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Special coverage: Oracle vs. PeopleSoft

PeopleSoft lays out its plans to digest the recently acquired J.D. Edwards, confirming its intention to cut up to 1,000 jobs and to keep the J.D. Edwards product line intact.

CNET staff
10 min read

When Oracle CEO Larry Ellison launched a multibillion takeover of PeopleSoft in early June, he ignited a war of words and lawsuits. Oracle threatened to discontinue its rival's product line, drawing concern that potential customers may shun PeopleSoft until the dust settles. PeopleSoft CEO Craig Conway called Ellison's hostile bid, and his threats, "atrociously bad behavior."

EU seeks longer review of Oracle deal
European antitrust regulators announce that they're extending their review of Oracle's hostile bid for PeopleSoft into an in-depth second phase.
November 17, 2003

latest coverage

PeopleSoft weighs guarantee program
PeopleSoft's board of directors is expected to decide whether to reinstate the company's controversial customer guarantee program.
November 14, 2003

PeopleSoft ruling may wait until 2004
U.S antitrust officials may wait until January to weigh in on Oracle's embattled bid to acquire PeopleSoft, and European regulators are likely to initiate a more in-depth review of the deal.
November 12, 2003

Some PeopleSoft shareholders want refund plan axed
Some PeopleSoft shareholders want to halt the enterprise software maker's customer refund program to create more favorable conditions for rival Oracle if that company's hostile takeover bid proves successful.
November 7, 2003

Oracle says it won't raise bid
An executive says it's unlikely the company will increase its $7.25 billion unsolicited bid for rival PeopleSoft before regulators weigh in on the deal.
September 10, 2003

PeopleSoft details layoff, product plans
The company fills investors in on its plans to digest the recently acquired J.D. Edwards, confirming its intention to lay off up to 1,000 workers while keeping the J.D. Edwards product line intact.
September 4, 2003

Oracle extends PeopleSoft bid, again
The database maker postpones to mid-October its deadline for tendering shares in its hostile $7.25 billion bid for PeopleSoft, its fourth such extension.
September 4, 2003

PeopleSoft loses round in Oracle suit
PeopleSoft fails to persuade a judge to fully open up e-mail and documents relating to Oracle's hostile takeover bid.
September 4, 2003

PeopleSoft buys remaining J.D. Edwards stock
PeopleSoft's CEO says Oracle's plan to disrupt its J.D. Edwards deal has failed. Now he's planning the future of the industry's second biggest business-management software company.
August 29, 2003

Conway to Ellison: It's over
newsmakers PeopleSoft's CEO says Oracle's plan to disrupt its J.D. Edwards deal has failed. Now he's planning the future of the industry's second biggest business-management software company.
August 29, 2003

PeopleSoft CEO: Oracle saga is over
Oracle may be pressing on with a quest to buy PeopleSoft, but PeopleSoft chief Craig Conway tells CNET News.com that the bid is all but dead.
August 27, 2003

Court unseals Oracle e-mails
Recently unsealed internal e-mails from Oracle executives outline the company's strategy and thoughts in its effort to acquire PeopleSoft in a hostile takeover, PeopleSoft says.
August 26, 2003

PeopleSoft renews customer refund plan
The software maker has restarted a customer refund program that's designed to counter the potential harm to its sales from Oracle's hostile buyout offer.
August 26, 2003

Lawsuits chide PeopleSoft over Oracle bid
A handful of PeopleSoft shareholders have filed class-action suits that claimed that the software maker's executives should not have shunned Oracle's buyout attempt.
August 15, 2003

PeopleSoft amends suit against Oracle
The software maker amends a lawsuit against Oracle that charges its rival's unwelcome acquisition bid was mainly designed to disrupt its business.
August 12, 2003

States to query 1,000 in PeopleSoft bid
State attorneys general face the daunting task of interviewing up to 1,000 customers, competitors and consultants in their antitrust review of Oracle's hostile bid for PeopleSoft.
August 11, 2003

PeopleSoft shareholders get more time
Oracle extends the deadline for tendering shares in its hostile bid for PeopleSoft, an expected move, given that antitrust regulators are still pondering the proposed takeover.
August 8, 2003

Canada weighs in on Oracle's takeover bid
The database-software maker's hostile bid for PeopleSoft is currently under review by Canadian antitrust regulators, adding yet another antitrust hurdle for Oracle to jump.
August 8, 2003

Oracle: We'll see you in court eventually
Oracle asks the Delaware Chancery Court to give it until Sept. 15 to decide on a hearing date for its lawsuit against PeopleSoft.
July 28, 2003

Oracle confirms bid for bigger PeopleSoft
Oracle raises its offer to acquire PeopleSoft by nearly $1 billion, reflecting the successful completion of PeopleSoft's bid for J.D. Edwards.
July 24, 2003

Watchdog asks Justice Dept. to block Oracle
Oracle's attempt to acquire PeopleSoft is under attack by a conservative legal action group that is urging federal antitrust regulators to block the deal.
July 22, 2003

