Jun 282009
Novell Friday told the SEC it wasn’t thinking of shopping itself after JP Morgan analyst John DiFucci said that Novell’s CFO Dana Russell “entertained the possibility of breaking out some parts or of selling the entire company to maximize shareholder value given the current depressed valuation levels.”
DiFucci and Russell had met Thursday and DiFucci concluded that “This theme of a breakup or entire sale is a newer theme than one we have heard to date and could signal the company’s willingness to be acquired.” His research note moved Novell’s stock up 10%.
Of course, without Microsoft propping up its Linux business, Novell would be in the tank.