Carl Icahn, the activist investor, is pressing BEA Systems to put Oracle's $17 per share offer to a shareholder vote. Icahn owns 13 percent of the software maker. "BEA is badly miscalculating Oracle's desire ... Oracle doesn't need BEA. At some point, Oracle will buy these guys, but it's completely at Oracle's discretion," says Peter Goldmacher, a Cowen & Co. analyst. Since there hasn't been a competing offer in the three weeks since the initial unsolicited bid, Oracle remains BEA's only suitor. Correction: Bitches not so jealous after all.

BEA Systems responded quickly to Oracle's rebuff of its $21-a-share counteroffer. We "cannot endorse a proposal that ... significantly undervalues BEA," spake BEA's board. BEA's stock price has fallen below Oracle's $17 bid, which suggests investors think a deal is increasingly unlikely. [Mercury News]

BEA Systems has rejected an unsolicited Oracle takeover bid. BEA believes they are "worth substantially more to Oracle, to others and, more importantly, to our shareholders." One, two, three, four, I declare a bidding war. [SF Chronicle]