The federal waiting period to raise antitrust concerns around IBMs proposed $1.2 billion acquisition of predictive analytic software maker SPSS passed Sept. 9, removing a significant roadblock to the deal. The next phase will come Oct. 2, when SPSS shareholders are scheduled to vote on the deal.IBMs proposed $1.2 billion acquisition
of predictive analytic software maker SPSS
cleared a significant hurdle Sept. 9, when the waiting period for an antitrust
review of the deal expired.
The next step is for SPSS investors to
vote on the deal. The shareholders meeting is set for Oct. 2 in Chicago.
The two companies on July 28 announced the deal, which will enable IBM
to add more predictive analysis capabilities to its Information on Demand
software.
Adding SPSS as a subsidiary will enable IBM
to offer customers tools to more deeply analyze business data and make
decisions based on the analysis. The two have been longtime partners.
IDC is predicting a healthy market for
business analytic software, with spending on the technology to grow 4 percent
this year over 2008.
IBM has spent the past few years building
up its software business through acquisitions such as Cognos in 2007, which
bolstered its business intelligence capabilities. The moves are centered around
helping businesses better understand the massive amounts of data they collect
and to use that information to improve business plans and outcomes.
They also put IBM in line to compete
more directly with the likes of Oracle, SAS and SAP
in the predictive analytic software space.