Today’s Deals: Level 8’s Quest for Stars

 Genesys S.A. to acquire Vialog (VX)

  
* 
Amount:         $241
million

  
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Terms:           
$90 million debt/$13.26 per share

  
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Premium:        n/a

  
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Industry:        Internet
services

  
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Scorecard:      B

BEDFORD, Mass., Oct. 2–Vialog Corporation , a
provider of audio, video and Internet conferencing services, announced it
has reached a definitive agreement to be acquired by France-based
Genesys S.A., an independent global teleconferencing specialist. The
combined company is expected to be the largest independent pure-play
conferencing company in the worldwide teleconferencing industry, serving
over 16,000 customers who will have access to a global solution for all of
their conferencing needs, including reservation-less conferencing and
Internet-based communications. Genesys
S.A. will acquire Vialog for
approximately $241 million, or $90 million in debt plus $13.

26 per Vialog
share.




 

 Netzee (NETZ) to acquire John H. Harland Company
unit

  
* 
Amount:         $16
million

  
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Terms:           
4.4 million shares

  
* 
Premium:        n/a

  
* 
Industry:        Performance
software

  
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Scorecard:      C+

ATLANTA, Oct. 2–Netzee , a provider of
Internet banking products and e-commerce solutions to the financial
services industry, has agreed to acquire John H. Harland Company’s
Internet banking and bill payment businesses that Harland acquired in its
August 2000 acquisition of Concentrex. Upon completion of the transaction,
Netzee is expected to be one of the
largest Internet banking providers in the United States in terms of
installed financial institutions. Netzee agreed to acquire these businesses
for 4.4 million shares of common stock. As a result, Harland, a leading
provider of financial software, printed products and direct marketing to
the financial institution market, will have a 17% ownership interest in
Netzee.




 

 BMC Software (BMCS) to acquire Sylvain
Faust

  
* 
Amount:        
Undisclosed

  
* 
Terms:           
n/a

  
* 
Premium:        n/a

  
* 
Industry:        Performance
software

  
* 
Scorecard:      B

HOUSTON, Oct. 2–BMC Software , a provider
of e-business systems management, and Sylvain Faust, announced that
they have entered into a definitive agreement by which BMC Software will acquire the assets of Sylvain Faust, a Quebec-based
developer of award-winning database solutions. Subject to the terms of the
definitive agreement, the acquisition will extend BMC Software’s market
leading range of data management solutions by adding Sylvain Faust Inc.’s
time-saving SQL tools and utilities and their demonstrated database
solutions. Details of the transaction were not disclosed.




 

 Level 8 (LVEL) to acquire StarQuest
Software

  
* 
Amount:         $12
million

  
* 
Terms:           
500,000 shares/250,000 warrants

  
* 
Premium:        n/a

  
* 
Industry:        Performance
software

  
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Scorecard:      B

CARY, N.C, Oct. 2–Level 8 , a global
provider of high performance e-business integration software, has reached a
definitive agreement to acquire StarQuest Software, a provider of
Internet infrastructure solutions for Cisco routers. The acquisition will
extend Level 8’s industry leadership
with an expanded product portfolio and enable it to provide enhanced
integration connectivity for Cisco platforms. Level 8 will acquire the
issued and outstanding stock of privately held StarQuest for 500,000 shares of Level 8
common stock and 250,000 warrants, which will have an exercise price of $30
per share.




 

 HickoryTech (HTCO) acquires Internet Connections
unit

  
* 
Amount:        
Undisclosed

  
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Terms:           
n/a

  
* 
Premium:        n/a

  
* 
Industry:        Internet
services

  
* 
Scorecard:      C

MANKATO, Minn, Oct. 2–HickoryTech , a
diversified communications holding company operating in Minnesota and Iowa,
announced plans to acquire Mankato, Minnesota-based Internet service
provider Internet Connections’ dial-up Internet customer accounts,
while retaining its Web site development business. Internet Connections has
approximately 5,000 Internet cu

stomers in south central Minnesota and the
Twin Cities area. With the addition of these consumers, HickoryTech will serve approximately
12,000 dial-up customers in dozens of communities in Minnesota and Iowa.




 

 PediaNet.com (PEDN) to merge with Psy-Ed
Corporation

  
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Amount:        
Undisclosed

  
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Terms:           
100% stock

  
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Premium:        n/a

  
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Industry:       
Content/Communities

  
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Scorecard:      D+

BROOKLYN, Oct. 2–PediaNet.com , a pioneer
in the development of Internet based communications and pediatric
information dissemination for both families and professionals, announced
that it has reached an agreement in principle and has executed a letter of
intent to merge with Psy-Ed Corporation d/b/a EP (“Exceptional
Parent”) of Oradell, New Jersey and a thirty-year old international,
award-winning communications company for the families of children and young
adults with disabilities and special health care needs. The transaction
will result in the EP shareholders holding 25% of PediaNet. Further terms of the stock
exchange were not disclosed.




 

 Go Online Networks (GONT) acquires Amer
Software

  
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Amount:

        
Undisclosed

  
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Terms:           
n/a

  
* 
Premium:        n/a

  
* 
Industry:        Internet
services

  
* 
Scorecard:      D

BUENA PARK, Calif., Oct. 2–Go Online Networks announced that they have acquired Amer Software, a
Colorado Corporation. Much like NetStrat, Go Online’s most recent acquisition,
Amer Software was acquired for its cash assets, which will allow Go Online
to move forward with the Company’s long- term strategic acquisition and
operating plans. As a result of this acquisition, Go Online will be
completing a triangular merger between NetStrat, Amer Software, and
Westlake Capital Corp. in which NetStrat and Amer Software will discontinue
all operations and Westlake Capital will continue to exist as the primary
funding subsidiary for Go Online. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.




 

 MoneyZone.com (MNZN) terminates LOI to acquire
Ostrander Burch & Co.

  
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Amount:        
Undisclosed

  
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Terms:           
n/a

  
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Premium:        n/a

  
* 
Industry:        Financial
services

  
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Scorecard:      n/a

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 2–MoneyZone.com
announced that it has terminated the non-binding letter of intent to
acquire Ostrander Burch & Co., which included Carolina Securities,
Crossbridge Capital Partners LLC, and 50% of eCapX.com. Due to recent
developments at Ostrander Burch, MoneyZone.com exercised its right to
terminate the letter of intent, which was subject to the preparation and
execution of a definitive agreement.