```
string s =@"&#173;";
string r = HttpUtility.HtmlDecode(s);

string r3 = string.Format("1{0}Jan{0}2007",r);
Console.WriteLine(r3);
if(r3 == "1-Jan-2007")
{
    Console.WriteLine("Equal");
    Console.WriteLine("1-Jan-2007");
}
else
{
    Console.WriteLine("Not Equal");
    Console.WriteLine("1-Jan-2007");

}

```

the Output is 

1-Jan-2007
Not Equal
1-Jan-2007

but when i replace r with "-" i.e string.Format("1{0}Jan{0}2007","-");
the Output is 

1-Jan-2007
Equal
1-Jan-2007