Blackboard To Buy Out NTI

CMS/LMS developer Blackboard announced this week its intent to acquire NTI Group. NTI is a provider of mass notification and emergency alert systems used in higher education and K-12. Both companies have already approved the acquisition, and the deal is expected to close this quarter, pending regulatory approval.

"Time-sensitive mass notification systems are a top priority for global academic institutions," said Michael Chasen, Blackboard's president and CEO, in a statement released Jan. 14. "NTI is the leading provider of these systems to educational institutions and government agencies and the addition of their solutions is an excellent next step in the growth of Blackboard's product portfolio. NTI expands our client base significantly and in particular adds more than 1,200 new relationships with key IT decision makers in the K-12 market. I believe the union of our companies will create substantial cross- selling opportunities and add significant shareholder value."

Blackboard said NTI's Connect-ED system is in use in more than 4,900 K-12 schools, colleges and universities. It also serves government and military customers. Connect-ED is a hosted service for education that provides notifications to mobile phones and land lines, text messaging to cell phones and other mobile devices, e-mail notifications, and TTY/TDD messaging. According to research firm the Yankee Group, the mass notification market is expected to become a $1.2 billion industry by 2011.

Under the terms of the deal, Blackboard will acquire NTI for $182 million, $132 million in cash and the remainder in stock. An addition $17 million may be paid in stock based on financial performance over the next two years.

Blackboard also released some details on its performance in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2007, ended Dec. 31. The company said its enterprise licenses totaled 3,935, including the Blackboard Learning System-Enterprise, Blackboard Community System, Blackboard Transaction System, Blackboard Content System, Blackboard Portfolio System, and Blackboard Outcomes System. Revenues for the quarter were $62 million to $63 million, with net earnings of $3.4 million to $3.9 million and a cash flow from operations of more than $25 million. Final results for the quarter and year will be reported Feb. 5.

Read More:

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


Featured

  • interconnected cloud icons with glowing lines on a gradient blue backdrop

    Report: Cloud Certifications Bring Biggest Salary Payoff

    It pays to be conversant in cloud, according to a new study from Skillsoft The company's annual IT skills and salary survey report found that the top three certifications resulting in the highest payoffs salarywise are for skills in the cloud, specifically related to Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud, and Nutanix.

  • a hobbyist in casual clothes holds a hammer and a toolbox, building a DIY structure that symbolizes an AI model

    Ditch the DIY Approach to AI on Campus

    Institutions that do not adopt AI will quickly fall behind. The question is, how can colleges and universities do this systematically, securely, cost-effectively, and efficiently?

  • minimalist geometric grid pattern of blue, gray, and white squares and rectangles

    Windows Server 2025 Release Offers Cloud, Security, and AI Capabilities

    Microsoft has announced the general availability of Windows Server 2025. The release will enable organizations to deploy applications on-premises, in hybrid setups, or fully in the cloud, the company said.

  • digital brain made of blue circuitry on the left and a shield with a glowing lock on the right, set against a dark background with fading binary code

    AI Dominates Key Technologies and Practices in Cybersecurity and Privacy

    AI governance, AI-enabled workforce expansion, and AI-supported cybersecurity training are three of the six key technologies and practices anticipated to have a significant impact on the future of cybersecurity and privacy in higher education, according to the latest Cybersecurity and Privacy edition of the Educause Horizon Report.