+++ Neither HP nor Compaq was able, back in '02, to survive independently over the long term. They were both equally ill equipped to deal with changes in the tech marketplace. +++

Not to mention other troubles: the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is suing Hewlett-Packard in a Houston federal court for allegedly demoting a white man and replacing him with a less experienced black woman.

Reverse discrimination.

prEdictshun commented on 9 April 2005:
]]] After that comes the inevitable question two: Which mergers/takeovers will be the first to be unpicked? Who'll be the first to the divorce court? [[[
HP will demerge from Compaq, for starters. In 2005.

No way Jose. Neither HP nor Compaq was able, back in '02, to survive independently over the long term. They were both equally ill equipped to deal with changes in the tech marketplace.

]]] After that comes the inevitable question two: Which mergers/takeovers will be the first to be unpicked? Who'll be the first to the divorce court? [[[

HP will demerge from Compaq, for starters. In 2005.

}}} 3M will merge with Goodyear and issue forth as MMMGood.

Zippo Mfg., Audi Motor Car, Dofasco and Dakota Mining will merge to become, of course, ZipAudiDoDa. {{{

Five more:

* Hale Business Systems, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Fuller Brush, and W.R.Grace Co. will merge and become Hale, Mary, Fuller, Grace.

* Polygram Records, Warner Bros, and Zesta Crackers join forces and become Polly, Warner Cracker.

* Fairchild Electronics and Honeywell Computers will become Fairwell Honeychild.

* Grey Poupon and Docker Pants are expected to become Poupon Pants.

* Knotts Berry Farm and the Nat'l Organization of Women will become Knott NOW!

Too many companies are competing for the small amount of spending in the industry. Look for a reshaping of Silicon Valley companies, new venture capitalists and more ghost buildings.

..[from the article] Back in October, JBoss CEO Marc Fleury commented: "Consolidation is a natural fact in the software markets"..

So...does Fleury think someone will soon snap up JBoss? If so who?

+++Two4One commented on 8 April 2005:
If Microsoft merged with Google you could have Googlesoft.+++

With Google's popularity, knack for hiring top notch talent, ability to get products out of the gate, their billions and a large loyal following, you have to wonder how many engineers at Microsoft are working on their resumes as we speak.

||| Mergermaniacs commented on 8 April 2005:
Wasn't it Mark Ehrlich who used to do those spoof M&As? Here are three I can remember:
3M will merge with Goodyear and issue forth as MMMGood. |||

If Microsoft merged with Google you could have Googlesoft.

Maybe SCO will merge with G2News?

Wasn't it Mark Ehrlich who used to do those spoof M&As? Here are three I can remember:

3M will merge with Goodyear and issue forth as MMMGood.

Zippo Mfg., Audi Motor Car, Dofasco and Dakota Mining will merge to become, of course, ZipAudiDoDa.

Federal Express is expected to join its major competitor, UPS, and consolidate as FedUP!

Look out for more Microsoft acquisitions anytime soon. Yankee Group in '04 predicted it would be of BEA ("Why Microsoft Should Buy BEA Systems," by Dana Gardner) but the game has moved on. Small and often, not one big spree. MS is taking on merged Symantec-Veritas in the security space, and to do that it is certain to have to keep on hoovering up security start-ups.

||| M&A commented on 7 April 2005:
And just today we have CA snapping up Concord |||

Another lousy acquisition - Money losing business for $330 million cash

Interesting how the new president & ceo John Swainson is leading CA straight back into the M&A world they once knew so well..

And just today we have CA snapping up Concord Communiations.