PeopleSoft smoothes over Vantive for $433m

NEWS US ERP vendor PeopleSoft is to buy the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software seller, Vantive Corporation, for $433m. PeopleSoft will integrate Vantive's products into its own ERP packages to provide customers with a combined solution. PeopleSoft plans to offer a revitalised CRM product strategy early in the New Year. The acquisition builds upon a long-term technology partnership between the two companies. The deal has been approved by the boards of both companies but has yet to ratified by Vantive's shareholders. PeopleSoft expects to announce revenues of $290m when it releases quarterly results next week. The move comes as a recent report from AMR Research predicts that by buying up the smaller vendors, the large ERP vendors will quickly come to dominate the CRM market.