Business analytics SAS continued its unbroken chain of growth in 2008, logging global revenue of US$2.26 billion, up 5.1% over 2007 results. In the UK, software revenue grew by 6%.
“We achieved our 33rd-year of revenue growth in the worst economy most can remember,” says CEO Jim Goodnight. “This growth is a direct result of being a stable privately held company, which allows us to invest in long-term relationships with employees and customers. SAS’ strongest growth was in analytics, data mining and solutions that help organisations keep current customers and win new ones, manage risk and optimise processes. Goodnight said, “In tough times companies focus on optimising their businesses.”
Strong product coupled with talented employees led to SAS UK, the subsidiary outside of the US, to report a record year for new license sales, with total revenues reaching US$169.0 million. New sales along with strong renewals from existing customers led to overall software growth of 6% to US$146.4 million. SAS UK’s year-on-year growth continued to be supported by its banking business, which grew by 25%; a testament to the fact that SAS helps organisations through the most testing economic circumstances. SAS UK also reported strong growth in the government sector (29%) with major wins in defence, national security and police.
“IDC surveys of business intelligence software buyers during 2008 show that a vendor’s economic viability is gaining in priority as a factor in software selection,” says Henry Morris, senior vice president, Worldwide Software and Service Research at IDC. “SAS’s long-term record of continued year-over-year growth positions it favorably, therefore, in this economic downturn.”
D.C.