Data warehousing and analytics biz Teradata and SAP have ended their long-running legal dispute after the German ERP vendor agreed to cough up $480 million to bring the fighting to a close.
According to an SEC filing last month, the two parties entered into a settlement agreement to "resolve all past and pending litigation" between them, including allegations that SAP violated antitrust law.
"As a result of the [agreement], Teradata will receive a gross payment of $480 million… Upon Teradata's receipt of the settlement, the parties will request that the court dismiss all claims, defenses and counterclaims with prejudice," the statement said.
The net amount after fees is expected to be $355 million to $362 million before taxes, Teradata said.
In June 2018, Teradata sued SAP, alleging the database giant undertook a "decade-long campaign of trade secret misappropriation, copyright infringement and antitrust violations."
Teradata alleged that SAP used its strength in the ERP market to "lure" it into a joint venture in 2008 and then "quickly grab market share" in data warehousing. In September the same year, SAP tried to get the lawsuit thrown out for good, arguing it was "factually groundless." By December, a California court dismissed the request.
According to a regulatory filing [PDF] by Teradata for the quarter ending in September 2025, SAP filed patent infringement counterclaims in July 2019. In August 2020, Teradata filed a second lawsuit against SAP, alleging infringement of four of its US patents. In February 2021, SAP lodged additional patent infringement counterclaims and launched a lawsuit in Germany for infringement of a single German patent.
In November 2021, Teradata's antitrust claims and most of its trade secret claims in the first suit were dismissed. It then appealed. As a result, a three-judge panel heard oral arguments in February 2024, following which Teradata and SAP entered into a partial settlement.
Then in December 2024, a court panel overturned a summary judgment decision against Teradata. In January last year, SAP tried unsuccessfully to get a rehearing. Later, SAP petitioned the Supreme Court, which declined to hear the case. A trial had been scheduled to begin with jury selection at the end of March 2026.
According to the latest filing, the dispute – the result of alleged conduct dating back nearly two decades – has finally concluded. ®
Source: The register