Intense demand for analytics-powered business intelligence propelled BI leader SAS to its 31st straight year of revenue growth. 2007 revenue totalled US$2.15 billion, up 15% over 2006 results, SAS announced recently.
"With structured and unstructured data growing faster every day, it's a great time to be SAS," says CEO Jim Goodnight. "While the dust settles from the BI market consolidation, we're free to focus on what organisations want - raw data assets transformed into useful, trustworthy, timely information for fact-based decisions."
Software industry pundits have predicted slower future growth in the BI market. BI applications accounted for 29% of SAS' 2007 revenue. "We are not seeing a downward trend," Goodnight notes. "Our enterprise intelligence platform, deep analytics and industry solutions set us apart from other BI vendors that specialise in query and reporting applications."
Analysts validate SAS direction
* Recent reports from industry analysts affirm SAS' strategic direction. Leading firm Gartner Inc placed SAS in the Leaders Quadrant of its "Magic Quadrant for Business Intelligence Platforms, 2008.^1
* In The Forrester Wave: Business Performance Solutions, Q4 2007, Forrester Vice-President and Principal Analyst Paul D Hamerman reports that SAS business performance solutions are "well integrated on its business intelligence platform". He also noted that SAS business performance offerings have "particular depth in predictive analytic forecasting, cost and profitability management and industry-specific solutions".
Cross-industry and industry-specific sales strengthen
SAS continued to see significant gains in sales of cross-industry business solutions, highlighted by a 50% jump in sales of customer intelligence solutions.
SAS saw a 28% spike in sales of industry solutions, which help bankers spot fraud, retailers stock the right merchandise, and more.
More than 200 financial institutions worldwide now rely on SAS for Enterprise Risk Management to turn risk concerns, such as regulatory compliance, into a springboard for innovation and competitive advantage.
Global breakdown
Reflecting previous years' results, SAS revenue growth remained globally balanced. The Americas accounted for 44% of total revenue, Europe/Middle East/Africa (EMEA) 45% and Asia/Pacific 11%.
Partnering yields results
SAS' growing network of alliance and channel partners played an integral role in 17% of sales. Of note are strategic deals announced in 2007 that:
* Deeply integrate SAS solutions and enterprise data warehousing products of Teradata Corporation (NYSE: TDC). Both companies are also coordinating marketing, sales and services.
* Expand business intelligence capabilities of Accenture and SAS through increased collaboration.
* A reseller programme announced in 2006 was extended globally in 2007 and is having a growing impact on SAS software sales.
Customer roster grows; existing clients increase SAS use
SAS gained more than 1 100 new customers from around the world in 2007. Existing customers that increased their SAS investment and those new to SAS include: Arbejdsmarkedsstyrelsen, Arcor AG & Co KG, Credit Agricole, Danone, Danske Bank, Dresdner Bank, Equifax Do Brasil LTDA, Grundfos, Haven Holidays, HSBC, Korea Power Exchange, National Geographic Society, National Health Service, Sanofi Aventis, Sephora USA Inc., Teleflora, Vejle Kommune, and Vestas.
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The Magic Quadrant is copyrighted 2008 by Gartner, Inc and is reused with permission. The Magic Quadrant is a graphical representation of a marketplace at and for a specific time period. It depicts Gartner's analysis of how certain vendors measure against criteria for that marketplace, as defined by Gartner. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in the Magic Quadrant, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors placed in the "Leaders" quadrant. The Magic Quadrant is intended solely as a research tool, and is not meant to be a specific guide to action. Gartner disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
1. Gartner, Inc Magic Quadrant for Business Intelligence Platforms, 2008, James Richardson, Kurt Schlegel, Bill Hostmann and Neil McMurchy, 1 February 2008.
SAS
SAS is the leader in business intelligence and analytical software and services. Customers at 43 000 sites use SAS software to improve performance through insight from data, resulting in faster, more accurate business decisions; more profitable relationships with customers and suppliers; compliance with governmental regulations; research breakthroughs; and better products and processes. Only SAS offers leading data integration, storage, analytics and business intelligence applications within a comprehensive enterprise intelligence platform. Since 1976, SAS has been giving customers around the world The Power to Know. http://www.sas.com/ http://www.sas.com/sa
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