Paris-Based BVRP Software Acquires Silicon Valley's V Communications, Leading PC Utilities Software Developer

Business Wire, Feb 1, 2005

PARIS & SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Global Software Developer and Publisher Expands into PC Utilities Market Segment

BVRP Software (ISIN FR0004026714), a global developer and publisher of communications and productivity software listed on the Euronext Nouveau Marche, today announced the acquisition of V Communications, Inc. (VCOM), a San Jose-based leading maker of Utilities software for the global PC market.

Under terms of the agreement, BVRP acquires full control of VCOM, including the California software company's assets, its valuable development expertise and best-selling line of PC Utilities products that includes the award-winning SystemSuite(TM), Fix-It Utilities(TM), Partition Commander(TM), Web Easy(TM) and PowerDesk(R). BVRP will pay $8.5 million in cash and shares with an additional payment of up to $5 million in cash and shares contingent on certain targets being met in 2005-06.

BVRP's acquisition of VCOM will dramatically expand BVRP's product offering in the PC Utilities market and integrates VCOM's San Jose- and Denver-based R&D teams to bolster BVRP's software development capabilities. The acquisition reinforces BVRP's presence in the U.S., where it began operations in 1996 that last year accounted for 44% of BVRP's total revenue.

BVRP also announced concurrent with the acquisition that VCOM will become part of a BVRP corporate reorganization designed to increase market share in the company's core product categories. BVRP will create three new divisions focusing on the Mobility, Productivity and Utility software product lines to further strengthen BVRP's intellectual property and positively contribute to the company profitability. The software will be marketed worldwide in all channels by BVRP's Avanquest Software Publishing division, which currently publishes best-selling software in all product categories from both BVRP and third-party developers.

"VCOM's broad, innovative product portfolio has made them the leader in the PC utility category," said Bruno Vanryb, BVRP's founder, chairman and CEO. "Their outstanding line-up of best-selling software titles is a significant addition to our intellectual property portfolio."

"With strong brands and a well-established presence in each of the Utilities, Productivity and Mobility product categories, BVRP Software as developer and Avanquest as a global publisher are now perfectly positioned to meet and exceed our goal of reaching a 20% market share in all three categories."

BVRP posted annual sales of $74 million (EUR 57M) for 2004 and expects 2004 operating profits to exceed 11%. Taking in account VCOM's profitability and lack of any debt burden, the acquisition will immediately have a positive impact on BVRP's profitability, adding an estimated EUR 0.13 to EUR 0.17 to the earnings per share in 2005.

VCOM sales have gone from $5.5 million in 2002 to approximately $8.3 million in 2004, with strong operating profit surpassing 15% in 2004. BVRP group expects an additional $9-10 million in revenues for 2005 as a result of the acquisition.

As part of the reorganization, VCOM founder and President Frank van Gilluwe has been appointed president of the Utility Software Division. He will join BVRP's Executive Committee and report to CEO Bruno Vanryb. As division president, Mr. van Gilluwe will have responsibility for global market research, product development and marketing investment for the Utility Software category.

"BVRP has expanded rapidly over the past several years and we've been impressed by their capability not only to develop innovative software in the Mobility and Productivity space, but also to strengthen their presence in all territories and all channels through the Avanquest organization," said Mr. Gilluwe. "VCOM is very excited to be joining BVRP to extend its development capabilities and global leadership in the creation, sourcing and publishing of high quality software worldwide."

VCOM's operations will be located in the San Francisco Bay area global headquarters of Avanquest Software Publishing, managed by Christina Seelye, president, Avanquest Software Publishing USA. VCOM's 24 current Silicon Valley employees will continue to be employed at the Avanquest facility.

About BVRP Software

Based in France, with subsidiaries in Germany, Great Britain, Spain and the United States, the BVRP Software Group is a worldwide leading publisher of communications and mobility software and a major provider of personal and professional software designed for utilities, office productivity and multimedia. Founded in 1984, BVRP Software celebrated 20 years of innovation in 2004. BVRP products are marketed in over 100 countries, through e-commerce, OEM partnerships and IT resellers. In June 2003, BVRP Group formed Avanquest Global Software Publishing, a coalition of software publishers offering worldwide publishing resources to software developers everywhere. The group posts revenue of EUR 57M in 2004 with operating profits above 11% (non audited figures - final 2004 annual results published on March 21, 2005). Listed on Euronext (ISIN FR0004026714) since December 1996, BVRP Software is part of the NextEconomy segment and the SBF 250 index. Additional information on BVRP is available at http://www.bvrp.com