Business Objects Launches Portal, 'Seeks Buyer'

French business intelligence software maker Business Objects SA has announced 'Information OnDemand' an online store for 'easy-to-analyze external market information'. Meanwhile French newspaper Le Figaro says the company is seeking a buyer.

Le Figaro says Business Objects has hired Goldman Sachs to look into five possible purchasers, including German-based business software maker SAP AG. However, the paper has not named its source and Business Objects has so far declined to comment. In March, software giant Oracle said it would buy Business Objects' competitor Hyperion Corp. for $3.3 billion, but earlier Oracle had been mentioned as a possible buyer for Business Objects, as had IBM.

Information OnDemand offers companies the chance to 'quickly perform market research, sales planning, financial and competitive analysis, and industry benchmarking' via a web site avalable for general use. Steve Lucas, VP of On Demand Software and Services at Business Objects, says users of the new site can get a 'holistic market view': 'until now, it has been cumbersome and time-intensive to effectively gather the right external information and make it available for key business functions like market analysis and benchmarking. Information OnDemand delivers a five-star experience, allowing companies to instantly access data they need in pre-built, customizable reports and dashboards to easily compare and integrate what's happening in the outside world with internal business information.'

The reports and dashboards, immediately available, are based on data from well-known industry sources including Thomson Financial, eBay, the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Dun & Bradstreet. Customers can purchase individual reports or a subscription.

The company has also announced the availability of eBay market data, via the latter's master distributor of market data, Data Unison. It includes sales and market numbers for top-selling brands, geographic and demographic data for purchases, delivered pre-packaged and ready for analysis.

'Integrating eBay data with Business Objects business intelligence software creates opportunities for businesses to access our data in an easy to use, ready to analyze format, offering a range of analysis on key retail and aggregate consumer behavior data' according to Max Mancini, Senior Director of Disruptive Innovation at eBay.

Business Objects, whose brands include Crystal Reports, has dual headquarters in San Jose, Calif., and Paris, France. The company's stock is traded on both the Nasdaq and Euronext Paris stock exchanges. Web sites are at www.businessobjects.com and www.ondemand.com/information.

Business Objects, whose second-quarter net income rose to $21.60m from $7.95m in the same period last year, recently agreed to acquire FUZZY! Informatik for an undisclosed sum (www.mrweb.com/drno/news7285.htm ).

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

• Business Objects
• All news