fiscal  1993 and  36 during
fiscal 1994.
 
    Corporate finance fees increased  86% from $10.0 million  in fiscal 1993  to
$18.6  million in fiscal  1994. This increase  was principally the  result of an
expansion in H&Q's mergers and acquisitions advisory business.
 
    Net investment gains  increased 191%  from $3.5  million in  fiscal 1993  to
$10.3 million in fiscal 1994. Net gains attributable to the Company's investment
in  BISYS were $2.2  million and $5.5  million for fiscal  1993 and fiscal 1994,
respectively.
 
    Other revenue increased 8% from $9.8 million in fiscal 1993 to $10.6 million
in fiscal 1994.
 
    EXPENSES.  Total expenses increased 11% from $84.0 million in fiscal 1993 to
$92.8 million in fiscal 1994.
 
    Compensation and benefits expense increased 10% from $54.9 million in fiscal
1993 to $60.2  million in fiscal  1994. This  increase was due  primarily to  an
increase  in performance-related compensation. Compensation and benefits expense
as a  percentage  of total  revenues  increased  from 49.7%  to  50.4%.  Average
employee headcount was 336 in fiscal 1993 and 396 in fiscal 1994.
 
    Brokerage  and clearance  expense increased 7%  from $6.9  million in fiscal
1993 to  $7.4 million  in fiscal  1994.  The increase  was consistent  with  the
increase in the Company's brokerage revenue.
 
    Occupancy and equipment expense increased by 10% from $6.0 million in fiscal
1993 to $6.7 million in fiscal 1994. This increase reflected a small addition to
space  leased in San Francisco  as well as normal  annual increases in occupancy
costs.
 
    Communications expense increased by 42% from $4.4 million in fiscal 1993  to
$6.2  million  in fiscal  1994.  This increase  was  primarily due  to increased
telecommunications expenditures.
 
    Interest expense declined by  33% from $1.5 million  in fiscal 1993 to  $1.0
million  in fiscal 1994. The decrease was  due to lower interest incurred on the
principal amount of obligations incurred to settle certain MiniScribe litigation
as a result of scheduled repayments.
 
    Other expense increased by  11% from $10.2 million  in fiscal 1993 to  $11.3
million  in fiscal 1994. This increase was due primarily to increases in travel,
conference and professional services resulting  from generally higher levels  of
business activities.
 
    INCOME  TAX PROVISION.  The Company's combined effective income tax rate was
41.7% for fiscal 1993 and 38.9% for fiscal 1994. The lower rate for fiscal  1994
was  due to income reported by LP, an entity not subject to corporate tax, which
was formed in December 1993.
 
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
 
    The Company  has  historically satisfied  its  funding needs  with  its  own
capital  resources, consisting almost entirely  of internally generated retained
earnings and, more recently, capital raised from the sale of its Common Stock to
employee shareholders. As of June 30, 1996, H&Q LLC had liquid assets consisting
primarily of cash and cash equivalents of $29.3 million and receivables of $60.3
million from Lewco, its clearing affiliate. The cash
 
                                       32
<PAGE>
equivalents primarily consisted of United States Treasury bills with  maturities
of  90 days or less. As of June 30,  1996, the Company had a bank line of credit
in the amount of $12.0 million, with  a balance of $9.3 million outstanding  and
Guaranty  Finance had  a bank  line of  credit of  $15.0 million  with a balance
outstanding of $2.0 million. While the Company has not required additional  bank
financing during the past several years, it has in place a $20.0 million line of
credit  agreement with a commercial  bank. The Company's capital  as of June 30,
1996  will  be  reduced  prior  to  the  completion  of  this  offering  by  the
distribution  in connection with the Tax Distribution and the Restructuring. See
"Restructuring" and "Overview."
 
    The Company's balance  sheet reflects the  Company's relatively  unleveraged
financial  position.  The ratio  of assets  to equity  as of  June 30,  1996 was
approximately 2.9:1.  Upon the  completion  of this  offering, this  ratio  will
decline  to  approximately  2.5:1.  The Company's  principal  assets  consist of
receivables from  customers and  Lewco, securities  held for  trading  purposes,
short-term   investments   and   securities   held   for   investment  purposes.
Substantially  all  of  the  Company's  receivables  are  secured  by   customer
securities  or security  transactions in  the process  of settlement. Securities
held for trading purposes are actively traded and readily marketable. Short-term
investments are comprised  primarily of United  States Treasury securities  with
maturities  of less than  one year. Securities held  for investment purposes are
for the most part illiquid and are carried at valuations that reflect this  lack
of liquidity.
 
    H&Q  LLC and RvR Securities, as  broker-dealers, are registered with the SEC
and are members of the NASD and, in the case of H&Q LLC, the NYSE. As such, they
are subject  to the  capital requirements  of these  regulatory entities.  Their
regulatory  net capital has historically exceeded these minimum requirements. As
of June  30, 1996,  H&Q LLC  was  required to  maintain minimum  regulatory  net
capital in accordance with SEC rules of approximately $4.1 million and had total
regulatory  net capital of  approximately $40.2 million,  or approximately $36.1
million in  excess of  its  requirement. H&Q  LLC's  regulatory net  capital  is
expected  to decline as a result of  the Restructuring, and to increase upon the
completion of this offering. RvR Securities had total regulatory net capital  of
$1.5  million and a minimum regulatory  net capital requirement of $250,000. See
"Net Capital Requirements."
 
    The Company believes that its current level of equity capital, combined with
funds anticipated to be generated  from operations and the anticipated  proceeds
of  this offering, will be  adequate to fund its  operations for the foreseeable
future.
 
                                       33
<PAGE>
                                    BUSINESS
 
INDUSTRY BACKGROUND
 
    During the last  three decades, high-growth  entrepreneurial companies  have
played an increasingly important role in the United States and global economies.
These  "growth  companies," which  are characterized  by innovation  and rapidly
evolving markets, have  emerged in a  number of industries.  Technology-oriented
growth  companies have evolved  from a cyclical niche  industry to a significant
driver of economic  growth, job creation  and business productivity.  Healthcare
companies  in the United States, while  continuing to improve human health, have
responded to structural opportunities arising from the aging population and  the
drive  to reduce healthcare costs. Service  companies have also become catalysts
for economic change  as they  add technology to  traditional service  offerings,
particularly in the healthcare, business information and outsourcing industries.
Branded  consumer  companies  are  responding  to  the  convergence  of changing
demographics, structural  changes  in  distribution  channels  and  the  use  of
information technology.
 
    Since  January 1991, publicly  traded growth company  securities in general,
and technology-related equity issues in particular, have generally  outperformed
the  broader market. For example,  from January 1991 through  July 23, 1996, the
H&Q Technology Index increased by 20.6%  compounded annually, while the S&P  500
increased  by 12.2% compounded annually. This general trend has been interrupted
from time to time by significant  market declines. Recently, the H&Q  Technology
Index  declined by 22.5% from its all-time high on May 20, 1996 through July 23,
1996, while the S&P 500 decreased by 6.9% over the same period. During the  last
five  years  there  has  also  been a  greatly  increased  inflow  of  funds for
investment  in  growth  companies,  which   has  led  to  increased  demand   by
institutional  investors for investment information  and analysis focused on the
growth company sector. Many of these investors believe that effective investment
participation in the rapidly changing growth company universe requires a  deeper
understanding  of  underlying technologies,  products and  distribution channels
than is  required to  invest in  more mature,  less volatile  or slower  growing
sectors of the economy.
 
    The unique characteristics of the growth company sector have led both growth
companies  and  growth-oriented investors  to  seek the  services  of investment
banking professionals  with a  high  degree of  industry knowledge  and  capital
market  expertise.  Growth  companies in  their  early years  of  public trading
require a high  level of research,  sales and trading  coverage and  aftermarket
consultation  from  their investment  bankers. In  addition, as  these companies
mature, the  investment  banks serving  them  must provide  expert  advice  with
respect  to strategic  partnership and  merger and  acquisition transactions and
financing strategies. Investment banks serving  growth companies must also  meet
the  investment  needs  of the  entrepreneurs  who manage  such  companies. Fund
managers and other growth-oriented investors require focused securities research
both to understand underlying  technologies, products and distribution  channels
for  particular growth  industries, and also  to assist  in identifying specific
growth companies that are the most likely to succeed in their respective  market
segments.
 
HAMBRECHT & QUIST
 
    Hambrecht  & Quist  is a major  bracket investment bank  focused on emerging
growth companies and growth-oriented investors. The Company's core strength  has
been the early identification and sponsorship of leading growth companies in its
chosen  areas of focus  through analysis of industry  and technology trends. The
Company leverages  its  industry expertise  by  providing growth  companies  and
growth investors with a full range of investment banking and brokerage services,
and by investing its own capital in emerging growth companies.
 
   
    Hambrecht  & Quist is considered generally  by the securities industry to be
one of  the approximately  15  major bracket  investment  banks based  on  H&Q's
significant  level  of participation  in equity  underwritings  as manager  or a
co-manager and  in  syndicates for  public  equity offerings  managed  by  other
investment banks. "Major bracket" firms are smaller than the six "bulge bracket"
investment  banks. The Company is one of  the smallest major bracket firms based
on measures such as  revenues, assets, dollar amounts  of underwritten debt  and
equity,  number of employees  and trading volume.  However, the Company believes
that based on the number of  managed or co-managed public equity offerings,  H&Q
is  a leading underwriter of equity  securities for emerging growth companies in
its industry areas  of focus.  As a  result of  the high  proportion of  venture
capital  invested  in  emerging  growth  companies  located  in  California  and
Massachusetts, the Company's underwriting
    
 
                                       34
<PAGE>
clients have  been  concentrated  in  these states.  Approximately  47%  of  the
companies  for  which H&Q  served as  a  manager or  co-manager of  a securities
offering between  January 1995  and  June 1996  were  based in  California,  and
approximately 11% of these companies were based in Massachusetts.
 
   
    Hambrecht  & Quist  was formed  in 1968  to focus  on the  needs of emerging
growth companies and their investors. It has grown its business by expanding the
range of services it  provides to growth companies  and investors, by  servicing
the  needs  of  larger  size  companies,  and  by  developing  expertise  in new
industries and markets.  H&Q, from its  inception, combined equity  underwriting
and  brokerage  services  for  emerging growth  companies  with  venture capital
investing. The Company  has expanded its  underwriting capability by  increasing
its  corporate finance and  syndicate personnel; increased  advisory services in
mergers,  acquisitions,  strategic  partnerships  and  private  placements;  and
increased  its asset-based and mezzanine financing activities. At June 30, 1996,
H&Q made a market in over 300  Nasdaq stocks. During the quarter ended June  30,
1996,  based on publicly  reported trading volume  data, H&Q was  one of the top
three market-makers in approximately 74% of the Nasdaq equity securities  issued
by  companies for which H&Q served as manager or co-manager in an initial public
offering completed  between January  1991  and June  1996.  H&Q has  also  hired
additional  retail brokers and increased  its trading of NYSE-listed securities.
From its  early  concentration  on the  technology  and  healthcare  industries,
Hambrecht  & Quist  has broadened  its focus  to encompass  the branded consumer
industry  and  companies   providing  business   information,  outsourcing   and
healthcare services.
    
 
    H&Q  was founded  with and  maintains a  commitment to  working closely with
entrepreneurial companies  and  investors  interested  in  such  companies.  H&Q
believes  that  it has  developed a  strong internal  culture that  emphasizes a
long-term investment  outlook. H&Q  believes that  its client  focus on  rapidly
growing   entrepreneurial  companies  and   growth-oriented  investors  and  its
tradition of principal investing, along with its broad internal distribution  of
equity ownership, have combined to sustain this culture.
 
    H&Q  organizes  its  research  and  investment  banking  professionals  into
industry teams. Each  team, together  with Hambrecht &  Quist's venture  capital
professionals,  endeavors to develop  and maintain an  in-depth understanding of
the secular  and cyclical  trends driving  that particular  industry sector.  In
addition, each team of professionals maintains close relationships not only with
private  and  public growth  companies, but  also with  venture capital  and key
institutional investors, technical experts,  professional service providers  and
other  key  industry participants.  Through these  relationships, H&Q  gains the
opportunity to participate actively in  the growth of promising  entrepreneurial
companies.
 
    Hambrecht   &  Quist  believes   that  its  industry   focus  and  long-term
orientation, together with the  depth of its resources  committed to the  growth
company  sector,  have made  H&Q a  leading underwriter  of public  offerings of
securities for emerging  growth companies  in its  areas of  focus. Hambrecht  &
Quist  has  managed  or co-managed  more  than  650 public  offerings  of equity
securities for more than 440 growth  companies, serving as lead manager in  more
than 260 of these offerings.
 
STRATEGY
 
    Hambrecht   &  Quist  employs  a   research-oriented  approach  to  building
relationships with growth companies and growth investors. The Company's  overall
strategy  is to continue  its commitment to  targeted high-growth industries and
investors in those industries by  providing comprehensive research coverage,  an
increasing  range of investment  banking and brokerage  services, and investment
capital to  entrepreneurial  companies.  The  Company's  strategy  includes  the
following key elements:
 
     CONTINUOUSLY  IDENTIFY EMERGING TRENDS  AND INDUSTRIES.   Hambrecht & Quist
     intends to continue its tradition of identifying, in their nascent  stages,
     trends and industries that have the potential to become broad-based drivers
     of economic growth and change. For example, H&Q was an early participant in
     the personal computer, biotechnology, desktop publishing and Internet/World
     Wide  Web  industries.  H&Q supported  entrepreneurial  companies  in these
     industries with venture  capital financing and  research coverage early  in
     the  industry's  development.  As  these  companies  grew,  H&Q  managed or
     co-managed their  public stock  offerings,  including offerings  by  Apple,
     Genentech,  Adobe and Netscape, each a  pioneer in its respective industry.
     H&Q believes that its focus on the early identification of emerging  trends
     and industries provides it with a key competitive advantage.
 
                                       35
<PAGE>
     LEAD  WITH IN-DEPTH, FOCUSED INDUSTRY COVERAGE.  H&Q believes that industry
     specialization is  crucial  to  meeting  the demands  of  its  clients  for
     sophisticated  and informed  investment advice.  The Company  organizes its
     research, investment banking and  venture capital activities along  sharply
     defined  industry lines and periodically reexamines its industry categories
     to ensure adequate  coverage of  emerging opportunities.  For example,  the
     Company's  software  focus is  divided into  several subcategories,  one of
     which is enterprise software/Internet, which, in turn, has been  subdivided
     into    client/server,   productivity    software,   database,    and   Web
     software/Internet segments. The Company's strategy is to continue to  focus
     on  a limited number  of high potential growth  industries and the segments
     within such industries.
 
     BRING GROWTH COMPANIES TO GROWTH INVESTORS.  H&Q's strategy is to add value
     where growth  capital  and  growth  companies  intersect.  Because  of  its
     fundamental  understanding of the industries it covers and its long history
     of providing services  to emerging  growth industries, H&Q  believes it  is
     well-positioned  to bring  together growth companies  and growth investors.
     The Company's  strategy  is to  maintain  strong relationships  with  major
     institutional  investors in emerging growth companies. An important element
     of this strategy is  the Company's sponsorship  of regular conferences  for
     growth   companies  and  growth-oriented  investors,  each  focusing  on  a
     different industry or  geographic region. The  Company's annual  Technology
     Conference  and Healthcare Conference are recognized by the financial press
     as leading  conferences  in  their industries.  The  Company  believes  its
     Branded  Consumer, plaNET.wall.street (Internet  Symposium) and other newer
     conferences are gaining similar recognition in their respective areas.
 
     ESTABLISH   EARLY   AND   LASTING   RELATIONSHIPS   WITH    ENTREPRENEURIAL
     COMPANIES.    H&Q's  strategy  is  to  build  relationships  with promising
     entrepreneurial companies at an early stage in their development. H&Q often
     establishes contact with such companies through its relationships with many
     institutional venture  capital  investors managing  large  venture  capital
     funds.   In  some  cases,  H&Q  participates  directly  in  the  growth  of
     entrepreneurial companies by providing venture capital, singly or alongside
     other venture capital investors, or  otherwise investing as a principal  in
     their  early years.  As these  entrepreneurial companies  grow, the Company
     sustains  these  relationships  through   research  coverage,  equity   and
     convertible  debt  offerings,  institutional and  retail  brokerage, Nasdaq
     market-making and merger, acquisition and strategic partnering and  general
     corporate advice.
 
     OFFER AN EXPANDED RANGE OF SERVICES TO CORPORATE CLIENTS.  In recent years,
     the  Company  has enhanced  its  equity underwriting  and  convertible debt
     capability and its  merger and acquisition  advisory services while  adding
     new  products and services,  including private placement/structured finance
     and a corporate services  group. From January 1995  through June 1996,  H&Q
     increased  its  corporate finance  personnel from  64  to 110  persons. The
     Company has also added asset-based and mezzanine financing to its principal
     investment activities. During this period, H&Q has increased its  syndicate
     personnel  from seven to twelve persons, and has begun offering specialized
     brokerage services to the venture capital industry. The Company's  strategy
     is  to continue to expand the range  of its investment banking services and
     principal investment activities.
 
     INCREASE DISTRIBUTION  AND TRADING  FOR GROWTH  INVESTORS.   Since  January
     1995,  the Company  has increased  the number  of brokers  in its Executive
     Financial  Services  group  from  41   to  62  persons,  in  domestic   and
     international institutional sales from 31 to 34 persons and in coverage and
     position  trading from  36 to 58  persons. During this  period, the Company
     also has increased  the amount  of capital  available for  both Nasdaq  and
     NYSE-listed  securities trading operations. The Company intends to continue
     these efforts, as well as to expand the number of research analysts and the
     number of companies for which it provides research coverage.
 
     EXPAND GLOBAL  PRESENCE.   H&Q's  strategy  is  to extend  its  success  in
     financing  domestic growth  companies in  United States  capital markets to
     non-U.S. companies and capital  markets. In addition  to its United  States
     underwritings  of European,  Israeli and Asian  companies, which  in the 18
     months ended  June  30, 1996  represented  less than  10%  of  underwriting
     revenues  and less than 5% of total revenues, the Company has recently made
     investments in Europe through joint  ventures focused on enabling  European
     companies  to access  United States capital  markets, as well  as on making
     capital available locally to
 
                                       36
<PAGE>
     European growth  companies. H&Q  also  has a  minority investment  in  Asia
     Pacific,  which has extensive operations providing venture capital to Asian
     growth companies,  both as  principal and  as a  manager of  Asian  venture
     capital funds.
 
RESEARCH FOCUS
 
    H&Q  believes that industry specialization is crucial to meeting the demands
of its clients for sophisticated  and informed investment and strategic  advice.
The Company's approach is to serve its clients through an in-depth understanding
of  sharply  defined industry  segments and  the  leading participants  in those
segments. H&Q's research universe is presently divided into the industry  groups
and industry segments set forth below. Rather than dedicating, for example, just
one  senior analyst  to cover  all aspects  of a  broadly defined  industry, the
Company dedicates focused research support to  many segments within each of  the
industries  it serves. In certain instances an H&Q analyst provides coverage for
more than one industry segment.
 
                           HAMBRECHT & QUIST RESEARCH
 
                                    [CHART]
    There are four rectangular shaped boxes in the graphic.
    In the upper middle part of the rectangular box at the top of the graphic is
a triangular shaped icon with the  letter "T" inside with the word  "Technology"
underneath.  From  the bottom  of the  icon labeled  'Technology' is  a downward
vertical line which perpendicularly connects to a horizontal line from which six
short vertical lines connect to six small rectangular boxes below the horizontal
line.  The  small   rectangular  box  on   the  far  left   contains  the   word
"Communications."  The  small  rectangular box  which  is second  from  the left
contains the words  "Distributed Systems."  The small rectangular  box which  is
third from the left contains the words "Enterprise Software/Internet." The small
rectangular box which is third from the right contains the words "Semiconductor/
Capital Equipment." The small rectangular box which is on the far right contains
the words "Technical Systems."
    From the bottom left corner of the small rectangular box containing the word
"Communications"  is a downward  vertical line from  which five short horizontal
lines connect to five groups of words not enclosed by boxes. The first group  of
words  underneath the small rectangular box containing the word "Communications"
is "Internet Access." The second group of words underneath the small rectangular
box containing  the word  "Communications" is  "Internetworking/LAN." The  third
group  of  words  underneath  the  small  rectangular  box  containing  the word
"Communications" is "Mobile."  The fourth  group of words  underneath the  small
rectangular  box  containing  the word  "Communications"  is "Telecommunications
Equipment/WAN." The fifth group  of words underneath  the small rectangular  box
containing the word "Communications" is "Wireless."
    From  the bottom  left corner  of the  small rectangular  box containing the
words "Distributed Systems" is  a downward vertical line  from which four  short
horizontal  lines connect  to four  groups of words  not enclosed  by boxes. The
first group of words underneath the  small rectangular box containing the  words
"Distributed  Systems" is "Consumer Software &  Digital Media." The second group
of words underneath the small rectangular box containing the words  "Distributed
Systems"  is "Internet Content."  The third group of  words underneath the small
rectangular box  containing  the  words "Distribution"  is  "Distribution."  The
fourth  group of words underneath the small rectangular box containing the words
"Distributed Systems" is "PC Peripherals."
    From the bottom left corner of the small rectangular box containing the word
"Enterprise Software/Internet" is a downward vertical line from which four short
horizontal lines connect  to four  groups of words  not enclosed  by boxes.  The
first  group of words underneath the  small rectangular box containing the words
"Enterprise Software/ Internet"  is "DRMS &  Tools." The second  group of  words
underneath   the  small   rectangular  box  containing   the  words  "Enterprise
Software/Internet" is "Systems Management." The third group of words  underneath
the small rectangular box containing the words "Enterprise Software/Internet" is
"Enterprise  Applications."  The  fourth  group of  words  underneath  the small
rectangular  box  containing   the  words   "Enterprise  Software/Internet"   is
"Productivity   Software."  The  fifth  group  of  words  underneath  the  small
rectangular box  containing the  words  "Enterprise Software/Internet"  is  "Web
Software."
    From the bottom left corner of the small rectangular box containing the word
"Special Situations" is a downward vertical line from which two short horizontal
lines  connect to two groups of words not  enclosed by boxes. The first group of
words underneath  the  small  rectangular  box  containing  the  words  "Special
Situations"  is  "Imaging."  The  second group  of  words  underneath  the small
rectangular box containing the words "Special Situations" is "Services."
    From the bottom  left corner  of the  small rectangular  box containing  the
words  "Technical Systems"  is a downward  vertical line from  which three short
horizontal lines connect  to three groups  of words not  enclosed by boxes.  The
first  group of words underneath the  small rectangular box containing the words
"Technical Systems" is "Design Automation." The second group of words underneath
the small rectangular box containing the words "Technical Systems" is  "Embedded
Control."  The  third  group  of  words  underneath  the  small  rectangular box
containing the words "Technical Systems" is "Technical Software."
    In the upper middle part of the rectangular box in the middle of the graphic
is a  cross shaped  icon containing  a  serpent wrapped  around a  barbed  staff
representing  a Caduceus with the words "Healthcare" underneath. From the bottom
of  the  icon   labeled  "Healthcare"   is  a  downward   vertical  line   which
perpendicularly  connects to  a horizontal line  from which  four short vertical
lines connect to  four small rectangular  boxes below the  horizontal line.  The
small  rectangular box  on the far  left contains the  word "Biotechnology." The
small rectangular box which is second from the left contains the words "Emerging
Pharmaceuticals/Drug Delivery." The small rectangular  box which is second  from
the  right contains the words "Medical Devices." The small rectangular box which
is on the far right contains the words "Healthcare Services."
    From the bottom  left corner  of the  small rectangular  box containing  the
words,  "Medical  Devices" is  a downward  vertical line  from which  four short
horizontal lines connect  to four  groups of words  not enclosed  by boxes.  The
first  group of words underneath the  small rectangular box containing the words
"Medical Devices" is "Cardiovascular." The second group of words underneath  the
small  rectangular box containing the  words "Medical Devices" is "Orthopedics."
The third group  of words underneath  the small rectangular  box containing  the
words  "Medical Devices" is "Urology." The  fourth group of words underneath the
small rectangular  box  containing  the  words  "Medical  Devices"  is  "Women's
Health."
    From  the bottom  left corner  of the  small rectangular  box containing the
words "Healthcare Services" is  a downward vertical line  from which four  short
horizontal  lines connect  to four  groups of words  not enclosed  by boxes. The
first group of words underneath the  small rectangular box containing the  words
"Healthcare  Services" is "Contract Research Organizations." The second group of
words underneath  the small  rectangular box  containing the  words  "Healthcare
Services"  is  "Health  Maintenance  Organizations." The  third  group  of words
underneath the small rectangular box containing the words "Health Care Services"
is "Physician  Network Management."  The fourth  group of  words underneath  the
small rectangular box containing the words "Healthcare Services" is "Subacute."
    In  the upper middle part  of the rectangular box in  the bottom left of the
graphic  is  a  logo  comprised  of  a  black  triangle  containing  the   words
"INFORMATION  SERVICES"  and  a  white  band  containing  the  words  "FINANCIAL
HEALTHCARE BUSINESS" overlaid on  the triangle. Under the  logo is a  horizontal
line  from  which connect  four short  vertical lines  connecting to  four small
rectangular boxes. The small rectangular box  on the far left left contains  the
words  "Financial Services" The  small rectangular box which  is second from the
left contains the words "Healthcare Information Services." The small rectangular
box which is second from the  right contains the words "Business Services."  The
small  rectangular box  which is  on the far  right contains  the words "Special
Situations."
    From the bottom  left corner  of the  small rectangular  box containing  the
words  "Financial Services"  is a  downward vertical  line from  which two short
horizontal lines connect to two groups of words not enclosed by boxes. The first
group of  words  underneath  the  small rectangular  box  containing  the  words
"Financial  Services" is  "Internet." The second  group of  words underneath the
small rectangular box containing the words "Financial Services" is  "Transaction
Processors."
    In  the upper middle part of the rectangular  box in the bottom right of the
graphic is a logo comprised  of a small black  circle containing the text  "H&Q"
and  a concentric white  band surrounding the small  black circle and containing
the words "BRANDED CONSUMER."  Under the logo is  a downward vertical line  from
which  four short horizontal lines connect to  four groups of words not enclosed
by boxes. The first group of words  underneath the logo is "Food and  Beverage."
The  second group of  words beneath the  logo is "Specialty  Apparel." The third
group of words beneath the logo is "Sports & Leisure." The fourth group of words
underneath the logo is "Services."
 
                                       37
<PAGE>
    In order to  achieve this  depth and specialization,  the Company  typically
recruits  or trains analysts with  significant industry and technical expertise,
in addition  to  financial services  expertise.  H&Q believes  this  specialized
approach enables it to generate analytical research that enhances the quality of
investment  decisions  in  the fast-changing  and  technologically sophisticated
industries it covers.
 
    H&Q's research  analysts  cover  over 300  publicly  traded  companies.  The
Company's  analysts  also  periodically  publish  comprehensive  studies  of  an
industry or a long-term investment  theme. In addition to written  publications,
the  Company's  analysts  play  a  prominent  role  at  the  Company's  investor
conferences by presenting summaries of key industry trends.
 
    The Company's research analysts work closely with its investment banking and
venture capital professionals  to identify promising  privately held  companies.
H&Q  believes that early contacts with  private companies are important not only
to develop its underwriting and  principal transactions activities, but also  to
achieve  and maintain an understanding of the rapidly evolving growth industries
on which the  Company focuses. The  research analysts also,  from time to  time,
assist  in screening  and/or evaluating  proposed principal  investments for the
Company's venture  capital and  investment banking  professionals. In  addition,
H&Q's  research analysts  work closely with  sales and  trading professionals to
enhance the access of the Company's institutional investor clients to up-to-date
industry analysis.
 
    H&Q has been recognized for its success in bringing together leading  growth
companies  and  growth investors  at the  annual  conferences it  sponsors. Each
conference focuses on a  different growth industry  or geographic region.  Since
October 1995, H&Q has sponsored the following investment conferences:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
HAMBRECHT & QUIST CONFERENCE                          DATE          LOCATION
- ------------------------------------------------  -------------  --------------
<S>                                               <C>            <C>
plaNET.wall.street (Internet Symposium)            October 1995  New York
Healthcare Conference                              January 1996  San Francisco
European Growth Company Conference                February 1996  Paris
Interactive Entertainment Conference                 March 1996  Snowbird, Utah
Technology Conference                                April 1996  San Francisco
   and plaNET.wall.street West
Investing in Life Sciences                             May 1996  London
Branded Consumer Growth Company Conference            June 1996  Napa Valley
Annual Private Equity CFO Conference                  June 1996  San Francisco
</TABLE>
 
    More  than 675 public and private companies made presentations to investment
professionals, venture capitalists and other participants in the securities  and
emerging  growth company industries at the most recent sessions of the Company's
annual conferences. The Hambrecht & Quist Technology Conference, which held  its
24th annual session in 1996, was the first annual investment conference focusing
exclusively on emerging growth companies in the technology sector. For 14 years,
the Company's annual Healthcare Conference has provided a forum for companies in
the  healthcare industry to give presentations  to growth investors, and was the
first conference of  its kind. Since  1993, Hambrecht &  Quist has sponsored  an
annual  conference focused  on emerging  branded consumer  product companies. In
October 1995,  H&Q sponsored  the first  major investment  conference  dedicated
solely to Internet-related companies, and held a follow-up conference in 1996.
 
    To  facilitate the analysis  of long-term trends,  the Company has developed
the H&Q  Technology  Index,  the  H&Q Growth  Index  and  nine  sector  indices,
including  the H&Q  Branded Consumer  Growth Index  and the  H&Q Internet Index.
These indices serve  as a tool  for comparing certain  industry groups with  one
another,  with the marketplace  as a whole,  and with the  overall economy. Many
growth companies use the  H&Q indices to compare  their stock price  performance
with other companies, for example, in annual proxy statements.
 
                                       38
<PAGE>
INVESTMENT BANKING
 
   
    H&Q  is a major bracket investment  bank dedicated to raising equity capital
for, and providing  financial advice  to, emerging growth  companies within  its
areas  of focus. The securities  industry refers to a  firm as a "major bracket"
investment  bank  if  that  firm  receives  a  significant  proportion  of   the
underwriting  syndicate  allocations  when  participating  in  public  offerings
managed by other investment banks. The major bracket firms are smaller than  the
"bulge  bracket" investment banks, which are generally considered to be CS First
Boston Corporation, Goldman Sachs and Co., Lehman Brothers Inc., Merrill  Lynch,
Pierce,  Fenner &  Smith Incorporated  ("Merrill Lynch"),  Morgan Stanley  & Co.
Incorporated and Salomon Brothers, Inc. The securities industry today  generally
classifies as major bracket firms Alex. Brown & Sons Incorporated, Bear, Stearns
& Co. Inc., Dean Witter Reynolds Inc., Dillon, Read & Co. Inc., Donaldson Lufkin
&  Jenrette Securities Corporation  ("DLJ"), Hambrecht &  Quist LLC, J.P. Morgan
Securities Inc., Lazard Freres &  Co. LLC, Montgomery Securities, Oppenheimer  &
Co.,   Inc.,  PaineWebber  Incorporated,   Prudential  Securities  Incorporated,
Robertson, Stephens  & Company  LLC, Schroder  Wertheim &  Co. Incorporated  and
Smith Barney Inc.
    
 
    Hambrecht  &  Quist provides  its corporate  clients with  a broad  range of
services, principally involving public offerings of equity and convertible  debt
securities,  private  placements of  equity  securities, and  advice  in merger,
acquisition and  strategic  partnering  transactions, as  well  as  after-market
services and support.
 
    H&Q's investment banking professionals focus their activities along the same
industry  lines as the Company's research analysts. The Company believes that by
developing an  in-depth  understanding  of  the  industries  they  serve,  these
investment  banking professionals enhance  their ability to  advise issuers with
respect to strategic and financing options.
 
    The following table shows the distribution of the number of public  offering
transactions  managed  or  co-managed  by H&Q  since  1991  among  the different
industries which the Company serves.
 
       HAMBRECHT & QUIST'S MANAGED OR CO-MANAGED PUBLIC EQUITY OFFERINGS
                         JANUARY 1991 THROUGH JUNE 1996
                                  [PIE CHART]
    A pie  chart representing  Hambrecht &  Quist Public  Equity Offerings  from
January  1991  through March  1996 is  divided into  four segments.  The largest
segment represents "Technology"  which accounts for  51% of the  pie chart.  The
second largest segment represents "Healthcare" which accounts for 33% of the pie
chart. The third largest segment represents "Services" which accounts for 12% of
the pie chart. The smallest segment represents "Branded Consumer" which accounts
for 4% of the pie chart.
 
    DOMESTIC UNDERWRITING
 
    H&Q  is a leading  underwriter of public offerings  of equity securities for
emerging growth companies in its industry areas of focus, based on the number of
transactions completed since January 1991 in  which H&Q served as a managing  or
co-managing  underwriter. Between January  1991 and June  1996, the Company lead
managed 167 offerings  and co-managed  168 offerings of  equity and  convertible
debt  securities by over  250 companies that  raised an aggregate  of over $17.9
billion. Of  this amount,  approximately  $10.2 billion  was raised  during  the
period from
 
                                       39
<PAGE>
January  1995 through June 1996.  During this period, H&Q  served as managing or
co-managing underwriter in initial public offerings by approximately 22% of  the
companies  in which H&Q had invested  venture capital and which effected initial
public offerings during this period.
 
    H&Q concentrates its domestic  underwriting efforts in high-growth  industry
sectors  where the Company believes it  has a relative competitive advantage due
to  its  investment  banking  relationships   and  its  research,  trading   and
distribution   capabilities.  Within   its  selected   industries,  the  Company
concentrates on emerging companies that it believes have the potential to become
industry leaders.  H&Q  believes  that,  based on  the  number  of  transactions
completed  since January 1991 in  which H&Q served as  a managing or co-managing
underwriter,  it  has  established   a  strong  record  underwriting   software,
communications,   biotechnology,  computer  hardware,  semiconductor,  Internet,
business information and outsourcing services and healthcare services companies.
The Company  is  also  seeking  to  develop a  strong  position  as  a  managing
underwriter of securities offerings by branded consumer companies.
 
   
    The  following tables  indicate H&Q's relative  ranking, based  on number of
transactions completed as a manager or co-manager during the period from January
1991 through June 1996 and  the 18 months from  January 1995 through June  1996,
among  underwriters  of  all  public equity  offerings,  underwriters  of equity
securities  offered  by  technology   companies,  and  underwriters  of   equity
securities offered by healthcare companies. The information in the tables and in
the  paragraph immediately following the tables is derived from data provided by
Securities  Data  Corp.,  excludes  underwriters'  over-allotment  options   and
reflects   H&Q's  judgment   concerning  the  classification   of  companies  as
technology, healthcare and other industries based on H&Q's review of the company
descriptions provided by Securities Data Corp. H&Q uses different definitions of
the technology and healthcare industries than the definitions used by Securities
Data Corp.
    
