Tech File News briefs 9/1/97

Sage plc, the PC accounting software vendor, reported a 34% increase in pre-tax profits on a turnover of #136.2m to the year ended 30 September 1996. After making provision for exceptional costs relating to the acquisition of the French companies Sybel and SAARI, the company’s profits were #30.1m for the year.

The French acquisitions helped Sage to generate #61.3m of revenue in France and reflect its strategy to expand the company’s international reach, said chairman David Goldman. ‘The Sage name will be used to create an umbrella brand identity to be used alongside local brands on all products in all markets,’ he added.

Sage sees the Windows applications market accelerating, with a large market for upgrades among MS-DOS-based products. In addition, said Goldman, Sybel will help address demand for multi-user client/server applications.

One of the big global players in the accountancy software market, JD Edwards, reported a 40% growth surge in 1996. In its annual results for the year ended 31 October 1996, the US-owned applications developer, said to be the 18th largest software house in the world, reported revenues of $478m, up from $341m in 1995. In the UK, the company brought in $47m.

‘Our growth overall was 30% to 35%, but services was outrageous,’ said Simon Rigden, managing director of JD Edwards UK. In September, the company launched One World, an enterprise-wide collection of financial, distribution and administration solutions for a variety of environments, including AS/ 400, Windows NT and Unix. Satellite Broadcaster BSkyB was the first UK customer.