text: Symantec to acquire Veritas for  #36;13.5B (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Computer security giant Symantec has agreed to buy storage and backup program maker Veritas Software to create the world's fourth largest software company. The all-stock acquisition was initially valued at  #36;13.5 billion, but the price quickly plummeted after investors weighed in on the merger.