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OTTAWA & WESTBOROUGH, Mass.--Cognos (NASDAQ: COGN; TSX: CSN), the world leader in business
intelligence and performance management solutions, and Applix, Inc.
(NASDAQ: APLX), a publicly held company based in Westborough,
Massachusetts and an industry leader in analytics, today jointly
announced that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Antitrust
Division of the United States Department of Justice have granted early
termination of the mandatory waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino
Act (HSR) in connection with the cash tender offer by Cognos for all of
the outstanding common stock of Applix, Inc. at a price of $17.87 per
share. The transaction remains subject to the receipt of other
regulatory approvals, a minimum tender of at least a majority of the
Applix shares then outstanding on a fully diluted basis, and other
customary closing conditions.
About Cognos:
Cognos, the world leader in business intelligence and performance
management solutions, provides world-class enterprise planning and BI
software and services to help companies plan, understand and manage
financial and operational performance. Cognos brings together
technology, analytical applications, best practices, and a broad network
of partners to give customers a complete performance system. The Cognos
performance system is an open and adaptive solution that leverages an
organization’s ERP, packaged applications, and
database investments. It gives customers the ability to answer the
questions – How are we doing? Why are we on or
off track? What should we do about it? – and
enables them to understand and monitor current performance while
planning future business strategies.
Cognos serves more than 23,000 customers in more than 135 countries, and
its top 100 enterprise customers consistently outperform market indexes.
Cognos performance management solutions and services are also available
from more than 3,000 worldwide partners and resellers. For more
information, visit the Cognos Web site at http://www.cognos.com.
Cognos and the Cognos logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of
Cognos Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. All
other names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective
companies. Note to Editors: Copies of previous Cognos press releases and
Corporate and product information are available on the Cognos Web site
at www.cognos.com.
About Applix, Inc.
Applix (NASDAQ: APLX) empowers agile enterprises by offering the only
complete Business Analytics software solution. The Company is focused
exclusively on providing a single, cohesive Performance Management and
Business Intelligence solution, with strategic planning, forecasting,
consolidations, reporting and analytics across financial, operational,
sales and marketing, and human resources departments. The Applix
platform, powered by the renowned TM1 analytics engine, reaches farther,
deploys easier, and reacts faster than any business analytics solution
available today. Applix and its global network of partners help 3,000
customers worldwide manage their business performance and respond
proactively to the marketplace. Headquartered in Westborough, MA, Applix
maintains offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.
Important Information
This document is for informational purposes only and is not an offer to
buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. The
solicitation and the offer to buy shares of Applix’s
common stock will only be made pursuant to an offer to purchase and
related materials that Cognos intends to file with the securities and
exchange commission. Applix will file a solicitation/recommendation
statement with respect to the offer. Once filed, Applix stockholders
should read these materials carefully prior to making any decisions with
respect to the offer because they contain important information,
including the terms and conditions of the offer. Once filed, Applix
stockholders will be able to obtain the offer to purchase, the
solicitation/recommendation statement and related materials with respect
to the offer free of charge at the SEC’s
website at www.sec.gov, from the information agent named in the tender
offer materials, from Applix or from Cognos.
Cautionary Statement Regarding
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release regarding the proposed
transaction between Cognos and Applix and any other statements regarding
Cognos’ or Applix’s
future expectations, beliefs, goals or prospects constitute
forward-looking statements made within the meaning of Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Section 138.4(9) of the Ontario
Securities Act. Any statements that are not statements of historical
fact (including statements containing the words “believes,”
“plans,” “anticipates,”
“expects,” “estimates”
and similar expressions) should also be considered forward-looking
statements. A number of important factors could cause actual results or
events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking
statements, including the parties’ ability to
consummate the transaction; the conditions to the completion of the
transaction, including a sufficient number of Applix shares being
tendered, may not be satisfied, or the regulatory approvals required for
the transaction may not be obtained on the terms expected or on the
anticipated schedule; and the parties’
ability to meet expectations regarding the timing, completion and
accounting and tax treatments of the merger; the possibility that the
parties may be unable to achieve expected synergies and operating
efficiencies in the merger within the expected time-frames or at all and
to successfully integrate Applix’s operations
into those of Cognos; such integration may be more difficult,
time-consuming or costly than expected; revenues following the
transaction may be lower than expected; operating costs, customer loss
and business disruption (including, without limitation, difficulties in
maintaining relationships with employees, customers, clients or
suppliers) may be greater than expected following the transaction; the
retention of certain key employees of Applix may be difficult; Cognos
and Applix are subject to intense competition and increased competition
is expected in the future; the failure to protect either party’s
intellectual property rights may weaken its competitive position; Cognos
is dependent on large transactions; customer decisions are influenced by
general economic conditions; third parties may claim that either party’s
products infringe their intellectual property rights; fluctuations in
foreign currencies could result in transaction losses and increased
expenses; acts of war and terrorism may adversely affect either party’s
business; the volatility of the international marketplace; and the other
factors described in Cognos’ Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 28, 2007 and in its most
recent quarterly report filed with the SEC and the Canadian Securities
Administrators, and Applix’s Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006 and in its most
recent quarterly report filed with the SEC. Cognos and Applix assume no
obligation to update the information in this communication, except as
otherwise required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on these forward-looking statements that speak only as of the
date hereof.
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