Oracle is buying privately held ProfitLogic, a maker of retail forecasting software, for undisclosed terms, the latest in a string of deals by the world's No. 2 software company to consolidate the business software industry.

ProfitLogic makes software that helps retailers make more accurate sales forecasts and pricing decisions by analyzing customer demand patterns. Customers include upscale department store Bloomingdale's and the Toys R Us retail chain.

Oracle said in a statement it expected to close it deal to acquire ProfitLogic of Cambridge, Mass., by the end of July.

The proposed ProfitLogic merger follows four other Oracle takeovers this year, including its $11.1 billion acquisition of rival PeopleSoft and a $700 million deal for retail software maker Retek. Redwood Shores, Calif.-based Oracle has also bought two other privately held software makers.
 
Previous Next Bruce Richardson, a senior software analyst at AMR Research in Boston, said the deal helps Oracle boost its software product offerings in specific "verticals", or industries, such as retail and financial services. Buying small companies also avoids the integration risks associated with large acquisitions, Richardson said.

"This is not a surprise. They want to flesh-out their vertical strategy. ProfitLogic allows Oracle to either integrate the products or sell them on a stand-alone basis," Richardson said.

Oracle is the world's biggest database maker, but is hoping to undercut market leader SAP in the market for software applications that automate business processes such as payroll, pension benefits and demand forecasting.