Coleman: Cassatt 'Close to the End'

Coleman and others have been quietly shopping Cassatt around for several months, often nearing a deal only to see it collapse. Coleman would not say which companies were approached, but others involved with the talks said the parties included all its blue chip competitors. Google and Amazon, the source said, cut off talks early on, contending they do not want to get into the corporate computing business at present. "I have talked with about a dozen companies, all the usual suspects," says Coleman. "There are one or two possible buyers, and a couple of flickers of interest, but pretty soon I have to think about what's best for my shareholders." Cassatt's software, which Coleman said repeatedly proved its management cost-saving capability, would probably be sold in a bankruptcy to one or another major firm.