9. IBM-SPSS: $1.2 billion
IBM is spending more than $1 billion to expand its analytics software capabilities, with SPSS and its predictive analytics tools that help companies mine historical business data to identify future trends. "IBM sees potential applications for SPSS tools in helping financial services companies retain customers, preventing crime and picking the optimal site for a new store or factory," the IDG News Service reported in July when the acquisition was announced. The purchase is just the latest step in IBM's strategy of bolstering its line of business analytics tools. Previously, Big Blue acquired data discovery technology from Exeros and paid $5 billion for business intelligence vendor Cognos.
10. Ericsson-Nortel Networks' wireless assets: $1.13 billion
Ericsson won a bidding war over the wireless assets of bankrupt Nortel Networks, beating out offers from Nokia Siemens Networks, the private equity firm MatlinPatterson and Research in Motion. Specifically, Ericsson won Nortel's CDMA and LTE wireless networking business, allowing the Swedish company to strengthen its presence in North America. "Nortel customers in North America that will now be supplied by Ericsson include Verizon Wireless, Sprint, U.S. Cellular, Bell Canada, Leap and Telus," Network World reported when the deal was announced in July. Because of the Nortel purchase and other strategic deals, Ericsson will have 14,000 employees and $5 billion in revenue from North America.
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