▁Wol ters ▁Sam son ▁as ▁a ▁def ensive ▁move ▁against ▁an ▁attempted ▁host ile ▁take over ▁of ▁K lu wer ▁by ▁Else vier ▁▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁– ▁Com pa q ▁mer ges ▁with ▁finan cially ▁weak ▁DE C ▁▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁– ▁D yn egy ▁attempts ▁to ▁merge ▁with ▁En ron ▁to ▁cover ▁En ron ' s ▁massive ▁deb ts ▁( the ▁mer ger ▁failed ▁as ▁it ▁became ▁obvious ▁that ▁En ron ▁had ▁been ▁comm itting ▁fra ud , ▁resulting ▁in ▁the ▁En ron ▁sc andal ) ▁▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁– ▁S AP ▁was ▁seen ▁by ▁anal yst s ▁as ▁the ▁most ▁likely ▁to ▁help ▁defeat ▁Oracle ' s ▁host ile ▁bid ▁for ▁People So ft , ▁but ▁it ▁came ▁to ▁nothing ▁▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁– ▁Sever stal ▁almost ▁acted ▁as ▁a ▁white ▁kn ight ▁to ▁Ar cel or ▁as ▁the ▁mer ger ▁negoti ations ▁were ▁in ▁place ▁between ▁Ar cel or ▁and ▁Mitt al ▁Ste el ▁▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁– ▁Bayer ▁acted ▁as ▁a ▁white ▁kn ight ▁to ▁Sch ering ▁as ▁the ▁mer ger ▁negoti ations ▁were ▁in ▁place ▁between ▁Sch ering ▁and ▁Mer ck ▁K G a A ▁▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁– ▁N iss in ▁Food s ▁launch es ▁a ▁friendly ▁ 3 7 bn ▁y en ▁($ 3 1 4 m ; ▁£ 1 6 6 m ) ▁bid ▁for ▁My o jo ▁Food s ▁after ▁US ▁h edge ▁fund ▁Ste el ▁Part ners ▁offered ▁ 2 9