Oracle set to boost retail business with $5bn Micros acquisition

Oracle is expected to acquire internet-enabled point-of sale-specialist Micros

Oracle is expected to acquire internet-enabled point-of sale-specialist Micros.

The $5bn acquisition is set to be Oracle's largest since its decade-long spending spree brought in Siebel, PeopleSoft and BEA.

Oracle's last major retail software acquisition was Retek in 2005.

The addition of Micros is set to boost the company's retail platform and increase Oracle's influence in the food, leisure and hospitality markets.

Oracle is an existing technology partner of Micros, which uses the Oracle stack and Oracle's Real Application Cluster technology to support scalability.

The challenge for Oracle is that Micros is a Microsoft Gold Partner and HP partner. The company's Simphony 2.0 hospitality management is built on Microsoft .Net Framework 3.5, Windows Presentation Foundation, and uses SQL Server 2008 Enterprise and Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R3 operating system.

Oracle's billion-dollar acquisitions

  • 2004 Oracle wins battle for PeopleSoft
  • 2005 Oracle to buy Siebel
  • 2005 Oracle sees off SAP to acquire Retek
  • 2007 Oracle swoops for Hyperion
  • 2008 Oracle to acquire BEA Systems

Micros also has a technology partnership with HP. The company's website says: "The partnership has built a new, incremental business for both companies, currently worth approximately €10m annually to HP Ireland."

Micros' customers include Pizza Hut in the UK, Wagamama, TGI Friday, Aston Villa FC, the Ricoh Arena in Coventry and Marriott International in North America.

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