 
            UNDERWRITERS OF PUBLIC EQUITY OFFERINGS--ALL INDUSTRIES
             RANKED BY NUMBER OF TRANSACTIONS MANAGED OR CO-MANAGED
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     JANUARY 1995 THROUGH JUNE 1996
            JANUARY 1991 THROUGH JUNE 1996               -------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------
                                             AGGREGATE                                                AGGREGATE
                              AGGREGATE       AMOUNT                                   AGGREGATE       AMOUNT
                              NUMBER OF         ($                                     NUMBER OF         ($
                            TRANSACTIONS     MILLIONS)                               TRANSACTIONS     MILLIONS)
                           ---------------  -----------                             ---------------  -----------
<S>                        <C>              <C>          <C>                        <C>              <C>
Smith Barney.............        474         $  43,997   Smith Barney.............        209         $  23,579
Montgomery Securities....        468            26,704   Montgomery Securities....        195            13,927
Alex. Brown..............        462            30,126   Alex. Brown..............        191            15,873
Goldman Sachs............        445            77,892   HAMBRECHT & QUIST........        159             8,404
Merrill Lynch............        442            77,936   Goldman Sachs............        158            31,020
Lehman Brothers..........        414            46,735   DLJ......................        153            20,988
DLJ......................        391            44,855   Morgan Stanley...........        151            27,564
Morgan Stanley...........        375            60,516   Robertson, Stephens......        150             8,402
Robertson, Stephens......        326            15,857   Merrill Lynch............        149            30,543
HAMBRECHT & QUIST........        324            14,508   Lehman Brothers..........        120            15,270
CS First Boston..........        319            49,803   Cowen....................        116             6,779
Paine Webber.............        298            21,188   Paine Webber.............        101             8,623
Salomon Brothers.........        290            41,970   Salomon Brothers.........        97             13,991
Bear Stearns.............        211            25,664   CS First Boston..........        93             19,672
Cowen....................        198            10,397   Needham..................        79              3,402
</TABLE>
 
                                       40
<PAGE>
          UNDERWRITERS OF PUBLIC EQUITY OFFERINGS--TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY
             RANKED BY NUMBER OF TRANSACTIONS MANAGED OR CO-MANAGED
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     JANUARY 1995 THROUGH JUNE 1996
            JANUARY 1991 THROUGH JUNE 1996               -------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------
                                             AGGREGATE                                                AGGREGATE
                              AGGREGATE       AMOUNT                                   AGGREGATE       AMOUNT
                              NUMBER OF         ($                                     NUMBER OF         ($
                            TRANSACTIONS     MILLIONS)                               TRANSACTIONS     MILLIONS)
                           ---------------  -----------                             ---------------  -----------
<S>                        <C>              <C>          <C>                        <C>              <C>
HAMBRECHT & QUIST........        187         $   9,007   HAMBRECHT & QUIST........        105         $   5,605
Alex. Brown..............        165             9,203   Robertson, Stephens......        87              4,621
Robertson, Stephens......        164             8,077   Alex. Brown..............        82              5,403
Montgomery Securities....        135             6,622   Cowen....................        72              4,149
Cowen....................        118             5,980   Montgomery Securities....        60              3,608
Lehman Brothers..........        112             9,396   Needham..................        55              2,490
Morgan Stanley...........        86             10,696   Morgan Stanley...........        48              6,952
DLJ......................        79              7,067   Goldman Sachs............        38              6,773
Goldman Sachs............        77             11,860   Lehman Brothers..........        37              3,717
Smith Barney.............        54              3,111   DLJ......................        29              2,433
Merrill Lynch............        52             11,014   Merrill Lynch............        25              6,056
Paine Webber.............        47              2,630   Paine Webber.............        24              1,445
Bear Stearns.............        44              6,319   Smith Barney.............        16                997
Salomon Brothers.........        42              4,682   CS First Boston..........        14              4,302
CS First Boston..........        31              6,303   Salomon Brothers.........        14              1,654
</TABLE>
 
          UNDERWRITERS OF PUBLIC EQUITY OFFERINGS--HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY
             RANKED BY NUMBER OF TRANSACTIONS MANAGED OR CO-MANAGED
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     JANUARY 1995 THROUGH JUNE 1996
            JANUARY 1991 THROUGH JUNE 1996               -------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------
                                             AGGREGATE                                                AGGREGATE
                              AGGREGATE       AMOUNT                                   AGGREGATE       AMOUNT
                              NUMBER OF         ($                                     NUMBER OF         ($
                            TRANSACTIONS     MILLIONS)                               TRANSACTIONS     MILLIONS)
                           ---------------  -----------                             ---------------  -----------
<S>                        <C>              <C>          <C>                        <C>              <C>
Smith Barney.............        148         $  10,114   Smith Barney.............        60          $   5,243
Alex. Brown..............        134             8,882   Alex. Brown..............        50              3,818
HAMBRECHT & QUIST........        117             4,622   Montgomery Securities....        44              2,726
Montgomery Securities....        107             4,916   HAMBRECHT & QUIST........        43              2,184
Robertson, Stephens......        99              5,065   Cowen....................        40              1,922
Lehman Brothers..........        90              7,233   Robertson, Stephens......        38              2,545
Cowen....................        73              3,247   Lehman Brothers..........        31              2,026
Paine Webber.............        68              3,632   Merrill Lynch............        21              2,852
Merrill Lynch............        66              8,804   DLJ......................        21              1,903
DLJ......................        56              4,771   Morgan Stanley...........        17              1,823
Morgan Stanley...........        54              6,135   Paine Webber.............        16              1,048
CS First Boston..........        47              4,638   Goldman Sachs............        14              1,176
Goldman Sachs............        43              5,956   Needham..................        14                590
Bear Stearns.............        42              2,711   CS First Boston..........        13              1,353
Salomon Brothers.........        19              2,063   Salomon Brothers.........        12              1,128
</TABLE>
 
   
    The average size  of public equity  offerings managed or  co-managed by  the
Company  during the period from January 1995 through June 1996 was approximately
$52.9 million, compared  to an  average transaction  size during  the period  of
$137.6  million for the bulge bracket investment banks and $87.9 million for all
major bracket  investment  banks.  The  Company  believes  that  the  number  of
transactions  completed is  a meaningful  measure of  H&Q's ranking  relative to
others as an underwriter of emerging growth company securities in the  Company's
area  of focus because public offerings by  emerging growth companies tend to be
smaller than those  of more  mature companies. Measured  by average  transaction
size,  H&Q's ranking out of fifteen firms for all offerings, technology industry
offerings and healthcare industry  offerings during the  period would have  been
fourteenth, thirteenth and
    
 
                                       41
<PAGE>
   
thirteenth,  respectively. The Company was the lead underwriter in approximately
50% of its total equity underwriting transactions from January 1995 through June
1996, compared to a 50%  average for bulge bracket firms  and a 36% average  for
major bracket firms during such period.
    
 
    As  a result of the high proportion  of venture capital invested in emerging
growth companies  in California  and Massachusetts,  H&Q's underwriting  clients
have  to  date  been concentrated  in  these  states. Approximately  47%  of the
companies for which H&Q served as manager or co-manager of a securities offering
between January 1995 and June 1996 had principal offices located in  California,
and  approximately  11%  of these  companies  had principal  offices  located in
Massachusetts. During this  period, the  Company managed or  co-managed four  to
seven  public offerings for companies in  each of Florida, Maryland, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Washington (a  total of 32 offerings), one  to
three  public offerings for companies in each of  11 other states (a total of 21
offerings) and 14 offerings for companies outside the United States. For the  20
states   outside  California  and  Massachusetts  represented,  H&Q  managed  or
co-managed an average of approximately three offerings per state, and in four of
those states only  one offering was  completed. By comparison,  among the  1,081
venture  capital investments  in 1995 reported  by the  National Venture Capital
Association, 437 investments were made in California, 131 in Massachusetts,  and
more  than 25 in  each of Colorado,  Illinois, Minnesota, New  Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania, Texas  and  Washington  (a  total  of  282  investments)  and  the
remainder in other states.
 
    H&Q's  strategy is  to maintain  long-term relationships  with its corporate
clients by  serving their  capital  raising needs  beyond their  initial  public
offerings  of securities. H&Q also  seeks to increase its  base of publicly held
clients by  serving  as a  manager  or  co-manager in  follow-on  offerings  for
companies  that H&Q believes have attractive investment characteristics, whether
or not  H&Q  participated as  a  manager or  co-manager  in the  initial  public
offering  of securities  for such  companies. The  Company believes  it has been
successful in retaining  clients and obtaining  new clients, based  on the  more
than  100 transactions since January 1991 in which it has been retained or added
as  manager  or  co-manager   of  follow-on  offerings,   in  contrast  to   the
approximately 20 transactions in which competitors replaced the Company in these
roles.
 
   
    The  following  table sets  forth the  distribution  among industries,  on a
calendar year basis, of public  equity offerings completed between January  1991
and  June 1996 in which  the Company acted as  manager or co-manager. Italicized
data indicates the number  of transactions in which  the Company served as  lead
manager.
    
 
 HAMBRECHT & QUIST'S MANAGED OR CO-MANAGED PUBLIC EQUITY OFFERINGS BY INDUSTRY
                         JANUARY 1991 THROUGH JUNE 1996
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                    NUMBER OF TRANSACTIONS COMPLETED
                                                                 (NUMBER OF LEAD MANAGED TRANSACTIONS)
                                         --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                      <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
                                                                        YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                         --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INDUSTRY                                         1991                  1992                  1993                  1994
- ---------------------------------------       ----------             -------               -------               -------
Technology.............................         15        (7)         13        (8)         22       (10)         19       (14)
Healthcare.............................         21        (9)         19        (5)         20       (11)         11        (4)
Services...............................          6        (2)          6        (5)          3        (3)          4        (3)
Branded Consumer.......................         --        (-)          1        (-)          2        (-)          3        (2)
                                                --        ---          -        ---          -        ---          -        ---
    Total..............................         42       (18)         39       (18)         47       (24)         37       (23)
                                                --        ---          -        ---          -        ---          -        ---
                                                --        ---          -        ---          -        ---          -        ---
 
<CAPTION>
 
<S>                                      <C>        <C>        <C>          <C>
 
                                                                   SIX MONTHS ENDED
 
                                                                       JUNE 30,
INDUSTRY                                         1995                    1996
- ---------------------------------------        -------               -----------
Technology.............................         59       (32)          37         (19)
Healthcare.............................         16       (11)          19          (6)
Services...............................          9        (5)          12          (5)
Branded Consumer.......................          6        (3)           1          (-)
                                                 -        ---           -          ---
    Total..............................         90       (51)          69         (30)
                                                 -        ---           -          ---
                                                 -        ---           -          ---
</TABLE>
 
   
    H&Q  has recently  increased its expertise  in providing  private and public
offerings of convertible debt securities. Since January 1995, Hambrecht &  Quist
has completed six convertible debt transactions involving an aggregate of $877.1
million   in  securities.   During  all  periods,   underwriting  revenues  from
convertible debt  securities transactions  have comprised  less than  5% of  the
Company's  total  revenues,  and  the  Company's  convertible  debt underwriting
activities are small both in number of transactions and dollars raised  compared
to  major bracket firms overall, many of which serve more mature industries. The
Company has rarely underwritten public
    
 
                                       42
<PAGE>
offerings of non-convertible debt. To the  extent that interest rates and  other
market conditions are favorable, the Company expects convertible debt securities
to  be a growing  part of its underwriting  business in the  future as its newly
public corporate clients  develop in size  and begin to  leverage their  balance
sheets.
 
    RvR Securities offers equity underwriting services to companies with smaller
capitalizations  than  H&Q LLC's  typical  underwriting clients.  Since December
1993,  RvR  Securities  has  completed  five  underwriting  transactions.  These
transactions  were  all  initial public  offerings,  ranging in  size  from $4.2
million to $14.4 million. The issuers were three technology companies, a branded
consumer company  and  a  passenger  airline company.  Two  of  these  companies
subsequently became underwriting clients of H&Q LLC. With respect to each of the
five  companies,  RvR Securities  and/or H&Q  LLC acted  as a  market-maker. RvR
Securities does not currently engage in any market-making activities. While  RvR
Securities'  revenues  to  date  have  not been  material  to  the  Company, RvR
Securities  enables  H&Q  to  provide  a  valuable  service  to  these   smaller
capitalization  growth companies  and to  maintain a  relationship that enhances
opportunities for H&Q LLC to provide  underwriting and advisory services in  the
future.
 
    Hambrecht  & Quist provides after-market support to its underwriting clients
through the supply of information  concerning institutional holdings within  the
issuer's  shareholder base, as well as data concerning the market performance of
the corporate client's stock, as well as other stocks in the issuer's  industry.
The   Company's  Corporate  Services  group  identifies  and  accesses  relevant
research, company  news, market  trends, institutional  ownership data,  trading
activity  and performance  reporting, and  arranges meetings  with institutional
shareholders to  assist  newly public  companies  in developing  their  investor
relations efforts.
 
    INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES
 
    H&Q  is actively  developing its  international investment  banking business
both by assisting non-U.S. companies in raising capital in the United States and
by improving access to  local capital for growth  companies in other  countries.
While  revenues  from  international  underwriting activities  have  grown  as a
percentage of the  Company's total  revenues, during the  18-month period  ended
June  30,  1996,  these  revenues  comprised  less  than  10%  of  the Company's
underwriting revenues and less than 5% of the Company's total revenues.
 
   
    In the 18-month  period from  January 1995  through June  1996, the  Company
managed  or co-managed  17 equity  offerings for  non-U.S. companies,  raising a
total of approximately  $1.2 billion.  These transactions  included six  initial
public  offerings  and two  follow-on public  offerings  on Nasdaq  for European
growth companies, and three  initial public offerings  and two follow-on  public
offerings  on Nasdaq  for Israeli growth  companies. This  level of underwriting
activity for non-U.S. companies represents a significant increase from the seven
equity offerings, raising a total of $215.0 million, in which the Company served
as a manager or co-manager during the four-year period from January 1991 through
December 1994.
    
 
    Hambrecht & Quist has developed strategic relationships with local financial
institutions in Europe  in order  to build relationships  with leading  European
growth companies and with the financial communities which serve these companies.
These  relationships  are also  intended  to develop  H&Q's  European investment
banking presence in anticipation of the  launch of the EASDAQ market,  currently
expected  to occur in late  1996. EASDAQ's charter is  to serve as a Nasdaq-type
stock market for emerging growth companies in Europe. H&Q is a charter member of
the European  Association  of Securities  Dealers  and a  founding  investor  in
EASDAQ.
 
    In  January 1996, Hambrecht  & Quist announced the  formation of a 50%-owned
joint venture with Financiere Saint Dominique, a leading private equity investor
in France.  The  joint  venture,  Hambrecht  &  Quist  Saint  Dominique  ("Saint
Dominique"),  will be an  underwriter and market-maker on  the EASDAQ market, as
well as  le Nouveau  Marche,  a Paris-based  stock  market for  emerging  growth
companies  that was launched in February 1996. Saint Dominique has completed two
initial public offerings on le Nouveau Marche.
 
    In the  United Kingdom,  H&Q  holds a  minority  equity position  in  Beeson
Gregory  Holdings Limited, a  London-based brokerage firm  and financial advisor
specializing in growth  companies. In  addition, the Company  recently opened  a
London institutional sales office.
 
                                       43
<PAGE>
    The  Company's  strategy in  Asian markets  has been  to focus  initially on
venture capital investments in promising growth companies through H&Q's minority
investment in Asia  Pacific. H&Q  believes that  this strategy  will enable  the
Company  to  develop and  maintain relationships  with  growth companies  in the
region.
 
    The following table lists companies for  which Hambrecht & Quist managed  or
co-managed  public offerings of equity  or convertible debt securities completed
during the period from  the beginning of fiscal  1996 (October 1, 1995)  through
June 30, 1996:
 
                HAMBRECHT & QUIST'S RECENT UNDERWRITING CLIENTS
                         OCTOBER 1995 THROUGH JUNE 1996
 
ACT Networks
Advent Software
Affiliated Computer Services
Alpha-Beta Technology
AMISYS Managed Care Systems
Applied Microsystems
Arbor Software
Arris Pharmaceuticals
ASE Test
Biochem Pharma
Biofield
Boston Beer
BroadVision
Centocor
Central Garden & Pet
Check Point Software
Citrix Systems
CompuCom Systems
Computervision
CSG Systems International
CyberCash
Data Translation
Dendrite International
Digital Generation Systems
Dura Pharmaceuticals
Edify
Elantec
Endo Vascular Technologies
ESS Technology
Farallon Communications
Forte Software
FPA Medical Management
GelTex Pharmaceuticals
Gemstar International Group
Genset
Gensym
GeoWorks
Gilead Sciences
GT Interactive Software
Guilford Pharmaceuticals
Gynecare
HCIA
Home Health Corp. of America
Houghten Pharmaceuticals
HPR
i2 Technologies
Incyte Pharmaceuticals
Individual
Infonautics
Innotech
Integrated Systems
Intevac
Iomega
Isocor
JDA Software
Jones Medical Industries
Lernout & Hauspie
Logic Works
Lumisys
Lycos
M.A.I.D.
Macronix International
Meridian Data
MetaTools
Metra Biosystems
Microware Systems
Oacis Healthcare Holdings
Optical Sensors
OrthoLogic
PC DOCS Group International
Photon Dynamics
Pixar
PLATINUM technology
Prism Solutions
Profit Recovery Group
Red Brick Systems
Renaissance Solutions
SangStat Medical
Saville Systems
Sawtek
Seattle Filmworks
Sequana Therapeutics
Siebel Systems
Sierra Semiconductor
Silicon Storage Technology
Silicon Valley Research
Sipex
Solectron
Sonus Pharmaceuticals
SpectraLink
SS&C Technologies
Starbucks
Tecnomatix Technologies
Telxon
Triple P
Verilink
Verity
Vincam Group
VocalTec
Xilinx
 
                                       44
<PAGE>
    MERGER AND ACQUISITION ADVISORY SERVICES
 
    Hambrecht  & Quist  offers a broad  range of merger  and acquisition ("M&A")
advisory services  to growth  companies. The  Company markets  its M&A  advisory
services both to H&Q's existing base of corporate clients and to other companies
that  can  benefit from  the Company's  expertise.  The Company  offers advisory
services with  respect  to purchases  and  sales of  businesses;  strategic  and
cross-border  partnerships; divestitures  and corporate  restructurings; hostile
takeover defense strategies;  fairness opinions in  acquisition, investment  and
defensive transactions; and valuations of businesses and technology assets. From
January  1991 through June 1996,  the Company provided M&A  services in over 100
assignments representing approximately $8.7 billion of completed transactions.
 
    The Company's M&A expertise has been  developed over the years and has  been
supported  by the close involvement of professionals from the industry groups in
both  investment  banking  and  research.   The  Company  believes  that   early
identification  of emerging industry and technical trends, together with focused
industry research coverage, enhances the effectiveness of its M&A professionals'
strategic and  valuation  advice.  H&Q's  M&A  professionals  combine  industry,
technology,  legal  and  accounting  expertise  with  substantial  transactional
experience. The group's  success is  reflected in the  growth in  the volume  of
completed  M&A transactions in which H&Q  has provided advice to emerging growth
companies:
 
        HAMBRECHT & QUIST'S MERGER AND ACQUISITION ADVISORY ASSIGNMENTS
                         JANUARY 1991 THROUGH JUNE 1996
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                           YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,                  SIX MONTHS
                                            -----------------------------------------------------   ENDED JUNE
                                              1991       1992       1993       1994       1995       30, 1996
                                            ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -------------
<S>                                         <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
Number of Completed Assignments...........         11          8         11         24         30           19
Aggregate Transaction Value                 $     289  $     174  $     377  $   2,028  $   3,723    $   2,119
 (in millions)............................
</TABLE>
 
     PRIVATE PLACEMENTS AND STRUCTURED FINANCE
 
    H&Q formalized its private placement capabilities in 1991 with the  creation
of  a group  which focuses  on acting as  placement agent  in private securities
transactions. H&Q assists in  the placement of these  securities for a fee,  but
without underwriting the offered securities. Acting as placement agent generally
entails  advising the  issuer regarding the  structure and other  aspects of the
financing, assisting in the preparation of appropriate disclosure documents  and
soliciting  prospective  qualified investors.  The  private placement/structured
finance group  places  equity and  fixed  income securities  with  institutional
investors,   private   capital   funds,   strategic   corporate   investors  and
sophisticated, high net worth individuals.  Since 1991, the group has  completed
over  35 private  placement transactions, raising  over $700  million for growth
companies, with  19 of  these transactions  completed since  January 1995.  This
group  often  serves  corporate clients  in  their  early stages  and,  as these
entrepreneurial companies  grow,  H&Q  seeks to  sustain  the  relationship  and
provide other services. The group also assists publicly traded corporate clients
that  undertake  convertible debt  financings  or conduct  private  offerings of
registered and unregistered securities.
 
SALES, TRADING AND SYNDICATE
 
    H&Q provides a broad  range of sales and  trading services to investors  and
seeks  to serve  as one of  the top  market-makers for the  equity securities of
emerging growth companies for which H&Q has served as a managing or  co-managing
underwriter.  The  Company  leverages  its  research  capability  by identifying
companies that  it  believes have  the  potential  to become  leaders  in  their
respective  industries and  attempting to become  a leading  market-maker in the
shares of those companies, often taking large positions to satisfy the needs  of
institutional clients for a liquid market in this group of companies.
 
                                       45
<PAGE>
    INSTITUTIONAL SALES AND TRADING
 
    At  June 30,  1996, H&Q  had 32  institutional sales  professionals covering
growth-oriented investors in many countries, primarily in North America, Western
Europe and Japan. H&Q's focus on growth industries enables its sales and trading
organization to develop an in-depth understanding of these sectors and companies
and to  better serve  its investor  clients. The  Company's institutional  sales
activities  are conducted from  its offices in San  Francisco, New York, Boston,
San Diego and London.
 
   
    At June 30, 1996, H&Q had 17 trading professionals involved in market making
in both Nasdaq and exchange-listed  securities. The most significant portion  of
the  Company's institutional revenues arises  from trading in Nasdaq securities.
At June  30, 1996,  H&Q made  a market  in over  300 Nasdaq  stocks. During  the
quarter ended June 30, 1996, based on publicly reported trading volume data, H&Q
was one of the top three market makers in approximately 74% of the Nasdaq equity
securities  issued by companies for which H&Q served as manager or co-manager in
an initial public  offering completed between  January 1991 and  June 1996.  H&Q
believes that this statistic is more meaningful than other potential measures of
Nasdaq  market-making activities, such  as the total number  of Nasdaq stocks in
which a securities firm makes a market, because H&Q believes that the volume  of
market-making activity is an important measure of after-market liquidity for the
securities  of underwriting clients.  Additionally, at June 30,  1996 H&Q had 25
coverage traders, servicing the trading  desks of major institutions  worldwide.
Orders  are executed daily as  principal or agent in  both the listed and Nasdaq
markets for equities, convertible and non-convertible debt, including  municipal
bonds, options and other derivative securities. The Company's trading activities
are  conducted from its offices in San Francisco, New York and Boston. Hambrecht
& Quist clears its trading transactions through Lewco.
    
 
    EXECUTIVE FINANCIAL SERVICES
 
    Since its founding in  1968, H&Q has provided  retail brokerage services  to
individual  investors  and  small  institutions  interested  in  emerging growth
company securities. In 1994, this business unit was renamed Executive  Financial
Services  ("EFS") and  its strategies  were realigned in  an effort  to grow the
business. This strategic realignment entailed: (i) increasing the focus of  this
business on broadening the range and depth of services provided to executives of
growth  companies; (ii) providing appropriate services  to all employees of this
client base, rather than only the top executives; (iii) attracting new high  net
worth investors to H&Q by providing differentiated investment ideas and services
and  (iv) recruiting and retaining additional experienced and productive brokers
to serve high net worth individuals.
 
    The EFS group  operates out  of the Company's  San Francisco,  New York  and
Boston  offices. In  addition to  handling Nasdaq  and exchange-listed brokerage
transactions, EFS brokers provide other services, including sales of  restricted
securities,  fixed income investments  and consulting for  options, hedging, the
selection of outside money managers, mutual  funds and cash management. At  June
30, 1996, the EFS group included 62 retail brokers.
 
    VENTURE SERVICES
 
    H&Q  provides specialized  services to the  general and  limited partners of
venture capital and buyout funds,  corporate development functions within  large
corporations  and certain high net worth individuals who participate actively in
venture capital  investments.  These services  include  the sale  of  restricted
securities,  management of in-kind stock  distributions by venture capital funds
to their investors, sales of shelf-registered securities, private placements and
acquisition or sale of large equity positions. The Company also provides venture
capitalists with  timely  information  concerning  the  publicly  traded  shares
included in venture capital investment portfolios. This group was established in
1994  as a separate department  within H&Q in recognition  of the strategic role
played by venture capital investors in H&Q's areas of focus and in  establishing
and  developing a  close relationship between  the Company and  the companies in
which venture capitalists hold equity positions.
 
    SYNDICATE
 
    The Company participates in public offerings of securities either by  acting
as  manager or co-manager of an underwriting syndicate, or by acting as a member
of an underwriting syndicate managed by  other investment banks. In both  cases,
the  Company  risks its  capital through  its participation  in a  commitment to
purchase securities  from  an issuer  and  to resell  them  to the  public.  The
Company's syndicate activities include managing
 
                                       46
<PAGE>
the marketing and book-building process of underwritten transactions the Company
is  managing,  participating in  discussions leading  to  the offering  price of
securities and the supervision of initial market-making for lead-managed  deals.
The  Syndicate  department is  also responsible  for developing  and maintaining
relationships with the syndicate departments of other investment banks. At  June
30,  1996, the Syndicate department was comprised of 12 employees, including two
senior managers who  have an aggregate  of over  50 years of  experience in  the
securities industry.
 
VENTURE CAPITAL AND PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT ACTIVITIES
 
    From  the  Company's  inception,  venture  capital  investing  has  been  an
important  component  of  H&Q's  strategy  of  identifying  and  building  early
relationships with promising emerging growth companies. H&Q currently conducts a
broad  range of venture capital and principal investment activities. H&Q intends
to increase the range and size of these activities.
 
    INSTITUTIONAL VENTURE FUND MANAGEMENT
 
    Hambrecht & Quist raised  its first venture capital  fund shortly after  the
Company  was founded.  The institutional  venture fund  management business grew
substantially, and by the mid-1980s the Company, principally through  affiliated
venture  capital management partnerships, managed over $600.0 million in venture
capital assets.  Each institutional  fund  was structured  so that  the  Company
received management fees and a participation in any net profits of the fund.
 
    In  the  late  1980s,  the  Company  determined  that  its  domestic venture
activities would be most  effectively carried out through  a strategy of  making
fewer   and  smaller  venture  capital   investments  and  more  direct  Company
participation in  these investments.  Since then,  the Company  has reduced  the
number   of  investment   professionals  in  its   venture  capital  department.
Substantial assets  and funds  have been  distributed as  the previously  raised
funds  have matured,  and assets under  management by the  venture capital group
currently amount to over $200.0 million.
 
    SOLE PURPOSE VENTURE CAPITAL PARTNERSHIPS AND DIRECT STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS
 
    Since 1992, the Company has  made venture capital and mezzanine  investments
by  means of limited partnerships  that are each formed  for the sole purpose of
enabling the Company, its  senior employees and others  to invest in a  specific
private company. The Company receives no management fees in connection with such
investments,  but it participates in any profits of the partnerships. Certain of
the  Company's  professionals  share  in   the  profit  participation  of   each
partnership based on their specific contribution to identifying, structuring and
managing  the partnership's  investment. In  fiscal 1994  and 1995  and the nine
months ended June 30, 1996, approximately $15.4 million, $14.0 million and $14.0
million, respectively, was invested in such partnerships, of which $2.1 million,
$2.6 million and $2.7 million, respectively, was invested by the Company.
 
    Since the mid-1980s, the Company has, from time to time, invested solely for
its own  account in  private  companies that  offer  a strategic  and  financial
opportunity.  The Company in recent years has also invested capital and obtained
minority,   non-controlling   interests   in    a   number   of    complementary
asset-management  organizations, including De Santis Capital Management, L.P., a
registered investment adviser.
 
    STRATEGIC AND SPECIALTY FUNDS
 
    ASIA PACIFIC.   Asia Pacific was  established in 1985  to provide  financial
advisory  and fund management services to investors and entrepreneurs throughout
the Asia Pacific  region. As of  June 30, 1996,  Asia Pacific's operations  were
among  the largest of venture capital firms in the region, with 29 professionals
in seven countries. At such date, Asia Pacific managed 11 funds with a  combined
total  of approximately  $445.0 million  in committed  capital. Of  this amount,
$258.0 million  had  been  invested  in over  150  companies  located  in  Asia,
including  $8.5  million in  ten  companies located  in  the United  States with
operations in Asia. Seven of these  funds, totaling $198.0 million in  committed
capital,  are generally available  for investment only  in one specific country,
and four of these  funds, totaling $246.1 million  in committed capital, may  be
invested in companies located in any one of a number of countries in a specified
region.
 
                                       47
<PAGE>
    Hambrecht  & Quist  holds a minority  interest in  Asia Pacific's management
entity, with the majority interest held  by Asia Pacific's management team.  H&Q
also is entitled to certain participations in the profits of existing and future
Asia Pacific funds.
 
    HAMBRECHT & QUIST CAPITAL MANAGEMENT.  In 1987, the Company formed Hambrecht
&  Quist  Capital Management  Incorporated  ("Capital Management")  to  make and
manage investments in publicly traded  and privately held companies  principally
engaged  in the development, production or  distribution of products or services
generally  related  to  scientific  advances  in  healthcare,  agriculture   and
environmental   management.  Capital  Management  manages  two  publicly  traded
closed-end mutual  funds:  H&Q  Healthcare Investors  (NYSE:HQH)  and  H&Q  Life
Sciences  Investors (NYSE:HQL). At  June 30, 1996, these  funds had combined net
assets of approximately $276.0 million, of which approximately 32% was comprised
of venture capital and other investments subject to resale restrictions. Capital
Management is compensated solely on the basis of management fees as a percentage
of assets under management. Capital Management is wholly owned by H&Q.
 
    ADOBE  VENTURES,  L.P.    In  1994,  Hambrecht  &  Quist  formed  a  limited
partnership with Adobe Systems Incorporated ("Adobe") that invests in companies,
products  or technologies  strategic to  Adobe's interests.  Adobe has committed
approximately $40.0 million in capital to  date. The Company receives an  annual
management  fee based on the amount of capital committed and participates in any
profits  of  the   partnership.  Certain  of   the  Company's  venture   capital
professionals share in the profit participation. At June 30, 1996, this fund had
invested an aggregate of approximately $26.0 million in 13 companies.
 
    TI  VENTURES  L.P.    In  June 1996,  Hambrecht  &  Quist  formed  a limited
partnership with  Texas  Instruments  Incorporated ("TI")  for  the  purpose  of
investing in companies that operate in the field of digital communications, with
an emphasis on applications and markets requiring integrated technology, such as
digital video. TI has committed $30.0 million of capital to the partnership. The
Company  will receive an  annual management fee  based on the  amount of capital
committed and will participate in any profits of the partnership.
 
    ASSET-BASED FINANCING AND MEZZANINE INVESTMENTS
 
    HAMBRECHT & QUIST GUARANTY  FINANCE.  In 1983,  the Company established  the
entity  that became  Guaranty Finance to  provide equipment  leasing to emerging
technology companies.  Today,  Guaranty Finance  provides  secured,  asset-based
financings  that include  tenant improvement  and real  estate leases, equipment
leases, accounts  receivable and  inventory financing  and loan  guarantees  for
private  and public emerging technology, biotechnology and healthcare companies.
Guaranty Finance  provides  financing  that generally  would  not  otherwise  be
commercially  available to emerging growth  companies because they are perceived
as too  risky, or  because the  financing is  too customized  in nature,  to  be
attractive  to  conventional  sources  of financing.  In  addition  to receiving
payments on loans and leases, Guaranty  Finance has the opportunity to  purchase
warrants  for  structuring and  providing the  funding  or for  guaranteeing the
repayment of funds provided by a bank or other financial institution. As of June
30, 1996, Guaranty Finance had provided a total of $79.4 million of financing to
37 client companies in 59 transactions. Guaranty Finance's current portfolio  of
financings  aggregated approximately $18.9  million at June  30, 1996. After the
Restructuring, Hambrecht & Quist Group will own 87.5% of Guaranty Finance,  with
the  balance  owned  by  Guaranty  Finance's  senior  management  and employees,
together with one non-officer  employee of the  Company who devotes  significant
time to Guaranty Finance.
 
    HAMBRECHT   &  QUIST  TRANSITION  CAPITAL.    The  Company  recently  formed
Transition Capital to provide bridge loans and mezzanine financings for emerging
growth companies. Transition Capital's investments  will consist of secured  and
unsecured  debt with equity participation. The  term of the loans will typically
be less  than three  years, and  Transition Capital  seeks to  obtain  financial
returns  through interest  income, fees and  the receipt of  warrants, rights to
convert loans  into  equity,  or  the right  to  share  in  profits.  Transition
Capital's  activities have not been significant, with only one financing, in the
amount  of  $3.8   million,  completed   through  June  30,   1996.  After   the
Restructuring,  Hambrecht &  Quist Group will  own 87.5%  of Transition Capital,
with the balance owned by Transition Capital's senior management and  employees,
together  with one non-officer  employee of the  Company who devotes significant
time to Transition Capital.
 
                                       48
<PAGE>
ACCOUNTING, ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATIONS
 
    H&Q's accounting, administration  and operations  personnel are  responsible
for  financial controls,  internal and external  financial reporting, compliance
with regulatory  and  legal requirements,  office  and personnel  services,  the
Company's   management  information  and  telecommunications  systems,  and  the
processing of  the Company's  securities transactions.  The Company's  employees
perform most of these functions. With the exception of payroll processing, which
is  performed by  an outside service  bureau, all data  processing functions are
performed by  the  Company's  management  information  systems  department.  The
Company  believes  that future  growth will  require  implementation of  new and
enhanced communications and information systems and training of its personnel to
operate such systems. Any difficulty or significant delay in the  implementation
or  operation of new systems or the training of personnel could adversely affect
the Company's  ability  to  manage  growth.  See  "Risk  Factors--Management  of
Growth."
 
    Lewco acts as a clearing broker and depository for the Company. A portion of
Lewco's  expenses, net of certain revenues,  are reimbursed by the Company based
on the level of transactions processed on behalf of the Company.
 
COMPETITION
 
    The securities  business is  intensely competitive.  Many of  the  Company's
competitors  have  greater  capital,  financial  and  other  resources  than the
Company.  The  Company  competes  worldwide  for  growth-oriented  institutional
investor  clients and  for United  States underwritings  of equity  offerings by
emerging growth companies in  H&Q's areas of focus.  During calendar 1995,  less
than  5%  of the  Company's revenues  was  derived from  international corporate
finance and brokerage  services. The  Company competes for  venture capital  and
other  principal investment  opportunities in  the United  States through wholly
owned subsidiaries  and  internationally  through entities  in  which  it  holds
minority  interests. In addition to competition  from domestic and foreign firms
currently in the securities business,  domestic commercial banks and  investment
banking  boutiques have  recently entered the  business. In  recent years, large
international banks have attempted to enter the markets served by United  States
investment  banks, including  the markets in  which the  Company competes. These
large international banks have hired investment banking, research and sales  and
trading  professionals from the Company and its competitors in the past, and the
Company expects that these and other competitors will continue to try to recruit
professionals away from  the Company.  The loss  of any  key professional  could
materially  and adversely  affect the  Company's operating  results. The Company
expects competition  from domestic  and  international banks  to increase  as  a
result  of recent and anticipated legislative  and regulatory initiatives in the
United States to remove or relieve certain restrictions on commercial banks. The
Company's focus on growth companies also subjects it to direct competition  from
a  group of specialty securities firms  and smaller investment banking boutiques
that specialize in  providing services  to the emerging  growth company  sector.
Such competition could adversely affect the Company's operating results, as well
as  its ability to attract and retain highly skilled individuals. As a result of
increasing competition, revenues from individual underwriting transactions  have
been  increasingly allocated  among a greater  number of  co-managers, which has
resulted in reduced revenues for certain transactions.
 
    The Company  also  faces  competition  from  companies  offering  electronic
brokerage  services, a  rapidly developing  and intensely  competitive industry.
These competitors may undertake promotional activities focused on the  Company's
brokerage  customers and offer these customers  more attractive pricing or other
terms than the  Company offers.  The Company also  anticipates competition  from
underwriters  who  attempt  to  effect  public  offerings  for  emerging  growth
companies through new  means of distribution,  including using electronic  media
such  as  the Internet.  In addition,  disintermediation  may result  as issuers
attempt to sell their securities  directly to purchasers, including sales  using
electronic media such as the Internet. To the extent that issuers and purchasers
of   securities   transact  business   without   the  assistance   of  financial
intermediaries such as  the Company,  the Company's operating  results could  be
adversely affected.
 
    The principal competitive factors influencing the Company's business are its
professional  staff,  industry expertise,  client relationships  and its  mix of
market and product capabilities.
 
