SAS has reported revenues of $2.31bn in 2009, up 2.2% over 2008 results. Revenue from software sales rose 3.3%. The company has reinvested 23% of its 2009 revenue in R&D.
Among industry-based offerings, growth rates were highest in banking, government, health care, insurance and retail. Of note are increased sales to financial services, which account for 42% of total revenue, while sales to retail saw a 12% increase.
In the government sector, which accounts for 15 percent of SAS revenue, key concerns include declining tax revenue, managing service levels and transparency.
Geographically, the Americas accounted for 44% of the total revenue, while Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region and Asia Pacific region contributed 45% and 11%, respectively. SAS said that 83% of the 120 countries where it does business saw growth in software sales.
Jim Goodnight, CEO of SAS, said: “Our continued growth in 2009 is further proof that investing in long-term relationships with customers and employees and maintaining a deep commitment to R&D pays. In January I told employees there would be no layoffs. I wanted them to stay focused on customer needs and not be distracted by issues related to corporate viability.
“We are seeing growing interest in using data as a strategic asset to combat fraud, make sure taxes are collected most effectively, and ensure that citizens are getting the most for their tax dollar. We’re helping retailers price products and stock stores, taking into account regional, local and even store-level buying preferences of their customers. Retailers have very tight margins and we continue to help them find ways to improve them.”
