Minneapolis-based National Computer Systems has been awarded contracts with The Home Depot and Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.to gather, process, report and interpret large volumes of data.
Channel One Network, New York, has released its third annual Teen Factbook, a free guide to the consumption and media habits of U.S. teenagers.
Savitz Research Center, Dallas, has reorganized its operations into two distinct companies. The current Savitz companies providing customized primary research and strategic counsel will be consolidated as Savitz Research Solutions. Field research activities and focus group facilities will operate as Savitz Field & Focus. In other news, Roper Starch Worldwide has signed an agreement with Savitz Research Center which calls for 11 members of the Savitz team to join Roper and form the nucleus of a new office. Roper and Savitz will continue as separately owned and operated companies.
In third-quarter earnings news, Information Resources, Inc., Chicago, announced a net loss of ($1.5) million or ($0.05) per diluted share, compared to net earnings of $2.0 million, or $0.07 per diluted share, in 3Q 1997. For the quarter ended September 30, consolidated revenues were $125.3 million, an increase of 8 percent over the third quarter of 1997.
Market Facts, Arlington Heights, Ill., reported third-quarter revenues increased 40 percent to $34.9 million from $24.9 million a year ago. Net income for the quarter rose 70 percent to $2.2 million from $1.3 million, and diluted earnings per share increased to $0.24 per share compared with $0.18 cents in 3Q 1997.
NFO Worldwide, Greenwich, Conn., reported a 33 percent increase to $65.5 million from $49.3 million for the same period last year. Net income for the quarter was $2.6 million, 20 percent lower than the $3.2 million reported last year, while diluted earnings per share were $0.12 compared to last year's $0.15 per share.
At ACNielsen Corp., Stamford, Conn., net income rose 28.9 percent, to $17.7 million, while diluted earnings per share increased 30.4 percent, to $0.30.
PTM Research, Ann Arbor, Mich., has opened a Web site which includes information on company services, staff, capabilities and photographs of the firm's focus group facility.
WMB & Associates (WMB&A) now offers clients the facility to conduct surveys via e-mail. Through pre-selected or purchased e-mail lists clients can obtain near real-time consumer and business research. WMB&A acts as the intermediary to ensure confidentiality. There is automatic response screening to avoid multiple e-mail responses and the ability to do follow-up inquiry to non-respondents.
Arbitron NewMedia, New York, has reached an agreement with Radio Wave.com, the interactive radio subsidiary of Motorola, that will enable Arbitron to provide Internet listener reports for radio stations and other outlets that stream audio programming on the Internet. Arbitron will use RadioWave.com's proprietary software to track Internet listening sessions. On-line and printed reports will be available late this year covering listening to as many as 300 Internet radio stations during the third quarter.
NFO Worldwide, Inc., Greenwich, Conn., has acquired Stochastic International, developer of the Stochastic Reaction Monitor continuous brand tracking system. NFO has also acquired Donovan Research, a full-service research firm serving Western Australia, and City Research Group Plc, a Londonbased firm specializing in the financial services sector.
New York-based USADATA.com has entered into an agreement with Mediamark Research Inc. to make MRI's national consumer database available on the Internet. Demand Research, Inc., Ann Arbor, Mich., has opened a new focus group facility at 2466 East Stadium Blvd., in Ann Arbor. The facility includes a newly decorated conference room, one-way viewing mirror and client viewing room.
Shugoll Research, Bethesda, Md., has received a 1998 Business in the Arts Award in the Commitment category for continuing philanthropy toward programs designed to help arts organizations expand their outreach programs, increase opportunities for children and build audiences. The award, sponsored by the Business Committee for the Arts, Inc., and Forbes magazine, recognizes companies that have evidenced leadership and provided outstanding overall support to the arts for 10 years or longer through a variety of philanthropic and business initiatives.
Pulsar, the interactive analysis package from Pulse Train Technology, is to be used to deliver the data for Audipress and Audiradio, the Italian readership and radio audience surveys, across Italy. Gale Research has moved to 27500 Drake Rd., Farmington Hills, Mich.
Fieldwork Dallas has opened a new focus group facility at 15305 Dallas Parkway, Suite 850, Dallas, Texas. The facility features three focus group rooms, a one-on-one room and an auditorium.
Alliance Research, Inc., headquartered in the Cincinnati area, recently celebrated its tenth year in business.
AIS Market Research has opened a new facility in the Guarantee Financial Center at 1320 E. Shaw Ave., Suite 110, in Fresno, Calif. The 4,000-square-foot facility contains a 35-position computerized phone bank and a full focus group facility.
The Question Shop, Inc., Orange. Calif., has remodeled and expanded its facility, including an enlargement of observation rooms and client lounges, the addition of a mini-group room, new furnishings and audio/video equipment.
Simmons Market Research Bureau and Miami-based Market Segment Research & Consulting (MSR&C) have announced a joint venture to provide knowledge on the U.S. Hispanic market using Simmons Hispanic Report and the MSR&C Ethnic Market Report. The companies will collaborate on customer service, strategic consulting, service enhancements, and all the business development components of the Hispanic study.
Canadian retailer Hudson's Bay Company has signed a contract with Austin, Texas-based Knowledge Discovery One, Inc. (KD1), for KD1's suite of decision support applications.
Questar, an Eagan, Minn.-based research and consulting firm, has acquired the MultiRater Division of National Computer Systems, Minneapolis. Separately, Questar has acquired Keller Research Associates (KRA), a firm specializing in business-to-business customer satisfaction research. KRA will now be known as the Business Research Practice within Questar.
ACNielsen has increased its ownership from 51 percent to 100 percent in AMER Nielsen Research, which covers Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, sub-Saharan Africa, and the India subcontinent. The company has also signed a definitive agreement to acquire a 49 percent stake in AMER World Research Ltd., allowing ACNielsen to expand in the Middle East and North Africa. Under the terms of the agreement, ACNielsen has an option to acquire the remaining 51 percent in 2003. The businesses will now operate under the ACNielsen name.
SPSS Inc., Chicago, was ranked no. 28 in the Data Warehouse Top 100, a market study in which DM Review readers rate the vendors of data warehouse/business intelligence products used in their organizations.