Progress Software has reported strong performance for its third quarter ended 31 August: revenue for the quarter was $89.3 million, up 15% (10% at constant currency) from $77.7 million in the third quarter of 2003. Software licence revenue increased 21% (16% at constant currency) to $32.9 million from $27.2 million in the same quarter last year.
The company`s cash and short-term investments at the end of the quarter totalled $185.4 million. During the third quarter, the company bought 403 000 shares of its stock at a cost of $7.8 million.
Locally, Progress Software South Africa`s performance continues to mirror that of its parent, with the company showing new business growth in excess of 20% by the end of the third quarter.
"Progress Software continues to outperform other major software companies," says Rick Parry, MD of Progress Software South Africa. "Sonic Software, ObjectStore and DataDirect continue to perform well by focusing on the increasing demand for real-time data and the growing needs in today`s market for connectivity and integration. And the recently launched Progress OpenEdge 10 Platform is enabling our partners to translate service-oriented architecture (SOA) theory into real applications that respond to the needs of large and small organisations. We believe this demand for SOA-based applications is the key driver behind the fastest ever adoption rate for a new release of the OpenEdge product line." Significant new partners and customers adopting technology from Progress operating companies, or deploying solutions using Progress technology include British Airport Authority, BBS Technologies, DataMirror Mobile Solutions, The Sharper Image and The State of Minnesota. Existing partners and customers which have adopted technology from Progress operating companies, or made substantial additional deployments of Progress technology, include CommerceOne Operations, Deutsche Bank, Exxon Mobile Corporation, Marriott Vacation Club International, Siebel Systems and SSA Global Technologies.
Recent highlights
* An independent study by Infostructure Associates reported that the Progress OpenEdge Studio is more effective than other development solutions for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), SMB-servicing independent software providers (ISVs) and, in most cases, for larger companies developing and deploying business applications. Interviews with end-users focused on OpenEdge Studio and development tools such as those offered for the C# programming language by Microsoft in Visual Studio .NET 2003. Users comparing both toolsets report that OpenEdge has much lower total cost of ownership (TCO) and higher return on investment (ROI). Infostructure also indicated a lower TCO and higher ROI for OpenEdge Studio than other typical "high-productivity" toolsets.
* DataDirect Technologies announced the development of DataDirect XQuery, an embeddable, standards-based software product that enables Java developers to access relational and XML data sources using a single query. Most businesses store and query data with relational databases, but on the Web they use XML to exchange it or prepare it for display. Programmers need to deal with both kinds of data, often at the same time. DataDirect XQuery processes XML and relational data in the same way, making it very easy to combine data sources to create XML for data exchange or display in a browser.
* Sonic Software chief technology evangelist David Chappell`s book, Enterprise Service Bus, generated several positive reviews by trade publications, including this excerpt from Computerworld: "The author provides a foundation-level introduction to enterprise service bus (ESB) technology, including plenty of context about the nascent ESB market and the state of enterprise application integration in general...The book also provides enough granular detail, practical advice and case studies to make it worth the time of IT professionals who are already familiar with ESB technology. And for all segments of the audience, Chappell and his editors have done a splendid job in presenting remarkably straightforward and useful diagrams. Readers would be hard-pressed to find a more lucid or helpful book on a technology topic."
Share
Progress Software South Africa is a subsidiary of US-based Progress Software Corporation, the world leader in the embedded database market. The company provides the underlying software technology and services required for successfully developing, deploying, integrating and managing e-business solutions. Progress actively pursues innovative technologies and new business opportunities that allow companies to make an effective transition to true e-business environments. Progress`s OpenEdge platform enables its partners to deliver lowest cost of ownership applications that are rapidly implemented and easily integrated within and across the extended enterprise.
The company`s extensive partner base includes more than 2 000 application partners and application service providers who supply more than $5 billion in Progress-based applications and services annually. Over 50 000 organisations across 100 countries - including 70% of the Fortune 100 - rely on Progress technology.
Editorial contacts