Business Objects Raises the Stakes in Business Intelligence With SPSS Predictive Analytics

Business Objects (Nasdaq:BOBJ)(Euronext Paris ISIN code: FR0004026250 - BOB), the world’s leading provider of business intelligence (BI) solutions, and SPSS (Nasdaq:SPSS), a worldwide provider of predictive analytics software, today announced the companies have entered into an original equipment manufacturer agreement in which Business Objects will offer its customers the ability to use SPSS predictive analytics data mining technology as part of the market-leading BusinessObjects™ XI platform. Users of BusinessObjects XI with predictive analytics data mining technology will be able to leverage business predictions to make more informed decisions that can help generate revenue, control expenses, and mitigate risk. Predictive analytics technology helps individuals explore past and present business scenarios, as well as uncover trends and identify outliers, to project future outcomes. For example, a consumer goods sales executive could review historical sales of plasma televisions within different geographies and quickly mine the data for interesting patterns such as anomalies, trends, or relationships that would indicate untapped potential revenue sources - all without having to ask an expert for help. This new information could be used to reallocate sales resources to better take advantage of the opportunity, ultimately helping the company gain competitive advantage and increase revenue while reducing costs. "Business Objects has been a pioneer in delivering business intelligence to all users within the organization so they can gain accurate and timely insight and make informed decisions quickly,” said Juliette Sultan, vice president of Information Discovery and Delivery at Business Objects. "This move to offer predictive analytics as an integral part of our BusinessObjects XI platform is yet another example of our ongoing innovation and market leadership.” "This is truly a market-shaping agreement, validating the increased interest – enterprise-wide – in the value of predictive analytics technology,” said Patrick McCue, SPSS vice president of global alliances. "Together, we will be providing companies with greater access to predictive analytics as a leading-edge competitive tool within the business intelligence framework.” About Business Objects Business Objects has been a pioneer in business intelligence (BI) since the dawn of the category. Today, as the world’s leading BI software company, Business Objects transforms the way the world works through intelligent information. The company helps illuminate understanding and decision-making at more than 45,000 organizations around the globe. Through a combination of innovative technology, global consulting and education services, and the industry’s strongest and most diverse partner network, Business Objects enables companies of all sizes to make transformative business decisions based on intelligent, accurate, and timely information. Business Objects has dual headquarters in San Jose, Calif., and Paris, France. The company’s stock is traded on both the Nasdaq (BOBJ) and Euronext Paris (ISIN: FR0004026250 - BOB) stock exchanges. More information about Business Objects can be found at www.businessobjects.com. About SPSS Inc. SPSS Inc. (Nasdaq:SPSS) is a leading global provider of predictive analytics software and solutions. The company’s predictive analytics technology improves business processes by giving organizations forward visibility for decisions made every day. By incorporating predictive analytics into their daily operations, organizations become Predictive Enterprises — able to direct and automate decisions to meet business goals and achieve a measurable competitive advantage. More than 250,000 public sector, academic, and commercial customers rely on SPSS technology to help increase revenue, reduce costs, and detect and prevent fraud. Founded in 1968, SPSS is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. For additional information, please visit www.spss.com. Business Objects and the Business Objects logo, and BusinessObjects are trademarks or registered trademarks of Business Objects in the United States and/or other countries. All other names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.