Oracle vs. DOJ: Analysts, Lawyers See Different Trial

As the Justice Department's antitrust trial against Oracle(ORCL Quote) crosses its midpoint, some sell-side analysts believe Oracle has emerged in an unexpectedly strong position. But legal experts underscore the fact that the trial's outcome is hardly clear cut.

This week, the Department of Justice called its last witness in its suit to block Oracle's $7.7 billion hostile takeover of PeopleSoft(PSFT Quote), and Oracle began arguing its side of the case. Now in its third week, the antitrust trial under way in federal court in San Francisco is expected to end late next week. A decision by Judge Vaughn Walker is expected in August or September.

"The DOJ's case was surprisingly weak," Pacific Crest analyst Brendan Barnicle declared in a note Tuesday. "Oracle fared extremely well during the DOJ portion, and Oracle is in a good position to build on its arguments with witness testimony over the next two weeks." ...