But real estate prices collapsed, and many of the buyout deals failed.

The company said it had a new plan to finance its $5.1 billion buyout deal.

Those, of course, are the people who are making the buyout deals.

But more than that, many of the employees contend that they had little say in shaping the buyout deal.

Mr. Wolf said earlier that he would leave the company if the buyout deal was completed.

If the buyout deal had been completed, he would have then paid suppliers $200 million to $300 million.

The stock price has fallen 56 percent, to $130.75, from $294 since a buyout deal fell apart in October.

For big buyout deals - those valued at $500 million or more - firms on average paid seven times earnings in 1994.

On October 15, 2009, the buyout deal was still not confirmed, and there were no signs that it will take place in the near future.

The company plans to offer a buyout deal to about 2,500 employees.