                                       49
<PAGE>
EMPLOYEES
 
    At June 30, 1996, the Company had a total of 617 employees, of whom 60  were
engaged  in  research, 110  in  investment banking,  277  in sales,  trading and
syndicate, 37  in venture  capital, principal  investment and  money  management
activities  and  133  in  accounting, administration  and  operations.  Of these
employees, 320  were classified  as  professionals and  297 were  classified  in
support  positions. None of the Company's  employees are subject to a collective
bargaining agreement. The Company believes that its relations with its employees
are good.
 
PROPERTIES
 
    The Company's  principal  executive  offices in  San  Francisco,  California
occupy  approximately 132,000 square feet  under leases which terminate December
31, 1998, subject to two 5-year extension options for the majority of the space.
The Company also leases approximately 33,000 square feet in New York, New  York,
under  a lease  expiring in  2007; approximately  24,000 square  feet in Boston,
Massachusetts, under a lease  expiring in 1998, subject  to an option to  extend
the  term; and approximately 2,000 square feet in San Diego, California, under a
lease expiring  in  1999. The  Company  believes that  its  present  facilities,
together  with its current  options to extend lease  terms and occupy additional
space, are adequate for its current and projected needs.
 
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
 
    OVERVIEW
 
    Many  aspects  of  the  Company's  business  involve  substantial  risks  of
liability.  An underwriter is exposed to substantial liability under federal and
state securities  laws,  other  federal  and state  laws  and  court  decisions,
including  decisions with respect to  underwriters' liability and limitations on
indemnification of underwriters by issuers. For example, a firm that acts as  an
underwriter  may be held liable for  material misstatements or omissions of fact
in a prospectus  used in  connection with the  securities being  offered or  for
statements made by its securities analysts or other personnel.
 
    In  recent  years,  there has  been  an increasing  incidence  of litigation
involving the securities industry, including class actions that seek substantial
damages. The  Company has  been active  in the  underwriting of  initial  public
offerings  and follow-on  offerings of the  securities of  emerging and mid-size
growth companies, which often involve a higher degree of risk and often are more
volatile than the securities of  more established companies. In comparison  with
more established companies, such emerging and mid-size growth companies are also
more  likely to be the  subject of securities class  actions, to carry directors
and  officers  liability  insurance  policies   with  lower  limits  than   more
established  companies, and to become insolvent. Each of these factors increases
the likelihood that an underwriter of  an emerging or mid-size growth  company's
securities  will be required  to contribute to  any judgment or  settlement of a
securities lawsuit.
 
    The plaintiffs'  attorneys in  securities class  action lawsuits  frequently
name  as defendants in lawsuits the  managing underwriters of a public offering.
H&Q LLC is named a  defendant in a number of  class action lawsuits relating  to
public  offerings in which it served as a managing underwriter. In addition, H&Q
LLC is currently  directly or indirectly  subject to over  30 shareholder  class
action lawsuits relating to public offerings in which H&Q LLC served as a member
of  the underwriting  syndicate but not  as a  managing underwriter. Plaintiffs'
attorneys also  name  as  defendants investment  banks  which  provide  advisory
services  in  merger  and  acquisition  transactions.  H&Q  LLC  is  currently a
defendant  in  one  such  lawsuit.  The  Company  anticipates  that   additional
securities  class-action lawsuits  naming H&Q LLC  as a defendant  will be filed
from time to time in the future,  particularly in light of the increased  number
of  public offerings H&Q LLC has underwritten and the increased number of merger
and acquisition  transactions in  which H&Q  LLC provided  advisory services  in
recent  years and the  fact that the  securities sold in  certain of such public
offerings have experienced or may in the future experience significant  declines
in  market value.  In such lawsuits,  all members of  the underwriting syndicate
typically are included as  members of a defendant  class and/or are required  by
law,  or pursuant to the terms of  the underwriting agreement, to bear a portion
of any  expenses  or  losses  (including  amounts  paid  in  settlement  of  the
litigation)  incurred  by the  underwriters as  a group  in connection  with the
litigation, to the extent not covered  by the indemnification obligation of  the
issuer  of the securities underwritten. H&Q  LLC has on occasion participated in
settlements of  these types  of lawsuits  by making  payments to  the  plaintiff
class. There can be no
 
                                       50
<PAGE>
assurance that the Company, H&Q LLC or RvR Securities will not find it necessary
to make substantial settlement payments in the future. The Company has agreed to
indemnify  H&Q LLC against any  expense or liability it  may incur in connection
with any such lawsuits.
 
    As the number of suits to which  the Company is a party increases, the  risk
to  the Company's assets also increases. If  the plaintiffs in any suits against
the Company were to successfully prosecute their claims, or if the Company  were
to  settle  such suits  by making  significant payments  to the  plaintiffs, the
Company's operating  results and  financial condition  could be  materially  and
adversely  affected. As is  common in the securities  industry, the Company does
not carry  insurance  that would  cover  any  such payments.  In  addition,  the
Company's  charter documents  allow indemnification  of the  Company's officers,
directors and agents  to the maximum  extent permitted under  Delaware law.  The
Company  has  entered into  indemnification agreements  with these  persons. The
Company has  been  and in  the  future may  be  the subject  of  indemnification
assertions under these charter documents or agreements by officers, directors or
agents of the Company who are or may become defendants in litigation.
 
    In  addition to these  financial costs and risks,  the defense of litigation
has, to a certain extent, diverted, and is expected to divert in the future, the
efforts and attention of the Company's management and staff. The amount of  time
which  management and other employees are  required to devote in connection with
the defense of litigation could be substantial and might materially divert their
attention from  other  responsibilities  within the  Company.  Securities  class
action  litigation  in  particular  is  highly complex,  and  can  extend  for a
protracted period of time, thereby consuming substantial time and effort of  the
Company's  management and substantially increasing  the cost of such litigation.
Further, the laws relating to securities class actions are currently in a  state
of  flux. The eventual impact of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995 on securities class action litigation is not known. In addition, there  are
certain  proposed California ballot initiative  provisions which, if passed, the
Company believes would make it easier for securities class action plaintiffs  to
litigate in California state court.
 
    The  Company also has been subject to litigation in state and federal courts
relating to companies in which the Company has invested as a principal. The risk
of such  litigation is  magnified where  H&Q has  a substantial  or  controlling
interest  in the Company, or where one or  more of H&Q's employees serves on the
Company's Board of Directors. On occasion, such litigation has produced  results
materially  adverse to  H&Q. In  particular, during  1991 and  1992, the Company
settled litigation  relating  to  MiniScribe at  an  aggregate  cost,  including
expenses,  of approximately $59.8 million. All of such payments relating to such
MiniScribe settlements  were  made  prior to  May  31,  1996. There  can  be  no
assurance  that the Company, as  a result of its  investments as a principal, or
the service  of  the Company's  employees  as  directors of  other  entities  or
otherwise,  will not  lead to similar  litigation or settlement  payments in the
future.
 
    In the normal course of business, the Company is also a defendant in various
civil actions and arbitrations arising out of its activities as a  broker-dealer
in  securities,  as an  underwriter, as  an employer  and as  a result  of other
business activities. H&Q has in the past made substantial payments in connection
with the  resolution of  disputed claims,  and there  can be  no assurance  that
substantial  payments in connection with the  resolution of disputed claims will
not occur in the future.
 
    An adverse resolution of any pending or future lawsuits against H&Q LLC, RvR
Securities or  the  Company  could materially  affect  the  Company's  operating
results and financial condition.
 
    Set forth below are summaries of certain pending litigation matters to which
H&Q LLC is a party. The Company believes that the resolution of such matters and
the  other pending litigation matters  to which the Company  is a party will not
have a material adverse effect on  the Company's operating results or  financial
condition.
 
    SECURITIES LITIGATION
 
    The  following paragraphs describe litigation in which H&Q has been named as
a defendant  relating to  transactions in  which  H&Q LLC  acted as  a  managing
underwriter or provided merger and acquisition advice.
 
    ADOBE  SECURITIES LITIGATION.  On  February 6, 1996, H&Q  LLC and two of its
employees, one  of whom  is also  an  outside director  of Adobe  Systems,  Inc.
("Adobe"), were named as defendants in a shareholders'
 
                                       51
<PAGE>
securities  class action suit filed in  the Superior Court of California, County
of Santa Clara  (STRAUSZ ET AL.  V. GESCHKE  ET AL., Case  No. CV755730).  Other
defendants include Adobe, certain of Adobe's officers and directors, and certain
former  officers of Frame Technology  Corporation ("Frame"). The lawsuit relates
to the merger of Frame into Adobe in October 1995. H&Q LLC acted as a  financial
advisor  to Frame in the merger. The  complaint alleges that the defendants made
misrepresentations regarding  the merger  and/or  Adobe's and  Frame's  business
operations  and prospects of the merged entity, and omitted to disclose material
adverse facts  regarding the  merger and  business prospects  and engaged  in  a
scheme  to defraud investors, thereby artificially  inflating the price of Adobe
stock during the class period.  The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages  including
compensatory  and punitive damages,  pre- and post-judgment  interest, costs and
attorneys' fees, and equitable and injunctive relief based on alleged violations
of California law.  The Adobe  defendants and the  H&Q defendants  each filed  a
demurrer on the ground that the allegations were not actionable under state law.
In  July 1996,  the Court sustained  the demurrer  of H&Q and  its two defendant
employees as to all causes of action and provided the plaintiffs leave to amend.
 
    COMPUTERVISION SECURITIES LITIGATION.  In August 1992, H&Q LLC acted as  one
of  four  co-managers of  an underwriting  of  $600 million  of debt  and equity
securities issued  by  Computervision Corporation  ("Computervision").  Numerous
class   action  suits  were  filed  against   H&Q  and  other  defendants  after
Computervision announced, in September 1992,  that revenue and operating  profit
for  its third quarter would fall substantially  below its plan and the previous
year's third quarter.  These cases  were eventually consolidated  in the  United
States  District Court  in Boston  (IN RE  COMPUTERVISION CORPORATION SECURITIES
LITIGATION, MDL Docket No. 964). The operative complaint alleges claims  against
H&Q, the other managing underwriters, Computervision and certain of its officers
and directors, under various sections of the federal securities laws and a claim
for common law misrepresentation.
 
    After  completion of substantially all discovery, the Court, relying in part
on the fact that the prospectus "bespoke caution," issued a decision  dismissing
every  factual  allegation in  the complaint  except one.  In January  1995, the
plaintiffs served a  motion for leave  to file a  further amended complaint.  In
February  1995, the defendants served a  response in opposition, and also served
summary judgment motions to dismiss the sole allegation that survived the motion
to dismiss. By stipulation in  April 1995, plaintiffs subsequently withdrew  the
sole  surviving  allegation. In  September  1995, the  Court  denied plaintiffs'
motion for leave to amend the complaint, dismissed plaintiffs' case and  entered
judgment  for all  defendants. Plaintiffs  appealed these  rulings to  the First
Circuit Court of Appeals, which  on July 31, 1996  affirmed the judgment of  the
District Court.
 
    DATAWARE  TECHNOLOGIES SECURITIES  LITIGATION.   Dataware Technologies, Inc.
("Dataware") effected  a  $29,250,000  initial  public  offering  in  July  1993
lead-managed by H&Q LLC. In December 1993, Dataware announced that its quarterly
earnings  would be below expectations. Its  share price dropped, and in November
1994, a shareholder class  action suit was filed  in the United States  District
Court  in Boston against the Company, certain of its officers and directors, and
the managing underwriters, including H&Q  LLC, in connection with the  company's
public offering, subsequent sales by its insiders and research reports issued by
H&Q  LLC (IN  RE: DATAWARE  TECHNOLOGIES, INC.  SECURITIES LITIGATION,  Civ. No.
94-12250-DPW).
 
    The parties have  reached a settlement  in this action  and reported to  the
court  the  fact that  a settlement  has been  reached. H&Q  LLC has  been fully
indemnified by Dataware in connection with the settlement. The parties  executed
a  formal settlement  agreement on August  2, 1996,  and on that  date the Court
preliminarily approved the proposed settlement,  subject to notice to the  class
and a full settlement hearing in October 1996.
 
   
    OAK TECHNOLOGY SECURITIES LITIGATION.  On June 6, 1996, Oak Technology, Inc.
("Oak"),  certain of its officers  and directors, H&Q LLC,  two of its employees
and others were named as defendants  in a shareholders' securities class  action
suit  filed in the Superior Court of  California, County of Santa Clara (HOCHMAN
ET AL. V. HSU  ET AL., Case No.  CV758510). On June 20,  1996, certain of  Oak's
officers  and  directors  and  H&Q  LLC  were  named  as  defendants  in another
shareholders' securities  class  action suit  filed  in the  Superior  Court  of
California,  County  of Santa  Clara (GALLO  ET AL.  V. TSANG  ET AL.,  Case No.
CV758799). On July 3, 1996, certain of Oak's officers and directors and H&Q  LLC
were  named as defendants in two shareholder securities class action suits filed
in the Superior Court of  California, County of Santa  Clara (ROSSINI ET AL.  V.
TSANG  ET  AL., Case  No. CV759148;  FENTON ET  AL.  V. TSANG  ET AL.,  Case No.
CV759145). H&Q LLC  acted as  the lead manager  of Oak's  February 1995  initial
    
 
                                       52
<PAGE>
public  offering and May 1995 follow-on  equity offering. The complaints allege,
among other things, that  during the alleged  class period of  July 1995 to  May
1996,  H&Q LLC issued false research reports and otherwise engaged in wrongdoing
in order to please  Oak and/or Oak's officers  and directors. The lawsuits  seek
unspecified  damages based on  alleged violations of  California law. Defendants
have not yet  filed any  pleading responding  to any  of the  complaints and  no
discovery  has occurred in  any case. It  is unknown at  this time whether these
actions will be consolidated.
 
   
    NASDAQ ANTITRUST LITIGATION
    
 
    In December 1994, a consolidated amended  complaint was filed in the  United
States  District  Court  for  the  Southern  District  of  New  York  against 33
broker-dealer defendants,  including H&Q  LLC (94  Civ. 3996  (RWS), M.D.L.  No.
1023).  The  consolidated  amended  complaint alleged  that  H&Q  LLC  and other
participants and market-makers  on Nasdaq  engaged in  a conspiracy  to fix  the
"spread"  between bid and  asked prices for  securities traded on  the Nasdaq in
violation of Section 1 of  the Sherman Act. The  plaintiff class was alleged  to
include persons throughout the United States who are customers of the defendants
or  their affiliates and who  purchased or sold securities  on the Nasdaq during
the period from May 1, 1989 through May 27, 1994. Plaintiffs allege to have been
damaged in  that they  paid more  for  securities purchased  on the  Nasdaq,  or
received  less for  securities sold,  than they would  have but  for the alleged
conspiracy. The  consolidated  amended  complaint  seeks  compensatory  damages,
treble  damages, declaratory and  injunctive relief, attorneys'  fees and costs.
Judgment against each of the defendants was sought on a joint and several basis.
In February 1995, H&Q LLC and the other defendants filed a motion to dismiss. In
August 1995, the Court granted such motion on the ground that plaintiffs had not
specified the stocks in which collusion allegedly occurred, but gave  plaintiffs
leave to amend. The plaintiffs thereafter filed a Refiled Consolidated Complaint
in  August, 1995 which is  identical in substance to  the dismissed pleading and
lists over  1,000 securities  that plaintiffs  allege were  the subject  of  the
alleged  conspiracy.  H&Q  LLC thereafter  filed  its answer,  and  discovery is
proceeding.  Plaintiffs  made,  and  defendants  opposed,  a  motion  for  class
certification.  Oral argument  occurred on  June 21,  1996, and  the parties are
awaiting the Court's decision.
 
    In December 1995, a class action  suit alleging similar claims to the  class
action  pending in New  York was filed  in Alabama state  court against the same
defendants. The Alabama case has been  removed to federal court and  transferred
to the federal judge hearing the pending New York action, a motion to remand the
case  to state court has been denied  and this action has been consolidated with
the class action pending in New York.
 
    In addition, allegations  of collusion  among the  market-makers became  the
subject of investigations by the NASD, the SEC and the Antitrust Division of the
Department  of Justice ("DOJ").  On July 16,  1996, H&Q LLC  and 23 other Nasdaq
market makers entered into a Stipulation  and Order resolving a civil  complaint
filed  by the DOJ, alleging  that they violated Section 1  of the Sherman Act in
connection with certain  market making  practices (UNITED STATES  OF AMERICA  V.
ALEX.  BROWN & SONS ET AL., Civ. No. 96-CV-5313). The complaint alleged that the
defendants and other market makers engaged in activities that had the effect  of
artificially  inflating  the  quoted  "inside spread"  --  i.e.,  the difference
between the best buying price  and the best selling  price -- of certain  Nasdaq
stocks.  In entering into the Stipulation and Order, the parties agreed that the
defendants would not  agree with other  market-makers to set  prices, quotes  or
spreads  in Nasdaq  securities, or  harass, intimidate  or refuse  to trade with
other market-makers  for reducing  their spread  in any  Nasdaq security  or  by
reason  of the quantity  of a Nasdaq security  they are willing  to trade at its
quoted price.  In addition,  the  defendants each  agreed  to (i)  designate  an
antitrust  compliance  officer to  instruct  traders and  others  concerning the
requirements of the proposed order, (ii) listen to audio tapes of a portion of a
firm's trading  activity on  Nasdaq  created under  the  order and  (iii)  allow
representatives  of the DOJ, without pre-arrangement, to appear at a defendant's
offices to listen  in on trader  conversations the  firm is taping  as they  are
occurring.  The agreement also requires the  defendants to pass on complaints of
possible violations or taped conversations to the  DOJ, and to allow the DOJ  to
bring  civil or criminal  contempt charges for willful  violations of the order.
The Stipulation and Order are subject to approval by the United States  District
Court  for the Southern District of New  York following a public hearing, and if
that Court approves the Stipulation and  Order, the complaint will be  dismissed
with prejudice.
 
                                       53
<PAGE>
RISK MANAGEMENT
 
    The  Company  has  established  various  policies  and  procedures  for  the
management of its exposure to  operating, principal and credit risks.  Operating
risk  arises out of the  daily conduct of the  Company's business and relates to
the possibility that  one or more  of the Company's  personnel could commit  the
Company to
imprudent  business  activities. Principal  risk relates  to  the fact  that the
Company owns a variety of investments which are subject to changes in value  and
could  result in  the Company  incurring material  gains or  losses. Credit risk
occurs because the  Company extends credit  to various of  its customers in  the
form of margin and other types of loans.
 
    Operating  risk is monitored by the  Company's Risk Management Committee and
Commitment Committee. The Risk Management Committee reviews the overall business
activities of the Company and makes recommendations for addressing issues which,
in the judgment of its members, could result in a material loss to the  Company.
The  Commitment  Committee  meets  weekly  to  evaluate  and  approve  potential
investment banking transactions prior to their execution by the Company.
 
    Principal risk is managed  primarily through the  daily monitoring of  funds
committed  to  the various  types  of securities  owned  by the  Company  and by
limiting the exposure to any one investment or type of investment. The two  most
common  categories of  securities owned are  those related to  the daily trading
activities of  the Company's  brokerage and  underwriting operations  and  those
which  arise out  of the Company's  principal investing  activities. The Company
attempts to limit its exposure to market risk on securities held as a result  of
its  daily trading activities by limiting its inventory of trading securities to
that needed to provide the appropriate level of liquidity in the securities  for
which it is a market maker. Security inventory positions are balanced daily.
 
    The  Company's  credit  risk is  monitored  by its  Credit  Committee, which
consists of  senior management  from its  brokerage, operations,  financial  and
legal departments. This committee meets when specific situations arise to review
large, concentrated or high profile accounts and to take any appropriate actions
to  limit  the  Company's  exposure  to loss  on  these  accounts.  Such actions
typically  consist  of   setting  higher  margin   requirements  for  large   or
concentrated  accounts, requiring a reduction of either the level of margin debt
or investment in high risk securities or, in some cases, requiring the  transfer
of the account to another broker-dealer.
 
                                       54
<PAGE>
                                   REGULATION
 
    H&Q's  business  and  the  securities industry  in  general  are  subject to
extensive regulation in the United States  at both the Federal and state  level,
as  well  as by  SROs. Its  business also  is subject  to regulation  by various
foreign governments and regulatory bodies.
 
    In the United States,  a number of Federal  regulatory agencies are  charged
with  safeguarding the integrity  of the securities  and other financial markets
and with protecting the interests  of customers participating in those  markets.
The  SEC is the Federal agency that  is primarily responsible for the regulation
of broker-dealers and investment advisers  doing business in the United  States,
and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System promulgates regulations
applicable  to  securities  credit  transactions  involving  broker-dealers  and
certain other United States institutions. Broker-dealers and investment advisers
are subject to  registration and  regulation by state  securities regulators  in
those  states in which they  conduct business. Industry SROs,  each of which has
authority over the firms that  are its members, include  the NASD, the NYSE  and
other securities exchanges.
 
    H&Q  LLC is registered as a broker-dealer with  the SEC and in all of the 50
states, Puerto  Rico and  the District  of Columbia,  and is  a member  of,  and
subject  to regulation by, a number  of securities industry SRO's, including the
NASD, the  NYSE, the  American, Chicago  and Pacific  Stock Exchanges,  and  the
Options  Clearing Corporation. RvR  Securities is registered  as a broker-dealer
with the SEC and in 41 states, and is  a member of the NASD. H&Q LLC also has  a
20%  interest in Lewco, which is registered  as a broker-dealer with the SEC and
in 13  states and  is  a member  of  the NASD,  the  NYSE and  other  securities
exchanges.
 
    As  a result of federal and state registration and SRO memberships, H&Q LLC,
RvR Securities and Lewco are subject to overlapping schemes of regulation  which
cover  all aspects of their securities  business. Such regulations cover matters
including capital requirements, the use and safekeeping of customers' funds  and
securities,   record  keeping   and  reporting   requirements,  supervisory  and
organizational procedures intended to assure compliance with securities laws and
to  prevent   the   improper   trading  on   material   nonpublic   information,
employee-related  matters, including qualification  and licensing of supervisory
and  sales  personnel,  limitations  on  extensions  of  credit  in   securities
transactions,   clearance  and  settlement   procedures,  requirements  for  the
registration, underwriting, sale and distribution of securities and rules of the
SROs designed  to  promote high  standards  of  commercial honor  and  just  and
equitable  principles of trade. A particular focus of the applicable regulations
concerns the  relationship  between broker-dealers  and  their customers.  As  a
result,  the many aspects of the broker-dealer customer relationship are subject
to regulation including  in some  instances "suitability"  determinations as  to
certain customer transactions, limitations in the amounts that may be charged to
customers,  timing of proprietary  trading in relation  to customers' trades and
disclosures to customers.
 
    Much of  the  Company's  underwriting and  market-making  business  involves
securities  traded  on  Nasdaq. Nasdaq's  operations  have been  the  subject of
extensive scrutiny, in the media and by government regulators, including by  the
Antitrust Division of the United States Department of Justice. This scrutiny has
included  allegations of  collusion among Nasdaq  market-makers. H&Q  LLC and 23
other Nasdaq market-makers recently  entered into a  Stipulation and Order  with
the  Department of Justice in  which they agreed not  to engage in any collusive
activities relating to prices, quotes or spreads in Nasdaq-traded securities.
 
    It has been reported in the media that  the SEC has submitted to the NASD  a
draft  of a disciplinary  case the SEC may  file against the NASD,  as well as a
report setting  out the  SEC's findings  in detail.  The SEC's  case  reportedly
concerns  the NASD's enforcement  oversight of Nasdaq.  According to these media
reports,  NASD  officials  have  proposed  a  number  of  changes  to   Nasdaq's
operations,   which  proposals  currently  are   being  reviewed  by  government
regulators. The  Company  is unable  to  predict the  outcome  of any  of  these
proposals,  and certain of the changes  proposed by NASD officials, if effected,
could adversely affect the Company's operating results.
 
    Capital Management and two other subsidiaries, Atlantic Investment Advisers,
Inc. and  Hambrecht  &  Quist  Investment  Advisers,  Inc.,  are  registered  as
investment  advisers with the SEC and  in several states. As investment advisers
registered with the SEC, each is  subject to the requirements of the  Investment
Advisers  Act and the SEC's regulations  thereunder, as well as state securities
laws  and  regulations.  Such  requirements  relate  to,  among  other   things,
limitations on the ability of investment advisers to charge performance-based or
non-
 
                                       55
<PAGE>
refundable   fees  to   clients,  record-keeping   and  reporting  requirements,
disclosure  requirements,  limitations  on  principal  transactions  between  an
adviser  or its affiliates  and advisory clients, as  well as general anti-fraud
prohibitions. The  state securities  law requirements  applicable to  registered
investment  advisers are in certain cases  more comprehensive than those imposed
under the  Federal securities  laws.  In addition,  Capital Management  and  the
mutual  funds  it manages  are  subject to  the  requirements of  the Investment
Company Act of 1940 and the SEC's regulations thereunder.
 
    H&Q LLC and Lewco also are subject to "Risk Assessment Rules" imposed by the
SEC. These  rules  require,  among other  things,  that  certain  broker-dealers
maintain and preserve certain information, describe risk management policies and
procedures  and report  on the financial  condition of  certain affiliates whose
financial and securities  activities are  reasonably likely to  have a  material
impact on the financial and operational condition of the broker-dealers. Certain
"Materially Associated Persons" (as defined in the Risk Assessment Rules) of the
broker-dealers  and  the  activities  conducted  by  such  Materially Associated
Persons may not be  subject to regulation by  the SEC. However, the  possibility
exists that, on the basis of the information it obtains from the Risk Assessment
Rules,  the SEC could seek legislative or  regulatory changes in order to expand
its authority over  the Company's  unregulated subsidiaries  either directly  or
through its existing authority over the Company's regulated subsidiaries.
 
    Violations  of federal or state  laws or regulations or  rules of SROs could
subject the  Company,  its subsidiaries  and/or  its employees  to  disciplinary
proceedings  or civil or  criminal liability, including  revocation of licenses,
censures, fines or  temporary suspension or  permanent bar from  the conduct  of
their  business. Any such  proceeding could have a  material adverse effect upon
the Company's business.
 
    H&Q LLC  recently agreed  to a  censure and  a $40,000  fine by  the  NYSE's
Enforcement  Division relating to allegations that  H&Q LLC, in certain loans to
customers against pledges of  restricted or control  securities in fiscal  1994,
violated  NYSE  requirements  for  net  capital  and  customer  reserve  account
calculations, custody and control of customer securities, margin maintenance and
supervision. The settlement  is subject to  approval by an  NYSE Hearing  Panel,
review by the NYSE Board of Directors if requested by a Board member, and review
by the SEC on its own motion. The Company expects the settlement to become final
and to have no material adverse effect on the business or financial condition of
the Company or H&Q LLC.
 
    In  addition to being regulated in the United States, the Company's business
is subject to regulation by  various foreign governments and regulatory  bodies.
H&Q  LLC is registered with and subject  to regulation by the Ontario Securities
Commission, the Securities and Futures Authority of the United Kingdom  pursuant
to  the  United Kingdom  Financial Services  Act  of 1986,  and the  Ministry of
Finance, Tokyo, Japan. Foreign regulation governs all aspects of the  investment
business,  including regulatory  capital, sales  and trading  practices, use and
safekeeping of customer funds  and securities, record-keeping, margin  practices
and  procedures, registration standards for  individuals, periodic reporting and
settlement procedures. In addition, Hambrecht  & Quist Asset Management Ltd.,  a
subsidiary  of the Company, is  a member of and is  subject to regulation by the
Investment Management  Regulatory Organization  Limited in  the United  Kingdom,
which  regulates all  aspects of its  investment advisory  business. The Company
recently  formed  and   acquired  an   interest  in  H&Q   Saint  Dominique,   a
broker-dealer,  located in  Paris, France.  It is  subject to  regulation by the
Societe du  Nouveau  Marche,  Societe  de Bourse  Francaise  and  La  Commission
d'Operation de Bourse, and has applied to become an approved person of the NYSE.
 
    In  connection  with  the  Company's venture  capital  activities,  H&Q, its
affiliates and  the venture  capital  funds which  they  manage are  relying  on
exemptions  from registration under the Advisers Act, the Investment Company Act
of 1940,  as amended,  state securities  laws and  the laws  of various  foreign
countries.  Failure to meet the requirements of any such exemptions could have a
material adverse effect on the manner  in which the Company, its affiliates  and
the  venture  capital funds  carry out  their investment  activities and  on the
compensation received by the Company and its affiliates from the venture capital
funds.
 
    Additional legislation  and regulations,  including  those relating  to  the
activities   of  broker-dealers  and  investment   advisers,  changes  in  rules
promulgated by the SEC or other United States or foreign governmental regulatory
authorities and SROs or changes in the interpretation or enforcement of existing
laws and rules may adversely affect the manner of operation and profitability of
the Company. H&Q's businesses may be materially
 
                                       56
<PAGE>
affected not  only  by  regulations  applicable to  it  as  a  financial  market
intermediary,  but also by regulations of  general application. For example, the
volume of  H&Q's  underwriting,  merger  and  acquisition,  or  venture  capital
activities  in any year could  be affected by, among  other things, existing and
proposed tax legislation,  antitrust policy and  other governmental  regulations
and policies (including the interest rate policies of the Federal Reserve Board)
and  changes in  interpretation or enforcement  of existing laws  and rules that
affect the business and financial communities.
 
                                       57
<PAGE>
                            NET CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS
 
    As broker-dealers  registered with  the SEC  and member  firms of  the  NYSE
and/or  the NASD,  H&Q LLC,  RvR Securities  and Lewco  are each  subject to the
capital requirements  of  the SEC,  the  NYSE  and/or the  NASD.  These  capital
requirements  specify  minimum levels  of capital,  computed in  accordance with
regulatory requirements ("net capital"), that each firm is required to  maintain
and  also limit the amount of  leverage that each firm is  able to obtain in its
respective business.
 
    H&Q LLC  has  elected to  compute  its  net capital  requirement  under  the
"alternative  method"  permitted  by the  SEC.  Under  this method,  H&Q  LLC is
required to maintain  regulatory net  capital, computed in  accordance with  the
SEC's regulations as supplemented by NYSE Rule 325, equal to the greater of $1.0
million  or 2% of  the amount of  its securities "customer-related receivables,"
calculated in accordance with SEC's regulations.
 
    The customer-related  receivables referred  to  in the  preceding  paragraph
(also  referred to  as "aggregate  debit items") represent  the money  owed to a
broker-dealer by its customers and  certain other customer-related assets.  "Net
capital"  is  essentially defined  as net  worth  (assets minus  liabilities, as
determined under  generally  accepted accounting  principles),  plus  qualifying
subordinated  borrowings, less the value of all of a broker-dealer's assets that
are not  readily convertible  into cash  (such as  goodwill, furniture,  prepaid
expenses,  exchange  seats and  unsecured receivables),  and further  reduced by
certain percentages  (commonly  called "haircuts")  of  the market  value  of  a
broker-dealer's positions in securities and other financial instruments.
 
    A  failure of a broker-dealer to maintain its minimum required capital would
require it to  cease executing  customer transactions  until it  came back  into
capital compliance, and could cause it to lose its membership on an exchange, or
in  an SRO, its registration with the  SEC, or require its liquidation. Further,
the decline  in  a broker-dealer's  net  capital below  certain  "early  warning
levels,"  even though above  minimum capital requirements,  could cause material
adverse consequences  to  the  broker-dealer. For  example,  the  SEC's  capital
regulations   prohibit  payment  of  dividends,  redemption  of  stock  and  the
prepayment  of  subordinated  indebtedness  if  a  broker-dealer's  net  capital
thereafter  would be  less than 5%  of aggregate debit  items. These regulations
also prohibit principal payments  in respect of  subordinated indebtedness if  a
broker-dealer's  net capital thereafter would be less than 5% of aggregate debit
items. Under NYSE Rule 326, a member firm is required to reduce its business  if
its  net capital  (after giving effect  to scheduled  maturities of subordinated
indebtedness or  other  planned withdrawals  of  regulatory capital  during  the
following six months) is less than 125% of its net capital minimum dollar amount
or  4% of  aggregate debit  items for  15 consecutive  days. NYSE  Rule 326 also
prohibits the expansion of a member's business if its net capital (after  giving
effect  to scheduled  maturities of  subordinated indebtedness  or other planned
withdrawals of regulatory capital during the following six months) is less  than
150%  of its net capital minimum dollar amount or 5% of aggregate debt items for
15 consecutive days.
 
    The SEC's capital rules also (i)  require that broker-dealers notify it  and
the  NYSE, in writing,  two business days  prior to making  withdrawals or other
distributions of equity capital or lending money to certain related persons,  if
those withdrawals would exceed, in any 30-day period, 30% of the broker-dealer's
excess  net capital and that  they provide such notice  within two business days
after any such withdrawal or loan that  would exceed, in any 30-day period,  20%
of  the broker-dealer's excess  net capital, (ii)  prohibit a broker-dealer from
withdrawing or otherwise  distributing equity  capital or  making related  party
loans  if after such distribution or loan,  the broker-dealer has net capital of
less than 120% of its net capital minimum dollar amount or 5% of aggregate debit
items and certain other  circumstances, and (iii) provide  that the SEC may,  by
order,  prohibit withdrawals of capital from a  broker-dealer for a period of up
to 20 business days, if the withdrawals would exceed, in any 30-day period,  30%
of  the broker-dealer's excess net capital and the SEC believes such withdrawals
would be detrimental  to the  financial integrity of  the firm  or would  unduly
jeopardize  the  broker-dealer's ability  to pay  its  customer claims  or other
liabilities.
 
    Compliance with regulatory capital requirements could limit those operations
of H&Q LLC, RvR Securities and Lewco that require the intensive use of  capital,
such  as underwriting and trading activities,  and financing of customer account
balances, and also could restrict the Company's ability to withdraw capital from
its affiliated broker-dealers,  which in  turn could  limit its  ability to  pay
dividends,  repay debt and redeem or  purchase shares of its outstanding capital
stock.
 
                                       58
<PAGE>
    The Company believes  that at all  times H&Q LLC,  RvR Securities and  Lewco
have  been in  compliance in all  material respects with  the applicable minimum
capital rules of the SEC, the NYSE, and  the NASD. As of June 30, 1996, H&Q  LLC
was required to maintain minimum "net capital," in accordance with SEC rules, of
approximately  $4.1 million  and had  total net  capital of  approximately $40.2
million, or approximately $36.1  million in excess of  the amount required.  RvR
Securities   also  computes  its  minimum  net  capital  requirement  under  the
alternative method. As of June 30, 1996, RvR Securities was required to maintain
minimum net capital of  $250,000. Its total  net capital on  that date was  $1.5
million,  consisting primarily of equity capital and a $1.0 million subordinated
loan from H&Q  Group. Lewco also  computes its minimum  net capital  requirement
under  the  alternative method.  As  of June  30,  1996, Lewco  was  required to
maintain minimum net capital of $1.5 million. Lewco's total net capital on  that
date was $8.5 million.
 
