Oracle to Buy Responsys for $1.5 Billion

by Dan Freeman 
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More evidence (as if we needed more) of the strength of the marketing automation sector came on Friday as Oracle announced the purchase of Responsys for about $1.5 billion.

Interestingly Responsys (MKTG +40.4%) closed Friday at $27.40, $0.40 above Oracle's (ORCL -0.6%) $27/share acquisition price. Speculation grew that investors are betting on an SAP counteroffer arriving soon.

Meanwhile, fellow cloud marketing automation software firms Marketo (MKTO +11.3%) and Constant Contact (CTCT +6.8%) closed up sharply.

As we’ve been saying for the past year, if you are a marketing automation company, this is your moment. Carp diem!

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.
Old Time is still a-flying
And this same flower that smiles today,
Tomorrow will be dying.

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Marketing Growth Strategies LLC has been engaged in research, analysis, lead generation, and client implementation in the Marketing Automation sector since 2009 and has recently revised its highly successful 2014 Marketing Automation eBook.

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