1999 VARBusiness 500 Reports Enormous Growth Among Information-Technology Resellers

IBM Global Services Retains No. 1 Position

PRNewswire
MANHASSET, N.Y.
Jun 15, 1999

The 1999 VARBusiness 500, which is published in the June 14 issue of CMP Media's VARBusiness, reveals another year of rapid growth for the providers of information-technology solutions. The magazine's fifth annual ranking identifies the 500 largest value-added resellers (VARs), systems integrators and IT consultants by revenue. The 500 companies reported total revenue of $191 billion in 1998, up approximately 24 percent from $155 billion the year before. The top 10 posted sales of $95 billion, compared with $78 billion in 1997.

Mark Kindley, editor, who spearheads the annual compilation, noted that the cumulative sales of the 500 companies would rank first on the Fortune 500, eclipsing General Motors by a margin of $30 billion. "You had to be even larger to make the VARBusiness 500 this year. AppNet Systems Inc., in 500th place, reported revenue of $17.7 million, 28 percent more than the previous year's place holder at $13.8 million." The entire industry looks to these companies to set the direction, Kindley added. "Everyone aspires to be on this list, regardless of size."

IBM Global Services, in first place for the fourth straight year, generated revenue of $29 billion in 1998, up 15 percent from $25.2 billion in 1997. EDS Corp. was second again, with 1998 revenue of $16.9 billion. Compaq Computer Corp.'s Compaq Services division, the re-named professional services unit acquired last year with Digital Equipment Corp., took over Digital's No. 5 position with $7 billion in revenue.

This year's analysis also evaluates the expanding options that VARs have for funding growth, profiles integrators that are tackling the small and midsize business market and explores how the industry is redefining outsourcing.

  The top 10 organizations in the VARBusiness 500 are:

             Company                            Symbol      1998 Revenues
  1.  IBM Global Services (1 last year)         NYSE: IBM    $29.00 billion
  2.  EDS Corp. (2)                             NYSE: EDS     16.90 billion
  3.  GE Capital IT Solutions (4)               NYSE: GE       9.00 billion
  4.  Anderson Consulting (3)                   private        8.31 billion
  5.  Compaq Services (new)                     NYSE: CPQ      7.00 billion
  6.  Computer Sciences Corp. (6)               NYSE: CSC      6.60 billion
  7.  Unisys Services (14)                      NYSE: UIS      4.91 billion
  8.  Science Applications International (7)    private        4.74 billion
  9.  Inacom Corp. (13)                         NYSE: ICO      4.27 billion
  10. Oracle Consulting Services (10)           NYSE: ORCL     3.93 billion

VARBusiness has tracked the industry's top 100 integrators since 1989. The listing was expanded to 500 in 1995 to reflect the category's growth and the importance of mainstream integrators throughout North America. There presently are more than 95,700 network/system integrators, VARs, software developers, value-added dealers, corporate resellers and IT consultants in the United States and Canada.

In addition to being published in the June 14 issue, the VARBusiness 500 report will be posted online at http://www.varbusiness.com/, along with exclusive research and a searchable database.

VARBusiness, the channel's leading magazine, goes behind the headlines, looking at issues and trends from the VAR's point of view, focusing on "what's in it for the VAR" in every article. It provides perspective, in-depth analysis, proprietary research and tools to help resellers and solutions providers grow their business. The rich editorial content provides the crucial how-to information VARs need to manage their business, make product, technology and supplier decisions, and enhance customer relationships. The American Business Press recently honored VARBusiness with a prestigious 1999 Jesse H. Neal Editorial Achievement Award. The magazine's Web site is at http://www.varbusiness.com/.

CMP Media Inc. is the leading high-tech media company providing essential information and marketing services to the entire technology spectrum -- the builders, sellers, and users of technology worldwide. With its portfolio of newspapers, magazines, custom publishing, Internet products, research, consulting and conferences, CMP is uniquely positioned to offer marketers comprehensive, integrated solutions tailored to meet their individual needs. On-line editions of the company's print publications, along with products and services created exclusively for the Internet, can be found on CMPnet at http://www.cmpnet.com/.

SOURCE: CMP Media Inc.

Contact: Alexandra J. Raine, 516-562-7827, araine@cmp.com, or Andrew
Vogel, 516-733-8633, avogel@cmp.com, both of CMP Media

Website: http://www.varbusiness.com/

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