                                       59
<PAGE>
                                   MANAGEMENT
 
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
 
    The  executive officers and  directors of the  Company and their  ages as of
June 30, 1996, are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NAME                                    AGE     POSITIONS
- -----------------------------------     ---     -----------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                  <C>        <C>
                                        60      Chairman of the Company and H&Q LLC; Director
William R. Hambrecht...............
                                        38      President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and H&Q LLC;
                                                 Director
Daniel H. Case III.................
                                        60      Vice Chairman of the Company and H&Q LLC; Director
William R. Timken..................
                                        49      Executive Vice President and Director of Institutional Equity, H&Q LLC
Paul L. Hallingby..................
                                        43      Managing Director and Co-Director of Investment Banking, H&Q LLC
Cristina M. Morgan.................
                                        47      Managing Director and Co-Director of Investment Banking, H&Q LLC
David M. McAuliffe.................
                                        40      Managing Director and Director of Research, H&Q LLC
Bruce M. Lupatkin..................
                                        55      Chief Financial Officer of the Company and H&Q LLC; Managing Director
                                                 of H&Q LLC
Raymond J. Minehan.................
                                        47      General Counsel and Secretary of the Company and H&Q LLC; Managing
                                                 Director of H&Q LLC
Steven N. Machtinger...............
                                        34      Vice President, Finance of the Company and H&Q LLC
Patrick J. Allen...................
                                        61      Director
Howard B. Hillman (1)..............
                                        55      Director
William E. Mayer (1)(2)............
                                        66      Director
Edmund H. Shea, Jr. (2)............
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
(1) Member of the Audit Committee
(2) Member of the Compensation Committee
 
    WILLIAM R.  HAMBRECHT  is  Chairman  of Hambrecht  &  Quist  Group  and  its
principal  subsidiary,  H&Q  LLC.  He has  continuously  served  as  an officer,
director or principal of those entities  or their predecessors since he and  the
late  George  Quist  co-founded Hambrecht  &  Quist  in 1968.  Mr.  Hambrecht is
primarily responsible  for directing  the Company's  venture capital  investment
activities.  He  also  serves  on  the  Boards  of  Directors  of  Adobe Systems
Incorporated, a print and electronic media software company, Red Brick  Systems,
Inc., a provider of relational database products and services for data warehouse
applications, Castelle, a provider of network enhancement software and hardware,
and  several privately  held companies.  He holds  a B.A.  degree from Princeton
University.
 
    DANIEL H.  CASE  III  joined the  Company  in  1981, and  was  initially  an
associate  and then  a principal  in the  Corporate Finance  Department. He also
served as Vice President and then  a partner in the Venture Capital  Department,
both  in San Francisco and in London.  In 1983, he co-founded the business which
became Hambrecht & Quist Guaranty  Finance. Mr. Case rejoined Corporate  Finance
in 1986 as co-director of mergers and acquisitions, and became Managing Director
and head of Investment Banking in December 1987. In October 1989, he was elected
Executive  Vice President and  in October 1991,  he was elected  to the Board of
Directors of the Company. In April  1992, he was elected President and  Co-Chief
Executive  Officer. He became Chief Executive  Officer in October 1994. Mr. Case
also serves  as  a  director  of  Rational  Software  Corporation,  a  maker  of
object-oriented   software   development  tools,   Electronic  Arts,   a  global
interactive entertainment software company, the Securities Industry  Association
and  the Bay  Area Council. He  has a B.A.  in Economics and  Public Policy from
Princeton University and  studied management at  the University of  Oxford as  a
Rhodes Scholar.
 
    WILLIAM  R. TIMKEN joined Hambrecht & Quist in 1969 and has been employed by
the Company  in senior  capacities since  then. Mr.  Timken was  appointed  Vice
Chairman    of    the    Company    in    1992.    He    is    responsible   for
 
                                       60
<PAGE>
the activities  of the  Company's Syndicate  Department. Mr.  Timken is  a  past
member  of the Board of Governors of the Pacific Stock Exchange and the Board of
Governors of the  National Association  of Securities Dealers,  Inc. Mr.  Timken
holds a B.A. degree in Economics from Colby College.
 
    PAUL  L. "BARNEY" HALLINGBY  joined the Company in  1983 as an institutional
salesman. He was named Managing Director of the Research Department in June 1988
and was  elected Executive  Vice President  in October  1990. In  July 1992,  he
became  Managing Director of Sales  and Trading, and in  October 1994, he became
Managing Director of Institutional Equity. He holds a B.A. in Political  Science
from  the  University of  Pennsylvania and  an M.B.A.  in Finance  from Columbia
University.
 
    CRISTINA M. MORGAN joined the Company in 1982 as a research analyst,  became
a principal in Corporate Finance in 1984 and has been a Senior Vice President of
H&Q  LLC and its  predecessor entity since  March 1990. In  1990, Ms. Morgan was
elected Managing  Director, Technology  Equities in  Corporate Finance,  and  in
1992,  she was named Co-Director of Investment  Banking. Ms. Morgan holds a B.S.
in Finance and an M.B.A. in Finance from Arizona State University.
 
    DAVID M. MCAULIFFE joined the Company in July 1995 as Managing Director  and
Co-Director  of Investment Banking. Prior to  joining the Company, Mr. McAuliffe
served in  various capacities  in the  Investment Banking  and Merchant  Banking
divisions  of Kidder Peabody & Co., an  investment bank, from 1974 to 1995. From
April 1992 to May 1995, he served  as Kidder Peabody & Co.'s Co-Director of  the
Global  Investment Banking  Division. Mr. McAuliffe  holds a  B.A. in Accounting
from Boston College and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
 
    BRUCE M.  LUPATKIN joined  the Company  in 1984  as a  research analyst  and
became  a Senior Vice President  of H&Q LLC and its  predecessor in May 1991. In
1992, Mr. Lupatkin was  named Co-Director of Research.  Since October 1994,  Mr.
Lupatkin  has served as Director of Research. From October 1995 to June 1996, he
was also responsible for management of  Institutional Sales for the west  coast.
Mr.  Lupatkin holds a B.S.  in Chemistry from the  University of Michigan and an
M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Texas.
 
    RAYMOND J. MINEHAN has served as the Company's Chief Financial Officer and a
Managing Director since November  1989. Prior to joining  H&Q, he had been  with
Arthur  Andersen LLP, a public accounting firm, in San Francisco since 1972, and
a partner with that firm from 1984 to 1989. Mr. Minehan holds a B.A. in  Finance
and Accounting from Golden Gate University and is a Certified Public Accountant.
 
    STEVEN  N.  MACHTINGER  has  served as  the  Company's  General  Counsel and
Secretary since 1988. He was named  a Managing Director in 1990. Mr.  Machtinger
was  an attorney with the SEC from 1974 to 1983 and was General Counsel of Birr,
Wilson & Co., Inc., an investment bank, from 1983 to 1988. Mr. Machtinger  holds
a  B.A. in  Government from Harvard  College and  a J.D. from  the University of
California, Davis.
 
    PATRICK J. ALLEN  joined Hambrecht &  Quist in May  1995 as Vice  President,
Finance. From November 1993 to April 1995, Mr. Allen was Chief Operating Officer
of  Cruttenden Roth, an investment bank. Mr.  Allen was previously a Senior Vice
President with Kemper Securities, an investment bank, and held various positions
from 1988 to 1993, including Chief Financial Officer of a predecessor firm.  Mr.
Allen  had been an auditor  with Price Waterhouse, a  public accounting firm, in
Newport Beach from 1984 to 1988 and holds a B.S. in Business Administration from
California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo.
 
    HOWARD B. HILLMAN joined the Board of Directors of the Company in July 1989.
He was an  officer of Chemical  Bank from 1960  to 1969 and  has been a  venture
capitalist  since  leaving  Chemical  Bank. Mr.  Hillman  became  a  Director of
Auto-trol  Technology   Corporation,  a   maker  of   computer-based   technical
information  management solutions, in  1973 and its President  in April 1985. He
also currently serves  as Auto-trol's  Chairman. Mr.  Hillman holds  an A.B.  in
Economics from Princeton and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
 
    WILLIAM E. MAYER has been a director of the Company since April 1992, except
during  the period of March 1995 to  January 1996. Since October 1992, Mr. Mayer
has been Dean of  the College of  Business and Management  at the University  of
Maryland,  College Park. From September 1991 to July 1992, Mr. Mayer was Dean of
the Simon Graduate School of Business at the University of Rochester. He is  the
former  Chairman and Chief  Executive Officer of CS  First Boston Merchant Bank.
Before the  establishment of  CS First  Boston  Merchant Bank  in 1990,  he  was
President   and  Chief  Executive  Officer  of  the  First  Boston  Corporation.
 
                                       61
<PAGE>
Mr. Mayer  serves  as  a  director of  Chart  House  Enterprises,  a  restaurant
management  company, and Schuller Corporation,  a manufacturer of insulation and
building products, and is  a trustee of  the Colonial Group  of Mutual Funds,  a
mutual fund company. Mr. Mayer holds a B.S. and an M.B.A. from the University of
Maryland.
 
    EDMUND  H. SHEA, JR. was elected a director of the Company in November 1986.
He is a  co-founder of J.F.  Shea Co., Inc.,  a diversified civil  construction,
land  development and venture  capital company, and has  served as its Executive
Vice President in charge of Venture Capital  since 1968. Mr. Shea serves on  the
Board  of Directors of ADAC Laboratories, a supplier of radiology and laboratory
information systems, Ironstone Group, Inc.,  a real estate information  services
company, and Vanguard Airlines, a passenger airline company. Mr. Shea is also on
the Advisory Committee of Bay Partners, a venture capital firm. Mr. Shea holds a
B.S. in Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
 
BOARD COMMITTEES
 
    The  Audit  Committee consists  of Messrs.  Hillman  and Mayer.  Among other
functions, the Audit Committee makes recommendations to the Board regarding  the
selection  of independent auditors,  reviews the results and  scope of the audit
and other services provided by  the Company's independent auditors, reviews  the
Company's  balance sheet, statement of operations and cash flows and reviews and
evaluates the Company's internal control functions.
 
    The  Compensation  Committee  consists  of  Messrs.  Mayer  and  Shea.   The
Compensation  Committee administers the Company's 1996  Equity Plan and its 1996
Bonus and  Deferred Sales  Compensation Plan  and makes  recommendations to  the
Board   concerning  salaries  and  incentive   compensation  for  employees  and
consultants of the Company.
 
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION
 
    The Company does not currently pay  fees to its directors for attendance  at
meetings.  From time to time, the Company has sold Common Stock to its directors
and granted its directors options to  purchase Common Stock of the Company.  See
"Certain Transactions."
 
                                       62
<PAGE>
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
 
    The  following table shows compensation earned  during the fiscal year ended
September 30, 1995  to (i) the  Chief Executive Officer  and (ii) the  Company's
four  other most highly compensated individuals  who were serving as officers on
September 30, 1995 and whose salary plus bonus exceeded $100,000 for the  fiscal
year ended September 30, 1995 (collectively, the "Named Executive Officers").
 
                           SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                    LONG-TERM
                                                                                                   COMPENSATION
                                                   FISCAL 1995 ANNUAL COMPENSATION         ----------------------------
                                            ---------------------------------------------                   SECURITIES
                                                                          OTHER ANNUAL       RESTRICTED     UNDERLYING
                                                                          COMPENSATION      STOCK AWARDS     OPTIONS/
NAME AND PRINCIPAL POSITION                 SALARY ($)   BONUS ($)(1)          ($)               ($)         SARS (#)
- ------------------------------------------  -----------  -------------  -----------------  ---------------  -----------
<S>                                         <C>          <C>            <C>                <C>              <C>
Daniel H. Case III .......................     300,000     2,000,000               --                --        156,636
 President, Chief Executive
 Officer and Director(3)
William R. Hambrecht .....................     300,000       933,688(4)            --                --             --
 Chairman and Director(4)
William R. Timken ........................     240,000       700,000               --                --         40,000
 Vice Chairman and Director(5)
Paul L. Hallingby ........................     240,000       907,000               --                --        180,000
 Executive Vice President, Institutional
 Equity,
 H&Q LLC(5)
Cristina M. Morgan .......................     240,000     1,425,363(6)            --                --         80,000
 Managing Director, Co-Director of
 Investment Banking, H&Q LLC(5)
 
<CAPTION>
                                               ALL OTHER
                                             COMPENSATION
NAME AND PRINCIPAL POSITION                     ($)(2)
- ------------------------------------------  ---------------
<S>                                         <C>
Daniel H. Case III .......................         4,000
 President, Chief Executive
 Officer and Director(3)
William R. Hambrecht .....................         4,000
 Chairman and Director(4)
William R. Timken ........................         4,000
 Vice Chairman and Director(5)
Paul L. Hallingby ........................         4,000
 Executive Vice President, Institutional
 Equity,
 H&Q LLC(5)
Cristina M. Morgan .......................         4,000
 Managing Director, Co-Director of
 Investment Banking, H&Q LLC(5)
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
(1)  Includes bonuses earned  in fiscal 1995  and paid in  fiscal 1996; excludes
    bonuses earned in fiscal 1994 which were paid in fiscal 1995.
 
(2) Represents payments  by the Company  pursuant to the  Company's Savings  and
    Employee Stock Ownership Plan under Internal Revenue Code Section 401(k).
 
(3) Excludes amounts received from Guaranty Finance. See "Certain Transactions."
 
(4)  Includes  $933,688 received  in connection  with participations  in venture
    capital funds profits provided by the Company. See "Certain Transactions."
 
(5) Excludes $28,933, $50,950 and $43,400 in SAR payouts received by Mr. Timken,
    Mr. Hallingby and  Ms. Morgan, respectively.  See "--Aggregated SAR  Payouts
    for Fiscal 1995" and "Management--Compensation Plans."
 
(6)  Includes  $45,363 received  in  connection with  participations  in venture
    capital funds profits provided by the Company. See "Certain Transactions."
 
                                       63
<PAGE>
OPTION AND SAR GRANTS DURING FISCAL 1995
 
    The following tables  set forth  for each  of the  Named Executive  Officers
certain  information  concerning stock  options and  SARs granted  during fiscal
1995, giving effect to the Restructuring:
 
OPTIONS.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                               POTENTIAL REALIZABLE
                                                           INDIVIDUAL GRANTS                     VALUE AT ASSUMED
                                           -------------------------------------------------     ANNUAL RATES OF
                                            NUMBER OF    PERCENT OF                                STOCK PRICE
                                           SECURITIES   TOTAL OPTIONS  EXERCISE                  APPRECIATION FOR
                                           UNDERLYING    GRANTED TO     OR BASE                  OPTION TERM (1)
                                             OPTIONS    EMPLOYEES IN     PRICE    EXPIRATION  ----------------------
NAME                                       GRANTED (#)   FISCAL YEAR    ($/SH)       DATE      5% ($)      10% ($)
- -----------------------------------------  -----------  -------------  ---------  ----------  ---------  -----------
<S>                                        <C>          <C>            <C>        <C>         <C>        <C>
William R. Hambrecht.....................          --            --           --          --         --          --
Daniel H. Case III.......................     156,636         17.3%       4.7375   12/01/01     205,018     453,037
William R. Timken........................          --            --           --          --         --          --
Paul L. Hallingby........................      40,000          4.4%       4.7375   10/01/01      52,355     115,692
Cristina M. Morgan.......................          --            --           --          --         --          --
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
(1) Potential Realizable Value is based on certain assumed rates of appreciation
    pursuant to rules  prescribed by  the SEC. Actual  gains, if  any, on  stock
    option exercises are dependent on the future performance of the stock. There
    can  be  no assurance  that  the amounts  reflected  in this  table  will be
    achieved. In  accordance  with  rules  promulgated  by  the  SEC,  Potential
    Realizable  Value is based upon the exercise  price of the options, which is
    substantially less than the expected initial public offering price.
 
SARS.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                    POTENTIAL REALIZABLE
                                                              INDIVIDUAL GRANTS (1)                   VALUE AT ASSUMED
                                                --------------------------------------------------    ANNUAL RATES OF
                                                 NUMBER OF     PERCENT OF                               STOCK PRICE
                                                SECURITIES     TOTAL SARS                             APPRECIATION FOR
                                                UNDERLYING     GRANTED TO       BASE                    SAR TERM (2)
                                                   SARS       EMPLOYEES IN      PRICE    MATURITY   --------------------
NAME                                            GRANTED (#)    FISCAL YEAR     ($/SH)      DATE      5% ($)     10% ($)
- ----------------------------------------------  -----------  ---------------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
<S>                                             <C>          <C>              <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
William R. Hambrecht..........................          --             --            --     --             --         --
Daniel H. Case III............................          --             --            --     --             --         --
William R. Timken.............................      40,000           2.7%         4.975   9/30/95       9,950     19,900
Paul L. Hallingby.............................     140,000           9.4%         4.975   9/30/95      34,825     69,650
Cristina M. Morgan............................      80,000           5.4%         4.975   9/30/95      19,900     39,800
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
(1) SARs are awarded  for a term of  one fiscal year. At  the end of the  fiscal
    year  the grantee is allocated an amount equal to the number of SARs granted
    multiplied by the increase in the net  book value per share (if any) of  the
    Company's stock during such period. This amount vests and is paid out over a
    three  year period with  one third paid  out in the  first, second and third
    years after  the  grant date  if  the grantee  remains  an employee  of  the
    Company. See "Management--Compensation Plans."
 
(2) Potential Realizable Value is based on certain assumed rates of appreciation
    pursuant to rules prescribed by the SEC.
 
                                       64
<PAGE>
AGGREGATED OPTION EXERCISES DURING FISCAL 1995 AND FISCAL YEAR-END OPTION VALUES
 
    The  following table  sets forth  for each  of the  Named Executive Officers
certain information  concerning options  exercised during  fiscal 1995  and  the
number  of shares subject to both exercisable and unexercisable stock options as
of September 30,  1995, giving effect  to the Restructuring.  Also reported  are
values for "in-the-money" options that represent the positive spread between the
respective  exercise prices of outstanding options  and the fair market value of
the Company's Common Stock as of September 30, 1995:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                          VALUE OF UNEXERCISED
                                                             NUMBER OF UNEXERCISED        IN-THE-MONEY OPTIONS
                                  NUMBER OF                        OPTIONS AT               AT SEPTEMBER 30,
                                   SHARES        VALUE       SEPTEMBER 30, 1995 (#)           1995 (1)($)
                                 ACQUIRED ON   REALIZED    --------------------------  --------------------------
NAME                             EXERCISE (#)     ($)      EXERCISABLE  UNEXERCISABLE  EXERCISABLE  UNEXERCISABLE
- -------------------------------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -------------  -----------  -------------
<S>                              <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>            <C>          <C>
William R. Hambrecht...........          --           --           --            --            --            --
Daniel H. Case III.............     110,000      274,875    1,045,928       192,900     4,053,856       466,444
William R. Timken..............          --           --       32,000         8,000       141,360        35,340
Paul L. Hallingby..............      70,000      203,975       74,000        76,000       199,465       156,210
Cristina M. Morgan.............      72,000      209,460       56,000         4,000       223,205        17,670
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
 
(1) Calculated by determining  the difference between the  fair market value  of
    the  securities underlying the option at September 30, 1995 and the exercise
    price of  the Named  Executive Officer's  option. There  was no  established
    public  trading market  for the  Common Stock  underlying the  options as of
    September 30, 1995. Accordingly, the amounts set forth have been  calculated
    based  on the difference between  the net book value  per share at September
    30, 1995 ($6.52 per share) and the  exercise price of the option, which  the
    Company's  Board of Directors determined to be  the fair market value at the
    date of grant.
 
AGGREGATED SAR PAYOUTS FOR FISCAL 1995
 
    The following table  sets forth  for each  of the  Named Executive  Officers
certain  information concerning  SAR payouts during  fiscal 1995,  the number of
securities underlying SARs outstanding at September 30, 1995 and the  unrealized
value of unvested SARs at September 30, 1995.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                            SAR PAYOUTS IN    SECURITIES UNDERLYING        UNREALIZED VALUE OF
                                             FISCAL 1995    SARS AT SEPTEMBER 30, 1995  SARS AT SEPTEMBER 30, 1995
                                                ($)(1)               (#SAR'S)                     ($)(2)
                                            --------------  --------------------------  --------------------------
<S>                                         <C>             <C>                         <C>
William R. Hambrecht......................            --                    --                           --
Daniel H. Case III........................            --                    --                           --
William R. Timken.........................        28,933               120,000                      144,633
Paul L. Hallingby.........................        50,950               280,000                      433,250
Cristina M. Morgan........................        43,400               200,000                      133,117
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
 
(1)  SAR payouts for fiscal  1995 reflect payouts of  SARs granted during fiscal
    1993 and 1994.
 
(2) The  unrealized value  of  SARs at  the fiscal  year  end is  calculated  by
    aggregating  the unvested and  unpaid value of SARs  granted in fiscal 1993,
    1994 and 1995.
 
                                       65
<PAGE>
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
 
    The Company entered into an employment agreement with Daniel H. Case III  in
1992.  The currently effective provisions of  this agreement provide that if H&Q
terminates Mr. Case's employment  without cause, or if  Mr. Case resigns  within
six months after a change in control of H&Q, then (i) H&Q shall pay Mr. Case the
greater  of $400,000  or 25% of  his aggregate compensation  received during the
preceding two years, (ii) 50% of his unvested options shall become vested, (iii)
all options may be exercised within two years after termination for cash or on a
net-exercise basis  and (iv)  unless within  two years  he becomes  employed  by
another  full service investment bank, Mr. Case can co-invest during such period
in H&Q  venture capital  opportunities  on the  same  basis as  H&Q's  executive
officers.
 
COMPENSATION PLANS
 
    The   Company's  philosophy  is  to  compensate  employees  based  on  their
individual  performance  and  the   Company's  overall  performance.  Two   main
principles  guiding  this philosophy  are  to pay  market  rates and  to provide
long-term employee stock ownership. H&Q considers equity ownership by  employees
to be critical to its long-term success. When calculating total compensation, it
considers  both cash  compensation and equity  awarded through  stock or options
that vest over time.
 
    1996 BONUS  AND DEFERRED  SALES COMPENSATION  PLAN.   The Company's  current
intention  is  to pay  semi-annual  bonuses under  the  1996 Bonus  and Deferred
Compensation  Plan  ("1996  Compensation  Plan")  to  its  research,  investment
banking,  trading and  administrative professionals  and to  its other executive
officers. If  an  eligible  employee's compensation  amount  equals  or  exceeds
$100,000  for the applicable six-month period,  then 80% of the employee's bonus
will be paid  in cash and  20% will consist  of Common Stock,  valued at 90%  of
current  market value.  Institutional sales  professionals will  be paid  80% of
their commission earnings in cash and 20% in the form of Common Stock, valued at
90% of current market value,  granted at the end of  each six month period.  The
stock will vest over three years following the date of grant. At the time of the
bonus  payment, the employee will have the  choice of declining to accept Common
Stock, and instead to receive cash in exchange for a three-year note payable  to
the  Company. Such stock will vest and such note will be forgiven by the Company
only to the extent  that the employee  is employed by the  Company on the  first
three  anniversaries  of  the  bonus  date.  Management  currently  expects that
approximately 2,000,000 shares  will be  issued under  the 1996  Equity Plan  as
contingent  equity  rights  resulting  from  bonuses  received  under  the  1996
Compensation Plan.
 
    1996 EQUITY PLAN.  In June 1996 the Company's Board of Directors adopted the
Company's 1996 Equity  Plan (the "1996  Plan"). The 1996  Plan provides for  the
granting  to employees (including officers  and employee directors) of incentive
stock options within the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code  of
1986,  as amended  (the "Code"),  and for  the granting  to employees (including
officers and employee directors) and consultants of nonstatutory stock  options.
The  1996 Plan  also provides  for the granting  of contingent  equity rights to
employees. Unless terminated sooner, the 1996 Plan will terminate  automatically
in October 2006. The Board has authority to amend, suspend or terminate the 1996
Plan,  provided  that no  such  action may  affect  any shares  of  Common Stock
previously issued and sold or any option previously granted under the 1996 Plan.
A total of 3,000,000 shares of Common Stock has been reserved for issuance under
the 1996 Plan. Management presently intends to allocate approximately  1,000,000
shares  for  issuance upon  the  exercise of  options  and 2,000,000  shares for
issuance in  connection with  contingent equity  rights resulting  from  bonuses
received under the 1996 Compensation Plan. As of the date of this Prospectus, no
options or contingent equity rights have been issued under the 1996 Plan.
    The  1996  Plan  may  be  administered by  the  Board  of  Directors  or the
compensation committee. With respect to grants to directors and officers of  the
Company  who are  subject to  short-swing liability  under Section  16(b) of the
Securities and  Exchange Act  of  1934, as  amended  (the "Exchange  Act"),  the
Administrator  will  be constituted  in  a manner  intended  to comply  with the
requirements  of  Rule  16b-3   under  the  Exchange   Act  pertaining  to   the
disinterested  administration  of  employee  benefit  plans.  If  the  1996 Plan
satisfies the requirements of  Rule 16b-3, discretionary  grants of options  and
contingent  equity rights  under the 1996  Plan to persons  subject to liability
under Section 16(b) will be exempt from such liability to the extent provided by
Rule 16b-3.
 
                                       66
<PAGE>
The Administrator  has the  power to  determine  the terms  of the  options  and
contingent  equity rights granted,  including the exercise  price, the number of
shares subject to the option or  contingent equity right and the  exercisability
thereof, and the form of consideration payable upon exercise.
 
    Options  and contingent  equity rights granted  under the 1996  Plan are not
generally transferable by the grantee except by  will or by the laws of  descent
or  distribution. Options  are exercisable during  the lifetime  of the optionee
only by such optionee. Except in the case of a termination for "cause,"  options
granted  under the 1996 Plan must be exercised within three months after the end
of the optionee's status as an employee or consultant of the Company, or  within
six months after such optionee's death or disability, but in no event later than
the  expiration  of  the  option  term.  Unexercised  options  terminate  upon a
termination for "cause." The  exercise price of  all nonstatutory stock  options
granted under the 1996 Plan shall be determined by the Administrator.
 
    With  respect to any participant who owns  stock possessing more than 10% of
the voting power of  all classes of the  Company's outstanding capital stock  (a
"10%  Shareholder"), the  exercise price of  any incentive  stock option granted
must equal at  least 110% of  the fair market  value on the  date of grant.  The
exercise  price of incentive stock  options for all other  employees shall be no
less than 100%  of the fair  market value per  share on the  date of grant.  The
maximum  term of an option granted under the  1996 Plan may not exceed ten years
from the date  of grant (five  years in the  case of an  incentive stock  option
granted to a 10% Shareholder).
 
    In  the event of a change of control of the Company, each outstanding option
under the 1996 Plan may  be assumed or an  equivalent option substituted by  the
successor corporation or a parent or subsidiary of the successor corporation. In
the  event that  the option is  not assumed  or substituted, the  vesting of the
option shall  accelerate by  12 months,  the optionee  shall have  the right  to
exercise  the option  for a  period of  15 days  after receiving  notice of such
change of control,  and the option  will terminate upon  the expiration of  such
period. In such event, the vesting of any unvested shares of stock granted under
a contingent equity right shall accelerate by 12 months.
 
    1995 STOCK OPTION PLAN.  The 1995 Stock Option Plan (the "1995 Option Plan")
was  adopted by the Board  of Directors of Group  California and approved by the
shareholders of Group California. In connection with the Restructuring,  options
granted under the 1995 Option Plan were assumed by the Company, and such options
became  exercisable for Common Stock of the Company. At June 30, 1996, 4,153,640
shares were subject to outstanding options under the 1995 Option Plan. Following
the Restructuring,  options  granted under  the  1995 Option  Plan  will  remain
outstanding  in  accordance with  their terms,  but no  further options  will be
granted under the 1995 Option Plan.
 
    1995 RESTRICTED STOCK PLAN.  The 1995 Restricted Stock Plan (the "1995 Stock
Plan") was adopted by the Board of Directors and approved by the shareholders of
Group California. In connection with  the Restructuring, shares of Common  Stock
of  Group California sold  under the 1995  Stock Plan were  exchanged for Common
Stock of the Company. At June 30, 1996, 1,867,980 shares had been sold under the
1995 Stock Plan. Following the Restructuring, no additional shares will be  sold
under the 1995 Stock Plan.
 
    1985 STOCK OPTION PLAN.  The 1985 Stock Option Plan (the "1985 Option Plan")
was  adopted by the Board  of Directors of Group  California and approved by the
shareholders of Group California. In connection with the Restructuring,  options
granted under the 1985 Option Plan were assumed by the Company, and such options
became  exercisable for Common Stock of the  Company. The 1985 Plan provided for
the granting of options  to purchase 4,000,000 shares  of Common Stock of  Group
California.  At June 30, 1996, options to purchase 432,800 shares under the 1985
Option Plan were outstanding.  Options granted under the  1985 Option Plan  will
remain  outstanding in accordance with their terms. The 1985 Option Plan expired
by its terms in 1994.
 
    1995 PARTNERSHIP UNIT  PLAN.  The  1995 Limited Partnership  Unit Plan  (the
"Unit  Plan") was adopted by LP in order to sell limited partnership units of LP
to directors, officers, and key employees of LP and Group California. A total of
35,008 limited partnership units  were sold under the  Unit Plan. In  connection
with  the Restructuring, LP  was merged with  and into the  Company, and limited
partnership units granted under the Unit  Plan were exchanged for shares of  the
Company's  Common Stock. Following  the Restructuring, no  further sales will be
made under the Unit Plan.
 
                                       67
<PAGE>
    OPTION GRANTS OUTSIDE  OF PLANS.   From time  to time  Group California  has
granted  options outside of its plans to certain officers and directors with the
exercise price  in each  case equal  to Group  California's net  book value  per
share,  which approximated its fair market value,  on the date of grant. At June
30, 1996, such  options covered  a total of  1,111,080 shares  of the  Company's
Common Stock.
 
    SESOP.   The Company has adopted a Savings and Employee Stock Ownership Plan
("SESOP") in which all salaried employees are eligible to participate after  six
months  of service.  The SESOP is  comprised of  two major benefit  plans: (1) a
salary deferral (or  401(k)) plan,  in which  the Company  matches every  dollar
contributed  by employees  with a  dollar's worth  of its  Common Stock  up to a
certain amount (currently  $4,000.00 per  year); and (2)  a profit-sharing  plan
which  was instituted in 1976 for the predecessor partnership. Subsequent to the
adoption of the  SESOP, no contributions  to the profit-sharing  plan have  been
made,  and none are  anticipated in the  future (although the  plan continues to
allocate participant forfeitures). The Company's matching contributions and  the
employees'  own contributions are always fully vested. Employees' units in their
profit-sharing accounts begin vesting after three years of service, at 30%,  and
become fully vested after seven years of service with the Company. The Company's
total matching contribution to the SESOP for fiscal 1995 was $1,246,645.
 
    SAR  PROGRAM.   Effective October  1, 1992  the Company  established a Stock
Appreciation Rights ("SAR")  program for  certain key executives.  The SARs  are
granted  as of each  October 1st, for a  term of one year  (to coincide with the
Company's fiscal year) and vest over three years. The Company awarded 1,260,000,
1,794,000,  and  2,859,520  SARs  as  of  October  1,  1993,  1994,  and   1995,
respectively.  The SARs will result in additional compensation to the executives
based on the increase,  if any, in  the Company's book  value during the  fiscal
year  following the date  of award. Effective  March 31, 1996,  2,179,520 of the
SARs granted as of October 1, 1995 were revised to a six-month term ended  March
31, 1996. The Company does not expect to make SAR grants in the future.
 
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION MATTERS
 
    The Company's Certificate of Incorporation limits the liability of directors
for  monetary  damages to  the maximum  extent permitted  by Delaware  law. Such
limitation of liability has no effect on the availability of equitable remedies,
such  as  injunctive  relief  or   rescission.  The  Company's  Certificate   of
Incorporation  also  provides for  indemnification of  any director,  officer or
employee made party  to any action  by reason  of the fact  that the  individual
holds such a position.
 
    The  Company's Bylaws provide that the  Company will indemnify its directors
and officers and may indemnify its employees and agents (other than officers and
directors) against  certain  liabilities  to the  fullest  extent  permitted  by
Delaware  law. The  Company is  also empowered  under its  Bylaws to  enter into
indemnification agreements  with  its directors  and  officers and  to  purchase
insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or
agent  of the corporation or serving in those and certain other positions at the
request of  the  Company.  However, as  a  matter  of policy  the  Company  will
generally not indemnify employees for service on boards of directors of publicly
traded  companies  after  the first  meeting  of shareholders  following  such a
company's initial public offering. The Company has entered into  indemnification
agreements  with each  of its current  directors and officers  which provide for
indemnification of, and advancement of expenses to, such persons to the greatest
extent permitted by  Delaware law,  including by  reason of  action or  inaction
occurring in the past and circumstances in which indemnification and advancement
of expenses are discretionary under Delaware law. It is the opinion of the staff
of  the SEC  that indemnification  provisions such  as those  contained in these
agreements have  no effect  on a  director's or  officer's liability  under  the
federal securities laws.
 
                                       68
<PAGE>
                              CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
 
INCREASE IN EQUITY OWNERSHIP OF DANIEL H. CASE III
 
    In  March  1996,  the Company's  Board  of  Directors approved  a  series of
transactions proposed  by  the  Company's  Compensation  Committee  designed  to
increase the equity ownership of Daniel H. Case III, the Company's President and
Chief   Executive  Officer  to  a  level  commensurate  with  his  position  and
responsibilities. Mr. Case  was promoted  to Chief  Executive Officer  effective
October  1, 1994. The  Board of Directors  decided at that  time that Mr. Case's
access to equity ownership in the Company  should be increased as of Mr.  Case's
promotion  date to be  equivalent to the ownership  position of Company Chairman
William R.  Hambrecht. The  Board delegated  to the  Compensation Committee  the
determination   of  Mr.   Case's  equity  programs.   Because  the  Compensation
Committee's determination  was not  completed until  early in  fiscal 1996,  Mr.
Case's  options to  purchase Common  Stock, described  below, were  valued as of
September 30, 1995. As a partial make-up for this delay, the Board determined to
pay Mr. Case  a bonus of  $1,951,979 (the  "Make-Up Bonus") which  on a  pre-tax
basis  equalled the difference in  the fair value of  the Company's Common Stock
subject to such options  between October 1994 and  October 1995. In March  1996:
(i)  the Board accelerated the vesting of  options to purchase 161,576 shares of
Common Stock;  (ii) Mr.  Case  exercised options  covering 1,238,828  shares  of
Common Stock, with a weighted average exercise price of approximately $2.838 per
share;  (iii) Mr.  Case paid  the exercise price  of such  options by delivering
promissory notes for $3,515,352; (iv) Mr.  Case resold 169,428 of the  purchased
shares  to the Company for $6.518 cash per  share (the then fair market value of
the shares in the opinion of the Board of Directors), or a total of  $1,104,247;
and  (v) the Company's Board of Directors  granted Mr. Case a nonstatutory stock
option to purchase 892,680 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $6.518
per share. Mr. Case also purchased 3,616 Units of LP with a promissory note  for
$1,133,698.  As part of the Restructuring,  such Units were exchanged for 86,784
additional shares of Common Stock. Each of the above-referenced promissory notes
has a five-year term, bears interest at the  rate of 6% per annum, and is to  be
repaid  from Mr. Case's cash bonuses  at a rate of 20%  of any such bonuses. Mr.
Case has applied all of the proceeds of the Make-Up Bonus described above  after
withholding  for taxes to  prepay approximately $1,260,000  such notes. Mr. Case
also intends to apply a portion of his Restructuring distribution and a  portion
of the Guaranty Finance transactions described below as an additional prepayment
of notes.
 
GUARANTY FINANCE
 
    Prior  to the Restructuring, LP  owned 70% of Guaranty  Finance and Mr. Case
indirectly owned approximately 15% of the outstanding equity of Guaranty Finance
and indirectly held an option to purchase approximately 3% additional equity  of
Guaranty  Finance. Mr.  Case has  also rendered  certain consulting  services to
Guaranty Finance. Mr. Case co-founded Guaranty Finance in 1983 and purchased his
interest at  fair  market value  at  the  time Guaranty  Finance  was  initially
capitalized  in  1985. Subsequently,  Mr.  Case made  additional  investments or
increased his percentage ownership  indirectly in Guaranty Finance,  principally
by  foregoing his  share of a  cash distribution that  Group California received
from Guaranty Finance in 1992.  During fiscal 1993, 1994  and 1995 and the  nine
months  ended June  30, 1996, Mr.  Case received $86,300,  $51,653, $241,189 and
$206,273, respectively,  from Guaranty  Finance as  compensation for  consulting
services,  distribution  on capital  and profit  sharing.  Of such  aggregate of
$585,415 paid  to Mr.  Case since  October  1, 1992,  the portions  relating  to
consulting  services, profit sharing and  distributions on capital were $86,250,
$166,689 and $332,477, respectively.
 
