When was SAP founded?
In 1972, five former IBM employees founded company they call SAP Systemanalyse und Programmentwicklung ("System Analysis and Program Development").Taking the initial form of a private partnership under the German Civil Code, the company establishes its headquarters in Weinheim, Germany, and opens an office in nearby Mannheim. However, SAP's five founders spend most of their time in the data centers of their first customers, which include the German branch of Imperial Chemical Industries in Östringen.
Further information can be found on the SAP History page.
What products and services does SAP offer?
As market leader in enterprise application software, SAP pursues a commitment to helping companies of all sizes and industries run better. With its software and services offering, SAP empowers people and organizations to work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively to stay ahead of the competition. More information can be found on the SAP Solutions page.
More information can be found on the SAP Solutions page.
What does the acronym "SAP" stand for?
"SAP" stands for Systems, Applications, and Products in Data Processing.
Where can I find information about the SAP Executive Board?
Access the Executive Board page for information about the SAP Executive Board.
What is SAP's current headcount?
At the end of 2010, our total worldwide headcount expressed in full-time equivalents (FTEs) was 53,513 (December 31, 2009: 47,584 FTEs). This represents an increase in headcount of 5,929 in comparison to 2009. Of the overall headcount increase in 2010, 4,233 resulted from acquisitions, and of those, 3,817 resulted from the acquisition of Sybase in July. On December 31, 2010, the number of employees working for the acquired Sybase business was 3,726. The average number of employees in 2010 was 49,970 (2009: 48,769).
How much does SAP invest annually in research and development?
We must continuously improve our portfolio of products if we wish to maintain and build on our current leading position as a vendor of enterprise application software. In 2010, we increased our research and development (R&D) expense €138 million, or 9 %, to €1,729 million (2009: €1,591 million).
We spent 13.9 % of total revenue on R&D in 2010 (2009: 14.9 %). Our R&D expense as a portion of total operating expenses declined from 19.7 % to 17.5 % year over year. Excluding expenses associated with the TomorrowNow litigation, our R&D expense as a portion of total operating expenses was little changed since the previous year.
What is a credit rating? Does SAP have a credit rating?
A credit rating is a qualified assessment and formal evaluation of a company's creditworthiness and capability of repaying outstanding obligations on time. Credit ratings are especially interesting for companies issuing corporate bonds on the capital market in order to gain additional liquidity in the form of debt.
SAP does not have a credit rating from rating agencies such as Standard & Poor's or Moody's because of our sound liquidity situation and minimal debt.
Do SAP employees participate in the company's success?
SAP offers our employees and managers various investment programs, such as the STAR, LTI, and SOP Plans as well as the Incentive Plan 2010.
What are the largest competitors of SAP?
Our main competitors are Microsoft and Oracle.
When will SAP announce its next quarterly figures?
Announcement dates are listed on our Financial Calendar.
Which accounting standard does SAP use for its annual financial statements?
Since 2008, SAP prepares its consolidated financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) endorsed by the European Union (EU). In addition to providing the disclosures required under IFRS, the notes to our statements contain a great deal of additional detail, which we provide voluntarily.
For more information please refer to the section "Full migration of SAP's financial reporting from U.S. GAAP to IFRS"
In what currency are SAP's results reported?
SAP is a European company, so our results are reported in euros.
Where can I read current SAP business and financial news?
Current SAP business and financial news are listed under Financial News and in the Press Room.
Where can I order SAP's latest annual report?
You can order annual reports through our Information Order Service.
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