IBM Buying Unica

TechCrunch reports that IBM is acquiring marketing software giant Unica for approximately $480 million, or about $21 per share. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2010.

Unica, a publicly-held company that traded on the Nasdaq exchange, offers an enterprise marketing management solution that helps companies manage Web marketing efforts, including Web and customer analytics, search marketing, email marketing, and Website marketing/personalization.

Unica, which will be folded into IBM’s Software Solutions Group, has more than 1,500 customers, including Best Buy, eBay, ING, Monster, Starwood and US Cellular. IBM says that Unica’s technology will help their clients develop more targeted marketing campaigns.

IBM also said that recently acquired software companies Coremetrics and Sterling Commerce will also be bundled with Unica’s offering to customers.

Unica software will also complement the capabilities of IBM's Business Analytics and Optimization Consulting organization, a team of 5,000 consultants and a network of analytics solution centers, backed by an overall investment of more than $11 billion in acquisitions in the last five years.