Ascential Software Reports Sales JumpAscential Software Reports Sales Jump

Fourth-quarter sales rose 21 percent at data integration firm Ascential Software, which also reported a 48 percent boost in net income over the same period last year, excluding one-time tax items.

After market close Thursday, Ascential reported revenue of $78.2 million in the quarter, up from $64.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2003. Pro forma profits, not including tax adjustments and other items, came in at $8.3 million, compared with pro forma income of $5.6 million in the same period the year prior.

The company's annual sales reached $271.9 million in 2004. Ascential predicted sales will land in the range of $300 million to $315 million this year.

Quarterly software license revenue increased 12 percent over the year prior, to $33.5 million, Ascential said.

Ascential highlighted a number of partnerships that helped it in 2004, including a series of joint deployments undertaken through an alliance with IBM. Late in the year, business intelligence software maker Cognos announced that it would sell its ReportNet platform with Ascential's MetaBroker data integration technology.

Ascential signed 79 new customers in the final quarter of 2004, including Amazon.com, Acxiom, 7-Eleven, Hitachi America, Pfizer, Starbucks and Wachovia.