News
Hyperion gets Brio for $140 million
- By Jack Vaughan
- July 30, 2003
Analytical software and business applications maker Hyperion this week agreed to buy long-time business intelligence (BI) tool force Brio Software in a stock deal valued at about $142 million. Hyperion said the purchase would extend its position as a provider of Business Performance Management software.
Coming shortly after Business Objects’ surprise purchase of report powerhouse Crystal Decisions, the move may betoken a long-awaited consolidation in the upper ranks of business intelligence software.
Over the years Brio parlayed a unique position in reports for the Apple platform into a full-range of enterprise intelligence products. Its installed base could provide a boost to Hyperion, which has counted Brio as a technology partner since 1996. Its software sales could in turn benefit from the wide reach of Hyperion.
In the past, Hyperion also forged a partnership with Crystal Decisions -- which now appears set to move to the Business Objects camp -- for strategic OEM sales.
In commenting on the deal, Gartner Research said the Brio purchase would strengthen Hyperion, which, according to Gartner, needed better reporting and query capabilities to access ERP. Making the proper links between CRM and BI has proved challenging to Hyperion, said Gartner.
About the Author
Jack Vaughan is former Editor-at-Large at Application Development Trends magazine.