SAP, Microsoft Rumored to Be in Acquisition Talks

Did anyone else see this ? I know they "refuted" this at about the same time - but usually, if stock price increases occur - then things are happening on the market. The two software giants are discussing how to change our world (again)

[ QUOTE ]

SAP, Microsoft Rumored to Be in Acquisition Talks
By Reuters
December 4, 2007

The speculation drives up SAP stock prices in Europe.



LONDON (Reuters)—Shares in software maker SAP extended gains and hit the day's high on Monday as traders cited market talk of bid interest from Microsoft.

SAP declined comment.

By 8:30 a.m. EST, shares in SAP were up 1.8 percent at 35.6 euros, figuring among the top gainers in a flat German market .GDAXI. More than 5 million shares were traded in SAP compared with average full-day volume of nearly 8 million traded over the past 30 days.

SAP last week said it expects to launch its 4.8 billion euro offer for Business Objects on December 4 after getting the final required regulatory approval.

The deal represents SAP's biggest acquisition and is a departure from its former strategy of organic growth.


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According to the press I've read, both companies vehemently deny any talks. This can only be construed to mean that the acquisition is a done deal, pending the purchase of regulatory approval. The new company will be called MicroSAP, and the newly joined companies' first product will be MicroSAP R3 2010 -- Human Edition, scheduled for release in 2012. MicroSAP R3 2010 will be released in 6 versions: Home SAP, Office SAP, Professional SAP, Mobile SAP, Enterprise SAP and Ultimate SAP. To help make the historically difficult to master SAP software easier to use, MicroSAP will introduce a new Office Assistant, Büroklammer (a distant cousin of Clippy).

It wouldn't surprise me if Microsoft bought SAP. they have wanted to get in to the ERP space. They use the software and have been doing some joint ventures with them on interoperability between office and SAP. Senior managers at SAP have been dropping like flys lately. What's the new company going to be called? MicroSAPsoft?

From the UK Register, May 2006:

SAP flashed a bit of thigh today, with one of its co-founders saying the company could just possibly be open to being bought and then detailing his three most likely suitors.

And Oracle ain’t one of ‘em.

SAP chairman Hassno Plattner, who still owns 12 per cent of the company and is the only founder still involved with the firm, told the Financial Times that the company was open to being bought out by one of the US technology giants.

“If shareholders think that a combination, and no independence, is better, then it will happen.”

Plattner drew up a dance card for the firm, consisting of IBM, Microsoft and Google. “I don’t see anyone else,” he told the FT.

Plattner then went all coy, straightening the corporate skirt, crossing his ankles and insisting there were no current talks with anyone.

SAP has already flirted with Microsoft in the past, when Oracle was otherwise engaged sucking up PeopleSoft and anyone else it could get its hands on. The talks came to naught, only due to the "complexity" of the deal and subsequent integration.

On Big Blue, Plattner said, “I do not want to say that I dislike IBM so much that I could not imagine such a scenario at all.” We think that sounds like a definitely maybe.

SAP and Microsoft/IBM both make sense in a corporate, two grown-ups settling down together kind of way.

So far, no-one has caught the venerable German firm making cow eyes at those Google upstarts. Until today, that is.

Google and SAP has a slightly different feel about it. Is it us, or is there something just a little bit Mrs Robinson-ish about the buttoned-up but very, very experienced German veteran getting into bed with the bright young things from Silicon Valley?

Come on now...



We all know that the new division will be named "Microsoft for SAPs"...



Robert L. Robinson
JDE Business Systems Analyst
Health Care REIT, Inc.
One SeaGate, Suite 1500
Toledo, Ohio 43604
419/247-2860 / fax 419/247-2826
[email protected]


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Re: RE: SAP, Microsoft Rumored to Be in Acquisition Talks

Puuleeaase. . . . If it's not SAPpySoft it's nothing. It just rolls off the tongue too easily.

And, it's so debonair, not to mention Jingle-friendly!