   
    Guaranty  Finance  has  repurchased  all  outstanding  options  to  purchase
additional  equity  in  Guaranty Finance.  Mr.  Case received  $500,000  for his
interest in the  repurchased Guaranty Finance  options. In July  1996, Mr.  Case
applied  this $500,000  toward the prepayment  of notes payable  to the Company.
Guaranty Finance also has  (a) distributed certain  non-operating assets to  its
equity holders, including Mr. Case and LP, and (b) accrued and paid out deferred
profit-sharing  obligations representing approximately 10% of all net investment
gains (the "Distribution"). Mr. Case's  proportionate share of the  Distribution
had  a book value  as of June 30,  1996 of approximately  $1.3 million, of which
approximately $250,000 is subject  to repayment in part  if Mr. Case  terminates
his employment with the Company prior to December 31, 1999.
    
 
   
    In connection with the Restructuring and in order to avoid any appearance of
conflict of interest in the future, the Company purchased Mr. Case's interest in
Guaranty Finance for $1,734,588 plus Mr. Case's
    
 
                                       69
<PAGE>
   
proportionate  part of the proceeds from the sales, after May 31, 1996 and prior
to the Restructuring, of any additional  assets which otherwise would have  been
distributed  as part  of the  Distribution. The  $1,734,588 represents  the fair
market value  at  May 31,  1996,  of Mr.  Case's  proportionate part  of  assets
remaining   in   Guaranty  Finance   after   the  Distribution.   Following  the
Restructuring, Mr.  Case  has no  further  direct  interest in  the  profits  of
Guaranty  Finance and has  waived his rights  to any further  consulting fees or
profit sharing from Guaranty Finance.
    
 
ISSUANCES OF SECURITIES TO OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
 
    H&Q has made numerous sales of Common Stock to directors, executive officers
and other employees during the last  three fiscal years and since the  beginning
of  the  current fiscal  year.  The following  table  summarizes such  sales, as
adjusted to reflect the Restructuring:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                    NINE MONTHS
                                                                                                                    ENDED JUNE
                                                                                                                     30, 1996
                                            FISCAL 1993 (1)           FISCAL 1994 (1)          FISCAL 1995 (1)          (1)
                                        ------------------------  ------------------------  ----------------------  -----------
                                                      AGGREGATE                 AGGREGATE                AGGREGATE
                                                      PURCHASE                  PURCHASE                 PURCHASE
NAME                                    SHARES (#)      PRICE     SHARES (#)      PRICE     SHARES (#)     PRICE    SHARES (#)
- --------------------------------------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  ---------  -----------
<S>                                     <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>        <C>
Daniel H. Case III....................      36,000    $  86,980      285,687    $ 409,411      128,796   $ 303,325   1,917,086
William R. Hambrecht..................      16,000    $  44,880      323,296    $ 258,277           --          --          --
William R. Timken.....................     140,000    $ 297,840      165,600    $ 106,053           --          --          --
Cristina M. Morgan....................      11,080    $  25,152       66,880    $ 146,612       72,000   $ 171,390     115,845
Paul L. Hallingby.....................      50,000    $ 102,000       96,280    $ 163,645       90,480   $ 253,175     272,240
Bruce M. Lupatkin.....................          --           --       24,544    $  29,767       60,000   $ 143,250      66,784
William E. Mayer......................      20,000    $  56,100       12,000    $  13,710       22,400   $  99,500      50,400
Edmund H. Shea, Jr....................       6,664    $  18,693       56,719    $  37,529           --          --      49,600
Patrick J. Allen......................          --           --           --           --           --          --      37,520
Howard B. Hillman.....................      20,000    $  56,100        9,120    $   7,046           --          --          --
Steven N. Machtinger..................      16,000    $  42,070       15,840    $  10,144       44,480   $ 122,100      46,561
David M. McAuliffe....................          --           --           --           --      186,400   $1,078,225     13,281
Raymond J. Minehan....................      16,000    $  42,070       18,720    $  11,989       60,000   $ 157,050      33,121
 
<CAPTION>
 
                                        AGGREGATE
                                        PURCHASE
NAME                                      PRICE
- --------------------------------------  ---------
<S>                                     <C>
Daniel H. Case III....................  $8,868,977
William R. Hambrecht..................         --
William R. Timken.....................         --
Cristina M. Morgan....................  $ 642,086
Paul L. Hallingby.....................  $1,585,894
Bruce M. Lupatkin.....................  $ 477,323
William E. Mayer......................  $ 172,480
Edmund H. Shea, Jr....................  $ 151,236
Patrick J. Allen......................  $ 271,930
Howard B. Hillman.....................         --
Steven N. Machtinger..................  $ 212,730
David M. McAuliffe....................  $ 174,386
Raymond J. Minehan....................  $ 164,941
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------------
(1) Share number  and aggregate  purchase price  figures have  been adjusted  to
    reflect  the exchange of Group California shares  and LP units for shares of
    Common Stock of the Company in connection with the Restructuring.
 
PARTICIPATION BY EMPLOYEES AND OFFICERS IN VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS
 
    Employees and officers of the Company  are required to offer to the  Company
opportunities  which  they  encounter  to invest  in  private  companies  in the
Company's areas  of  focus.  The Company  has  the  right to  take  its  desired
investment   position  in  such  opportunities.  If  the  Company  rejects  such
opportunity, the originating employee may  make such investment. If the  Company
invests  in such opportunities, it  typically will invest an  amount equal to at
least twice the amount  of the largest investment  by a Company employee.  After
the  Company takes its  desired investment position  it will typically syndicate
such opportunities for  investment by  eligible employees  and selected  outside
investors. Occasionally, H&Q will be asked to participate in an investment which
is  not  a candidate  for syndication  to  all eligible  H&Q employees.  In such
instance, a small number of H&Q employees directly involved with the Company  or
the  transaction may  invest side-by-side with  H&Q (or one  of its wholly-owned
subsidiaries) on a  direct, non-syndicated  basis. A  Small Business  Investment
Company  that is wholly-owned by  William R. Hambrecht and  his family, and J.F.
Shea Co.,  Inc. and  other  affiliates of  Edmund H.  Shea,  a director  of  the
Company,  each regularly invests side-by-side with the Company's venture capital
funds and commits capital  to venture capital funds  affiliated with H&Q.  Other
directors of the Company may also invest side-by-side with the Company's venture
capital  funds or may commit capital to H&Q affiliated venture capital funds and
have from time to time done  so. Side-by-side investments are generally made  on
the   same  terms  as  those  applicable  to  other  participants  in  the  same
transaction. The following table summarizes venture capital investments made and
capital committed  to H&Q  affiliated  venture capital  funds by  the  Company's
Directors  and Executive Officers in each of  the last three fiscal years and in
the nine months ended June 30, 1996:
 
                                       70
<PAGE>
                 VENTURE INVESTMENTS BY OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                            NINE MONTHS
                                                                                               ENDED
                                                                                              JUNE 30,
NAME                                              FISCAL 1993   FISCAL 1994   FISCAL 1995       1996
- ------------------------------------------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------
<S>                                               <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>
William R. Hambrecht (1)(2).....................  $  1,111,625  $  1,455,106  $    749,354   $  900,562
Daniel H. Case III (3)..........................       234,449       152,145       238,196      272,218
William R. Timken (2)...........................       697,026       860,202       720,023      429,134
Paul L. Hallingby...............................        27,379        32,000        30,000       70,503
Cristina M. Morgan..............................       111,173        88,075        71,215      151,522
David M. McAuliffe..............................            --            --            --       15,000
Bruce M. Lupatkin...............................        45,565        31,792        21,000       60,492
Raymond J. Minehan..............................            --            --         2,500        8,000
Steven N. Machtinger............................         6,982        11,899        11,500       19,000
Patrick J. Allen................................            --            --         7,000        4,500
William E. Mayer................................       535,461       255,411       240,079      203,002
Howard B. Hillman...............................       567,935       524,313       598,113      460,499
Edmund H. Shea, Jr. (2)(4)......................     6,076,133     8,189,895     3,190,322    5,645,774
</TABLE>
    
 
- ------------------------
(1) Includes investments made  by a Small Business  Investment Company owned  by
    Mr.  Hambrecht and  his family. Also  includes investments  in venture funds
    managed by Asia Pacific.
 
(2) Includes investments in venture funds managed by Asia Pacific.
 
(3) Includes investments made by Stacey Case, Mr. Case's wife.
 
(4) Includes investments  made by Edmund  & Mary Shea  Real Property Trust,  and
    J.F. Shea Co., Inc., which Mr. Shea may be deemed to control.
 
    In addition to their pro rata return on investment, the Company allocates to
certain of its professionals, including certain of those listed above, a portion
of  the  profits  realized from  particular  venture investments  based  on such
professionals' specific contributions to  identifying, structuring and  managing
the investment.
 
INDEBTEDNESS OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
 
    The  Company's  executive  officers  and directors  listed  below  have been
indebted to the Company in the amounts and for the periods set forth below.  The
purpose of the indebtedness in each case is to permit the exercise of options to
purchase Common Stock of the Company, to purchase restricted Common Stock of the
Company  or to purchase LP units. All  such indebtedness is due five years after
issuance, bears interest at  approximately the minimum  rate necessary to  avoid
imputation  of interest  income for  tax purposes and  is secured  by the shares
purchased with  recourse  against  the  borrower  only  to  the  extent  of  the
borrower's  equity interest in the Company  and the borrower's rights to receive
compensation from the Company. "Type A"
 
                                       71
<PAGE>
indebtedness is  repayable with  15% of  the gross  amount of  each  semi-annual
Company  bonus withheld  from the borrower's  net pay. "Type  B" indebtedness is
forgiven at the rate of 20% of the initial principal amount and accrued interest
at January 15, of each year of the term of such indebtedness.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                               AGGREGATE BALANCE
                                        HIGHEST BALANCE     HIGHEST BALANCE DURING  HIGHEST BALANCE DURING     OUTSTANDING AS OF
                                      DURING FISCAL 1993         FISCAL 1994             FISCAL 1995             JUNE 30, 1996
                                     ---------------------  ----------------------  ----------------------  ------------------------
                                       TYPE A     TYPE B      TYPE A      TYPE B      TYPE A      TYPE B       TYPE A       TYPE B
                                     ----------  ---------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ------------  ----------
<S>                                  <C>         <C>        <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>           <C>
William R. Hambrecht...............  $       --  $      --  $       --  $   61,480  $       --  $   49,184  $         --  $   24,592
Daniel H. Case III(1)..............          --     84,100          --     220,980     648,523     341,860     3,926,286     302,206
William R. Timken..................     182,368         --      72,368          --          --          --            --          --
Paul L. Hallingby(1)...............     162,610         --     161,205          --     499,963          --     1,544,888          --
Cristina M. Morgan.................          --     84,100          --     182,555     143,250     210,805       396,451     174,883
David M. McAuliffe.................          --         --          --          --          --     216,000       254,344     208,519
Bruce M. Lupatkin..................          --     84,100          --      67,280     359,250      50,460       584,999      16,820
Raymond J. Minehan.................     102,828         --      92,328          --     242,130          --       308,470          --
Steven N. Machtinger...............     100,328         --      79,828          --     139,515      18,950       274,585      14,970
Patrick J. Allen...................          --         --          --          --     108,000      43,200       207,957      44,781
William E. Mayer...................          --         --          --          --          --          --        32,800          --
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
(1) Mr. Case's and Mr. Hallingby's indebtedness is repayable in installments  of
    20% of their respective cash bonuses, if any.
 
SECURITIES TRADING FOR EMPLOYEES
 
    From  time to time,  directors, officers and other  employees of the Company
may buy or sell securities to or from H&Q LLC as principal or through H&Q LLC as
agent  in  its   capacity  as  a   registered  securities  broker-dealer.   Such
transactions  are generally executed  on terms (i.e.,  commissions, mark-ups and
mark-downs) more  favorable to  the employee-customer  than those  available  to
similarly-situated non-employee customers of the Company.
 
                                       72
<PAGE>
                             PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS
 
    The   following  table  sets  forth  certain  information  with  respect  to
beneficial ownership of the Company's Common Stock  as of June 30, 1996, and  as
adjusted to reflect the completion of this offering, by (i) each Named Executive
Officer,  (ii) each director, (iii) each holder of more than 5% of the Company's
Common Stock and (iv) all current  directors and executive officers as a  group.
Except  as indicated in  the footnotes to  this table, the  persons named in the
table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of Common
Stock shown as beneficially  owned by them, subject  to community property  laws
where applicable.
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                            PERCENTAGE OF SHARES
                                                                              NUMBER OF    BENEFICIALLY OWNED (1)
                                                                               SHARES     ------------------------
                                                                             BENEFICIALLY   BEFORE        AFTER
DIRECTORS, NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND 5% BENEFICIAL OWNERS                  OWNED (1)    OFFERING     OFFERING
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----------  -----------  -----------
<S>                                                                          <C>          <C>          <C>
William R. Hambrecht (2)...................................................   2,893,457         15.5%        13.1%
Daniel H. Case III (3).....................................................   2,000,777         10.7          9.0
William R. Timken (4)......................................................   1,564,686          8.4          7.0
Paul L. Hallingby (5)......................................................     639,587          3.4          2.9
Cristina M. Morgan (6).....................................................     404,959          2.2          1.8
William E. Mayer (7).......................................................     112,800             *         *
Howard B. Hillman (8)......................................................      80,320             *            *
Edmund H. Shea, Jr. (9)....................................................     524,583           2.8          2.4
Savings and Employee Stock Ownership Plan (10).............................   1,918,198          10.3          8.7
All executive officers and directors as a group (13 persons) (11)..........   9,081,327          48.6         41.0
</TABLE>
    
 
- ------------------------
*   Less than 1%
(1)  Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC.
    In computing the  number of shares  beneficially owned by  a person and  the
    percentage  ownership  of that  person, shares  of  Common Stock  subject to
    options held by that  person that are  currently exercisable or  exercisable
    within  60  days  of June  30,  1996  are deemed  outstanding.  Such shares,
    however, are  not  deemed outstanding  for  the purposes  of  computing  the
    percentage  ownership  of each  other  person. To  the  Company's knowledge,
    except as set forth in the footnotes to this table and subject to applicable
    community property laws, each person named in the table has sole voting  and
    investment power with respect to the shares set forth opposite such person's
    name.  Except as otherwise indicated, the address  of each of the persons in
    this table is  care of Hambrecht  & Quist, One  Bush Street, San  Francisco,
    California 94104.
(2) Includes 27,601 shares held in trust by SESOP and in the Group Trust.
(3) Includes 18,185 shares held in trust by SESOP and in the Group Trust.
(4)  Includes options  to purchase 32,000  shares exercisable within  60 days of
    June 30, 1996  and 27,086 shares  held in trust  by SESOP and  in the  Group
    Trust.
(5)  Includes options  to purchase 16,000  shares exercisable within  60 days of
    June 30, 1996  and 27,587 shares  held in trust  by SESOP and  in the  Group
    Trust.
(6)  Includes options  to purchase 16,000  shares exercisable within  60 days of
    June 30, 1996  and 26,233 shares  held in trust  by SESOP and  in the  Group
    Trust.
(7) Includes options to purchase 8,000 shares exercisable within 60 days of June
    30, 1996.
(8)  Includes options  to purchase 51,200  shares exercisable within  60 days of
    June 30, 1996.
(9) Includes options to purchase 1,600 shares exercisable within 60 days of June
    30, 1996.
(10) Represents  shares  held by  SESOP  for the  benefit  of employees  of  the
    Company.  See "Management-- Compensation Plans". The Trustee of the SESOP is
    BZW Barclays Global Investors located at 420 Montgomery Street, Third Floor,
    San Francisco,  CA  94104. Each  beneficiary  is entitled  to  instruct  the
    Trustee  as to  the voting  or tendering  of any  full or  partial shares of
    Company Stock held  on his or  her behalf. Excludes  230,184 shares held  by
    Group Trust.
(11)  Includes options to purchase 136,800  shares exercisable within 60 days of
    June 30, 1996 and  175,031 shares held  in trust by SESOP  and in the  Group
    Trust.
 
                                       73
<PAGE>
                          DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
 
    Prior  to the completion  of this offering, the  authorized capital stock of
the Company will consist of 100,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par  value
per share, and 5,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share.
 
COMMON STOCK
 
    As  of  June  30,  1996,  there  were  18,669,064  shares  of  Common  Stock
outstanding (after  giving  effect  to  the Restructuring)  held  of  record  by
approximately 266 stockholders. Holders of Common Stock are entitled to one vote
per  share  on all  matters  to be  voted upon  by  the stockholders.  Except as
otherwise provided by law,  the holders of  shares of Common  Stock vote as  one
class,  together with any other class or  series of stock conferred with general
class voting rights  by the  Company's Certificate of  Incorporation. After  the
completion  of this  offering, the  officers and  directors of  the Company will
beneficially own,  in  the aggregate,  approximately  41.0% of  the  outstanding
Common  Stock. These  persons may be  able to elect  all of the  directors to be
elected at each  annual meeting  and to  cast a  sufficient number  of votes  to
control  all other  matters subject  to a vote  of the  stockholders. Subject to
preferences that  may be  applicable  to any  outstanding Preferred  Stock,  the
holders  of Common Stock are entitled to receive ratably such dividends, if any,
as may be  declared from time  to time by  the Board of  Directors out of  funds
legally available therefor. Dividend payments and advances to the Company by H&Q
LLC  are restricted by the provisions of the  net capital rules of the NYSE, the
SEC and the NASD. See "Net Capital Requirements." In the event of a liquidation,
dissolution or  winding up  of the  Company,  the holders  of Common  Stock  are
entitled  to share ratably in all assets remaining after payment of liabilities,
subject  to  prior  liquidation  rights   of  Preferred  Stock,  if  any,   then
outstanding.  The Common Stock  has no preemptive or  conversion rights or other
subscription  rights.  There  are  no  redemption  or  sinking  fund  provisions
applicable to the Common Stock. All outstanding shares of Common Stock are fully
paid  and non-assessable, and the shares of  Common Stock to be outstanding upon
completion of the offering  contemplated by this Prospectus  will be fully  paid
and non-assessable.
 
PREFERRED STOCK
 
    The  Company's Certificate  of Incorporation authorizes  5,000,000 shares of
Preferred Stock, none of which are  outstanding. The Board of Directors has  the
authority  to issue the shares  of Preferred Stock in one  or more series and to
fix the rights, preferences, privileges  and restrictions granted to or  imposed
upon  any unissued  shares of Preferred  Stock and  to fix the  number of shares
constituting any series and the designations of such series, without any further
vote or action by the stockholders. The Board of Directors, without  stockholder
approval,  can issue  Preferred Stock  with voting  and conversion  rights which
could adversely affect  the voting  power of the  holders of  Common Stock.  The
issuance  of  Preferred Stock  may  have the  effect  of delaying,  deferring or
preventing a change of control of the Company. The Company has no present  plans
to issue any of the Preferred Stock.
 
CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE COMPANY'S CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS
 
    Certain  provisions of the Company's Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws
and applicable law,  could make the  acquisition of  the Company by  means of  a
tender offer, a proxy contest or otherwise and the removal of incumbent officers
and  directors  more  difficult.  The  Company's  Certificate  of  Incorporation
authorizes the Board  of Directors  to designate  and issue  Preferred Stock  as
described above.
 
    The  Company's  Bylaws  permit  the  Board  of  Directors  to  establish  by
resolution the authorized number of directors, and the Company currently has six
directors authorized. The Company's Bylaws  also provide for a classified  Board
of  Directors divided into three classes: Class  I expires at the annual meeting
of stockholders to be held  in 1997; Class II expires  at the annual meeting  of
the stockholders to be held in 1998; and Class III expires at the annual meeting
of  stockholders to be held  in 1999. The Class  I directors are Messrs. Hillman
and Timken; the Class II directors are Messrs. Case and Shea; and the Class  III
directors   are  Messrs.  Hambrecht  and  Mayer.   At  each  annual  meeting  of
stockholders beginning with the 1997 annual meeting, the successors to directors
whose terms are expiring will be elected to serve from the time of election  and
qualification  until the third annual meeting following election and until their
successors have been  duly elected and  qualified. Any additional  directorships
resulting  from an increase in the number of directors will be distributed among
the three classes so that, as nearly as possible, each class will consist of  an
equal number of directors. This system of
 
                                       74
<PAGE>
electing  directors may tend  to discourage a  third party from  making a tender
offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of the Company and may  maintain
the  incumbency  of  the Board  of  Directors,  as it  generally  makes  it more
difficult for stockholders to replace a majority of the directors.
 
    The Company's Bylaws also provide that a special meeting of stockholders may
be called only  by the Company's  Chief Executive Officer,  the Chairman of  the
Board,  a  majority  of the  members  of  the Company's  Board  of  Directors or
stockholders holding shares  entitled to  cast 10%  or more  of the  votes at  a
meeting.
 
    The  Company is subject  to Section 203 of  the Delaware General Corporation
Law, which prohibits a public Delaware corporation from engaging in a  "business
combination"  with an "interested stockholder" for a period of three years after
the  date  of  the  transaction  in  which  such  person  became  an  interested
stockholder  unless: (i)  prior to  such date,  the Board  of Directors approved
either the  business  combination  or  the transaction  which  resulted  in  the
stockholder  becoming  an  interested  stockholder;  or  (ii)  upon  becoming an
interested stockholder, the stockholder  then owned at least  85% of the  voting
stock, as defined in Section 203; or (iii) subsequent to such date, the business
combination  is approved  by both the  Board of  Directors and by  holders of at
least 66 2/3% of  the corporation's outstanding  voting stock, excluding  shares
owned  by the  interested stockholder.  For these  purposes, the  term "business
combination" includes mergers, asset sales  and other similar transactions  with
an  "interested  stockholder."  An  "interested stockholder"  is  a  person who,
together with affiliates and associates, owns (or, within the prior three years,
did own) 15% or more of the corporation's voting stock.
 
TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR
 
    The Transfer Agent  and Registrar  for the  Common Stock  is American  Stock
Transfer & Trust Company.
 
                                       75
<PAGE>
                        SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
 
    Upon  the completion  of this  offering, the  Company will  have outstanding
22,169,064 shares of Common  Stock (assuming no exercise  of options after  June
30,  1996). Of these shares,  the 3,500,000 shares sold  in the offering will be
freely tradeable  without  restriction,  except that  any  shares  purchased  by
"affiliates" of the Company, as that term is defined under the Securities Act of
1933,  as  amended  (the  "Securities  Act"),  may  generally  only  be  sold in
compliance with the volume limitations  and other restrictions provided in  Rule
144  promulgated under the Securities Act.  In reliance upon "no-action" letters
issued by  the  SEC relating  to  transactions  under Section  3(a)(10)  of  the
Securities  Act, the 18,669,064 shares issued  in the Restructuring will also be
freely tradeable  without  restriction  under  the Securities  Act  due  to  the
issuance  of a permit qualifying the shares following a public hearing conducted
before the California Commissioner of Corporations on the fairness of the  terms
and  conditions of the Restructuring, except  that any shares held by affiliates
may generally only be sold in  compliance with the volume limitations and  other
restrictions provided in Rule 144.
 
    The  18,669,064 shares issued in the  Restructuring, and the shares issuable
upon the exercise of options assumed in connection with the Restructuring,  will
be subject to lockup restrictions (the "Lockup"), unless released earlier by all
of Hambrecht & Quist LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated and the Company. The
Lockup  prohibits the disposition  of any such  shares until the  date 18 months
after the date of  this Prospectus ("Effective  Date"); provided, however,  that
six  months after the  Effective Date each  stockholder may sell  the greater of
10,000 shares or 5%  of such stockholder's shares  outstanding on the  Effective
Date  (an aggregate  maximum of approximately  2,014,000 shares),  and 12 months
after the Effective Date each stockholder may sell an additional amount equal to
the greater of 10,000  shares or 5%  of the holder's  shares outstanding on  the
Effective  Date  (an  additional aggregate  maximum  of  approximately 1,472,000
shares). Any shares subject to  the Lockup may be released  at any time with  or
without notice to the public.
 
    In  addition to the  Lockup, certain stockholders will  be subject to volume
limitations imposed by Rule 144  under the Securities Act, certain  stockholders
are subject to vesting provisions, and certain stockholders (including the SESOP
and the Group Trust) are subject to other contractual restrictions on transfer.
 
    At  June 30, 1996, options to purchase 5,697,520 shares of Common Stock were
outstanding, and an additional  3,000,000 shares of  Common Stock were  reserved
for issuance under the Company's 1996 Equity Plan. The Company intends to file a
registration statement under the Securities Act approximately 180 days after the
date  of this Prospectus to  register shares to be  issued pursuant to the stock
plans. Shares of Common Stock issued  under the stock plans after the  effective
date  of  such registration  statement will  be freely  tradeable in  the public
market, subject  to lockup  restrictions and  subject in  the case  of sales  by
affiliates  to  the  amount,  manner  of  sale,  notice  and  public information
requirements of Rule 144.
 
    Prior to  this offering,  there has  been no  public market  for the  Common
Stock,  and there can be no assurance  that an active public market will develop
or,  if  developed,  will  be  sustained  following  this  offering.  Sales   of
substantial  amounts of Common Stock in the public market could adversely affect
the market price of the Common Stock.
 
                                       76
<PAGE>
                                  UNDERWRITING
 
    Subject  to  the terms  and conditions  of  the Underwriting  Agreement, the
Underwriters named below, through their Representatives, Hambrecht & Quist  LLC,
Morgan  Stanley & Co. Incorporated and  Smith Barney Inc., have severally agreed
to purchase  from the  Company the  following respective  numbers of  shares  of
Common Stock:
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                    NUMBER OF
UNDERWRITER                                                                           SHARES
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------  ----------
<S>                                                                                 <C>
Hambrecht & Quist LLC.............................................................     573,334
Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated.................................................     573,333
Smith Barney Inc..................................................................     573,333
Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc...........................................................      40,000
Alex. Brown & Sons Incorporated...................................................      40,000
Cowen & Company...................................................................      40,000
CS First Boston Corporation.......................................................      40,000
Dean Witter Reynolds Inc..........................................................      40,000
Deutsche Morgan Grenfell/C.J. Lawrence Inc........................................      40,000
Dillon, Read & Co. Inc............................................................      40,000
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation...............................      40,000
A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc..........................................................      40,000
Goldman, Sachs & Co...............................................................      40,000
Lazard Freres & Co. LLC...........................................................      40,000
Lehman Brothers Inc...............................................................      40,000
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated................................      40,000
Montgomery Securities.............................................................      40,000
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc........................................................      40,000
Oppenheimer & Co., Inc............................................................      40,000
PaineWebber Incorporated..........................................................      40,000
Prudential Securities Incorporated................................................      40,000
Robertson, Stephens & Company LLC.................................................      40,000
Salomon Brothers Inc..............................................................      40,000
Schroder Wertheim & Co. Incorporated..............................................      40,000
UBS Securities LLC................................................................      40,000
Adams, Harkness & Hill, Inc.......................................................      20,000
Advest, Inc.......................................................................      20,000
Allen & Company Incorporated......................................................      20,000
Arnhold and S. Bleichroeder, Inc..................................................      20,000
Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated................................................      20,000
Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., Inc...................................................      20,000
William Blair & Company, L.L.C....................................................      20,000
J.C. Bradford & Co................................................................      20,000
Brean Murray, Foster Securities Inc...............................................      20,000
The Chicago Corporation...........................................................      20,000
Crowell, Weedon & Co..............................................................      20,000
Dain Bosworth Incorporated........................................................      20,000
First Albany Corporation..........................................................      20,000
First of Michigan Corporation.....................................................      20,000
L.H. Friend, Weinress, Frankson & Presson, Inc....................................      20,000
Furman Selz LLC...................................................................      20,000
Interstate/Johnson Lane Corporation...............................................      20,000
Janney Montgomery Scott Inc.......................................................      20,000
Jefferies & Company...............................................................      20,000
Kirkpatrick, Pettis, Smith, Polian Inc............................................      20,000
</TABLE>
    
 
                                       77
<PAGE>
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                    NUMBER OF
UNDERWRITER                                                                           SHARES
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------  ----------
<S>                                                                                 <C>
Legg Mason Wood Walker, Incorporated..............................................      20,000
McDonald & Company Securities, Inc................................................      20,000
Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc......................................................      20,000
Needham & Company, Inc............................................................      20,000
Parker/Hunter Incorporated........................................................      20,000
Piper Jaffray Inc.................................................................      20,000
Punk, Ziegel & Knoell.............................................................      20,000
Ragen MacKenzie Incorporated......................................................      20,000
Rauscher Pierce Refsnes, Inc......................................................      20,000
Raymond James & Associates, Inc...................................................      20,000
The Robinson-Humphrey Company, Inc................................................      20,000
Scott & Stringfellow, Inc.........................................................      20,000
The Seidler Companies Incorporated................................................      20,000
Soundview Financial Group, Inc....................................................      20,000
Southcoast Capital Corp...........................................................      20,000
Stephens Inc......................................................................      20,000
Sutro & Co. Incorporated..........................................................      20,000
Tucker Anthony Incorporated.......................................................      20,000
Unterberg Harris..................................................................      20,000
Van Kasper & Company..............................................................      20,000
Vector Securities International, Inc..............................................      20,000
Volpe, Welty & Company............................................................      20,000
Wedbush Morgan Securities Inc.....................................................      20,000
Wessels, Arnold & Henderson, L.L.C................................................      20,000
Wheat First Butcher Singer........................................................      20,000
                                                                                    ----------
      Total.......................................................................   3,500,000
                                                                                    ----------
                                                                                    ----------
</TABLE>
    
 
    The Underwriting Agreement provides that the obligations of the Underwriters
are  subject  to  certain conditions  precedent,  including the  absence  of any
material adverse change  in the Company's  business and the  receipt of  certain
certificates,  opinions  and  letters  from  the  Company  and  its  counsel and
independent auditors. The nature  of the Underwriters'  obligation is such  that
they  are committed to purchase all shares of Common Stock offered hereby if any
of such shares are purchased.
 
   
    The Underwriters propose to offer the shares of Common Stock directly to the
public at the initial public offering price set forth on the cover page of  this
Prospectus  and to certain dealers at such price less a concession not in excess
of $0.62 per share. The Underwriters may  allow and such dealers may re-allow  a
concession  not  in excess  of $0.10  per  share to  certain other  dealers. The
Underwriters have informed the Company that they do not intend to confirm  sales
to  any accounts  over which  they exercise  discretionary authority.  After the
initial public offering  of the  shares, the  offering price  and other  selling
terms may be changed by the Representatives of the Underwriters.
    
 
   
    At the request of the Company, up to 65,000 shares of Common Stock are being
reserved  for sale to certain employees of the Company. The price of such shares
to such persons will be $14.88 per share (the initial public offering price  set
forth  on the cover page of this  Prospectus less the underwriting discount). No
underwriting discount  will  be received  in  respect  of shares  sold  to  such
persons.  Any shares  not so  purchased will  be offered  at the  initial public
offering price set forth on the cover page of this Prospectus. Any employees  of
the  Company who  purchase any of  the shares  offered in this  offering will be
prohibited from selling, pledging, assigning, hypothecating or transferring such
shares for a period of five months following the date of this offering.
    
 
    The Company has granted to the Underwriters an option, exercisable no  later
than  30  days after  the date  of this  Prospectus, to  purchase up  to 525,000
additional shares of Common Stock at the initial public offering price, less the
underwriting discount, set forth  on the cover page  of this Prospectus. To  the
extent the Underwriters
 
                                       78
<PAGE>
exercise  such option, each of  the Underwriters will have  a firm commitment to
purchase approximately the same percentage thereof that the number of shares  of
Common  Stock to be purchased by it shown  in the table above bears to the total
number of shares of Common Stock offered hereby. The Company will be  obligated,
pursuant  to the option,  to sell shares  to the Underwriters  to the extent the
option is exercised.  The Underwriters may  exercise such option  only to  cover
over-allotments made in connection with the sale of Common Stock offered hereby.
 
    The  offering of the shares is made for delivery when, as and if accepted by
the Underwriters and subject  to prior sale and  to withdrawal, cancellation  or
modification  of the offering without notice. The Underwriters reserve the right
to reject an order for the purchase of shares in whole or in part.
 
    The Company  has  agreed  to  indemnify  the  Underwriters  against  certain
liabilities,  including liabilities under the  Securities Act, and to contribute
to payments the Underwriters may be required to make in respect thereof.
 
    The Company has agreed that it will not, without the Representatives'  prior
written consent, offer, sell or otherwise dispose of any shares of Common Stock,
options,  rights or  warrants to acquire  shares of Common  Stock, or securities
exchangeable for or convertible into shares  of Common Stock during the  180-day
period  commencing on the date  of this Prospectus, except  that the Company may
grant additional options under its stock option plans.
 
    Prior to  this offering,  there has  been no  public market  for the  Common
Stock. The initial public offering price for the Common Stock will be determined
by  negotiation among the Company and  the Representatives. Among the factors to
be considered in determining  the initial public  offering price are  prevailing
market  conditions, revenues and  earnings of the  Company, market valuations of
other companies engaged in activities similar  to the Company, estimates of  the
business  potential  and prospects  of  the Company,  the  present state  of the
Company's business operations, the Company's management and other factors deemed
relevant. The estimated  initial public offering  price range set  forth on  the
cover  of this Prospectus is subject to  change as a result of market conditions
and other factors.
 
    Under the  Rules  of  the  NASD,  when  an  NASD  member  such  as  H&Q  LLC
participates  in the distribution of its parent company's securities, the public
offering  price  can  be  no  higher  than  that  recommended  by  a  "qualified
independent  underwriter"  meeting certain  standards.  In accordance  with this
requirement, Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated has agreed to serve in such  role
and to recommend a price in compliance with the Rules.
 
SUBSEQUENT RESTRICTIONS
 
   
    NYSE  Rule 312(g) prohibits a member  corporation, after the distribution of
securities of its parent to the  public, from effecting any transaction  (except
on  an unsolicited  basis) for  the account  of any  customer in,  or making any
recommendation with respect to, any such security. Thus, following the  offering
of  the shares, H&Q LLC will not  be permitted to make recommendations regarding
the purchase or sale of the Company's Common Stock.
    
 
                                       79
<PAGE>
   
                                 LEGAL MATTERS
    
 
    The validity of  the shares of  Common Stock offered  hereby will be  passed
upon  for  the  Company  by  Wilson  Sonsini  Goodrich  &  Rosati,  Professional
Corporation, Palo Alto, California.  Certain legal matters  will be passed  upon
for  the Underwriters by Cooley Godward Castro Huddleson & Tatum, San Francisco,
California. Each of these  firms has in the  past represented, and continues  to
represent, the Company on a regular basis and in a variety of matters other than
this  offering. In addition,  an investment fund  associated with Cooley Godward
Castro Huddleson  &  Tatum  currently has  approximately  $200,000  invested  in
certain  limited partnerships established by the Company to make venture capital
investments.
 
                                    EXPERTS
 
    The audited financial statements included  in this Prospectus and  elsewhere
in  the  Registration  Statement  have  been  audited  by  Arthur  Andersen LLP,
independent public accountants, to the extent  and for the periods indicated  in
their  reports, and are included  herein in reliance upon  the authority of said
firm as experts in giving said reports.
 
                             ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
 
    The Company has filed with the  SEC, Washington, D.C. 20549, a  Registration
Statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect
to  the Common Stock offered hereby. This Prospectus does not contain all of the
information set  forth  in  the  Registration Statement  and  the  exhibits  and
schedules  thereto. For further information with respect to the Company and such
Common Stock, reference is made to  the Registration Statement and the  exhibits
and  schedules filed as part thereof. Statements contained in this Prospectus as
to the  contents  of  any contract  or  document  filed as  an  exhibit  to  the
Registration  Statement is  qualified by reference  to such exhibit  as filed. A
copy of the Registration Statement, and the exhibits and schedules thereto,  may
be inspected without charge at the public reference facilities maintained by the
SEC  in Room 1024,  450 Fifth Street,  N.W., Washington, D.C.  20549, and at the
SEC's regional  offices located  at  the Northwestern  Atrium Center,  500  West
Madison  Street,  Suite  1400, Chicago,  Illinois  60661 and  Seven  World Trade
Center, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10048,  and copies of all or any part  of
the Registration Statement may be obtained from such offices upon the payment of
the  fees prescribed by  the SEC. The SEC  maintains a World  Wide Web site that
contains  reports,  proxy  and  information  statements  and  other  information
regarding  registrants that file electronically with the SEC. The address of the
SEC's World Wide Web site is
http://www.sec.gov.
 
