Learning accepts new offer from Broderbund Software
Article Abstract:
Learning Company accepts a merger offer from Broderbund Software, but short-term stock holders may force Learning to accept a slightly higher offer from Softkey International. The Broderbund offer is worth $555 million and would exchange each share of Learning's common stock for a 0.92 share of Broderbund stock, giving the Learning stock a value of $59.685 per share. The new offer represents a 13% increase over a previous offer of a 0.8125 share of Broderbund for each share of Learning, but still falls below a cash and stock offer from Softkey that values each share of Learning at $64.01. Both Broderbund and Learning cite shared philosophies as reasons for the two companies to merge, claiming that their strategies are more likely to increase the long-term value of the companies. Analysts note that the difference between the competing takeover offer is only 7% and believe that if it remains below 10%, Broderbund may have a chance of prevailing.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1995
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An unusual acquisition in software; Silicon Graphics to buy 2 of its main vendors
Article Abstract:
Silicon Graphics Inc (SGI) announces that it will acquire Alias Research and Wavefront Technologies, both of which supply SGI with three-dimensional (3D) animation software. The deal involves a stock swap of about $500 million. SGI, a leading graphics workstation vendor, is being threatened by stiff competition from Microsoft Corp in the high-end animation market. Microsoft had acquired Softimage Inc, Alias' and Wavefront's main competitor, for $130 million in 1994. Other multimedia software companies, such as Autodesk and Macromedia, are also gaining inroads into the market. SGI will retain Wavefront's development operation in Santa Barbara, CA, and will set up a new software subsidiary in Toronto, where Alias is based. SGI's shares closed at $31, down 62.5 cents, on the New York Stock Exchange.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1995
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For translation software, una rosa ist eine rose is a rose
Article Abstract:
Translation programs that run on PCs are available for as little as $59. Such programs do not generate perfect translations, but outputs can be used as first drafts, to be edited further if idiomatic phrasing is involved, or outputs can serve as memos in circumstances where the gist of a message will do. Two companies have controlled about 85% of the market for PC-based translation software, but the smaller one, Microtac Software, was acquired in Dec 1994 by Globalink Inc, based in Fairfax, VA. Globalink now offers three product lines: the Language Assistant series, which is for consumers, costs $59; Power Translator, for business users, costs, $129; and Power Translator Professional, for corporate or government networks, costs $600.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1995
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