Oracle Looks to Boost Growth With Biggest Deal in 5 Years

Oracle Corp said it would buy Micros Systems in a $5.3-billion deal as the world's No. 2 business software maker looks to boost flagging growth through acquisitions.. The purchase of Micros, which makes point-of-sale hardware and software for restaurants and hotels, is the first multi-billion dollar acquisition by Oracle in five years and follows disappointing fourth-quarter results.. Analysts said the acquisition could be first in a string of deals for Oracle, which has been stung by aggressive pricing by companies such as Salesforce.com Inc and Workday Inc for their software and internet-based products.. "We view this morning's Micros deal as just the start of what we expect will be a surge of M&A activity for Oracle over the coming year," FBR Capital Markets analyst Daniel Ives wrote in a note to clients.. "It is clear to us that the company needs to quickly put more 'growth fuel in its engine' to catalyze growth in the top-line," Mr Ives said.. Larry Ellison-led Oracle's spree of acquisitions has slowed of late. Micros is the company's largest acquisition since its $5.6-billion purchase of Sun Microsystems in 2009.. Oracle said on Monday it offered Micros shareholders $68 per share, representing a premium of 3.4 per cent to the stock's Friday close.. Micros shares were trading at $67.87 a few minutes after the opening on Monday. Up to Friday's close, they had risen 14 per cent since Bloomberg reported on June 17 that the companies were in talks.. Ives said the Micros deal could help Oracle stave off threat from e-commerce software providers such as Demandware Inc and NetSuite Inc.. Oracle reported on Thursday flat new software sales and internet-based software subscriptions in its fiscal fourth quarter, disappointing investors looking for progress against rivals selling Web-based services.. Oracle said the transaction is expected to add to earnings immediately.. The company's shares were up 0.4 per cent at $40.97 in early trading on Monday.. Copyright @ Thomson Reuters 2014

Oracle Looks to Boost Growth With Biggest Deal in 5 Years

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