Pushing its Oracle problem
aside for a moment, PeopleSoft launched
a new batch of software upgrades to its J.D. Edwards lineup to address its
presence in supply chain markets.
The improvements are part of the Pleasanton, Calif.-based firm’s
latest release of PeopleSoft EnterpriseOne. Version 8.11 of the platform
adds more than 250 enhancements to current versions and is designed
specifically for manufacturers in the consumer goods, industrial, life
sciences, asset intensive, and project oriented services industries.
The software, which came from the acquisition
of J.D. Edwards, will help expand PeopleSoft’s
reach into new markets. The updated version covers new ways for
designing production lines, processing inbound RFID
application software based on the EnterpriseOne architecture.
One of the prevailing concerns when PeopleSoft announced its intent
to acquire J.D. Edwards was that its software is largely built on the
IBM AS400 platform and would be difficult to reconcile the legacy code
base with PeopleSoft’s younger Web-based infrastructure. PeopleSoft has
since addressed the with the J.D. Edwards team to continue improving
its own software and has teamed
with IBM in a five-year deal.
“PeopleSoft has delivered an unprecedented amount of new
functionality to our EnterpriseOne customers since the acquisition of
J.D. Edwards just 15 months ago,” Les Wyatt, PeopleSoft group vice
president and general manager said in a statement. “With over 250 new
product enhancements in PeopleSoft EnterpriseOne 8.11, we continue to
distance ourselves from the competition.”
PeopleSoft is priming the pump with an upgrade path. The company said
customers running previous versions of PeopleSoft EnterpriseOne can jump
to PeopleSoft EnterpriseOne 8.10 or PeopleSoft EnterpriseOne 8.11 with
the new PeopleSoft Global Services NOW upgrade program, which expires on
Dec. 31.
The refresh is also part of PeopleSoft’s drive toward increasing its
licensing sales, as it struggles to remain a standalone company. Despite
the hostile takeover bid by Oracle and the unexpected firing
of CEO Craig Conway, PeopleSoft estimates its sales in the
last three months will be much better than originally anticipated.
The company said earlier this month that its license revenue should
now fall between $155 million and $165 million. Over the summer,
PeopleSoft said it added more than 150 new customers with 34
transactions with price tags of more than $1 million. The average
selling price for new customers was $454,000, the company said.
But in a Delaware court today, Oracle discounted PeopleSoft’s
estimates, as Bloomberg and other financial publications reported
co-president Safra Catz rating PeopleSoft’s overall losses somewhere
between one-third and one-quarter over previous years. Oracle is in
court this week after it sued PeopleSoft last year to remove its
so-called “poison pill” provisions from hindering the merger.
“PeopleSoft as a stand-alone entity is really not viable longer
term,” Catz told the court. “PeopleSoft knows, longer term, there’s a
problem.”
Last week, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison told the same
court that his company is considering lowering its bid of PeopleSoft.
Still, Oracle extended
its tender offer for PeopleSoft of $21 per-share ($7.7 billion) to
midnight Friday, Oct. 22.
PeopleSoft stock crept down 12 cents to close at $21.83 per share
Monday.
