This fall, leaves will turn bright colors in New England, Americans will elect a new president and what Oracle Corp. plans to do with BEA Systems Inc. after the $8.5 billion acquisition closes may be clearer.
Until then little is certain beyond the "do-the-math" facts that BEA shareholders, led by investor Carl C. Icahn, will make money on the sale and Oracle, led by CEO Larry Ellison, expects to make money from BEA's continuing software licenses and sales.
At a teleconference to announce the deal on Wednesday, Ellison said Oracle expects BEA software sales and license fees to increase Oracle's earnings per share by one to two cents per share in the first 12 months after the deal closes. That apparently assumes that BEA revenues will be robust even if there is a U.S. economic recession.
