Investors, meanwhile, started taking Oracle more seriously after its last move sweetening its bid to $26 a share, a premium over its current trading price. Shagrin called the latest price a "compelling offer" for PeopleSoft shareholders. "I thought the $26 price was a pretty fair price," he said. But "it doesn't look like we're going to get a chance to see if that price would have been enough to get that deal done."