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SAP offers concessions to EU in effort to ease antitrust concerns

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SAP, Europe’s largest software maker, has proposed concessions to the European Commission in an attempt to head off a potential antitrust investigation and fines, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The German company dominates the enterprise resource planning (ERP) market, providing software that helps firms manage finances, supply chains, HR, and procurement. SAP has long been under scrutiny from EU regulators following complaints about complex licensing terms, the bundling of applications, and difficulties faced by companies trying to switch to rival suppliers.

According to sources, SAP has submitted a proposal aimed at addressing regulators’ concerns, though details of the remedies were not disclosed. If accepted, SAP could avoid a formal investigation and a penalty that could reach up to 10% of its annual global revenue. Both SAP and the European Commission declined to comment.

The Commission previously circulated a 2022 questionnaire to SAP customers asking about their ability to switch to rival vendors, purchase only specific support services, or migrate from on-premise ERP systems to the cloud. The inquiry also raised questions about whether SAP or Oracle had disparaged competitors.

Potential remedies could include giving customers greater flexibility to purchase individual support contracts and lowering barriers to migration between vendors.

SAP also faces antitrust pressure in the United States: in June it asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a ruling requiring it to face a lawsuit from Teradata, which accused the company of anti-competitive practices.

The EU’s decision on SAP’s concessions will determine whether the company averts another high-profile investigation as regulators increase scrutiny of dominant software vendors.

Netskope hits $8.8B valuation as shares soar in Nasdaq debut

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Cybersecurity company Netskope reached a valuation of $8.79 billion on Thursday after its shares jumped 21% in their Nasdaq debut, extending a strong run of tech IPOs this year.

The Santa Clara-based firm’s stock opened at $23, well above the $19 offer price. Netskope raised $908.2 million by selling 47.8 million shares at the top of its $17–$19 range, in an offering that was oversubscribed 20 times, according to CEO Sanjay Beri.

Investor appetite for new issues has surged, with recent listings such as design software firm Figma (FIG.N) drawing strong demand. Netskope’s debut comes as enterprises step up cybersecurity spending amid rising AI-driven threats.

“AI is kind of right in our wheelhouse—securing it, enabling companies to say yes to leveraging it by putting guardrails around it,” Beri told Reuters, adding that going public will help boost Netskope’s visibility.

Founded in 2012, Netskope offers cloud-based security solutions that protect apps, websites, and data. The company was last valued at over $7.5 billion in a 2021 round led by ICONIQ. Its competitors include Palo Alto Networks (PANW.O) and Zscaler (ZS.O).

Analysts caution that Netskope’s long-term success will hinge on profitability, execution, and broader market conditions. “Cybersecurity remains one of the few tech sectors with clear structural demand, yet recent IPO performances have been mixed,” said Kat Liu of IPOX.

While Rubrik (RBRK.N) shares have surged since their debut last year, SailPoint (SAIL.O) has struggled to trade above its offer price. Netskope’s performance will be closely watched as a bellwether for the sector.

Oracle Pauses After AI-Fueled Surge Toward $1 Trillion Valuation

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Oracle shares fell 4% on Thursday, cooling off after a record-breaking 35.9% rally the previous day that had pushed the company’s market capitalization to $933 billion, edging it closer to the trillion-dollar elite. If losses hold, Oracle’s valuation will settle near $894 billion.

Ellison’s Billionaire Climb

The surge has also boosted co-founder Larry Ellison’s fortune to $371.7 billion, putting him within striking distance of Elon Musk ($441.2 billion) for the title of world’s richest person, according to Forbes.

What Fueled the Rally

Oracle’s rise has been powered by multi-billion-dollar AI cloud deals as companies race to secure massive computing power to lead in the AI arms race.

  • On Tuesday, Oracle reported its order backlog was on track to hit $500 billion.

  • The Wall Street Journal revealed OpenAI signed a $300 billion cloud deal with Oracle, one of the largest in history.

Market View

Analysts see the pullback as a breather.

  • Dennis Dick, chief strategist at Stock Trader Network: “A bit of buyer exhaustion here. I think the ‘buy the dip’ crowd is likely to re-emerge. The guidance was so incredible, hard to think that this story is over.”

Oracle’s stock has nearly doubled in 2025, making it one of the top S&P 500 performers, outpacing even the Magnificent Seven tech giants.

Valuation Check

  • Stock price: $314.45

  • Median price target: $342 (approx. +9% upside, LSEG data)

  • Forward P/E ratio: 45.3 vs. Amazon (31.3) and Microsoft (31).

Oracle’s premium valuation reflects investors’ conviction that its AI-powered cloud expansion will continue to drive outsized growth, even as short-term pullbacks test market momentum.