NetApp Inc. has claimed victory over EMC Corp. in a bidding battle for Data Domain Inc., a company whose products help cut unnecessary data storage. The showdown over a technology that seems an odd fit for both companies might not be over, though. NetApp and Data Domain said Wednesday they reached a deal for Data Domain to be acquired for $1.9 billion in cash and stock. The announcement caps a two-week public battle for the maker of “de-duplication” machines, but doesn’t mean the jostling is done. EMC could come back with another higher offer. EMC said in a statement that it believes its $30-per-share offer is “superior” because it is all in cash. An EMC spokesman didn’t immediately return a message seeking further comment. NetApp defended its offer. “They seem to be saying that the battleground has moved from the dollar-per-share amount into the specifics of the terms of the offer, and we believe we offer better long-term value in our

offer,” Jay Kidd, NetApp’s chief marketing officer, said in an interview. Brian Marshall, an analyst with Broadpoint.AmTech, said he expects EMC to put up a higher bid out of a desire to keep Data Domain out of a rival’s hands. He said he expects the price for Data Domain to go up to $33 to $35 per share. “If I’m NetApp, I think it’s a difficult proposition to win because EMC has substantially larger resources — it’s my expectation EMC will probably win this war,” he said. “EMC doesn’t really need this company. I just think it’s a defensive move; they don’t want their closest competitor to have it.” EMC had cash and investments of $9.8 billion at the end of its latest quarter, which ended in March. NetApp had $2.6 billion in cash and short-term investments at the end of its latest quarter. EMC has a $25…

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NetApp Claims Victory in Bidding for Data Domain