The business intelligence field continued to become less of a stand-alone business today as IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced its intention to acquire Cognos (Nasdaq: COGN) in an all-cash transaction at a price of approximately $5 billion, or $58 per share, with a net transaction value of $4.9 billion. The acquisition is subject to Cognos shareholder approval, regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. It is expected to close in the first quarter of 2008. In April, Oracle (Nasdaq: ORCL) acquired Hyperion Solutions for about $3.3 billion. Last month, SAP (NYSE: SAP) acquired Business Objects for $6.8 billion. That leaves MicroStrategy (Nasdaq: MSTR) as the only remaining stand-alone business intelligence provider (" Business Intelligence Apps Could Pay for Collectors ," Oct. 17). MicroStrategy's owners said in a conference in Chicago last month that they have no intention of being acquired.