Dell has tabled an offer for system management software vendor Quest believed to be valued at $27.50 per share, or approximately $2.3 billion.
Earlier this year, Quest announced that it was going private via a $23 per share buyback with equity firm Insight Venture Partners, but said that it would entertain better offers.
On 14 June, Quest said it had received a $25.50 per share offer from a strategic bidder, and shortly thereafter Insight Venture raised its offer to $25.75 per share, with Vector Capital joining the deal.
As for the offer announced Monday, "the definitive terms and conditions of a merger agreement detailing the proposal have been fully negotiated, and the agreement is subject only to execution by the Company," Quest said in a statement.
It wasn't immediately clear whether other suitors, which could include systems management vendors such as BMC and Hewlett-Packard, would submit counterbids.
Quest is known for its Toad database management software, and also offers Windows Server and data protection tools.
IDG News Service