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TODAY'S HEADLINES
* HP expects $7 billion in internal growth this fiscal year * Despite cost pressures, RFID tags gaining steam * Disclosure of Microsoft talks makes SAP look strong * Oracle sees plenty of competitors * America’s CIOs are shopping again * Investment in supply chain management applications seen growing 5% in 2004 * Asian governments drive open-source Linux software sales * Financial services firms struggle with customer loyalty * Hybrid e-business integration * Microsoft discussed merger with SAP Notice to our readers - June 10 Wednesday, June 9, 2004
HP expects $7 billion in internal growth this fiscal year - Dow Jones/AP Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina is projecting $7 billion in internal growth for the company’s fiscal year that ends October 2004. The numbers, if accurate, are impressive by any standard: "In essence, [HP] created an organic growth company the size of EMC." Fiorina also projects that EPS growth over the next couple of years could be more than 20%; in addition, the company expects to increase its revenue "in the high single-digit percentage range" over the next few years. More good news: HP is adding patents at a rate of 11 per day, as it gears up for "huge opportunities" in untapped markets like digital media. Despite cost pressures, RFID tags gaining steam - InfoWorld At the RFID Update conference in Boston, participants discussed the ways that RFID tags and electronic product codes are revolutionizing supply chains, giving companies the ability to "track products across the supply chain more efficiently than the venerable bar code." Among the key topics discussed: ways that RFID technology can boost overall financial and operational performance; the significance of the Wal-Mart RFID initiative; and examples of companies (Metro AG, Michelin North America) that are experimenting with RFID implementation projects. According to research firm IDC, though, "the real growth in the RFID market won't occur until manufacturers are comfortable with tracking individual items, around 2008…" Disclosure of Microsoft talks makes SAP look strong - New York Times News that Microsoft and SAP conducted merger negotiations in 2003 has left SAP looking "mightier, not more vulnerable," says this article. Unlike other companies that are the subject of M&A; rumors, SAP is actually in the "catbird seat" of a $25 billion industry; in short, "SAP could profitably go it alone" without any assistance from Microsoft. The article takes a look at the key strengths of SAP (e.g. an enviable client list), analyzes the ways that SAP has "benefited nicely" from the Oracle-PeopleSoft hostile takeover bid; speculates about potential software acquisitions on the horizon for SAP and highlights the role that the company’s former CEO (Plattner) might have played in any high-level merger discussions. Oracle sees plenty of competitors - News.com America’s CIOs are shopping again - Business Week Investment in supply chain management applications seen growing 5% in 2004 - Supply & Demand Chain Executive Asian governments drive open-source Linux software sales - Reuters Financial services firms struggle with customer loyalty - CRM Daily Hybrid e-business integration - Line 56 Tuesday, June 8, 2004
Microsoft discussed merger with SAP - Line 56 In late 2003, Microsoft and SAP held "preliminary discussions" about a potential merger, according to statements released by the two companies. The merger talks became public as a result of the "extensive pretrial discovery filings required by the Justice Department in its federal challenge to Oracle's ongoing plans to acquire rival PeopleSoft." While Microsoft and SAP later broke off talks in early 2004 due to the "complexity" of the deal, the two companies eventually signed a Web services agreement and a patent cross-licensing agreement. SAP comments on its exploratory merger discussions with Microsoft: "SAP, like all publicly held corporations, routinely evaluates potential opportunities to strengthen its leading position in the enterprise software market, and the disclosure made today should be interpreted this way." Defense readies RFID policy - Federal Computer Week The U.S. Defense Department will issue an RFID policy in July in an effort to assist agencies and contractors that are preparing to meet a January 2005 deadline for using RFID technology. Going forward, the Defense Department will "explain standards for RFID tags" and outline ways that RFID technology "provides operational and cost benefits for government and industry." According to a supply chain expert with the Defense Department, the DOD and civilian agencies plan to meet over the summer to hammer out a "consistent plan regarding the use of RFID technology." IT security budgets expected to rise - News.com IT security budgets could represent as much as 12% of total IT spending by 2006 for large U.S. enterprises, according to a new study by Meta Group. By 2009, though, IT security budgets will "stabilize" at about 5 to 8% of total IT spending. Currently, Global 2000 companies spend approximately 4% of their IT budgets on IT security. The U.S. continues to be the pacesetter for IT spending, followed by Europe and the "mature" economies of the Asia-Pacific region. On the importance of IT security spending for large enterprises: "Information security remains a top-five issue for CIOs, and the debate regarding appropriate investment levels continues to rage." Oracle plays Microsoft card in PeopleSoft trial - AP Merrill Lynch to HP: time for a breakup - News.com Intel eyeing storage white boxes - News.com Corante is updated by 10:30 a.m. EST every weekday. Copyright 2003 Corante. All rights reserved. Terms of use |
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