NEWS WATCH: SMART & FINAL SELECTS LAWSON FINANCIAL SYSTEM ... ORACLE TO ACQUIRE PROFITLOGIC

SMART & FINAL SELECTS LAWSON FINANCIAL SYSTEM

nsed Lawson Software's Financial and Procurement suites, Lawson, St. Paul, Minn., announced last week. In a statement, Richard Phegley, Smart & Final's senior vice president and chief financial officer, cited the systems' "ability to integrate with other best-in-class systems, competitive total ownership cost and flexible reporting functionality" as key factors in the selection. Lawson signed the deal before its announcement last month that it would merge with Stockholm, Sweden-based Intentia International, which supplies applications in the manufacturing, distribution and maintenance sectors. The merger, valued at $480 million, is expected to close by Dec. 31.

ORACLE TO ACQUIRE PROFITLOGIC

REDWOOD SHORES, CALIF. -- Oracle here has agreed to acquire ProfitLogic, Cambridge, Mass., a provider of price and profit optimization software. ProfitLogic, whose customers include many specialty and department stores, also supplies Meijer and ShopKo Stores. Its software uses customer demand to determine inventory and pricing. The companies anticipate closing the transaction by the end of the month. Terms were not disclosed.