News

IBM to Purchase Informix Software

• 04/24/2001

On Tuesday, IBM and Informix Corporation announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement for IBM to acquire the assets of Informix Software -- Informix's database business -- in a cash transaction valued at one billion dollars.

IBM hopes the acquisition will strengthen its distributed database business.

"Customers are aggressively investing in data management software because data collection, storage and use are at the core of a successful e-business," said Sam Palmisano, President and Chief Operating Officer of IBM. "This acquisition of Informix allows IBM to bring the benefits of leadership database technologies to more customers faster."

Informix Software is a provider of database management systems for data warehousing, business intelligence and transaction processing. With an installed base of more than 100,000 customers worldwide, Informix delivers high-performance database systems to customers in retail, financial services, government, healthcare, manufacturing, media and publishing, telecommunications and other businesses. Key Informix customers include Verizon, Deutsche Telekom, Sears and Sabre.

Once the acquisition is completed, IBM will:

• Integrate Informix database business operations and personnel into the existing IBM Software data management division led by General Manager Janet Perna.
• Market and sell Informix's database products worldwide through an integrated IBM and Informix sales force.

• Maintain existing relationships with Informix customers and business partners, including support for and updating of current Informix products.

Following the sale of the database business to IBM, Informix Corporation will be totally focused on its other independent operating business -- Ascential Software. Upon the closing of the transaction, Informix Corporation will be renamed Ascential Software. In a separate release today, IBM and Ascential Software announced a global strategic alliance to jointly develop and market information asset management solutions based on Ascential's DataStage, DataStage 390 and Media360 products, as well as IBM's DB2 and related product platforms.

The acquisition is subject to Informix shareholder and regulatory approvals, and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2001.