Micron, Oracle settle lawsuit over chip prices

Mar 30, 2012

(AP) -- Micron Technology Inc. has settled a lawsuit in which Oracle Corp. accused the Idaho memory chipmaker and other companies of artificially inflating prices for microchips.

The 2010 lawsuit claimed that Micron and the other companies conspired to raise prices from 1998 through 2002, in violation of federal and state antitrust laws.

Micron makes semiconductor chips for computers, mobile devices, cameras and other devices. It makes products under the Lexar and Crucial brands.

Micron announced the settlement late Thursday without providing details such as financial terms.

Oracle had accused Micron and four other companies of artificially inflating prices above what Oracle's business should have paid for them. The lawsuit that was settled did not name the other companies as defendants.

The Justice Department had investigated whether the companies conspired to manipulate the number of released to market to inflate prices. Micron was granted immunity because it cooperated. The investigation resulted in fines and guilty pleas from four companies - ., Inc., Infineon Technologies AG and Hynix Semiconductor Inc.

Micron said the settlement will result in a net loss of $58 million above what it previously reported for the second fiscal quarter, which ended March 1. That brings the total net loss to $282 million, or 29 cents per share, on revenue of $2 billion.

Micron, which is based in Boise, Idaho, said it will detail the full effects of the settlement in upcoming regulatory filings. The lawsuit has been dismissed with prejudice as part of the settlement, which means it can't be filed again.

Micron's stock fell18 cents, or 2.1 percent to $8.24 in midday trading on Friday following the announcement. Shares of business software maker Oracle, which is based in Redwood City, Calif., fell 11 cents to $29.19.

Explore further: Sony mulls hedge fund's entertainment sale idea

not rated yet
add to favorites email to friend print save as pdf

Related Stories

Calif. jury rejects Rambus antitrust claims

Nov 16, 2011

(AP) -- A California jury denied Rambus Inc. billions of dollars in damages as it determined that chip-makers Micron Technology Inc. and Hynix Semiconductor Inc. didn't conspire to fix prices of memory chips in order to ...

Taiwan seeks merger with restructured Elpida

Feb 29, 2012

(AP) -- Taiwan's government said Wednesday it would continue to push for the consolidation of the island's memory chip makers with Elpida Memory Inc., two days after the Japanese chipmaker filed for bankruptcy.

HP reaches settlement with DOJ in kickbacks case

Aug 03, 2010

(AP) -- Hewlett-Packard Co. said Monday that it has agreed in principle to settle a lawsuit by the Department of Justice, which alleged that HP and other technology companies paid kickbacks to Accenture PLC in exchange for ...

Micron, Intel try out 50 nm NAND memory

Jul 25, 2006

Semiconductor giants Micron and Intel said Tuesday they were sampling the first NAND flash memory chips built on 50-nanometer processing technology.

Recommended for you

Sony mulls hedge fund's entertainment sale idea

2 hours ago

Sony's CEO Kazuo Hirai says the electronics giant's board will discuss a proposal by U.S. hedge fund manager Daniel Loeb to spin off up to 20 percent of its movie, TV and music division.

Apple case seen as possible spur to tax action

2 hours ago

Now that tech favorite Apple Inc. has been dragged front and center into the debate over the U.S. tax code, lawmakers are hoping that the spotlight on such a high-profile company could be the catalyst for ...

Amazon plans greenhouse-style headquarters

14 hours ago

US online giant Amazon has unveiled plans for a futuristic greenhouse style headquarters "where employees can work and socialize in a more natural, park-like setting."

Best Buy reports 1Q loss on restructuring costs

17 hours ago

(AP)—Best Buy Co. on Tuesday reported a loss for its fiscal first quarter as it sold its stake in Best Buy Europe and works on a turnaround plan that includes cutting costs and closing some stores.

Apple's Cook faces Senate questions on taxes (Update)

17 hours ago

The Senate dragged Apple Inc., the world's most valuable company, into the debate over the U.S. tax code Tuesday, grilling CEO Tim Cook over allegations that its Irish subsidiaries help the company avoid ...

User comments : 0

More news stories

Text in on smarter phones

Alternative input methods for smart phones, such as Swype and SwiftKey, offer substantial benefits to users and are comparable with common typing speeds found on computer keyboards, according to a report published by researchers ...

Coral reefs 'ruled by earthquakes and volcanoes'

(Phys.org) —Titanic forces in the Earth's crust explain why the abundance and richness of corals varies dramatically across the vast expanse of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, a world-first study from the ...

Coccoliths thrive despite ocean acidification

Ocean acidification is damaging some marine species while others thrive, say scientists. An international team studied the effect of ocean acidification on plankton in the North Sea over the past forty years, ...