NetApp Claims Victory In Bidding For Data Domain

JORDAN ROBERTSON

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — NetApp Inc. has claimed victory over EMC Corp. in a bidding battle for Data Domain Inc., a company whose products help cut unnecessary data storage.

The showdown over a technology that seems an odd fit for both companies might not be over, though.

NetApp and Data Domain said Wednesday they reached a deal for Data Domain to be acquired for $1.9 billion in cash and stock. The announcement caps a two-week public battle for the maker of "de-duplication" machines, but doesn't mean the jostling is done. EMC could come back with another higher offer.

EMC said in a statement that it believes its $30-per-share offer is "superior" because it is all in cash.

An EMC spokesman didn't immediately return a message seeking further comment.

NetApp defended its offer.

"They seem to be saying that the battleground has moved from the dollar-per-share amount into the specifics of the terms of the offer, and we believe we offer better long-term value in our offer," Jay Kidd, NetApp's chief marketing officer, said in an interview.