PeopleSoft clears acquisition hurdle
The software maker announces that investors have tendered less than 90 percent of J.D. Edwards shares, but closure of the $1.8 billion merger will be delayed by a month.
July 18, 2003

Oracle: We'll support J.D. Edwards users
Oracle promises to support business software from J.D. Edwards, a rival software company that Oracle buyout target PeopleSoft is expected to acquire.
July 17, 2003

Why Oracle-PeopleSoft is a lose-lose
newsmakers He saved Oracle in the early 1990s. Now Larry Ellison's former No. 2, Ray Lane, tells CNET News.com why his old boss would be best served by rethinking his acquisition strategy.
July 17, 2003

Strong quarter for PeopleSoft
The business software maker announces improved second-quarter revenue and moderate earnings growth in the thick of a hostile takeover bid by Oracle.
July 17, 2003

PeopleSoft specifies J.D. Edwards price
The software maker offers details about the exchange ratio it will use to complete its proposed acquisition of J.D. Edwards, with a slight bump upward in the price per share.
July 16, 2003

Oracle CEO says time is on his side
Larry Ellison predicts at an investment banking conference that PeopleSoft will post lackluster results in upcoming quarters, a weakness that could help Oracle's hostile acquisition.
July 15, 2003

PeopleSoft, J.D. Edwards get antitrust OK
Federal antitrust regulators give the companies the green light to merge, a move that points to the closing of that deal and a greater challenge to Oracle's hostile bid.
July 14, 2003

No 'white knight' seen for PeopleSoft
A new Gartner report concludes no other software makers are likely to make a play for Oracle acquisition target PeopleSoft.
July 11, 2003

States prep Oracle-PeopleSoft review
Attorneys general from about 30 states intensify their review of Oracle's $6.3 billion unsolicited bid for PeopleSoft, according to sources.
July 10, 2003

People power to derail Oracle plans?
The database software maker's billion-dollar takeover bid could founder on resistance from PeopleSoft customers.
July 10, 2003

Ellison: We're going to do this deal
The Oracle CEO tells analysts that his company intends to see its pursuit of PeopleSoft through to a successful completion--even if it takes another year.
July 9, 2003

PeopleSoft guarantees may be costly
Oracle may find itself on the hook for $354 million in PeopleSoft customer protection guarantees if it succeeds in its hostile bid for PeopleSoft.
July 3, 2003

Oracle extends PeopleSoft offer deadline
Oracle moves to July 18 the deadline for tendering shares in its hostile takeover bid for PeopleSoft.
July 3, 2003

J.D. Edwards: We're not up for grabs
newsmakers CEO Robert Dutkowsky explains in an interview with CNET News.com how he plans to fight off Larry Ellison's plans to bust up his company's pending merger with PeopleSoft.
July 2, 2003

PeopleSoft foresees earnings strength
The software maker and Oracle acquisition target says it will surpass its earnings expectations, according to preliminary results for the quarter ended June 30.
July 2, 2003

 previous coverage

Oracle lawsuit hearing postponed
Oracle postpones a hearing on its lawsuit against PeopleSoft, a day after federal regulators requested additional information to review the hostile takeover bid.
July 1, 2003

PeopleSoft to shareholders: Shun Oracle
In a letter to stockholders, the company's board says Oracle's takeover offer poses "extraordinary risks" and raises the specter of antitrust investigations.
July 1, 2003

Justice Dept. wants more from Oracle
The software maker gets a second request for information from federal regulators on the lookout for antitrust red flags.
June 30, 2003

PeopleSoft hires antitrust luminary
Attorney Gary Reback, who marshaled industry opposition to Microsoft during the browser wars, is joining PeopleSoft to fend off Oracle's takeover bid.
June 26, 2003

Oracle ready for J.D. Edwards, too
The software maker says it will consider buying PeopleSoft even if the proposed merger with J.D. Edwards goes through--and more acquisitions may be in the cards.
June 25, 2003PeopleSoft rallies for customer support
The software maker's customer advisory board issues a letter to consumers, asking them to show their support for the company as it battles a hostile bid from Oracle.
June 25, 2003Attorneys general weigh Oracle bid
Representatives of state attorneys general throughout the nation discuss Oracle's bid for PeopleSoft, a move that could lead to greater antitrust resistance against the deal.
June 24, 2003Ellison may raise PeopleSoft offer
Speaking in London, Oracle's CEO leaves open the option to top the company's current $6.3 billion offer for rival PeopleSoft. "Never say never," he says.
June 24, 2003J.D. Edwards users oppose Oracle
A poll shows that J.D. Edwards customers back a merger with PeopleSoft but fear that they will have fewer options if Oracle's takeover bid for PeopleSoft succeeds.
June 23, 2003Behind Oracle's unwelcome bid
news.context Is it serious, or is it just a ploy? Wharton experts examine why Oracle's Larry Ellison has decided that now's the right time for his company's hostile takeover bid for PeopleSoft.
June 23, 2003Oracle: PeopleSoft shares in short supply
Only a few investors have tendered shares in Oracle's hostile takeover bid for PeopleSoft, according to a top Oracle exec--but there won't be any rise in the price of its share offer.
June 20, 2003PeopleSoft rejects new Oracle bid
The software maker's board of directors once again spurns Oracle's attempt to buy the company, saying that even though the price is higher, it's still not enough.
June 20, 2003

