Oracle is preparing to battle US regulators in court if
they move to block the company's $9.4bn takeover bid for
PeopleSoft.
Oracle chief executive Officer Larry Ellison is rallying support
from members of the company's board for a court fight in
anticipation of a possible decision by the US Department of Justice
to oppose the deal.
Earlier this week, PeopleSoft said officials from the DoJ's
antitrust division recommended that the department block the
proposed acquisition.
The DoJ is expected to make a final decision by 2 March.
PeopleSoft has said that the acquisition would significantly
reduce competition in the enterprise software market, and has been
lobbying the DoJ in its case.
Oracle plans to argue that the business software market has been
too narrowly defined and players such as Microsoft have not been
accounted for.
Despite the recommendation to block the buy, Oracle
representatives made clear this week that they were not ready to
give up on the deal.
Oracle said it believes the acquisition will eventually be
approved.
Scarlett Pruitt writes for IDG News Service
