PeopleSoft said it hoped to complete the 1.75-billion-dollar takeover of J.D. Edwards, which would create the world's second-largest business software group, during the July-September quarter.

Previously, it had said the deal would be wrapped up in the third quarter or early in the fourth quarter.

PeopleSoft also added 863 million dollars in cash to the previously all-stock offer for J. D. Edwards, saying it would finance the cash portion out of its own coffers, which contain about two billion dollars.

The value of the PeopleSoft takeover offer for J. D. Edwards was now 1.75 billion dollars, the two firms said in a joint statement. Earlier, PeopleSoft and J. D. Edwards said the offer was worth 1.7 billion dollars.

"The amended terms of the transaction will minimize customer uncertainty arising from Oracle's recent tender offer and enable PeopleSoft and J.D. Edwards to speed their integration plans," the two firms said.

PeopleSoft has described a 5.1-billion-dollar bid from Oracle last week as an effort to "disrupt" the company during its attempt to merge with J.D. Edwards.

SPACE.WIRE