Motley Fool seems to think that the long talked-about takeover of middleware software maker BEA Systems Inc. is more likely to become a reality, given some persistent softness in the company's revenues and some apparent investor fatigue, reflected in the company's stock price, which is now approaching a 52-week low. While BEA's overall revenues are growing, its license revenues — a key measure of growth going forward — were down 9.4% in the recently reported second quarter, following a 9.5% drop in the first quarter.

With private equity buyouts looking less likely these days, the Fool cites both Oracle Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co. as potential strategic buyers. Unhappy large investors may set things in motion. Carl Icahn owns about 7.9 million shares of BEA. —Andrea Orr

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Tags: BEA Systems, Carl Icahn, m&a, mergers