services firms. It is based in Wayne, Pennsylvania, and offers 20,000 customers in 50 countries software, data-protection services and data-storage technology. Its software handles 70 per cent of Nasdaq Stock Market trades. It increased turnover 20 per cent last year to 3.6 billion dollars. Profit was up 23 per cent to 454 million dollars. The deal is the largest takeover by buyout firms since the 1989 purchase of RJR Nabisco Inc. for 31 billion dollars by Kohlberg Kravis. --SP 2347 Local Time 2047 GMT
