Sun shareholders approve Oracle merger

Investors OK the $7.4 billion deal, but acquisition still faces scrutiny by the Justice Department. Java licensing said to be the sticking point.

Lance Whitney Contributing Writer

Lance Whitney is a freelance technology writer and trainer and a former IT professional. He's written for Time, CNET, PCMag, and several other publications. He's the author of two tech books--one on Windows and another on LinkedIn.

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Lance Whitney

July 16, 2009 12:29 p.m. PT

Sun Microsystems announced Thursday that the stockholders at its special meeting voted in favor of the merger agreement with Oracle.

Investors holding approximately 62 percent of all shares of Sun common stock voted yes to the deal under which Oracle will acquire Sun for $9.50 a share in cash, a total of $7.4 billion, or $5.6 billion net of Sun's cash and debt.

The acquisition still faces antitrust scrutiny by the U.S. Department of Justice over one sticking point on Java licensing. But Oracle is confident the merger will be completed by the end of the summer.

The global downturn has been hard on Sun, which is expecting lower sales and a net loss for its fiscal fourth quarter.

Oracle announced its intent to buy Sun on April 20. The announcement followed a lengthy series of talks and meetings between Sun and other suitors looking to pick up the company.