SAP profits struck down by Oracle litigation
Revenues might have shot up but the German software company suffered thanks to the TomorrowNow lawsuit.


SAP saw profits take a nose dive in 2010 after spending the year at loggerheads with archrivals Oracle.
The German firm saw total revenue in the fourth quarter rise by 27 per cent, amounting to an impressive 4 billion (3.44 billion). However, profits were dramatically reduced by the fine levied on the company in the US courts.
The court case saw TomorrowNow sued by Oracle for illegally downloading software from its website. However, when SAP acquired the company, it also acquired the responsibility and Larry Ellison's software giant was awarded $1.3 billion (818 million) in damages for the theft to come out of SAP's pocket.
This left the firm with a depleted 437 million overall profit down by almost 250 million when compared to the same quarter last year.
SAP has not given up though and pledged to fight the substantial fine laid at its door.
"SAP has great respect for the US legal system and Court decisions," the company said in a statement. "However, SAP believes that the amount awarded by the jury in Oracle v. SAP/TomorrowNow is disproportionate and wrong."
"After the Court has entered final judgment SAP intends to file post-trial motions in the coming weeks asking the Court to reduce the amount of damages awarded, or to order a new trial."
Get the ITPro daily newsletter
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Future Focus 2025 report - the leading guidance on AI, cybersecurity and other IT challenges as per 700+ senior executives
The statement also said the firm would look into appealing if this wasn't granted.
Jennifer Scott is a former freelance journalist and currently political reporter for Sky News. She has a varied writing history, having started her career at Dennis Publishing, working in various roles across its business technology titles, including ITPro. Jennifer has specialised in a number of areas over the years and has produced a wealth of content for ITPro, focusing largely on data storage, networking, cloud computing, and telecommunications.
Most recently Jennifer has turned her skills to the political sphere and broadcast journalism, where she has worked for the BBC as a political reporter, before moving to Sky News.
-
Should AI PCs be part of your next hardware refresh?
AI PCs are fast becoming a business staple and a surefire way to future-proof your business
By Bobby Hellard Published
-
Westcon-Comstor and Vectra AI launch brace of new channel initiatives
News Westcon-Comstor and Vectra AI have announced the launch of two new channel growth initiatives focused on the managed security service provider (MSSP) space and AWS Marketplace.
By Daniel Todd Published
-
Organizations shift away from Oracle Java as pricing changes bite
News A survey from Azul Systems finds that, along with cost, customers cite a preference for open source and the threat of a Java usage audit
By Emma Woollacott Published
-
Why Java 17 growth is ‘exploding’
News Java 17 is now the most popular LTS version, according to application data from New Relic, but what's driving this growth?
By Steve Ranger Published
-
SuiteWorld 2023: NetSuite's day-two announcements
Live Blog Keep up-to-date with all the day-two announcements from NetSuite SuiteWorld 2023
By Rory Bathgate Last updated
-
Can Oracle really be Linux's knight in shining armor?
Opinion The self-proclaimed champion of open source freedom would like you to forget about its history
By Richard Speed Published
-
SAP's $7.7 billion Qualtrics sale branded a “win-win” situation
News The German software company has sold its 71% stake in Qualtrics which will see the company go private once again
By Zach Marzouk Published
-
Oracle’s Java subscription changes spark concerns over cost hikes for smaller businesses
News Smaller businesses could incur significant cost hikes as high as 1,400% with most new customers expected to pay at least double
By Ross Kelly Published
-
SAP and Qualtrics debut Concur Experience Optimizer for hybrid workplaces
News New solution leverages employee sentiment to redesign travel and expense programs
By Praharsha Anand Published
-
Oracle to launch 14 new cloud regions over the next year
News The company wants to support the demand for its customers as it looks to open at least two regions in each country it operates
By Zach Marzouk Published