Computer giant IBM is to acquire SPSS for around $1.2 billion. The deal should close later this year, subject to shareholder approval, regulatory clearances and other conditions.
IBM will pay all-cash at a price of $50/share for Chicago-based SPSS, which it says will form a major plank of its burgeoning Information on Demand (IOD) software portfolio and business analytics capabilities, including its recently-announced Business Analytics and Optimization Consulting organization, with some 4,000 consultants, and its network of Analytics Solution Centers. The deal represents a 42% premium on SPSS’s closing stock price yesterday.
Big Blue quotes analysts IDC who estimate that the worldwide market for business analytics software will grow by 4% to $25 billion this year. The firm says the moves reflect ‘growing client needs to cut costs, reduce risk, and increase profitability’.
IBM says the combination of its own analytics capability with SPSS’s portfolio of Predictive Analytics Software products (PASW) means that clients will be able to identify which customers to target, how to reach them, when to make contact and the most appropriate action to take. It also cites examples from police services and political campaigns as innovative use of the technology. SPSS will be integrated within IBM’s Information Management software portfolio but the buyer says it will continue to support and enhance SPSS technologies while allowing customers to take advantage of the broader IBM portfolio.
‘With this acquisition, we are extending our capabilities around a new level of analytics that not only provides clients with greater insight – but true foresight’ according to Ambuj Goyal, IBM’s General Manager, Information Management. ‘Predictive analytics can help clients move beyond the ’sense and respond’ mode, which can leave blind spots for strategic information in today’s fast paced environment — to ‘predict and act’ for improved business outcomes.’
IBM also announced today the launch of its Smart Analytics System, a combination of hardware and software that will help clients to analyze structured and unstructured data from multiple sources to forecast business trends. This uses business intelligence, data mining, text analysis and data warehousing software, some of it from the earlier acquisitions of Cognos and Ascential Software. IBM has made about 80 acquisitions in hardware, software and services since CEO Sam Palmisano took the reins in 2002.
SPSS Inc. today announced that its Predictive Analytics data collection survey software was ranked as having the highest customer satisfaction scores for “Online Survey Software Providers” in the Fourth Annual Survey of Market Research Professionals conducted by MarketResearchCareers.
SPSS data collection software received high ratings across numerous attributes including advanced survey creation capabilities, ability to control survey branding and quota management facilities.
Mike Carroll, director of sales and marketing for MarketResearchCareers, said, “We congratulate SPSS Inc. on their number one ranking within our 2009 Annual Survey of Market Research Professionals. With more than 350 evaluations from professionals who regularly use online survey software solutions from 25 leading suppliers, the satisfaction experienced by SPSS customers is the highest in the industry.”
SPSS data collection software supports the entire survey research or feedback lifecycle, from survey design and data collection to analysis and reporting.
Patrick Quigley, global vice president, market research at SPSS Inc., said, “This ranking is a testament to the innovation, product functionality and satisfaction that SPSS data collection software provides to our customers and we are proud to be recognized.
SPSS 16.0 is now available in North America. You can order new licenses of SPSS 16.0 directly from the Web store. Upgrading is also possible.
What’s New in SPSS 16.0: SPSS Base In addition to a new interface, SPSS 16.0 offers expanded analytical capabilities and programmability enhancements, enhanced data management and reporting capabilities, and greater performance through multithreaded algorithms.
Some of our visitors have recently been looking for information about the compatibility of SPSS software with the Microsoft operating system Vista. To check the compatibility of your version of SPSS with different operating systems (OS) , you can view the SPSS Compatibility Matrices. For each of the SPSS products you can check with which OS it is compatible. Right now, only SPSS 15.0 is compatible with Microsoft Windows Vista. There are no versions of the normal SPSS for Windows which are compatible with an 64-bit OS.
However, to use SPSS 15.0 under Vista, you do need to install the SPSS 15 Windows Vista HOTFIX. You need to login to download this hotfix. You can login with your own username and password, or use:
username: guest
password: guest
On the download page you can also find instructions on installation of the hotfix.
If you are curious about the latest developments in SPSS, and want to check out the new – still to become available in store – version of SPSS (15.0), visit this page about the See it in SPSS: free seminar exclusively for SPSS customers. Unfortunately for us, only in the US.
The SPSS 14.0.2 patch is now available at the SPSS site. This is a regularly scheduled patch release. You can find a description of the patch and installation instructions at the above link. The patch is for the English version of SPSS 14, other languages will be available soon. You have to login, but you can also use “guest” as your userid and password to access the patch.
Software companies MicroStrategy Inc. and SPSS Inc. said on Wednesday they have formed an alliance for business development and cooperative marketing.
The two companies signed an agreement to combine MicroStrategy’s business intelligence technology with SPSS’ predictive analytics software, they said in a statement. No financial details were given.
Some of our visitors have recently been looking for information about the compatibility of SPSS software with the Microsoft operating system Vista. To check the compatibility of your version of SPSS with different operating systems (OS) , you can view the 