During Apria's recent conference call, an analyst asked if Apria believed the restatement put the deal at risk. "We do not believe it rises to that level," said Chris Karkenny, Apria's chief financial officer. Blackstone was aware of the restatement and accounting issues, said Eric Gommel, an analyst with Stifel, Nicolaus & Co. in St. Louis. Apria provides breathing, drug and other treatments to people in their homes. The company has $2 billion in yearly sales and a market value of $780 million at recent check. (Blackstone's $1.6 billion purchase price includes the assumption of Apria debt.) Apria Chief Executive Larry Higby and others declined an interview in the run-up to the shareholder vote. Higby's role after Apria goes private isn't clear yet. Apria said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that neither it nor Blackstone had entered into employment contracts with management.