He made a $183 billion hostile bid and won the company.

No utility has been able to bring off a hostile bid in recent years, though several have tried.

"Everyone will say this is a hostile bid," he said.

He said Sun was unaware of any plans for a hostile bid.

But the board may be forced into accepting a hostile bid.

Until then, 1987 had been a banner year for hostile bids.

The defeat shows how difficult hostile bids are for technology companies.

In 1988, however, there were 168 hostile bids valued at a total of $222 billion.

However, many other drug companies moved upward in reaction to this hostile bid.

The hostile bid has also shocked at least some German industrial leaders.