                                       80
<PAGE>
                     INDEX TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                                     <C>
Selected Pro Forma Financial Data (unaudited).........................................        F-2
Pro Forma Combined Balance Sheet as of June 30, 1996 (unaudited)......................        F-3
Pro Forma Combined Statements of Operations for the nine months ended June 30, 1996
 and the year ended September 30, 1995 (unaudited)....................................        F-4
Notes to Pro Forma Combined Financial Statements--June 30, 1996 (unaudited)...........        F-6
Combined Balance Sheets as of September 30, 1995 and June 30, 1996 (unaudited)........        F-8
Combined Statements of Operations for the nine months ended June 30, 1995 and 1996
 (unaudited)..........................................................................        F-9
Combined Statements of Cash Flows for the nine months ended June 30, 1995 and 1996
 (unaudited)..........................................................................       F-10
Condensed Notes to Combined Financial Statements--June 30, 1996 (unaudited)...........       F-11
Report of Independent Public Accountants..............................................       F-16
Combined Balance Sheets as of September 30, 1994 and 1995.............................       F-17
Combined Statements of Operations for the years ended September 30, 1993, 1994 and
 1995.................................................................................       F-18
Combined Statements of Changes of Shareholders' Equity and Partners' Capital for the
 years ended September 30, 1993, 1994 and 1995........................................       F-19
Combined Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended September 30, 1993, 1994 and
 1995.................................................................................       F-20
Notes to Combined Financial Statements--September 30, 1995............................       F-22
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-1
<PAGE>
                       SELECTED PRO FORMA FINANCIAL DATA
 
    The  following Pro Forma Combined Balance Sheet as of June 30, 1996 presents
the Restructuring (see "Restructuring") as if it occurred on June 30, 1996.  The
following  Pro Forma Combined Statements of Operations for the nine months ended
June 30, 1996 and the year ended September 30, 1995 present the results for  the
Company  as if the Restructuring had occurred  on October 1, 1994. The pro forma
information is  based  on the  historical  combined financial  statements  after
giving  effect to the Restructuring. The  pro forma adjustments are described in
the accompanying Notes to Pro Forma Combined Financial Statements.
 
   
    The historical combined financial statements include the combined operations
of H&Q  and LP.  The entities  are presented  on a  combined basis  because  the
entities  have been operating under common management. There is a high degree of
common ownership and the entities will be merged in the Restructuring. In fiscal
1996, the entities will restructure their operations to result in one  surviving
holding  company, Group  Delaware, which  will sell  shares of  its stock  in an
initial public offering. Such Restructuring of H&Q and LP by their  shareholders
and  partners,  respectively, will  be accounted  for  at the  shareholders' and
partners' carrying values,  which represent the  entities' carrying values.  The
individuals'  carrying values will be used  because each individual party to the
Restructuring is a promoter  of Group Delaware and  its initial public  offering
(under Securities and Exchange Commission accounting guidelines).
    
 
    The  pro  forma financial  statements have  been  prepared by  the Company's
management. The pro forma financial statements do not indicate future results or
the results that would  have occurred if the  Restructuring had occurred on  the
dates   indicated.  The  pro  forma  financial  statements  should  be  read  in
conjunction with the audited combined financial statements of the Company as  of
September  30,  1994 and  1995, the  notes thereto,  and the  unaudited combined
financial statements  as of  September 30,  1995 and  June 30,  1996, the  notes
thereto,  and  management's  discussion  thereof,  contained  elsewhere  in this
Prospectus. See "Combined Financial Statements" and "Management's Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."
 
    The distributions reflected in the pro forma financial statements  primarily
result  from the  desire to  retain the tax  efficiencies achieved  to date with
respect to  portfolio investments  held  by non-taxable  entities. Most  of  the
security distributions relate to the distribution of remaining holdings of BISYS
common  stock,  which securities  have generated  net  investment gains  for the
Company of $14.7 million and  $19.9 million for the  nine months ended June  30,
1996 and the year ended September 30, 1995, respectively.
 
                                      F-2
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
                        PRO FORMA COMBINED BALANCE SHEET
                              AS OF JUNE 30, 1996
                                  (UNAUDITED)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                        PRO FORMA       PRO FORMA
                                                                         COMBINED      ADJUSTMENTS       COMBINED
                                                                        ----------  ------------------  ----------
                                                                                      (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                                     <C>         <C>                 <C>
                                                      ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents.............................................  $   29,331  $   (2,400)(1)      $   19,983
                                                                                        (2,024)(2)
                                                                                        (4,090)(4)
                                                                                          (834)(6)
Receivables:
  Customers...........................................................     192,740                         192,740
  Lewco Securities Corp...............................................      60,337                          60,337
  Syndicate managers..................................................      21,369                          21,369
  Related parties.....................................................       9,103                           9,103
  Lease...............................................................       4,131                           4,131
  Other...............................................................      12,617                          12,617
Marketable trading securities, at market value........................      30,344                          30,344
Long-term investments, at estimated fair value........................      85,942         707(2)           66,007
                                                                                       (20,642)(3)
Deferred income taxes.................................................      27,495       6,255(5)           33,750
Furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements, net..................      10,095                          10,095
Leased assets, net....................................................       2,576                           2,576
Exchange memberships, at cost.........................................         656                             656
                                                                        ----------     -------          ----------
    Total assets......................................................  $  486,736  $  (23,028)         $  463,708
                                                                        ----------     -------          ----------
                                                                        ----------     -------          ----------
                            LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY AND PARTNERS' CAPITAL
Payables:
  Customers...........................................................  $  136,310                      $  136,310
  Compensation and benefits...........................................      89,117  $   (4,090)(4)          85,027
  Syndicate settlements...............................................      32,102                          32,102
  Income taxes payable................................................      14,418                          14,418
  Trade accounts payable..............................................       2,075                           2,075
  Accrued expenses and other..........................................      17,058                          17,058
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at market value...................       8,801                           8,801
Debt obligations......................................................      11,252                          11,252
Payable to partners of Hambrecht & Quist, L.P.........................         834        (834)(6)              --
                                                                        ----------     -------          ----------
    Total liabilities.................................................     311,967      (4,924)            307,043
                                                                        ----------     -------          ----------
Minority interest in Hambrecht & Quist Guaranty Finance, L.P..........       4,375      (1,317)(2)             940
                                                                                        (2,118)(3)
                                                                        ----------     -------          ----------
Shareholders' equity and partners' capital:
  Preferred stock.....................................................                      --                  --
  Common stock, less notes receivable.................................      23,990     (23,803)(5)             187
  Additional paid-in capital..........................................                  44,814(5)           44,814
  Retained earnings...................................................     104,469       6,255(5)          110,724
                                                                        ----------     -------          ----------
    Total shareholders' equity........................................     128,459      27,266             155,725
  Hambrecht & Quist, L.P. partners' capital...........................      41,935      (2,400)(1)
                                                                                       (18,524)(3)
                                                                                       (21,011)(5)
                                                                        ----------     -------          ----------
    Total shareholders' equity and partners' capital..................     170,394     (14,669)            155,725
                                                                        ----------     -------          ----------
    Total liabilities and shareholders' equity and partners'
     capital..........................................................  $  486,736  $  (23,028)         $  463,708
                                                                        ----------     -------          ----------
                                                                        ----------     -------          ----------
</TABLE>
 
             See Notes to Pro Forma Combined Financial Statements.
 
                                      F-3
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
                  PRO FORMA COMBINED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                    FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 1996
                                  (UNAUDITED)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                         PRO FORMA      PRO FORMA
                                                                           COMBINED     ADJUSTMENTS     COMBINED
                                                                          ----------  ---------------  -----------
                                                                           (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
<S>                                                                       <C>         <C>              <C>
Revenues:
  Principal transactions................................................  $   75,354                    $  75,354
  Agency commissions....................................................      29,094                       29,094
  Investment banking....................................................     130,522                      130,522
  Corporate finance fees................................................      31,947                       31,947
  Net investment gains from long-term investments.......................      19,087  $   (3,704)(3)       15,383
  Other.................................................................      26,358        (108)(1)       26,159
                                                                                             (91)(2)
                                                                          ----------     -------       -----------
    Total revenues......................................................     312,362      (3,903)         308,459
                                                                          ----------     -------       -----------
Expenses:
  Compensation and benefits.............................................     159,738                      159,738
  Brokerage and clearance...............................................      10,017                       10,017
  Occupancy and equipment...............................................       7,146                        7,146
  Communications........................................................       7,310                        7,310
  Interest..............................................................       1,041                        1,041
  Other.................................................................      19,717                       19,717
                                                                          ----------     -------       -----------
    Total expenses......................................................     204,969          --          204,969
                                                                          ----------     -------       -----------
Minority interest in income of subsidiary...............................         874        (510)(2)          364
                                                                          ----------     -------       -----------
  Income before income tax provision....................................     106,519      (3,393)         103,126
Income tax provision....................................................      36,493       8,881(7)        45,374
                                                                          ----------     -------       -----------
  Net income............................................................  $   70,026  $  (12,274)       $  57,752
                                                                          ----------     -------       -----------
                                                                          ----------     -------       -----------
Pro forma weighted average shares outstanding (8).......................                                   20,769
Pro forma earnings per share (8)........................................                                $    2.78
</TABLE>
 
             See Notes to Pro Forma Combined Financial Statements.
 
                                      F-4
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
                  PRO FORMA COMBINED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                     FOR THE YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1995
                                  (UNAUDITED)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                         PRO FORMA      PRO FORMA
                                                                           COMBINED     ADJUSTMENTS     COMBINED
                                                                          ----------  ---------------  -----------
                                                                           (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
<S>                                                                       <C>         <C>              <C>
Revenues:
  Principal transactions................................................  $   53,425                    $  53,425
  Agency commissions....................................................      24,603                       24,603
  Investment banking....................................................      70,360                       70,360
  Corporate finance fees................................................      20,709                       20,709
  Net investment gains..................................................      33,852  $   (7,413)(3)       26,439
  Other.................................................................      17,074        (144)(1)       16,809
                                                                                            (121)(2)
                                                                          ----------     -------       -----------
    Total revenues......................................................     220,023      (7,678)         212,345
                                                                          ----------     -------       -----------
Expenses:
  Compensation and benefits.............................................     105,370                      105,370
  Brokerage and clearance...............................................      10,441                       10,441
  Occupancy and equipment...............................................       7,803                        7,803
  Communications........................................................       7,394                        7,394
  Interest..............................................................       1,266                        1,266
  Other.................................................................      15,131                       15,131
                                                                          ----------     -------       -----------
    Total expenses......................................................     147,405          --          147,405
                                                                          ----------     -------       -----------
Minority interest in income of subsidiary...............................         719        (419)(2)          300
                                                                          ----------     -------       -----------
  Income before income tax provision....................................      71,899      (7,259)          64,640
Income tax provision....................................................      22,461       5,981(7)        28,442
                                                                          ----------     -------       -----------
  Net income............................................................  $   49,438  $  (13,240)       $  36,198
                                                                          ----------     -------       -----------
                                                                          ----------     -------       -----------
Pro forma weighted average shares outstanding (8).......................                                   19,827
Pro forma earnings per share (8)........................................                                     1.83
</TABLE>
 
             See Notes to Pro Forma Combined Financial Statements.
 
                                      F-5
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
                NOTES TO PRO FORMA COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                 JUNE 30, 1996
                      (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE AMOUNTS)
                                  (UNAUDITED)
 
    (1)  Immediately  prior  to the  Offering,  LP  will make  a  pro  rata cash
distribution of $5,000  to a liquidating  trust benefiting the  partners of  LP.
From   the  proceeds  of  the  distribution,  the  partners  of  LP  will  repay
approximately $2,600 in notes  receivable currently recorded  as a reduction  to
partners'  capital.  The  net  reductions  to  cash  and  cash  equivalents  and
shareholders' equity and partners' capital will be $2,400.
 
    Interest income earned at  approximately 6 percent  during the period  ended
June  30, 1996 and the  year ended September 30, 1995,  has been reduced by $108
and $144,  respectively,  to  reflect the  reduction  in  interest-earning  cash
equivalents.
 
    (2)  Immediately prior to the Offering, H&Q will purchase an additional 17.5
percent of Guaranty Finance from other members (including 15 percent from  H&Q's
CEO)  for $2,024 cash. Such  transaction will be accounted  for as a purchase of
minority interest. The amount paid represents the fair value of the 17.5 percent
pro rata interest, which exceeds the pro rata carrying value of Guaranty Finance
by $707. As  a result of  this transaction,  cash and cash  equivalents will  be
reduced  by the amount  of the $2,024 cash  payment, minority interest liability
will be  reduced by  the $1,317  carrying  value of  the 17.5  percent  interest
purchased  and long-term investments carried at cost by Guaranty Finance will be
increased by the $707 difference between the amount paid and the carrying value.
 
    Interest income earned at  approximately 6 percent  during the period  ended
June 30, 1996 and the year ended September 30, 1995, has been reduced by $91 and
$121,   respectively,  to   reflect  the  reduction   in  interest-earning  cash
equivalents.
 
    Minority interest expense recorded for  the 30 percent minority interest  in
Guaranty  Finance's net income for  the period ended June  30, 1996 and the year
ended September 30, 1995,  has been reduced by  $510 and $419, respectively,  to
reflect the purchase of an additional 17.5 percent interest in Guaranty Finance.
 
    (3) Immediately prior to the Offering, Guaranty Finance and LP will make pro
rata distributions of securities totaling $20,642 to their partners.
 
    Guaranty  Finance will distribute securities with  a carrying and fair value
of $7,061.  As the  70 percent  limited  partner of  Guaranty Finance,  LP  will
receive  $4,943 of  securities and  the 30  percent general  partner of Guaranty
Finance will receive $2,118 of securities.
 
    LP will distribute 519,107 shares of BISYS and other securities with a  fair
value  and  carrying value  of  $13,581 to  a  liquidating trust  benefiting the
partners of LP along with the $4,943 of securities distributed to LP by Guaranty
Finance.
 
    Long-term investments  will  be reduced  by  the amount  of  the  securities
distributed by Guaranty Finance and LP as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                          <C>
Securities distributed by Guaranty Finance:
  To Guaranty Finance's general partner....................  $   2,118
  To LP and then distributed to LP partners................      4,943
Securities distributed by LP...............................     13,581
                                                             ---------
                                                             $  20,642
                                                             ---------
                                                             ---------
</TABLE>
 
    Minority  interest liability  will be  reduced by  the $2,118  of securities
distributed to Guaranty Finance's minority interestholder. Shareholders'  equity
and  partners' capital will  be reduced by $18,524  of securities distributed by
LP, including the $4,943 distributed to LP by Guaranty Finance.
 
                                      F-6
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
          NOTES TO PRO FORMA COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                                 JUNE 30, 1996
                      (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE AMOUNTS)
                                  (UNAUDITED)
 
    Net investment  gains related  to the  securities distributed  and  recorded
during the period ended June 30, 1996 and the year ended September 30, 1995 have
been reduced by $3,704 and $7,413, respectively.
 
    (4)  In June 1996, H&Q  distributed its limited partner  interest in LP to a
liquidating trust benefiting certain current and former employees. In July 1996,
H&Q will distribute cash of $4,090 to  the recipients of the LP limited  partner
interest.  Cash and cash  equivalents and the  recorded compensation payable for
the distribution will be reduced by $4,090.
 
   
    (5) Prior to  the Offering, each  share of  H&Q will be  exchanged for  four
shares  of Group Delaware, and  H&Q will become a  subsidiary of Group Delaware.
Also, LP will be  merged into Group  Delaware and the  LP partners will  receive
Group  Delaware shares in exchange for their limited partnership interests. Both
the transfer of H&Q shares for Group  Delaware shares and the merger of LP  into
Group  Delaware  will  be  accounted for  at  the  respective  shareholders' and
partners' carrying values,  which represent the  entities' carrying values.  The
individuals'  carrying values will be used  because each individual party to the
Restructuring is a promoter  of Group Delaware and  its initial public  offering
(under  Securities and Exchange Commission accounting guidelines). The pro forma
adjustments resulting from the transfer and the merger are as follows:
    
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                 <C>
Common stock, less notes receivable...............................  $ (23,803)
Additonal paid-in capital.........................................     44,814
Hambrecht & Quist, L.P. partners' capital.........................    (21,011)
                                                                    ---------
                                                                    $      --
                                                                    ---------
                                                                    ---------
</TABLE>
 
Also, as a result of the merger of LP into H&Q, deferred income tax assets  will
increase  by  approximately  $6,255  for  the  tax  effect  of  LP's  previously
unrecorded temporary differences. As a partnership, LP was not subject to  taxes
that  result in temporary differences. The  related income tax benefit of $6,255
is not reflected  in the Pro  Forma Combined Statements  of Operations but  will
increase  net income reported in the Company's combined financial statements for
the quarter including the merger.
 
    (6) Immediately prior to the Offering, the $834 liability to partners of  LP
will  be paid in cash.  Cash and cash equivalents  and the liability to partners
will be reduced by $834. An additional cash payment will be made to partners  of
LP  equal to 50 percent of LP's net profits from July 1, 1996 to the date of the
merger of LP into H&Q.
 
    (7) The  income  tax provision  has  been  adjusted to  reflect  a  combined
effective income tax rate of 44 percent as applied to the pro forma results.
 
    (8) Pro forma earnings per share are calculated using pro forma combined net
income  divided  by pro  forma weighted  average  shares outstanding.  Pro forma
weighted average shares outstanding include the shares to be issued prior to the
Offering related to the H&Q and LP merger.
 
                                      F-7
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
                            COMBINED BALANCE SHEETS
                  AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 1995, AND JUNE 30, 1996
                                  (UNAUDITED)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                              SEPTEMBER 30,      JUNE 30,       JUNE 30,
                                                                   1995            1996          1996(A)
                                                              --------------  --------------  -------------
<S>                                                           <C>             <C>             <C>
                                                                               (UNAUDITED)     (PRO FORMA)
 
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                   (IN
                                                                                               THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                           <C>             <C>             <C>
                                                  ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents...................................  $   34,754,568  $   29,330,982   $    19,983
Receivables:
  Customers.................................................     100,435,213     192,740,427       192,740
  Lewco Securities Corp.....................................      41,990,309      60,336,730        60,337
  Syndicate managers........................................       9,538,902      21,369,191        21,369
  Related parties...........................................       3,340,955       9,102,834         9,103
  Lease.....................................................       3,255,635       4,130,773         4,131
  Other.....................................................       3,274,378      12,616,266        12,617
Marketable trading securities, at market value..............      26,224,167      30,343,943        30,344
Long-term investments, at estimated fair value..............      70,822,157      85,942,718        66,007
Deferred income taxes.......................................      10,627,856      27,495,034        33,750
Furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements, net of
 accumulated depreciation and amortization..................       6,009,696      10,094,740        10,095
Leased assets, net of accumulated depreciation..............       8,700,289       2,576,154         2,576
Exchange memberships, at cost...............................         656,000         656,000           656
                                                              --------------  --------------  -------------
    Total assets............................................  $  319,630,125  $  486,735,792   $   463,708
                                                              --------------  --------------  -------------
                                                              --------------  --------------  -------------
                        LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY AND PARTNERS' CAPITAL
Payables:
  Customers.................................................  $   71,654,381  $  136,310,364   $   136,310
  Compensation and benefits.................................      46,227,242      89,116,709        85,027
  Syndicate settlements.....................................      25,409,777      32,101,991        32,102
  Income taxes payable......................................       6,368,059      14,418,469        14,418
  Trade accounts payable....................................         944,775       2,074,472         2,075
  Customer lease deposits...................................         478,603              --            --
  Accrued expenses and other................................       9,848,303      17,058,007        17,058
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at market value.........      25,218,036       8,801,200         8,801
Debt obligations............................................      13,770,737      11,251,500        11,252
Payable to partners of Hambrecht & Quist, L.P...............      10,445,367         834,119            --
                                                              --------------  --------------  -------------
    Total liabilities.......................................     210,365,280     311,966,831       307,043
                                                              --------------  --------------  -------------
Minority interest in Hambrecht & Quist Guaranty Finance,
 L.P........................................................       3,802,762       4,375,247           940
                                                              --------------  --------------  -------------
Commitments and contingencies
Shareholders' equity and partners' capital:
  Preferred stock...........................................                                            --
  Common stock, less notes receivable.......................      17,752,871      23,990,205           187
  Additional paid-in capital................................                                        44,814
  Retained earnings.........................................      72,205,112     104,468,856       110,724
                                                              --------------  --------------  -------------
    Total shareholders' equity..............................      89,957,983     128,459,061       155,725
  Hambrecht & Quist, L.P. partners' capital.................      15,504,100      41,934,653
                                                              --------------  --------------  -------------
    Total shareholders' equity and partners' capital........     105,462,083     170,393,714       155,725
                                                              --------------  --------------  -------------
    Total liabilities and shareholders' equity and partners'
     capital................................................  $  319,630,125  $  486,735,792   $   463,708
                                                              --------------  --------------  -------------
                                                              --------------  --------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
(a) Refer  to the Pro Forma Combined Financial Statements and the notes thereto,
    contained elsewhere in this Prospectus.
 
        The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.
 
                                      F-8
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
                       COMBINED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 1995 AND 1996
                                  (UNAUDITED)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                     1995             1996
                                                                                ---------------  --------------
                                                                                          (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                                                             <C>              <C>
REVENUES:
  Principal transactions......................................................  $    36,315,833  $   75,354,041
  Agency commissions..........................................................       15,910,962      29,094,102
  Investment banking..........................................................       39,400,246     130,521,396
  Corporate finance fees......................................................       14,529,947      31,946,871
  Net investment gains from long-term investments.............................       18,541,835      19,087,264
  Other.......................................................................       11,988,004      26,358,141
                                                                                ---------------  --------------
      Total revenues..........................................................      136,686,827     312,361,815
                                                                                ---------------  --------------
EXPENSES:
  Compensation and benefits...................................................       68,750,392     159,738,075
  Brokerage and clearance.....................................................        6,678,314      10,017,157
  Occupancy and equipment.....................................................        5,510,580       7,145,896
  Communications..............................................................        5,533,161       7,309,838
  Interest....................................................................          726,594       1,041,166
  Other.......................................................................       10,789,510      19,716,814
                                                                                ---------------  --------------
      Total expenses..........................................................       97,988,551     204,968,946
                                                                                ---------------  --------------
      Income before minority interest and income tax provision................       38,698,276     107,392,869
MINORITY INTEREST IN INCOME OF SUBSIDIARY.....................................          454,154         873,742
                                                                                ---------------  --------------
      Income before income tax provision......................................       38,244,122     106,519,127
                                                                                ---------------  --------------
INCOME TAX PROVISION..........................................................       11,810,392      36,493,611
                                                                                ---------------  --------------
      Net income..............................................................  $    26,433,730  $   70,025,516
                                                                                ---------------  --------------
                                                                                ---------------  --------------
</TABLE>
 
        The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.
 
                                      F-9
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
                       COMBINED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 1995 AND 1996
                                  (UNAUDITED)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                      1995            1996
                                                                                  -------------  --------------
                                                                                           (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                                                               <C>            <C>
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES............................................  $  (1,175,314) $   10,974,359
                                                                                  -------------  --------------
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
  Purchases of long-term investments............................................     (7,662,263)    (21,830,927)
  Proceeds from sales/distributions of long-term investments....................     10,758,032      25,797,630
  Purchases of furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements..................     (2,230,530)     (6,057,367)
  Purchases of leased assets....................................................     (4,283,650)             --
  Proceeds from sales of leased assets..........................................        627,357       7,725,273
  Increase in lease receivables.................................................       (966,781)       (875,138)
                                                                                  -------------  --------------
      Net cash and cash equivalents provided by (used in) investing
       activities...............................................................     (3,757,835)      4,759,471
                                                                                  -------------  --------------
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
  Proceeds from debt obligations................................................      6,341,982      14,879,539
  Repayments of debt obligations................................................     (4,600,514)    (17,398,776)
  Proceeds from sales of common stock and partners' capital contributions.......      3,623,921      10,178,871
  Repurchases of common stock and partners' capital withdrawals.................     (1,228,337)     (4,031,157)
  Partners' capital distributions...............................................       (995,971)    (24,485,893)
  Distributions to minority interestholder......................................       (210,000)       (300,000)
                                                                                  -------------  --------------
      Net cash and cash equivalents provided by (used in) financing
       activities...............................................................      2,931,081     (21,157,416)
                                                                                  -------------  --------------
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS................................     (2,002,068)     (5,423,586)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD................................      6,782,335      34,754,568
                                                                                  -------------  --------------
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD......................................  $   4,780,267  $   29,330,982
                                                                                  -------------  --------------
                                                                                  -------------  --------------
</TABLE>
 
        The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.
 
                                      F-10
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
                CONDENSED NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                 JUNE 30, 1996
                                  (UNAUDITED)
 
NOTE 1 -- GENERAL
    The information contained in the  following notes to the combined  financial
statements  is condensed  from that  which would  appear in  the annual combined
financial  statements;   accordingly,   the  accompanying   combined   financial
statements  should  be  read in  conjunction  with the  1995  combined financial
statements and  related  notes  thereto  and  the  proforma  combined  financial
statements  and  notes  thereto  contained  elsewhere  in  this  Prospectus. Any
capitalized terms used but not  defined have the same  meaning given to them  in
the 1995 combined financial statements. Accounting measurements at interim dates
inherently  involve greater reliance on estimates  than at year-end. The results
of operations for the interim  periods presented are not necessarily  indicative
of the results to be expected for the entire year.
 
    The  combined financial  statements included herein  are unaudited; however,
they include all adjustments of a normal recurring nature which, in the  opinion
of  management, are  necessary to present  fairly the financial  position of the
Company at June 30, 1996, and the combined results of operations and cash  flows
for the nine months ended June 30, 1995 and 1996.
 
NOTE 2 -- RECEIVABLES FROM RELATED PARTIES
    Receivables  from  related  parties include  receivables  of  $2,912,333 and
$1,398,799 at September  30, 1995, and  June 30, 1996,  respectively, from  Asia
Pacific.  On April 1, 1996, H&Q entered into an agreement (the Recapitalization)
with Asia Pacific to reduce H&Q's ownership  of Asia Pacific from 50 percent  to
15  percent.  Such  reduction  in ownership  will  be  accomplished  through the
issuance of shares to individual  shareholders of Asia Pacific in  consideration
of $850,000. H&Q will lend the $850,000 required for such share purchases. Also,
as  part of  the Recapitalization, H&Q's  receivables from Asia  Pacific will be
restructured into interest- and noninterest-bearing term notes receivable.
 
    Also included in  receivables from  related parties  at June  30, 1996,  are
receivables  of $6,781,883  for profit participation  distributions and $922,152
for advances made to employees.
 
NOTE 3 -- MARKETABLE TRADING SECURITIES AND SECURITIES SOLD, NOT YET PURCHASED
    At September 30, 1995, and June 30, 1996, marketable trading securities  and
securities sold, not yet purchased, consisted of the following:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                         SEPTEMBER 30,    JUNE 30,
                                                                             1995           1996
                                                                         -------------  -------------
<S>                                                                      <C>            <C>
Marketable trading securities--
  Equity securities....................................................   $21,385,307   $  19,253,193
  Convertible bonds....................................................     3,941,812       9,655,170
  Options..............................................................       897,048       1,435,580
                                                                         -------------  -------------
                                                                          $26,224,167   $  30,343,943
                                                                         -------------  -------------
                                                                         -------------  -------------
Securities sold, not yet purchased--
  Equity securities....................................................   $24,532,549   $   8,496,991
  Options..............................................................       685,487         304,209
                                                                         -------------  -------------
                                                                          $25,218,036   $   8,801,200
                                                                         -------------  -------------
                                                                         -------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-11
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
          CONDENSED NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                                 JUNE 30, 1996
                                  (UNAUDITED)
 
NOTE 4 -- LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS
    At   September  30,  1995,  and  June  30,  1996,  the  Company's  long-term
investments at estimated fair value consisted of the following:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                         SEPTEMBER 30,    JUNE 30,
                                                                             1995           1996
                                                                         -------------  -------------
<S>                                                                      <C>            <C>
Marketable equity securities available for sale by Guaranty Finance....   $10,120,625   $  15,831,087
Marketable equity securities--other....................................    10,182,058      21,296,481
BISYS Group, Inc. common stock--unrestricted...........................     6,000,000              --
                                                                         -------------  -------------
    Total marketable investments.......................................    26,302,683      37,127,568
                                                                         -------------  -------------
BISYS Group, Inc. common stock--restricted.............................    21,481,390      21,260,040
Nonmarketable securities and investment partnership interests..........    14,906,421      19,844,154
Affiliated venture capital funds.......................................     4,790,144       4,694,917
Venture capital funds managed by others................................     1,231,240         905,761
Lewco Securities--
  Equity ownership.....................................................     1,810,279       1,810,278
  Subordinated note receivable.........................................       300,000         300,000
                                                                         -------------  -------------
    Total nonmarketable investments....................................    44,519,474      48,815,150
                                                                         -------------  -------------
    Total long-term investments........................................   $70,822,157   $  85,942,718
                                                                         -------------  -------------
                                                                         -------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
    The cost of the Company's long-term  investments at September 30, 1995,  and
June 30, 1996, was $32,432,684 and $50,926,831, respectively.
 
    Following  is an analysis of the net  investment gains for the periods ended
June 30, 1995 and 1996:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                             1995           1996
                                                                         -------------  -------------
<S>                                                                      <C>            <C>
Realized gains.........................................................  $   1,994,000  $  22,942,603
Change in unrealized gains and losses, net.............................     16,547,835     (3,855,339)
                                                                         -------------  -------------
    Net investment gains from long-term investments....................  $  18,541,835  $  19,087,264
                                                                         -------------  -------------
                                                                         -------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
    At June 30, 1996, both H&Q and H&Q LLC own restricted shares of BISYS  Group
Inc.  (BISYS) common  stock (which represents  approximately 3.3  percent of the
total BISYS common  stock outstanding  at June 30,  1996). BISYS  is a  publicly
traded  company subject to the Securities Act  of 1933 which requires the public
filing of quarterly and annual financial statements on Form 10-Q and Form  10-K,
respectively.  H&Q owns shares with  a carrying value of  $7,678,903 and H&Q LLC
owns shares with  a carrying value  of $13,581,137. Included  in net  investment
gains  are realized  and unrealized gains  on BISYS holdings  of $13,140,497 and
$14,687,227 at June 30, 1995 and 1996, respectively.
 
    The cost  and estimated  fair  values of  investments in  marketable  equity
securities available for sale by Guaranty Finance at September 30, 1995 and June
30, 1996 are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            SEPTEMBER 30,    JUNE 30,
                                                                                1995           1996
                                                                            -------------  -------------
<S>                                                                         <C>            <C>
Cost......................................................................   $ 7,239,834   $  12,864,732
Gross unrealized gains....................................................     3,497,951       4,110,129
Gross unrealized losses...................................................      (617,160)     (1,143,774)
                                                                            -------------  -------------
Estimated fair value......................................................   $10,120,625   $  15,831,087
                                                                            -------------  -------------
                                                                            -------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
    Gross  proceeds  and  gross  realized gains  from  sales  of  investments of
marketable equity  securities available  for sale  by Guaranty  Finance for  the
period  ended June 30, 1996 total $3,499,294 and $1,558,405, respectively. There
were no realized losses during the period.
 
                                      F-12
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
          CONDENSED NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                                 JUNE 30, 1996
                                  (UNAUDITED)
 
NOTE 5 -- LEASED ASSETS
    On May 1, 1996, Guaranty  Finance sold its leased  land and building with  a
net  book value of $4,296,990 to a third party. Proceeds of $8,208,945 were used
to repay the $5,000,000  nonrecourse loan. A $3,298,246  gain was recognized  on
the sale.
 
NOTE 6 -- RELATED-PARTY TRANSACTIONS
 
INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS
 
    Included in other revenues are asset management fees that include management
fees  from  closed-end  mutual  funds  and  venture  capital  funds,  and profit
participation  distributions  from  venture  capital  funds  of  $4,812,738  and
$12,443,646 for the periods ended June 30, 1995 and 1996, respectively.
 
EMPLOYEE NOTES RECEIVABLE
 
    As  of September 30,  1995, and June  30, 1996, H&Q's  notes receivable from
employees  for   their  stock   purchases  were   $7,659,714  and   $10,464,219,
respectively,  and  LP's  notes  receivable  from  partners  for  their  capital
contributions were $2,232,013 and $8,307,513, respectively.
 
GUARANTY FINANCE OPTION BUY-OUT
 
    Included in compensation and benefits expense for the period ended June  30,
1996  were payments totaling $2,015,000 made  by Guaranty Finance to the general
partner and certain employees of Guaranty Finance and an employee of H & Q. Such
payments were  made to  cancel 1,000  options outstanding  to purchase  Guaranty
Finance limited partner partnership units held by such optionholders. The option
buy-out price was based on the estimated fair market value of the options.
 
NOTE 7 -- STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY AND PARTNERS' CAPITAL
    During  the period ended June 30, 1996, 2,080,348 shares of H&Q common stock
were issued to employees at either the employees' option exercise price or  fair
market  value in exchange  for cash and  notes receivable (see  Note 6) totaling
$11,379,384. Also during  the period ended  June 30, 1996,  608,368 shares  were
repurchased from terminated employees at fair market value for $3,610,813.
 
    Also  during the period, LP  partners' capital contributions and withdrawals
totaled $11,223,568 and  $420,344, respectively.  Included in  the LP  partners'
capital  contributions of  $11,223,568 are  contributions by  H&Q of  LP limited
partner units  to a  liquidating  trust benefiting  certain current  and  former
employees.  Such LP limited  partner units were  valued at $3,692,129. Partners'
capital  distributions  of  $14,874,645   were  accrued  as  partners'   capital
distribution  payable  and as  a deduction  to partners'  capital. Approximately
$21,023,733 in partners' capital distributions were made during the nine  months
ended June 30, 1996.
 
NOTE 8 -- EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
 
STOCK OPTION PLANS
 
    During  the period ended June  30, 1996, the Company  amended the 1995 stock
plan to provide for the granting of 4,972,000 options to purchase Company stock.
 
                                      F-13
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
          CONDENSED NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                                 JUNE 30, 1996
                                  (UNAUDITED)
 
NOTE 8 -- EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS (CONTINUED)
    Details of stock options are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                         NUMBER OF
                                                                          SHARES     EXERCISE PRICE
                                                                        -----------  ---------------
<S>                                                                     <C>          <C>
Outstanding at September 30, 1994.....................................    3,372,276  $2.04 - $ 4.53
  Granted.............................................................      904,636  $4.60 - $ 5.54
  Exercised...........................................................   (1,326,484) $2.10 - $ 2.88
  Canceled............................................................      (16,000)      $2.10
                                                                        -----------
Outstanding at September 30, 1995.....................................    2,934,428  $2.04 - $ 5.54
  Granted.............................................................    4,530,320  $6.52 - $13.75
  Exercised...........................................................   (1,609,628) $2.10 - $ 4.74
  Canceled............................................................     (157,600) $2.62 - $ 5.54
                                                                        -----------
Outstanding at June 30, 1996..........................................    5,697,520  $2.04 - $13.75
                                                                        -----------
                                                                        -----------
</TABLE>
 
    During the nine months ended June 30, 1996, 625,988 options were granted  at
an  exercise price below fair market value on  the date of grant, resulting in a
$1,165,903 charge to compensation expense.
 
STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS
 
    Effective October 1, 1995, 2,859,520 SARs were awarded to employees for  the
fiscal 1996 service period. Effective March 31, 1996, modifications were made to
some employees' awards. Of the 2,859,520 SARs issued for the fiscal 1996 service
period,  180,000  SARs were  canceled  in exchange  for  issuances of  stock and
approximately 2,179,520 were revised to  a six-month service period ended  March
31,  1996, from a  fiscal year period  ending September 30,  1996. The remaining
SARs stay in effect with  their original terms. For  the nine months ended  June
30,  1995 and 1996, compensation expense recorded for SARs awards was $2,715,216
and $6,120,078, respectively.
 