J.D. Edwards boosts post-merger pay
The business software developer's board has made changes to its severance policy that could give some executives three times their salary if it merges with PeopleSoft.
June 20, 2003

Conway speech ignores Oracle bid
At CeBit America, PeopleSoft CEO Craig Conway talks up enterprise software and makes only a veiled reference to the hostile bid for his company.
June 19, 2003PeopleSoft investors want more cash
Oracle will have to raise its increased offer for the business software maker even higher if it wants to succeed, investors say.
June 18, 2003Oracle ups its PeopleSoft offer
Oracle has raised its takeover bid for PeopleSoft to $19.50 per share, valuing the software company at $6.3 billion, in the latest twist in the highly charged software industry saga.
June 18, 2003

PeopleSoft's pain is SAP's gain
perspective CNET's Dan Farber was on hand to get an earful from SAP supervisory board Chairman Hasso Plattner, who thinks Oracle's acquisition plan will set in motion big changes in the software industry.
June 18, 2003

Connecticut joins Oracle fracas
Citing a potential "terrible waste of time and money," the state plans to file an antitrust suit in order to block Oracle?s proposed buyout of PeopleSoft.
June 18, 2003

PeopleSoft answers threat with guarantee
The company is offering money-back guarantees to prevent customers from fleeing to rivals, according to sources.
June 17, 2003

PeopleSoft, J.D. Edwards amend deal
The switch from an all-stock deal to a stock-and-cash transaction is viewed as an attempt to fend off Oracle.
June 16, 2003

PeopleSoft seeks to reassure customers
In a letter sent to all customers and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Conway characterizes Oracle's bid as "predatory" and asks customers to stand by his company.
June 16, 2003

CEO gets a severance boost
Conway's "golden parachute" was enhanced a month before Oracle launched its bid.
June 13, 2003

Oracle targeted in lawsuit
PeopleSoft seeks an injunction preventing Oracle from proceeding with its $16-a-share bid.
June 13, 2003

The Microsoft connection
perspective The rivalry between CEOs Ellison and Conway eclipses the real subtext to the struggle for PeopleSoft: the coming competition between Oracle and Microsoft for who's going to be No. 1 with enterprise customers.
June 13, 2003

J.D. Edwards sues Oracle
The $1.7 billion suit claims that the database maker has illegally interfered in Edwards' proposed merger with PeopleSoft.
June 12, 2003

Board formally rejects Oracle bid
PeopleSoft's board of directors unanimously recommends that stockholders reject Oracle's takeover offer and reaffirms its commitment to the J.D. Edwards deal.
June 12, 2003

Licenses, support buoy Oracle revenue
Fourth-quarter earnings beat analysts' expectations, and Ellison maintains he is offering a fair price for PeopleSoft.
June 12, 2003

Oracle bid a sign of weakness
Oracle's attempt at a hostile takeover of its rival is yet more evidence of the database giant's struggles to find solid footing in the applications marketplace.
June 12, 2003

Bid for J.D. Edwards moves ahead
PeopleSoft files plans with the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission.
June 12, 2003

Oracle offer to expire July 7
The company's hostile bid will expire early next month, but Oracle expects to extend the offer.
June 9, 2003

D-day for PeopleSoft
update Oracle announces a surprise $5.1 billion takeover bid for the enterprise-software maker, just days after PeopleSoft said it was acquiring rival J.D. Edwards.
June 6, 2003

White knight in the wings?
Now that PeopleSoft has been put into play, the rumor mill is in overdrive--with IBM, SAP and Microsoft all mentioned as possible bidders.
June 6, 2003

Customers wary of deal
IT executives using PeopleSoft products try to make sense of the proposed buyout. A big worry: What will happen to customer support?
June 6, 2003

Oracle's bid is bad for all
news.commentary Over the next few weeks, PeopleSoft's shareholders will decide the fate of Oracle's hostile takeover effort. What's clear is that if the bid succeeds, customers will lose.
June 9, 2003

One acquisition leads to another
PeopleSoft's decision earlier this week to swallow J.D. Edwards led Oracle to launch its hostile takeover of the software maker, many analysts say. But why?
June 6, 2003

What's Wall Street's take?
Oracle's bid may have prompted one reaction that Ellison wasn't counting on: PeopleSoft's stock shot up more than 20 percent.
June 6, 2003

PeopleSoft to buy J.D. Edwards
update The $1.7 billion marriage would help PeopleSoft expand its business presence in manufacturing, distribution and asset-intensive industries.
June 2, 2003