ORCL: Is Oracle About to Strike Again?

By William Trent, CFA of Stock Market Beat

We generally think Oracle’s (ORCL) acquisition strategy is the right thing for the company and for the industry. Software companies are generally under-leveraged, and even paying for the acquisition in cash would leave the company with very little net debt and combined annual cash flows of nearly $4 billion to offset the current debt of $5.7 billion. So we say they were overdue for another big buyout.
Right on schedule, according to the New York Times, Oracle to buy Hyperion for $3B:

Oracle Corp., the world’s top database software maker, is near an agreement to buy Hyperion Solutions Corp., which makes software that lets companies analyze and track their performance, for about $3 billion, The New York Times said on Wednesday in its online edition.

If the rumors are correct, the buyout price would be around $50 per Hyperion (HYSL) share, about a 25% premium to the closing price. Given that its shares were already up 30% since issuing a strong outlook in January, its shareholders ought to be pretty happy right now.

The author may hold a position in the securities discussed. The author’s current holdings are as follows: Long: Union Pacific (UNP) put options; Air Products (APD) put options; Bookham (BKHM; Ballard Power (BLDP); Syntax Brillian (BRLC); CMGI (CMGI); Genentech (DNA); Ion Media Networks (ION); Three Five Systems (TFS); IShares Japan (EWJ); StreetTracks Gold (GLD); Starbucks (SBUX); U.S. Oil Fund (USO); Plantronics (PLT) call options; Short: Landstar (LSTR) put options; Plantronics (PLT) put options;

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