    The total SARs  liability at  June 30,  1996, included  in compensation  and
benefits payable, will be paid out as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                      <C>
Fiscal 1997............................................  $4,266,633
Fiscal 1998............................................   3,878,588
Fiscal 1999............................................   2,632,826
                                                         ----------
    Total..............................................  $10,778,047
                                                         ----------
                                                         ----------
</TABLE>
 
NOTE 9 -- NET CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS
    At  September 30, 1995, and June 30,  1996, H&Q LLC's regulatory net capital
of $30,286,118 and  $40,205,520, respectively,  was 28 percent  and 20  percent,
respectively,  of aggregate debit  items, and its  net capital in  excess of the
minimum required was $28,191,905 and $36,095,837, respectively.
 
NOTE 10 -- CONTINGENCIES
    Lewco  Securities  Corp.  (Lewco)  conducts  a  stock  borrow/stock  lending
business.  On  behalf  of  Lewco,  the  Company  has  agreed  to  guarantee  its
proportional share of secured loans resulting from this business. The  Company's
contingent liability relating to its net unsecured position under this indemnity
agreement was $4,285,536 at June 30, 1996.
 
    The  Company has  contingent liabilities,  including contractual commitments
arising  in  the  normal  course  of  business,  the  resolution  of  which,  in
management's opinion, will not have an adverse effect on the Company's financial
position.
 
    As  is the case with many firms in the securities industry, the Company is a
defendant or  codefendant in  a number  of lawsuits  that seek  substantial  and
usually unspecified damages. These suits have arisen in the normal course of the
Company's  business and are incidental to  the securities and investment banking
business. Most of the proceedings  relate to public underwritings of  securities
in  which  H&Q  LLC  participated  as a  manager,  comanager  or  member  of the
underwriting syndicate.  These  cases involve  claims  under federal  and  state
 
                                      F-14
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
          CONDENSED NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                                 JUNE 30, 1996
                                  (UNAUDITED)
 
NOTE 10 -- CONTINGENCIES (CONTINUED)
securities laws and seek compensatory and other monetary damages. It is possible
that  H&Q and/or H&Q LLC may be called upon as a member of a class of defendants
or under the terms of the  underwriting, indemnification or other agreements  to
contribute  to settlements or judgments arising  out of these cases. The Company
is  contesting  the  complaints  in  all  cases  and  believes  that  there  are
meritorious defenses in each of these lawsuits. Although the ultimate outcome of
such  litigation cannot be  ascertained at this  time, it is  the opinion of the
Company's management, based on discussions with counsel, that the resolution  of
these  actions  and  others will  not  have  a material  adverse  effect  on the
Company's financial statements taken as a whole.
 
    H&Q has  indemnified certain  of  its officers,  directors and  agents,  and
certain  of  its  affiliates, as  permitted  under California  law.  Under these
provisions, H&Q itself is and will  be subject to indemnification assertions  by
officers,  directors, agents or certain of its  affiliates who are or may become
defendants in  litigation that  may result  in the  normal course  of  business.
Although  the ultimate outcome  of indemnification assertions  outstanding as of
June 30, 1996,  cannot be ascertained  at this time,  it is the  opinion of  the
Company's  management, based on discussions with counsel, that the resolution of
these assertions  will not  have  a material  adverse  effect on  the  Company's
financial statements taken as a whole.
 
                                      F-15
<PAGE>
                    REPORT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
 
To the Shareholders of
Hambrecht & Quist Group:
 
    We  have audited  the accompanying  combined balance  sheets of  Hambrecht &
Quist Group (a California corporation) and Hambrecht & Quist, L.P. (a California
limited partnership) as of September 30, 1994 and 1995, and the related combined
statements of operations, changes in shareholders' equity and partners'  capital
and  cash flows  for the years  ended September  30, 1993, 1994  and 1995. These
financial statements are  the responsibility of  the Companies' management.  Our
responsibility  is to express an opinion  on these financial statements based on
our audits.
 
    We conducted  our  audits in  accordance  with generally  accepted  auditing
standards.  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence  supporting
the  amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes
assessing the  accounting  principles used  and  significant estimates  made  by
management,  as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
 
    In our opinion, the combined financial statements referred to above  present
fairly, in all material respects, the combined financial position of Hambrecht &
Quist  Group and Hambrecht & Quist, L.P. as  of September 30, 1994 and 1995, and
the results  of  their operations  and  their cash  flows  for the  years  ended
September  30,  1993,  1994  and 1995,  in  conformity  with  generally accepted
accounting principles.
 
    As discussed  in  Notes  2  and 6  to  the  combined  financial  statements,
long-term investments include nonmarketable investments amounting to $24,579,237
and  $44,519,474 (39 and 42 percent  of total shareholders' equity and partners'
capital) as of September 30, 1994 and 1995, respectively, which have been valued
at fair  value as  determined by  management. We  have reviewed  the  procedures
applied  by  management  in  valuing such  investments  and  have  inspected the
underlying documentation, and in the circumstances we believe the procedures are
reasonable and the documentation appropriate.  However, because of the  inherent
uncertainty  of  valuation,  management's  estimate of  fair  values  may differ
significantly from  the values  that would  have been  used had  a ready  market
existed for the securities and the differences could be material.
 
                                          ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP
 
San Francisco, California,
January 11, 1996
 
                                      F-16
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
                            COMBINED BALANCE SHEETS
                       AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 1994 AND 1995
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                        1994            1995
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
<S>                                                                                <C>             <C>
                                                     ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents........................................................  $    6,782,335  $   34,754,568
Receivables:
  Customers (net of allowance of $177,166 and $170,254, respectively)............      42,840,120     100,435,213
  Lewco Securities Corp..........................................................      17,240,020      41,990,309
  Syndicate managers.............................................................         421,658       9,538,902
  Related parties................................................................       2,417,360       3,340,955
  Lease..........................................................................       1,750,153       3,255,635
  Other..........................................................................       4,470,852       3,274,378
Marketable trading securities, at market value...................................      23,914,140      26,224,167
Long-term investments, at estimated fair value...................................      34,819,316      70,822,157
Deferred income taxes............................................................       9,421,662      10,627,856
Furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements, net of accumulated depreciation
 and amortization................................................................       5,308,337       6,009,696
Leased assets, net of accumulated depreciation...................................       5,117,841       8,700,289
Exchange memberships, at cost (market value--$916,000 and $1,018,100,
 respectively)...................................................................         656,000         656,000
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
      Total assets...............................................................  $  155,159,794  $  319,630,125
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
 
                           LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY AND PARTNERS' CAPITAL
Payables:
  Customers......................................................................  $   24,089,348  $   71,654,381
  Compensation and benefits......................................................      21,334,648      46,227,242
  Syndicate settlements..........................................................       1,735,621      25,409,777
  Income taxes payable...........................................................         223,920       6,368,059
  Trade accounts payable.........................................................       2,067,448         944,775
  Customer lease deposits........................................................       2,670,363         478,603
  Accrued expenses and other.....................................................       4,223,073       9,848,303
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at market value..............................      17,359,122      25,218,036
Debt obligations.................................................................      12,683,532      13,770,737
Payable to partners of Hambrecht & Quist, L.P....................................       2,679,918      10,445,367
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
      Total liabilities..........................................................      89,066,993     210,365,280
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
Minority interest in Hambrecht & Quist Guaranty Finance, L.P.....................       2,502,081       3,802,762
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
Commitments and contingencies
Shareholders' equity and partners' capital:
  Common stock (no par value--40,000,000 shares authorized in 1994 and 1995,
   12,475,188 and 14,609,188 shares issued and outstanding in 1994 and 1995,
   respectively).................................................................      13,078,867      25,412,585
  Notes receivable from employees for purchases of common stock..................        (966,315)     (7,659,714)
  Retained earnings..............................................................      50,929,131      72,205,112
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
      Total shareholders' equity.................................................      63,041,683      89,957,983
  Hambrecht & Quist, L.P. partners' capital......................................         549,037      15,504,100
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
      Total shareholders' equity and partners' capital...........................      63,590,720     105,462,083
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
      Total liabilities and shareholders' equity and partners' capital...........  $  155,159,794  $  319,630,125
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
</TABLE>
 
        The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.
 
                                      F-17
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
                       COMBINED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
             FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1993, 1994 AND 1995
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                        1993            1994            1995
                                                                   --------------  --------------  --------------
<S>                                                                <C>             <C>             <C>
REVENUES:
  Principal transactions.........................................  $   30,045,592  $   36,410,993  $   53,424,647
  Agency commissions.............................................      14,220,782      14,241,964      24,602,992
  Investment banking.............................................      42,959,978      29,234,148      70,359,967
  Corporate finance fees.........................................       9,992,668      18,561,517      20,709,345
  Interest and dividends.........................................       2,793,020       3,361,970       3,157,489
  Asset management fees..........................................       5,183,960       4,984,956      10,067,390
  Net investment gains from long-term investments................       3,523,810      10,269,641      33,852,073
  Leasing and other..............................................       1,826,941       2,265,037       3,848,687
                                                                   --------------  --------------  --------------
      Total revenues.............................................     110,546,751     119,330,226     220,022,590
                                                                   --------------  --------------  --------------
EXPENSES:
  Compensation and benefits......................................      54,916,825      60,175,102     105,370,141
  Brokerage and clearance........................................       6,891,548       7,367,023      10,441,253
  Occupancy and equipment........................................       6,045,172       6,678,675       7,802,859
  Communications.................................................       4,377,354       6,244,066       7,394,101
  Professional services..........................................       3,006,635       3,700,241       5,347,739
  Travel, entertainment and conference...........................       2,941,736       4,234,523       6,145,108
  Interest.......................................................       1,464,298         987,456       1,265,966
  Other..........................................................       4,306,643       3,380,554       3,637,374
                                                                   --------------  --------------  --------------
      Total expenses.............................................      83,950,211      92,767,640     147,404,541
                                                                   --------------  --------------  --------------
      Income before minority interest and income tax provision...      26,596,540      26,562,586      72,618,049
MINORITY INTEREST IN INCOME OF SUBSIDIARY........................         352,092         525,934         718,651
                                                                   --------------  --------------  --------------
      Income before income tax provision.........................      26,244,448      26,036,652      71,899,398
INCOME TAX PROVISION.............................................      10,940,013      10,119,459      22,461,147
                                                                   --------------  --------------  --------------
      Net income.................................................  $   15,304,435  $   15,917,193  $   49,438,251
                                                                   --------------  --------------  --------------
                                                                   --------------  --------------  --------------
</TABLE>
 
        The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.
 
                                      F-18
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
  COMBINED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY AND PARTNERS' CAPITAL
             FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1993, 1994 AND 1995
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP
                                    --------------------------------------------------------------
                                    NUMBER OF
                                      COMMON      COMMON        NOTES      RETAINED     SUBTOTAL
                                      SHARES       STOCK     RECEIVABLE    EARNINGS     H&Q GROUP
                                    ----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
BALANCE, SEPTEMBER 30, 1992.......  11,817,908  $ 9,817,433  $(1,153,443) $24,555,009  $33,218,999
<S>                                 <C>         <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>
  Sales of common stock...........  1,467,408     3,721,365   (1,677,273)          --   2,044,092
  Reductions of notes received for
   purchases of common stock......         --            --    1,188,824           --   1,188,824
  Repurchases of common stock.....   (524,980 )  (1,336,515)          --     (129,974) (1,466,489)
  Net income......................         --            --           --   15,304,435  15,304,435
                                    ----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
BALANCE, SEPTEMBER 30, 1993.......  12,760,336   12,202,283   (1,641,892)  39,729,470  50,289,861
  Sales of common stock or
   partners' capital additions....    901,472     3,342,896     (295,093)          --   3,047,803
  Reductions of notes received for
   purchases of common stock......         --            --      970,670           --     970,670
  Repurchases of common stock or
   partners' capital
   withdrawals....................  (1,186,620)  (2,466,312)          --   (2,524,238) (4,990,550)
  Net income......................         --            --           --   13,723,899  13,723,899
  Partners' capital distributions
   payable........................         --            --           --           --          --
                                    ----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
BALANCE, SEPTEMBER 30, 1994.......  12,475,188   13,078,867     (966,315)  50,929,131  63,041,683
  Adoption of SFAS 115 by Guaranty
   Finance........................         --            --           --           --          --
  Sales of common stock or
   partners' capital additions....  2,963,892    14,406,194   (7,935,534)          --   6,470,660
  Reductions of notes received for
   purchases of common stock......         --            --    1,242,135           --   1,242,135
  Repurchases of common stock or
   partners' capital
   withdrawals....................   (829,892 )  (2,072,476)          --   (2,396,760) (4,469,236)
  Net income......................         --            --           --   23,672,741  23,672,741
  Partners' capital
   distributions..................         --            --           --           --          --
  Partners' capital distributions
   payable........................         --            --           --           --          --
  Net change in unrealized
   investment gains of Guaranty
   Finance........................         --            --           --           --          --
                                    ----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
BALANCE, SEPTEMBER 30, 1995.......  14,609,188  $25,412,585  $(7,659,714) $72,205,112  $89,957,983
                                    ----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
                                    ----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
 
<CAPTION>
                                                          HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
                                    -------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                               UNREALIZED
                                     PARTNERS'      NOTES     DISTRIBUTIONS    GAINS, NET  SUBTOTAL H&Q    COMBINED
                                      CAPITAL    RECEIVABLE      PAYABLE        (NOTE 2)        LP          TOTAL
                                    -----------  -----------  --------------   ----------  ------------  ------------
BALANCE, SEPTEMBER 30, 1992.......                                                                       $ 33,218,999
<S>                                 <C>          <C>          <C>              <C>         <C>           <C>
  Sales of common stock...........                                                                          2,044,092
  Reductions of notes received for
   purchases of common stock......                                                                          1,188,824
  Repurchases of common stock.....                                                                         (1,466,489)
  Net income......................                                                                         15,304,435
                                    -----------  -----------  --------------   ----------  ------------  ------------
BALANCE, SEPTEMBER 30, 1993.......                                                                         50,289,861
  Sales of common stock or
   partners' capital additions....  $ 1,322,324  $   (69,526) $          --    $      --   $  1,252,798     4,300,601
  Reductions of notes received for
   purchases of common stock......           --           --             --           --             --       970,670
  Repurchases of common stock or
   partners' capital
   withdrawals....................     (217,137)          --             --           --       (217,137)   (5,207,687)
  Net income......................    2,193,294           --             --           --      2,193,294    15,917,193
  Partners' capital distributions
   payable........................           --           --     (2,679,918)          --     (2,679,918)   (2,679,918)
                                    -----------  -----------  --------------   ----------  ------------  ------------
BALANCE, SEPTEMBER 30, 1994.......    3,298,481      (69,526)    (2,679,918)          --        549,037    63,590,720
  Adoption of SFAS 115 by Guaranty
   Finance........................           --           --             --    2,134,458      2,134,458     2,134,458
  Sales of common stock or
   partners' capital additions....    2,557,915   (2,162,487)            --           --        395,428     6,866,088
  Reductions of notes received for
   purchases of common stock......           --           --             --           --             --     1,242,135
  Repurchases of common stock or
   partners' capital
   withdrawals....................   (1,241,100)          --             --           --     (1,241,100)   (5,710,336)
  Net income......................   25,765,510           --             --           --     25,765,510    49,438,251
  Partners' capital
   distributions..................   (4,186,804)          --      4,186,804           --             --            --
  Partners' capital distributions
   payable........................           --           --    (11,952,253)          --    (11,952,253)  (11,952,253)
  Net change in unrealized
   investment gains of Guaranty
   Finance........................           --           --             --     (146,980 )     (146,980)     (146,980)
                                    -----------  -----------  --------------   ----------  ------------  ------------
BALANCE, SEPTEMBER 30, 1995.......  $26,194,002  $(2,232,013) $ (10,445,367)   $1,987,478  $ 15,504,100  $105,462,083
                                    -----------  -----------  --------------   ----------  ------------  ------------
                                    -----------  -----------  --------------   ----------  ------------  ------------
</TABLE>
 
        The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.
 
                                      F-19
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
                       COMBINED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
             FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1993, 1994 AND 1995
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            1993          1994          1995
                                                                        ------------  ------------  ------------
<S>                                                                     <C>           <C>           <C>
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
  Net income..........................................................  $ 15,304,435  $ 15,917,193  $ 49,438,251
                                                                        ------------  ------------  ------------
  Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash and cash equivalents
   provided by operating activities--
    Depreciation and amortization.....................................     2,624,400     3,229,208     5,664,070
    Net investment gains from long-term investments...................    (3,523,810)  (10,269,641)  (33,852,073)
    Net gain on sales of leased assets................................            --        (1,613)     (407,436)
    Deferred tax provision (benefit)..................................    (1,499,721)    2,005,896    (1,206,194)
    Minority interest in income of subsidiary.........................       352,092       525,934       718,651
    Net decrease in allowance for losses on guarantees, loans and
     leases...........................................................            --       (92,627)     (610,837)
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities--
      Customers, net..................................................     7,006,114    (1,264,519)  (10,030,060)
      Lewco Securities Corp...........................................    (8,465,211)   (2,666,093)  (24,750,289)
      Syndicate managers..............................................    (3,815,234)    4,969,031    (9,117,244)
      Related parties and other receivables...........................    (3,554,384)       57,131    (1,296,032)
      Marketable trading securities, net..............................    (1,896,495)    1,194,830     1,262,314
      Compensation and benefits payable...............................     5,158,694     2,186,557    27,533,054
      Syndicate settlements...........................................     2,786,531    (4,764,232)   23,674,156
      Income taxes payable............................................     2,208,932    (1,176,471)    6,144,139
      Trade accounts payable..........................................            --     2,067,448    (1,122,673)
      Customer lease deposits.........................................            --     2,670,363    (2,191,760)
      Accrued expenses and other payables.............................    (2,291,167)   (1,945,820)    5,625,230
      Other, net......................................................       (73,705)      732,684      (150,606)
                                                                        ------------  ------------  ------------
        Total adjustments.............................................    (4,982,964)   (2,541,934)  (14,113,590)
                                                                        ------------  ------------  ------------
        Net cash and cash equivalents provided by operating
         activities...................................................    10,321,471    13,375,259    35,324,661
                                                                        ------------  ------------  ------------
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
  Purchases of long-term investments..................................    (2,298,867)   (7,844,120)  (10,690,049)
  Proceeds from sales/distributions of long-term investments..........     8,486,587     5,432,665    15,843,334
  Purchases of furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements........    (1,944,937)   (2,776,824)   (3,060,061)
  Purchases of leased assets..........................................            --    (2,180,943)   (6,504,911)
  Sales of leased assets..............................................         6,831            --       638,002
  Increase in lease receivables.......................................            --    (1,714,108)   (1,505,482)
  Proceeds from payments of lease receivables.........................            --     2,947,756     1,568,911
                                                                        ------------  ------------  ------------
        Net cash and cash equivalents provided by (used in) investing
         activities...................................................     4,249,614    (6,135,574)   (3,710,256)
                                                                        ------------  ------------  ------------
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
  Proceeds from debt obligations......................................            --     1,100,000    19,738,066
  Repayments of debt obligations......................................   (15,029,367)   (5,328,968)  (18,650,861)
  Proceeds from sales of common stock.................................     3,360,748     3,257,770     5,072,335
  Repurchases of common stock.........................................    (1,466,489)   (4,990,550)   (4,469,236)
  Partners' capital contributions.....................................            --     1,252,798       395,428
  Partners' capital withdrawals.......................................            --      (217,137)   (1,241,100)
  Partners' capital distributions.....................................            --            --    (4,186,804)
  Distributions to minority interestholder............................            --       (90,000)     (300,000)
                                                                        ------------  ------------  ------------
        Net cash and cash equivalents used in financing activities....   (13,135,108)   (5,016,087)   (3,642,172)
                                                                        ------------  ------------  ------------
INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS.................................     1,435,977     2,223,598    27,972,233
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR........................     3,122,760     4,558,737     6,782,335
                                                                        ------------  ------------  ------------
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF YEAR..............................  $  4,558,737  $  6,782,335  $ 34,754,568
                                                                        ------------  ------------  ------------
                                                                        ------------  ------------  ------------
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-20
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
                 COMBINED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (CONTINUED)
             FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1993, 1994 AND 1995
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            1993          1994          1995
                                                                        ------------  ------------  ------------
<S>                                                                     <C>           <C>           <C>
SCHEDULE OF SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:
  Taxes paid to taxing authorities....................................  $  9,900,000  $  9,174,792  $ 14,841,855
  Interest paid.......................................................     1,104,883     2,121,126     4,617,047
SCHEDULE OF NONCASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
  H&Q long-term investments, net, were reclassified from/(to)
   marketable securities..............................................            --      (656,084)    4,286,573
  H&Q common stock sales and LP partners' capital contributions were
   made with notes receivable from employees..........................     1,677,273       364,619    10,098,021
  H&Q common stock was issued to employees in exchange for reductions
   in compensation and benefits payable...............................            --     1,355,290     3,055,280
  Reductions to LP partners' capital were made via accruals of
   distributions payable to partners..................................            --     2,679,918    11,952,253
  Unrealized gains, net, on long-term investments held by Guaranty
   Finance were recorded as increases in equity and minority
   interest...........................................................            --            --     2,880,791
  Subordinated notes payable were issued by RvR Securities in exchange
   for subordinated notes receivable of the same amount...............            --     1,800,000            --
  A line of credit receivable was converted into preferred stock of
   the issuer.........................................................     2,000,000            --            --
</TABLE>
 
        The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.
 
                                      F-21
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
                     NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                               SEPTEMBER 30, 1995
 
NOTE 1 -- ORGANIZATION AND NATURE OF OPERATIONS
    The  financial  statements include  the combined  operations of  Hambrecht &
Quist Group, a California corporation (H&Q,  Hambrecht & Quist or the  Company),
and  Hambrecht & Quist L.P., a California limited partnership (LP). The entities
are presented on a combined basis without revaluation, as the entities have been
operating under common ownership and common management and, in fiscal 1996,  H&Q
and  LP will  make distributions  and restructure  their operations,  which will
result in one  surviving holding company,  Hambrecht & Quist  Group, a  Delaware
corporation (Group Delaware).
 
PRIOR TO RESTRUCTURING
 
    H&Q  is owned  primarily by  its key  employees. As  of September  30, 1995,
approximately 13.70 percent of  H&Q is owned by  the Hambrecht & Quist  Employee
Savings  and Employee Stock  Ownership Plan (see  Note 12). As  a privately held
company, all of H&Q's stock transactions  are recorded pursuant to the terms  of
the  Hambrecht  & Quist  Group  Shareholders' Agreement  (the  Agreement). Since
inception, all stock issuances and repurchases and all stock option grants  have
been recorded using a formula value, as determined by management and required by
the  Agreement.  The formula  value results  in  transactions being  recorded at
premiums over the Company's GAAP net book value. The formula value  approximates
fair  market value. There is no public  market for the Company's stock. As such,
selling shareholders are  required to offer  their shares to  the Company  first
before  seeking an independent buyer.  Historically, the Company has repurchased
all selling shareholders' shares.
 
    H&Q operates primarily as a holding company with the following  consolidated
operating  subsidiaries.  Hambrecht &  Quist LLC,  a Delaware  limited liability
company (H&Q  LLC), is  a 70  percent owned  investment banking  subsidiary  and
securities  broker-dealer that  primarily services companies  in the technology,
healthcare, services and  branded consumer products  industries. RvR  Securities
Corp.,  a California corporation (RvR Securities),  is a wholly owned registered
broker-dealer serving  companies with  smaller  capitalizations than  H&Q  LLC's
typical underwriting clients. Hambrecht & Quist Capital Management Incorporated,
a  California  corporation (Capital  Management), is  a wholly  owned registered
investment adviser. Capital Management is the investment adviser to two publicly
traded closed-end mutual funds, H&Q  Healthcare Investors and H&Q Life  Sciences
Investors.  Hambrecht & Quist Venture Partners, a California Limited Partnership
(Venture  Partners),  is  a  wholly   owned  venture  capital  fund   management
partnership.
 
    Other  affiliates of the Company are  not consolidated and are accounted for
on an  equity basis,  which approximates  fair value.  H&Q owns  a 50.0  percent
interest  in  Hambrecht &  Quist Asia  Pacific, Ltd.,  a British  Virgin Islands
limited liability  company  (Asia  Pacific).  Asia  Pacific  provides  financial
advisory and fund management services in the Asia Pacific region. H&Q LLC owns a
20  percent  interest in  Lewco Securities  Corporation, a  Delaware corporation
(Lewco). Lewco is  a clearing  broker and depository  for H&Q  LLC and  Schroder
Wertheim  & Co.  (Schroder), which owns  the remaining 80  percent interest. All
expenses, net of certain revenues, are reimbursed proportionately by both owners
based on the volume of transactions  processed on their behalf. These costs  are
reported  as  expenses  in  the combined  statement  of  operations.  Other less
significant affiliated investment and venture capital partnerships are  recorded
in long-term investments at their estimated fair value (see Note 2).
 
    LP operates primarily as a holding partnership for certain current and prior
operating affiliates of H&Q. H&Q is the 1 percent general partner of LP, and the
same shareholders of H&Q are the limited partners. As of September 30, 1995, H&Q
also  owns a  14.76 percent  limited partnership  interest. Similar  to H&Q, all
partnership unit sales and repurchases  have been recorded at the  partnership's
formula  value,  as  defined  in  the  Hambrecht  &  Quist  Limited  Partnership
Agreement.
 
                                      F-22
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
               NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                               SEPTEMBER 30, 1995
 
NOTE 1 -- ORGANIZATION AND NATURE OF OPERATIONS (CONTINUED)
    LP owns  the remaining  30 percent  interest of  H&Q LLC  and a  70  percent
limited  partner  interest  in  Hambrecht  &  Quist  Guaranty  Finance,  L.P., a
California  limited  partnership   (Guaranty  Finance).   Guaranty  Finance   is
consolidated  in  the  combined  financial statements.  The  30  percent general
partner interest is  owned by  Guaranty Finance Management  Corp., a  California
corporation,  which is owned almost equally by the CEO of H&Q and an independent
third party  and is  reported as  minority interest  in the  combined  financial
statements.  Guaranty  Finance  provides  secured,  asset-based  financings that
include tenant improvement  and real estate  leases, equipment leases,  accounts
receivable and inventory financing, and loan guarantees for emerging technology,
biotechnology  and healthcare  companies. LP's  other investments  in public and
private companies  are recorded  in  long-term investments  at their  market  or
estimated fair value (see Note 2).
 
DISTRIBUTIONS AND RESTRUCTURING ACTIVITIES
 
    H&Q  plans to sell  shares of its  stock in an  initial public offering (the
Offering) that will result in new shareholders owning a portion of the  Company.
Prior  to the Offering, the Company will make distributions and restructure (the
Transactions) in order to simplify its structure.
 
    Guaranty Finance  will distribute  securities on  a pro  rata basis  to  its
partners.  Such distribution  will be accounted  for as a  reduction of Guaranty
Finance's partners' capital at the securities' carrying values. Guaranty Finance
will merge into  Hambrecht & Quist  Guaranty Finance,  LLC (H&Q GF  LLC), a  new
Delaware limited liability company. H&Q will purchase an additional 17.5 percent
of  H&Q GF LLC  from other members  (including 15 percent  from H&Q's CEO). Such
purchase will be accounted for as a purchase of minority interest.
 
    H&Q will distribute its  limited partnership interest in  LP primarily to  a
liquidating  trust benefiting certain current and former employees. Such planned
distribution has  been  recorded as  compensation  expense in  the  accompanying
financial  statements at  the estimated  fair value  of the  limited partnership
interest distributed.  H&Q  LLC  will  distribute cash  and  securities  to  LP,
resulting  in a reduction in LP's ownership  in H&Q LLC. LP will distribute cash
and securities  to a  liquidating  trust benefiting  the  partners of  LP.  Such
distributions  by H&Q LLC and LP will be accounted for as reductions to members'
equity and partners' capital, respectively, at the securities' carrying values.
 
   
    Each share of H&Q will be exchanged for four shares of Group Delaware, a new
Delaware holding company, and  H&Q will become a  subsidiary of Group  Delaware.
All  references to the number of shares and per-share amounts have been restated
to reflect the effect of the four-for-one exchange of shares. LP will be  merged
into  Group Delaware and the  partners of LP who  do not perfect their statutory
dissenters' rights under the California Corporations Code will receive shares of
the Company's common stock. Both the  transfer of H&Q shares for Group  Delaware
shares  and the merger  of LP into Group  Delaware will be  accounted for at the
respective shareholders'  and partners'  carrying  values, which  represent  the
entities' carrying values. The individuals' carrying values will be used because
each  individual party to the Restructuring is  a promoter of Group Delaware and
its initial public offering (under Securities and Exchange Commission accounting
guidelines). No  minority  interest  will  result  from  the  shareholders'  and
partners' transfers of shares and partnership interests, respectively, for Group
Delaware shares.
    
 
    Group Delaware will transfer H&Q LLC and H&Q GF LLC to H&Q.
 
POST-TRANSACTIONS STRUCTURE
 
    As  a consequence  of the foregoing  and other  Transactions, Group Delaware
will consolidate H&Q LLC  and H&Q GF  LLC. Its ownership  of and accounting  for
other subsidiaries and affiliates will be the same as H&Q and will be unaffected
by the Transactions listed above. LP will cease to exist.
 
                                      F-23
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
               NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                               SEPTEMBER 30, 1995
 
NOTE 2 -- SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
PRINCIPLES OF CONSOLIDATION AND COMBINATION
 
    All  significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated
in consolidation and combination.
 
USE OF ESTIMATES
 
    The preparation of these  combined financial statements  require the use  of
certain estimates by management in determining the entity's assets, liabilities,
revenue  and  expenses.  The most  significant  estimates with  regard  to these
financial statements relate to long-term investments, as discussed below. Actual
results could differ from those estimates.
 
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
 
    For purposes  of the  statement of  cash flows,  cash and  cash  equivalents
include cash on hand, demand deposits with banks, money market accounts and U.S.
Treasury  bills totaling  $6,782,335 and $34,754,568  at September  30, 1994 and
1995, respectively.  Cash equivalents  have original  maturities of  90 days  or
less.
 
SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS
 
    Customers'  securities transactions are recorded on a settlement-date basis,
with related  commission income  and expenses  recorded on  a trade-date  basis.
Marketable  securities owned and securities sold, not yet purchased are recorded
on  a  trade-date  basis.  Final  underwriting  settlements  are  recorded  when
received.
 
MARKETABLE TRADING SECURITIES
 
    Marketable  trading securities  and securities  sold, not  yet purchased are
reported at prevailing market prices.  Realized and unrealized gains and  losses
on market trading securities and securities sold, not yet purchased are included
in revenues from principal transactions.
 
LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS
 
    Long-term investments include marketable equity securities and nonmarketable
equity  and  debt securities  (which include  restricted securities  of publicly
traded companies, securities of private companies and investment partnership and
other venture capital interests).
 
    H&Q  and  H&Q  LLC  own  marketable  equity  securities  and   nonmarketable
investments.  Marketable  equity securities  are  reported at  prevailing market
prices. Discounts are applied  for holdings in excess  of typical daily  trading
volumes.  Nonmarketable investments are not registered  for public sale or carry
restrictions on sale and are reported  at estimated fair value as determined  by
management.   Factors   considered  by   management  in   valuing  nonmarketable
investments include  the  type  of  investment,  purchase  cost,  marketability,
restrictions  on  disposition,  subsequent  purchases  of  the  same  or similar
investments by other  investors, and  current financial  position and  operating
results  of  the  investee  entities.  Warrants  and  other  rights  to purchase
nonmarketable investments are valued at cost, which approximates estimated  fair
value.  Realized and unrealized gains and  losses on long-term investments owned
by H&Q and  H&Q LLC  are included  in revenues  from net  investment gains  from
long-term investments.
 
    Also  included in  long-term investments  are investments  owned by Guaranty
Finance. Guaranty Finance primarily owns marketable equity securities  available
for  sale.  Effective October  1, 1994,  Guaranty  Finance adopted  Statement of
Financial Accounting  Standards  No. 115  (SFAS  115), "Accounting  for  Certain
Investments  in Debt and  Equity Securities." As required  by SFAS 115, Guaranty
Finance revalued its available-for-sale securities at market value and  recorded
$3,049,227  as an increase to its partners'  capital as of October 1, 1994. LP's
recorded portion  of the  unrealized  net holding  gain  was $2,134,458  and  is
recorded  in LP's partners'  capital. At September  30, 1995, Guaranty Finance's
unrealized net holding gain was $2,880,791. LP's recorded
 
                                      F-24
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
               NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                               SEPTEMBER 30, 1995
 
NOTE 2 -- SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
portion of the  unrealized net holding  gain was $1,987,478  and is recorded  in
LP's  partners' capital. The minority interest  holder's recorded portion of the
unrealized net holding gain was $893,313 and is recorded in Minority Interest in
Guaranty Finance.  Prior  to October  1,  1994, Guaranty  Finance  recorded  its
long-term investments at the lower of cost or market.
 
FURNITURE, EQUIPMENT AND LEASEHOLD IMPROVEMENTS
 
    Furniture,  equipment  and  leasehold  improvements  are  recorded  at cost.
Depreciation of  furniture  and  equipment is  provided  using  accelerated  and
straight-line  methods. These assets  are depreciated over  periods ranging from
five to seven years based on estimated useful lives. Leasehold improvements  are
amortized  over the lesser of the useful life  of the improvement or the term of
the lease. Expenditures for  repairs and maintenance  that do not  significantly
increase the life of the asset are charged to operations as incurred.
 
LEASE RECEIVABLES AND LEASED ASSETS
 
    Guaranty  Finance leases land, a building, equipment and tenant improvements
under  operating  leases  and  direct  financing  leases.  Assets  leased  under
operating  leases  are  recorded at  cost  and  are included  in  leased assets.
Depreciation  of  the  building  and  tenant  improvements  is  provided   using
straight-line  methods over  31.5 years and  accelerated methods  over 15 years.
Depreciation of leased equipment is provided using accelerated methods over five
to seven years. Direct  financing leases are included  in lease receivables  and
are  carried at  the total  of the future  minimum lease  payments less unearned
income.
 
INCOME TAXES
 
    The Company  accounts for  income  taxes in  accordance  with SFAS  No  109,
"Accounting  for  Income  Taxes"  (SFAS 109).  Under  this  method,  the Company
recognizes taxes payable  or refundable for  the current year  and deferred  tax
liabilities  and  assets  for  future  consequences  of  events  that  have been
recognized in the Company's financial statements or tax returns.
 
    No provision has  been made  in the  financial statements  for income  taxes
related to the operations of LP. Pursuant to applicable federal and state income
tax regulations, all income or loss of LP is reportable by each partner directly
to the taxing authority.
 
PARTNERS' CAPITAL DISTRIBUTIONS PAYABLE
 
    In accordance with the terms of the LP partnership agreement, an accrual has
been  made for distributions to  LP partners to satisfy  their federal and state
income  tax  obligations  for  partnership  taxable  income.  The  accrual   was
$2,679,918 and $10,445,367 at September 30, 1994 and 1995, respectively.
 
FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
 
    Substantially  all  of the  Company's financial  assets and  liabilities are
carried at  market  or estimated  fair  value or  are  carried at  amounts  that
approximate current fair value because of their short-term nature. Estimates are
made  at a  specific point  in time,  based on  relevant market  information and
information about the financial instrument.
 
EARNINGS PER SHARE
 
    Earnings per  share are  not  presented, as  they  would not  be  meaningful
because of the impact of the Transactions (see Note 1).
 
STOCK OPTION PLANS
 
    The  Company uses  the intrinsic  value method  to account  for stock option
plans. Under  this method,  compensation  expense is  recognized for  awards  of
options to purchase shares of common stock to employees under compensatory plans
only  if the fair market value  of the stock at the  option grant date (or other
 
                                      F-25
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
               NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                               SEPTEMBER 30, 1995
 
NOTE 2 -- SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
measurement date, if later) is greater than the amount the employee must pay  to
acquire  the stock.  In October 1995,  the Financial  Accounting Standards Board
issued SFAS No. 123, "Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation" (SFAS 123).  SFAS
123  permits companies  to adopt a  new fair  value based method  to account for
stock option  plans or  to continue  using the  intrinsic value  method. If  the
intrinsic  value method is used, information concerning the pro forma effects on
net earnings and earnings per share of  adopting the fair value based method  is
required  to be presented in the notes  to the financial statements. The Company
intends to continue using  the intrinsic value method  and will provide the  pro
forma disclosures in its 1997 financial statements, as required by SFAS 123.
 
