Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Burp! That little piece of Syteline tastes like a bad mortgage!

In an interview with Managing Automation, Infor CEO Jim Schaper says they're going to take a little breather from gobbling up software companies. Sadly, it seems the formerly voracious PEGs who funded the takeover spree until now are now worried about the overall state of the debt markets.

It's not fair! Just because Capital One sent all those credit card applications to unemployed people, that doesn't mean we should stop rounding up ERP corpses! What's an ERP graveyard without fresh carrion? :(

Oh well. Schaper does say Infor will concentrate on "preparing the company for an initial public stock offering, which could take place within the next 12 months." That's when the PEGs will cash out, of course. And that gives me an idea.

We've heard similar rumblings from the other end of the spectrum, open source CRM startup SugarCRM. Sugar will do maybe $15 million in revenues this year, but is in a hot space and growing like kudzu organically. Infor will do $2.3 billion (with a B) - that's 153 times more.

Anyone want to bet which company goes out first?

And if you really want to place a bet, talk to me about comparative valuation ranges for the offerings. Comment away!