JUSTICE DEPARTMENT STATEMENT REGARDING DISTRICT COURT’S DECISION IN U.S. V. ORACLE

WASHINGTON, D.C. - R. Hewitt Pate, Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Department’s Antitrust Division, made the following statement today after the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Judge Vaughn R. Walker, issued its decision regarding the Justice Department’s challenge to Oracle Corp.’s proposed acquisition of PeopleSoft Inc.:

“We are disappointed in the Court’s decision. We believe the facts and evidence in this case support our position that Oracle’s proposed acquisition of PeopleSoft would result in a substantial lessening of competition in the markets for high function Human Resources Management and Financial Management Systems software. The Department is considering its options."

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04-608