RECLASSIFICATIONS
 
    Certain  amounts  in  the  1993  and  1994  financial  statements  have been
reclassified to conform to the 1995 presentation.
 
NOTE 3 -- RECEIVABLES FROM AND PAYABLES TO CUSTOMERS
    Receivables from and payables  to customers include amounts  due to or  from
customers  as  a result  of cash  and margin  transactions. Securities  owned by
customers are held as collateral for  these receivables. Such collateral is  not
reflected in the combined financial statements.
 
NOTE 4 -- RECEIVABLES FROM RELATED PARTIES
    Receivables  from  related  parties include  receivables  of  $2,176,299 and
$2,912,333 at September 30, 1994 and 1995, respectively, from Asia Pacific  (see
Notes 1 and 11).
 
NOTE 5 -- MARKETABLE TRADING SECURITIES AND SECURITIES SOLD, NOT YET PURCHASED
    At September 30, 1994 and 1995, marketable trading securities and securities
sold, not yet purchased, consisted of the following:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                1994           1995
                                                                            -------------  -------------
<S>                                                                         <C>            <C>
Marketable trading securities--
  Equity securities.......................................................  $  13,352,773  $  21,385,307
  Convertible bonds.......................................................     10,320,641      3,941,812
  Options.................................................................        240,726        897,048
                                                                            -------------  -------------
                                                                            $  23,914,140  $  26,224,167
                                                                            -------------  -------------
                                                                            -------------  -------------
Securities sold, not yet purchased--
  Equity securities.......................................................  $  16,855,598  $  24,532,549
  Convertible bonds.......................................................        257,500             --
  Options.................................................................        246,024        685,487
                                                                            -------------  -------------
                                                                            $  17,359,122  $  25,218,036
                                                                            -------------  -------------
                                                                            -------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-26
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
               NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                               SEPTEMBER 30, 1995
 
NOTE 6 -- LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS
    At  September  30, 1994  and 1995,  the  Company's long-term  investments at
estimated fair value consisted of the following:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                1994           1995
                                                                            -------------  -------------
<S>                                                                         <C>            <C>
Marketable equity securities available for sale by Guaranty Finance.......  $   4,921,645  $  10,120,625
Marketable equity securities--other.......................................      5,318,434     10,182,058
BISYS Group, Inc. common stock--unrestricted..............................             --      6,000,000
                                                                            -------------  -------------
    Total marketable investments..........................................     10,240,079     26,302,683
                                                                            -------------  -------------
BISYS Group, Inc. common stock--restricted................................      5,580,000     21,481,390
Nonmarketable securities and investment partnership interests.............      7,653,982     14,906,421
Affiliated venture capital funds..........................................      6,829,447      4,790,144
Venture capital funds managed by others...................................      2,405,529      1,231,240
Lewco Securities--
  Equity ownership........................................................      1,810,279      1,810,279
  Subordinated note receivable............................................        300,000        300,000
                                                                            -------------  -------------
    Total nonmarketable investments.......................................     24,579,237     44,519,474
                                                                            -------------  -------------
    Total long-term investments...........................................  $  34,819,316  $  70,822,157
                                                                            -------------  -------------
                                                                            -------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
    The cost of the  Company's long-term investments at  September 30, 1994  and
1995, were $26,935,646 and $32,432,684, respectively.
 
    Following  is an analysis  of the net  investment gains for  the years ended
September 30, 1993, 1994 and 1995:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                  1993          1994           1995
                                                              ------------  -------------  -------------
<S>                                                           <C>           <C>            <C>
Realized gains..............................................  $  4,165,589  $   5,360,747  $   3,346,270
Change in unrealized gains and losses, net..................      (641,779)     4,908,894     30,505,803
                                                              ------------  -------------  -------------
  Net investment gains from long-term investments...........  $  3,523,810  $  10,269,641  $  33,852,073
                                                              ------------  -------------  -------------
                                                              ------------  -------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
    Both H&Q and H&Q LLC  own shares of BISYS  Group, Inc. (BISYS) common  stock
(which  represents approximately  6.1 percent  of the  total BISYS  common stock
outstanding at September 30, 1995). BISYS  is a publicly traded company  subject
to  the Securities Act of 1933 which requires the public filing of quarterly and
annual financial statements  on Form  10-Q and  Form 10-K,  respectively. As  of
September  30,  1995,  H&Q  owns  restricted shares  with  a  carrying  value of
$5,136,390 and  H&Q  LLC  owns  both restricted  and  unrestricted  shares  with
carrying  values of  $16,345,000 and  $6,000,000, respectively.  Included in net
investment gains  are realized  and  unrealized gains  on investments  in  BISYS
common  stock of $2,190,000, $5,457,500 and $19,948,390 for 1993, 1994 and 1995,
respectively.
 
    The cost  and estimated  fair  values of  investments in  marketable  equity
securities  available for sale by Guaranty Finance  at September 31, 1995 are as
follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                               1995
                                                                                           -------------
<S>                                                                                        <C>
Cost.....................................................................................  $   7,239,834
Gross unrealized gains...................................................................      3,497,951
Gross unrealized losses..................................................................       (617,160)
                                                                                           -------------
Estimated fair value.....................................................................  $  10,120,625
                                                                                           -------------
                                                                                           -------------
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-27
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
               NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                               SEPTEMBER 30, 1995
 
NOTE 6 -- LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS (CONTINUED)
    Gross proceeds, gross realized gains,  and gross realized losses from  sales
of  investments in marketable  equity securities available  for sale by Guaranty
Finance for the year ended September  30, 1995 total $2,926,358, $1,943,374  and
$73,373, respectively.
 
NOTE 7 -- FURNITURE, EQUIPMENT AND LEASEHOLD IMPROVEMENTS
    The  following summarizes  the Company's furniture,  equipment and leasehold
improvements as of September 30, 1994 and 1995:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                1994           1995
                                                                            -------------  -------------
<S>                                                                         <C>            <C>
Furniture and equipment...................................................  $  12,615,904  $  15,142,026
Leasehold improvements....................................................      4,420,588      4,949,524
Less--Accumulated depreciation and amortization...........................    (11,728,155)   (14,081,854)
                                                                            -------------  -------------
                                                                            $   5,308,337  $   6,009,696
                                                                            -------------  -------------
                                                                            -------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
    For the  years  ended September  30,  1993,  1994 and  1995,  occupancy  and
equipment  expense included depreciation and  amortization expense on furniture,
equipment and leasehold improvements  of $1,865,774, $2,052,512 and  $2,358,337,
respectively.
 
NOTE 8 -- LEASING ACTIVITIES
    Guaranty  Finance negotiates lease lines,  purchases equipment, property and
leasehold improvements for lease  to customers under  the lines and  administers
them. Guaranty Finance also negotiates and guarantees secured loans and lines of
credit for customers, which are generally funded and administered by a financial
partner,  such  as a  bank or  other  financial institution.  Guaranty Finance's
customers are primarily emerging technology companies.
 
    At September  30,  1994  and  1995,  lease  receivables  consist  of  direct
financing  capital  leases  with  terms  ranging from  three  to  four  years of
$1,750,153 and $3,255,635, respectively. At  September 30, 1994 and 1995,  lease
receivables  related to noncancelable operating leases  are not material and are
included in  other receivables.  Future  minimum rentals  to be  received  under
direct  financing leases and  operating leases in effect  at September 30, 1995,
are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                      DIRECT
                                                                    FINANCING    NONCANCELABLE
                                                                      LEASE        OPERATING
                                                                   RECEIVABLES      LEASES
                                                                   ------------  -------------
<S>                                                                <C>           <C>
1996.............................................................  $  1,502,136   $ 4,019,471
1997.............................................................     1,309,677     3,356,766
1998.............................................................       778,626       108,333
                                                                   ------------  -------------
    Total minimum lease payments.................................     3,590,439   $ 7,484,570
                                                                                 -------------
                                                                                 -------------
Less--Unearned income............................................      (334,804)
                                                                   ------------
Present value of net minimum lease payments......................  $  3,255,635
                                                                   ------------
                                                                   ------------
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-28
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
               NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                               SEPTEMBER 30, 1995
 
NOTE 8 -- LEASING ACTIVITIES (CONTINUED)
    At September  30, 1994  and  1995, leased  assets subject  to  noncancelable
operating leases consist of:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                      1994          1995
                                                                  ------------  -------------
<S>                                                               <C>           <C>
Land and building...............................................  $  5,000,000  $   5,000,000
Equipment.......................................................     2,876,694      8,287,004
                                                                  ------------  -------------
                                                                     7,876,694     13,287,004
Less--Accumulated depreciation..................................    (2,758,853)    (4,586,715)
                                                                  ------------  -------------
                                                                  $  5,117,841  $   8,700,289
                                                                  ------------  -------------
                                                                  ------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
    Guaranty  Finance's  depreciation  expense on  leased  assets  was $758,626,
$1,176,696 and $3,305,733 for the years ended September 30, 1993, 1994 and 1995,
respectively.
 
NOTE 9 -- DEBT OBLIGATIONS
    Debt obligations consist of the following:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                          1994           1995
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
<S>                                                                                   <C>            <C>
Lines of credit--
  $7,500,000 bank line of credit (H&Q); interest at prime plus 1 percent (9.75
   percent at September 30, 1995); collateralized in full by marketable securities
   and certain customer receivables; average balance outstanding in 1994 and 1995
   was $362,500 and $2,014,951, respectively; advances due December 31, 1995          $   1,100,000  $   3,823,790
  $20,000,000 bank line of credit ($5,000,000 in 1994) (H&Q); interest at prime plus
   2 percent (10.75 percent at September 30, 1995); unsecured; no amounts drawn in
   1994 or 1995; advances payable within seven days; expires May 1996                            --             --
  $11,000,000 bank line of credit ($7,000,000 in 1994) (Guaranty Finance); interest
   at prime plus 0.50 percent (9.25 percent at September 30, 1995); collateralized
   in full by Guaranty Finance's assets, except for cash and marketable securities;
   due December 10, 1995                                                                         --      3,515,000
Notes payable--
  Bank note payable (H&Q); interest at prime plus 1 percent (8.75 percent at
   September 30, 1994); collateralized by H&Q LLC shares; repaid in 1995                  5,000,000             --
  Bank note payable (H&Q); noninterest-bearing; collateralized by nonmarketable
   securities valued at $3,574,380 at September 30, 1994, and U.S. Treasury bills
   valued at $636,659 at September 30, 1995; $687,500 due September 30, 1995;
   $637,500 due September 30, 1996                                                        1,325,000        637,500
Other--
  Bank nonrecourse loan (Guaranty Finance); interest at 9 percent, payable monthly;
   collateralized by land and a building leased to a customer; principal payments of
   $63,338 due beginning in 1997 through 2007                                             5,000,000      5,000,000
  Other                                                                                     258,532        794,447
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
                                                                                      $  12,683,532  $  13,770,737
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-29
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
               NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                               SEPTEMBER 30, 1995
 
NOTE 9 -- DEBT OBLIGATIONS (CONTINUED)
    The average prime rate for 1994 and 1995 was 6.61 percent and 8.68  percent,
respectively.
 
    The scheduled repayment of debt obligations is as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                              <C>
1996...........................................  $8,834,075
1997...........................................      63,338
1998...........................................      63,338
1999...........................................      63,338
2000...........................................      63,338
Thereafter.....................................   4,683,310
                                                 ----------
                                                 $13,770,737
                                                 ----------
                                                 ----------
</TABLE>
 
    Interest  expense on debt obligations  was $1,420,294, $932,974 and $960,353
during fiscal 1993, 1994 and 1995, respectively.
 
NOTE 10 -- INCOME TAXES
    The income tax provision consisted of the following components for the years
ended September 30, 1993, 1994 and 1995:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                   STATE AND
                                                     FEDERAL         CITY           TOTAL
                                                  -------------  -------------  -------------
<S>                                               <C>            <C>            <C>
1993--
  Current.......................................  $   8,989,372   $ 3,450,362   $  12,439,734
  Deferred......................................       (673,418)     (826,303)     (1,499,721)
                                                  -------------  -------------  -------------
    Total.......................................  $   8,315,954   $ 2,624,059   $  10,940,013
                                                  -------------  -------------  -------------
                                                  -------------  -------------  -------------
1994--
  Current.......................................  $   5,833,636   $ 2,279,928   $   8,113,564
  Deferred......................................      1,418,775       587,120       2,005,895
                                                  -------------  -------------  -------------
    Total.......................................  $   7,252,411   $ 2,867,048   $  10,119,459
                                                  -------------  -------------  -------------
                                                  -------------  -------------  -------------
1995--
  Current.......................................  $  15,702,697   $ 7,964,644   $  23,667,341
  Deferred......................................     (1,152,901)      (53,293)     (1,206,194)
                                                  -------------  -------------  -------------
    Total.......................................  $  14,549,796   $ 7,911,351   $  22,461,147
                                                  -------------  -------------  -------------
                                                  -------------  -------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
    The net deferred  income tax asset  as of  September 30, 1994  and 1995,  is
composed of the following:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                      1994           1995
                                                                  -------------  -------------
<S>                                                               <C>            <C>
Deferred income tax asset--
  Bonus accruals................................................  $   6,042,535  $  11,879,290
  Litigation accruals...........................................      4,720,403      2,043,238
  Other.........................................................        273,829        780,205
                                                                  -------------  -------------
                                                                     11,036,767     14,702,733
Gross deferred income tax liabilities...........................     (1,615,105)    (4,074,877)
                                                                  -------------  -------------
    Net deferred income tax asset...............................  $   9,421,662  $  10,627,856
                                                                  -------------  -------------
                                                                  -------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
    There  was no valuation  allowance against deferred  tax assets at September
30, 1994 and 1995.
 
                                      F-30
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
               NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                               SEPTEMBER 30, 1995
 
NOTE 10 -- INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED)
    The following is a  reconciliation of the income  tax expense to the  amount
computed  by applying  the federal  statutory rate  to income  before income tax
expense:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                1993                      1994                      1995
                                      ------------------------  ------------------------  ------------------------
                                         AMOUNT        RATE        AMOUNT        RATE        AMOUNT        RATE
                                      -------------  ---------  -------------  ---------  -------------  ---------
<S>                                   <C>            <C>        <C>            <C>        <C>            <C>
Tax expense computed at statutory
 rate...............................  $   9,119,945       34.7% $   9,112,828       35.0% $  25,164,789       35.0%
State and local tax provision, net
 of federal income tax benefit......      1,961,708        7.5      1,735,734        6.7      5,244,299        7.3
Federal income tax rate change......       (182,388)      (0.7)       (66,993)      (0.3)            --         --
Nondeductible expenses..............         40,748        0.2        105,543        0.4        155,164        0.2
LP income not subject to tax........             --         --       (767,653)      (2.9)    (8,103,105)     (11.3)
                                      -------------        ---  -------------        ---  -------------  ---------
                                      $  10,940,013       41.7% $  10,119,459       38.9% $  22,461,147       31.2%
                                      -------------        ---  -------------        ---  -------------  ---------
                                      -------------        ---  -------------        ---  -------------  ---------
</TABLE>
 
NOTE 11 -- RELATED-PARTY TRANSACTIONS
 
INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS
 
    The Company makes investments in private companies directly and through  the
venture  capital funds it manages. Venture  Partners manages the majority of the
Company's venture  capital funds  (see Note  1) and  earns management  fees  and
profit  participation  distributions.  Included  in  asset  management  fees are
management fees  and profit  participation  distributions from  venture  capital
funds  of  $3,067,286,  $2,768,287  and  $7,653,320  for  1993,  1994  and 1995,
respectively.
 
    Directors, officers  and  employees of  H&Q  or its  subsidiaries  may  have
additional  interests  in such  private  companies directly  or  through various
affiliated venture capital or other  investment entities. Such parties may  also
be  operating officers of and  serve on the boards  of directors of companies in
which the Company has invested.
 
    Guaranty Finance provides  lease financing  to companies in  which H&Q,  its
subsidiaries and its affiliates have equity investments.
 
OPERATING ADVANCES
 
    H&Q  pays operating expenses on behalf of certain affiliates, primarily Asia
Pacific (see Notes  1 and  4) and is  reimbursed for  those expenses.  Operating
expenses  that have  not yet  been reimbursed  are included  in receivables from
related parties (see Note 4).
 
EMPLOYEE NOTES RECEIVABLE
 
    In connection with sales of the Company's common stock, the Company received
notes from  employees, which,  at September  30, 1994  and 1995,  had  principal
balances  of  $966,315  and  $7,659,714,  respectively,  and  are  treated  as a
reduction of shareholders' equity.  These notes bear  interest at rates  ranging
from  6 percent to 8  percent and have maturity  dates ranging from 1996 through
2000.
 
    Receivables from LP partners represent amounts due from partners,  including
H&Q,  for their  capital contributions  to LP.  Such amounts  are recorded  as a
reduction of partners' capital.  Receivables from LP  partners were $69,526  and
$2,232,013 at September 30, 1994 and 1995, respectively.
 
LEWCO SECURITIES CORP.
 
    H&Q LLC is a co-owner of Lewco (see Note 1), a securities clearing firm that
is  a registered broker-dealer and member of  each major stock exchange. H&Q LLC
holds a subordinated note for $300,000 issued by Lewco.
 
                                      F-31
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
               NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                               SEPTEMBER 30, 1995
 
NOTE 11 -- RELATED-PARTY TRANSACTIONS (CONTINUED)
The interest  on  this note  is  paid quarterly  at  the prime  rate,  with  the
principal  balance due December  31, 1999. The  subordinated note receivable and
H&Q LLC's investment in Lewco are carried in long-term investments (see Note 6).
H&Q LLC uses Lewco, which renders its  services to its owners on a  cost-sharing
basis,  to process  its securities transactions  and all  other related clearing
services. Lewco also maintains the Company's customer and broker accounts.
 
    Amounts receivable from Lewco result  from customer and H&Q LLC  proprietary
transactions.  Interest  on  amounts  receivable  from  Lewco  is  earned  at  a
fluctuating rate (5 percent at September 30, 1993, and 6.5 percent at  September
30, 1994 and 1995) that generally corresponds to the broker call rate.
 
NOTE 12 -- EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
 
SAVINGS AND EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP TRUST
 
    Under  a Savings and Employee Stock  Ownership Trust (or SESOT), the Company
established an Employee Stock  Ownership Plan (ESOP)  and a profit-sharing  plan
(PSP)  with an employee  salary deferral (or  401(k)) feature. Collectively, the
ESOP and PSP are referred to as the Hambrecht & Quist Group Savings and Employee
Stock Ownership Plan (the Plan or SESOP). Substantially all full-time  employees
of  H&Q and its subsidiaries and  certain affiliates are eligible to participate
in the Plan.
 
    Under the Plan, the Company  matches employees' 401(k) PSP contributions  up
to  $4,000 per employee per year by making Company common stock contributions to
the ESOP. The Company may also make discretionary cash contributions to the PSP.
For 1993, 1994 and 1995, the Company recorded compensation expense of  $799,565,
$1,059,812  and  $1,246,645,  respectively,  to  the  ESOP  under  the  matching
provision. No discretionary contributions were made to the PSP in 1993, 1994  or
1995.
 
STOCK OPTION PLANS
 
    The  Company  has two  stock  option plans,  a 1985  Plan  and a  1995 Plan.
Additionally, the Company has  granted stock options outside  the 1985 and  1995
plans.
 
    The  Company's 1985  Plan, which provided  for the  granting of nonqualified
options to  purchase 4,000,000  shares of  the Company's  common stock,  expired
September  30, 1994,  except as to  the options then  outstanding. The Company's
1995 Plan  provides  for the  granting  of incentive  options  and  nonqualified
options  to purchase 2,000,000 shares of  the Company's common stock to officers
and key employees at  a price not less  than fair market value  at the date  the
option  is granted. Outside the 1985 and 1995 plans, 1,448,020 options have been
granted to certain  officers and directors.  Such options were  granted with  an
exercise  price equal to fair market  value (see Notes 1 and  2), at the date of
grant.
 
    Options become exercisable as determined at the date of grant by a committee
of the Board  of Directors.  Options expire  10 years  after the  date of  grant
unless an earlier expiration date is set at the time of grant.
 
                                      F-32
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
               NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                               SEPTEMBER 30, 1995
 
NOTE 12 -- EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS (CONTINUED)
    Details of stock options are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                   NUMBER OF
                                                                    SHARES     EXERCISE PRICE
                                                                  -----------  --------------
<S>                                                               <C>          <C>
Outstanding at September 30, 1992...............................    4,459,288  $ 2.04 - $3.08
  Granted.......................................................      172,168  $         2.81
  Exercised.....................................................     (932,796) $ 2.04 - $2.81
  Canceled......................................................      (90,084) $ 2.10 - $2.81
                                                                  -----------
Outstanding at September 30, 1993...............................    3,608,576  $ 2.04 - $3.08
  Granted.......................................................      301,216  $ 3.84 - $4.53
  Exercised                                                          (475,516) $ 2.10 - $2.88
  Canceled......................................................      (62,000) $ 2.10 - $2.88
                                                                  -----------
Outstanding at September 30, 1994                                   3,372,276  $ 2.04 - $4.53
  Granted                                                             904,636  $ 4.60 - $5.54
  Exercised.....................................................   (1,326,484) $ 2.10 - $2.88
  Canceled......................................................      (16,000) $         2.10
                                                                  -----------
Outstanding at September 30, 1995...............................    2,934,428  $ 2.04 - $5.54
                                                                  -----------
                                                                  -----------
</TABLE>
 
    Of  the outstanding options at September  30, 1995, 1,668,404 had vested. As
of September 30, 1995, options to  purchase 1,392,000 shares were available  for
grant under the 1995 Plan.
 
    No  compensation expense  was recorded  in 1993,  1994 and  1995 because all
options were granted at H&Q's fair market value (see Notes 1 and 2).
 
STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS
 
    In fiscal 1993, 1994 and 1995, the Company awarded Stock Appreciation Rights
(SARs) to key employees and executives. These SARs have a service period of  one
year  and result in additional cash compensation to the individuals based on the
increase in the Company's formula value  (see Note 1) during the service  period
to  which the  SARs relate. The  SARs vest and  are paid over  three years, with
immediate cancellation  of  vesting upon  employment  termination.  Compensation
expense recorded for SARs awards was $361,050, $785,258 and $4,210,216 for 1993,
1994 and 1995, respectively.
 
    The following summarizes SARs as of September 30, 1993, 1994 and 1995:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                   1993        1994        1995
                                                ----------  ----------  ----------
<S>                                             <C>         <C>         <C>
Initial grant.................................   1,044,000   1,260,000   1,794,000
Canceled......................................    (196,000)   (142,000)   (146,000)
                                                ----------  ----------  ----------
SARs remaining................................     848,000   1,118,000   1,648,000
                                                ----------  ----------  ----------
                                                ----------  ----------  ----------
SARs issuance price...........................  $     2.81  $     3.84  $     4.98
</TABLE>
 
    The total SARs liability at September 30, 1995, included in compensation and
benefits payable, will be paid out as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Fiscal 1996.....................................  $2,117,425
<S>                                               <C>
Fiscal 1997.....................................  1,824,159
Fiscal 1998.....................................  1,398,364
                                                  ---------
  Total.........................................  $5,339,948
                                                  ---------
                                                  ---------
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-33
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
               NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                               SEPTEMBER 30, 1995
 
NOTE 12 -- EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS (CONTINUED)
    Subsequent  to September  30, 1995, the  Company issued  2,859,520 SARs that
will result in additional compensation to the awardees based on the increase  in
the  Company's net book value in the 1996 fiscal year. These SARs have a service
period of one year and vest and are paid over three years.
 
NOTE 13 -- NET CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS
    As a registered  broker-dealer, H&Q  LLC is  subject to  the Securities  and
Exchange Commission's Uniform Net Capital Rule 15c3-1 (the Rule) and the capital
rules  of the New York Stock  Exchange, Inc., of which H&Q  LLC is a member. H&Q
LLC has elected to compute its  net capital requirement under the  "alternative"
method,  which requires minimum net capital to be the greater of $1,000,000 or 2
percent of aggregate  debit balances  arising from  customers' transactions,  as
defined. The Rule also provides that equity capital may not be withdrawn or cash
distributions  paid if the resulting net capital  would be less than the amounts
required under the Rule. Accordingly, the payment of distributions and  advances
to H&Q by H&Q LLC is limited to excess net capital under the most restrictive of
these  requirements. At  September 30, 1994  and 1995, H&Q  LLC's regulatory net
capital of  $14,994,039 and  $30,286,118, respectively,  was 38  percent and  28
percent, respectively, of aggregate debit items and its net capital in excess of
the minimum required was $13,994,039 and $28,191,905, respectively.
 
    As  a registered broker-dealer, RvR Securities  is also subject to the Rule.
RvR Securities has also elected to compute its net capital requirement under the
alternative method. RvR Securities' minimum net capital requirement is $250,000.
At September 30, 1994 and 1995, RvR Securities had regulatory net capital  under
Rule  15c3-1  of $895,904  and $345,010,  respectively, and  its net  capital in
excess of the minimum required was $645,904 and $95,010, respectively.
 
NOTE 14 -- COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
    Aggregate annual  rentals for  office  space under  noncancelable  operating
leases are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FISCAL YEARS
ENDING SEPTEMBER 30
- -----------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                                          <C>
1996.......................................................  $   4,897,824
1997.......................................................      4,926,256
1998.......................................................      4,686,662
1999.......................................................      1,818,796
Thereafter.................................................        151,158
                                                             -------------
                                                             $  16,480,696
                                                             -------------
                                                             -------------
</TABLE>
 
    Certain  of these  leases have  escalation clauses.  Rental expense,  net of
sublease income, charged to occupancy and equipment expense for the years  ended
September  30, 1993, 1994  and 1995, was  $3,588,776, $3,731,112 and $4,297,622,
respectively.
 
    Lewco Securities Corp.  conducts a stock  borrow/stock lending business.  On
behalf  of Lewco, the Company has agreed  to guarantee its proportional share of
secured loans resulting from this  business. The Company's contingent  liability
relating  to  its  net unsecured  position  under this  indemnity  agreement was
$72,211 and $3,796,907 at September 30, 1994 and 1995, respectively.
 
    The Company has  contingent liabilities,  including contractual  commitments
arising  in  the  normal  course  of  business,  the  resolution  of  which,  in
management's opinion, will not have an adverse effect on the Company's financial
position.
 
                                      F-34
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
               NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                               SEPTEMBER 30, 1995
 
NOTE 14 -- COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (CONTINUED)
    As is the case with many firms in the securities industry, the Company is  a
defendant  or co-defendant  in a  number of  lawsuits that  seek substantial and
usually unspecified damages. These suits have arisen in the normal course of the
Company's business and are incidental  to the securities and investment  banking
business.  Most of the proceedings relate  to public underwritings of securities
in which  H&Q  LLC  participated as  a  manager,  co-manager or  member  of  the
underwriting  syndicate.  These cases  involve  claims under  federal  and state
securities laws and seek compensatory and other monetary damages. It is possible
that H&Q and/or H&Q LLC may be called upon as a member of a class of  defendants
or  under the terms of the  underwriting, indemnification or other agreements to
contribute to settlements or judgments arising  out of these cases. The  Company
is  contesting  the  complaints  in  all  cases  and  believes  that  there  are
meritorious defenses in each of these lawsuits. Although the ultimate outcome of
such litigation cannot be  ascertained at this  time, it is  the opinion of  the
Company's  management, based on discussions with counsel, that the resolution of
these actions  and  others  will not  have  a  material adverse  effect  on  the
Company's financial statements taken as a whole.
 
    H&Q  has indemnified certain of its  officers, directors, agents and certain
of its affiliates as permitted under California law. Under these provisions, H&Q
itself is  and  will  be  subject to  indemnification  assertions  by  officers,
directors,  agents or certain of its affiliates who are or may become defendants
in litigation that  may result in  the normal course  of business. Although  the
ultimate  outcome of indemnification assertions  outstanding as of September 30,
1995, cannot be ascertained  at this time,  it is the  opinion of the  Company's
management,  based on  discussions with  counsel, that  the resolution  of these
assertions will not have  a material adverse effect  on the Company's  financial
statements taken as a whole.
 
NOTE 15 -- FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS WITH MARKET RISK AND CONCENTRATIONS OF CREDIT
RISK
    In  the normal  course of  business, H&Q  LLC enters  into various financial
transactions with  off-balance-sheet risk  in  connection with  its  proprietary
trading  activities. These transactions primarily include purchases and sales of
index and equity options. H&Q LLC records its options at market value. H&Q LLC's
options are  primarily executed  to minimize  its market  risk exposure  of  its
underlying  trading  positions  as  well  as  to  benefit  from  changing market
conditions. All options transacted by  H&Q LLC are exchange-traded in  organized
markets  and have terms of less than one year. H&Q LLC's exposure to market risk
is determined  by a  number  of factors,  including  the size,  composition  and
diversification  of positions  held and  market volatility.  Management actively
monitors its  market risk  exposure by  reviewing the  effectiveness of  hedging
strategies  and setting market risk limits. H&Q LLC's exposure to market risk is
immaterial.
 
    The market values of options included in the balance sheets are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                 1994        1995
                                                              ----------  ----------
<S>                                                           <C>         <C>
Options included in--
  Marketable securities.....................................  $  240,726  $  897,048
  Securities sold, not yet purchased........................     246,024     685,487
</TABLE>
 
    In the  normal course  of  business, H&Q  LLC's customer  and  correspondent
clearance  activities involve the execution, settlement and financing of various
customer securities  transactions.  These  activities  may  expose  H&Q  LLC  to
off-balance-sheet  credit  risk in  the  event that  the  customer is  unable to
fulfill its contracted obligations. H&Q LLC's customer securities activities are
transacted on either  a cash or  margin basis. In  margin transactions, H&Q  LLC
extends  credit  to the  customer, subject  to  various regulatory  and internal
margin requirements, collateralized  by cash  and securities  in the  customer's
account.  H&Q  LLC monitors  collateral and  required  margin levels  daily and,
pursuant  to  such   guidelines,  requests  customers   to  deposit   additional
 
                                      F-35
<PAGE>
              HAMBRECHT & QUIST GROUP AND HAMBRECHT & QUIST, L.P.
               NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                               SEPTEMBER 30, 1995
 
NOTE 15 -- FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS WITH MARKET RISK AND CONCENTRATIONS OF CREDIT
RISK (CONTINUED)
collateral  or  reduce  securities positions  when  necessary. H&Q  LLC  is also
exposed to  credit  risk  when  its  margin accounts  or  a  margin  account  is
collateralized  by  a  concentration  of a  particular  security  and  when that
security decreases in value.
 
    In addition, H&Q LLC executes  and clears customer short-sale  transactions.
Such transactions may expose H&Q LLC to off-balance-sheet risk in the event that
margin  requirements are not sufficient to fully cover losses that customers may
incur. In the event that the customer fails to satisfy its obligations, H&Q  LLC
may be required to purchase financial instruments at prevailing market prices in
order to fulfill the customer's obligations.
 
    In  accordance with industry practice, H&Q LLC records customer transactions
on a settlement-date basis, which is  generally three business days after  trade
date.  H&Q LLC is therefore exposed to risk of loss on these transactions in the
event of  the  customers' or  brokers'  inability to  meet  the terms  of  their
contracts,  in  which  case H&Q  LLC  may  have to  purchase  or  sell financial
instruments at prevailing market prices. Settlement of these transactions is not
expected to have a material effect on H&Q LLC's balance sheet.
 
    As a securities broker-dealer, H&Q  LLC provides services to diverse  groups
of  corporations  and  institutional  and  individual  investors.  A substantial
portion  of  H&Q  LLC's  transactions  is   executed  with  and  on  behalf   of
institutional  investors,  including  other  broker-dealers,  commercial  banks,
insurance  companies,   pension  plans,   mutual  funds   and  other   financial
institutions.   H&Q  LLC's   exposure  to   credit  risk   associated  with  the
nonperformance of these  customers in fulfilling  their contractual  obligations
pursuant to securities transactions can be directly impacted by volatile trading
markets.
 
    As   of  September   30,  1995,  the   Company  did   not  have  significant
concentrations of credit risk  with any single counterparty  or with any  single
security.
 
NOTE 16 -- INDUSTRY SEGMENT AND GEOGRAPHIC AREA DATA
    The  Company  is  primarily  engaged  in a  single  line  of  business  as a
securities firm, which comprises  several types of  services, such as  principal
and  agency  transactions,  underwriting and  investment  banking  and long-term
equity investing. These activities constitute a single business segment.
 
    The assets and revenues related to the company's foreign operations are  not
significant.
 
                                      F-36
<PAGE>
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      NO  DEALER, SALESPERSON OR OTHER PERSON  HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY
  INFORMATION OR TO  MAKE ANY  REPRESENTATIONS OTHER THAN  THOSE CONTAINED  IN
  THIS  PROSPECTUS AND, IF GIVEN OR  MADE, SUCH INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATIONS
  MUST NOT BE  RELIED UPON AS  HAVING BEEN  AUTHORIZED BY THE  COMPANY OR  THE
  UNDERWRITERS.  THIS PROSPECTUS  DOES NOT  CONSTITUTE AN  OFFER TO  SELL OR A
  SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY TO  ANY PERSON IN ANY JURISDICTION IN  WHICH
  SUCH  OFFER OR SOLICITATION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL OR TO ANY PERSON TO WHOM IT IS
  UNLAWFUL. NEITHER THE DELIVERY OF THIS PROSPECTUS NOR ANY OFFER OR SALE MADE
  HEREUNDER SHALL, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, CREATE ANY IMPLICATION THAT  THERE
  HAS  BEEN NO CHANGE  IN THE AFFAIRS  OF THE COMPANY  OR THAT THE INFORMATION
  CONTAINED HEREIN IS CORRECT AS OF ANY TIME SUBSEQUENT TO THE DATE HEREOF.
 
                                 --------------
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                   PAGE
                                                   -----
<S>                                             <C>
Prospectus Summary............................           3
Risk Factors..................................           6
The Company...................................          18
Restructuring.................................          19
Use of Proceeds...............................          21
Dividend Policy...............................          21
Capitalization................................          22
Dilution......................................          23
Selected Combined Financial Data..............          24
Management's Discussion and Analysis of
 Financial Condition and Results of
 Operations...................................          26
Business......................................          34
Regulation....................................          55
Net Capital Requirements......................          58
Management....................................          60
Certain Transactions..........................          69
Principal Stockholders........................          73
Description of Capital Stock..................          74
Shares Eligible for Future Sale...............          76
Underwriting..................................          77
Legal Matters.................................          80
Experts.......................................          80
Additional Information........................          80
Index to Financial Statements.................         F-1
</TABLE>
    
 
   
      UNTIL SEPTEMBER 3, 1996 (25 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS), ALL
  DEALERS  EFFECTING  TRANSACTIONS  IN  THE  COMMON  STOCK,  WHETHER  OR   NOT
  PARTICIPATING IN THIS DISTRIBUTION, MAY BE REQUIRED TO DELIVER A PROSPECTUS.
  THIS  IS IN ADDITION  TO THE OBLIGATION  OF DEALERS TO  DELIVER A PROSPECTUS
  WHEN ACTING AS UNDERWRITERS AND WITH  RESPECT TO THEIR UNSOLD ALLOTMENTS  OR
  SUBSCRIPTIONS.
    
 
                                3,500,000 SHARES
 
                            [HAMBRECHT & QUIST LOGO]
 
                                  COMMON STOCK
 
                                 --------------
 
                                   PROSPECTUS
                                 --------------
 
                             HAMBRECHT & QUIST LLC
 
                              MORGAN STANLEY & CO.
                                  INCORPORATED
 
                               SMITH BARNEY INC.
 
   
                                 AUGUST 9, 1996
    
 
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