SAS positioned in Leaders Quadrant for Business Intelligence Platforms Magic Quadrant

Leading analyst firm evaluates SAS based on completeness of vision and ability to execute

12 January 2006 -  SAS, the leader in business intelligence, has been positioned by Gartner, Inc. in the Leaders Quadrant in the "Magic Quadrant for Business Intelligence Platforms, 1Q06" report. Leaders are vendors that are able to demonstrate reasonably strong breadth and depth of BI platform capabilities, as well as deliver on enterprise-wide implementations that support a broad BI strategy. Leaders successfully articulate a business proposition that resonates with buyers, supported by the viability and operational capability to deliver on a global basis.

"SAS delivers better answers faster with the most comprehensive offering on the market, one that integrates predictive analytics, data management and BI software. Our SAS®9 Enterprise Intelligence Platform brings together all the capabilities necessary for companies to be successful in meeting their business issues head-on," said Jim Davis, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at SAS. "In 2005, customers came to SAS in record-breaking numbers for business intelligence and business analytics software, and we believe SAS' position in the leader quadrant in the Business Intelligence Platforms Magic Quadrant further reflects the confidence our customers have shown in our BI capabilities."

SAS differentiates itself from other conventional BI vendors in the industry by providing unmatched technology and expertise in advanced analytics, data management and tailored solutions for specific industries, such as banking, life sciences, manufacturing and retail. SAS takes enterprises Beyond BI™ with a fast, simple and complete platform that integrates analytics to supply insight and hindsight in the form of historical reports as well as predictive analytics that help predict outcomes and provide greater insight and foresight. With these capabilities, SAS offers users at all levels immediate access to cleansed and reliable data through targeted user interfaces that match the skill level of the individual user. For more information on SAS' industry-leading vision of BI, please visit: www.sas.com/technologies/bi.

To view the Magic Quadrant report, see: www.sas.com/news/analysts

Source: Gartner Research. "Magic Quadrant for Business Intelligence Platforms, 1Q06" by Kurt Schlegel, Bill Hostmann, Andreas Bitterer, Betsy Burton. January 9, 2006.

About the Magic Quadrant
The Magic Quadrant is copyrighted January 9, 2006 by Gartner, Inc. and is reused with permission. The Magic Quadrant is a graphical representation of a marketplace at and for a specific time period. It depicts Gartner's analysis of how certain vendors measure against criteria for that marketplace, as defined by Gartner. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in the Magic Quadrant, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors placed in the "Leaders" quadrant. The Magic Quadrant is intended solely as a research tool, and is not meant to be a specific guide to action. Gartner disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About SAS

For further information, please contact the team at the SAS press office on:
Tel: +44 (0) 1628 490490
e-mail saspressoffice@suk.sas.com
For more information on SAS, please visit www.sas.com/uk

Copyright © SAS Institute Inc. All Rights Reserved.