In a government deposition, Oracle President Charles Phillips downplayed the relevance of a report he issued in his previous job as Morgan Stanley analyst, in which he declared that SAP, Oracle and PeopleSoft comprised an oligopoly for back-office business applications.
Unless one side or another decides to appeal, Friday's decision could mark the final chapter in a case once said to be a definitive one for antitrust law in the 21st century.
Oracle and federal antitrust regulators are grappling with a key definition that would influence the direction of the government's review of Oracle's bid to merge with rival PeopleSoft.
European antitrust regulators ruled Tuesday that Oracle can proceed with its hostile takeover bid for PeopleSoft, clearing the last regulatory hurdle in the protracted and sometimes tumultuous battle.
After its top-secret merger negotiations with SAP were revealed this month, Microsoft's motivation for the deal was quickly identified: The software giant was looking to gain long-sought enterprise clout through the German company's upscale customer base.
The government's decision to try to block Oracle's bid for PeopleSoft dismissed a potentially dangerous competitor, analysts say: Microsoft.
After its top-secret merger talks with SAP were revealed, Microsoft's motivation for the deal was quickly identified: its interest in the German company was sparked by growth limits in the business software market.
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