Xpedior (XPDR) to acquire Parago unit

   *  Amount:         $800,000

   *  Terms:            150,000-179,450 shares

   *  Premium:        n/a

   *  Industry:        Performance software

   *  Scorecard:      B+

CHICAGO, Sept. 19--Xpedior, a provider of eBusiness solutions to Global 2000 companies and emerging digital businesses, and Parago, a promotional marketing CRM company, announced Xpedior will acquire certain assets from Parago, formerly How2.com, that will expand Xpedior's creative services capabilities. Xpedior will hire up to 24 of Parago's creative design employees, who will bring a number of skillsets such as streaming media and online illustration, enhancing Xpedior's creative services team. Xpedior will issue a minimum of 150,000 and a maximum of 179,540 new shares of Xpedior common stock in exchange for the assets acquired by Xpedior.

 

 Vertex Interactive (VETX) acquires Renaissance Software

   *  Amount:         $50 million

   *  Terms:            3.6 million shares

   *  Premium:        n/a

   *  Industry:        Performance software

   *  Scorecard:      B

CLIFTON, N.J., Sept. 19--Vertex Interactive , provider of business-to-business fulfillment technologies, announced the acquisition of Renaissance Software, a provider of e-business supply chain management software. The acquisition of Renaissance will enable Vertex to offer a broader and more complete suite of supply chain management and technology tools. The transaction is valued at approximately $50 million, paid for through the issuance of approximately 3.6 million shares of Vertex common stock.

 

 HealthStream (HSTM) acquires SynQuest Technologies

   *  Amount:         $4 million

   *  Terms:            820,000 shares + debt

   *  Premium:        n/a

   *  Industry:        Internet services

   *  Scorecard:      C+

NASHVILLE, Sept. 19--HealthStream, a provider of e-learning solutions to healthcare organizations and professionals, announced the completion of a transaction to acquire substantially all of the assets of SynQuest Technologies, a provider of online training and education to hospitals and healthcare organizations. With the acquisition of SynQuest Technologies, based in Raleigh, North Carolina, HealthStream adds more than 300 hospital customers, bringing its total hospital customer base to over 850 hospitals. The consideration paid for SynQuest includes issuance of approximately 820,000 shares of HealthStream common stock and the assumption of approximately $2.5 million of liabilities.

 

 GoHealth.MD to merge with Herb Companion Press

   *  Amount:         Undisclosed

   *  Terms:            n/a

   *  Premium:        n/a

   *  Industry:        Content/Communities

   *  Scorecard:      C

CHERRY HILL, N.J., Sept. 19--GoHealth.MD announced that it has executed the definitive merger agreement with Herb Companion Press of Loveland, Colorado, publisher of Herbs for Health magazine, which has a newsstand and paid circulation of more than 250,000 per issue. The acquisition is intended to accelerate the multi-media platform strategy of GoHealth.MD, which owns and operates HealthMall.com.

 

 Predict It (PRIT) to merge with Hollywood Stock Exchange

   *  Amount:         Undisclosed

   *  Terms:            n/a

   *  Premium:        n/a

   *  Industry:        Content/Communities

   *  Scorecard:      C

NEW YORK, Sept. 19--Predict It, a provider of interactive prediction applications targeting the online sports and financial markets, announced that it has entered into a letter of intent to merge with Hollywood Stock Exchange, an online entertainment company best known for its patented and highly popular entertainment virtual stock market. The combined company will be known as "HSX." As part of the proposed merger transaction, a group of institutional investors have also signed the letter of intent signifying their intention to invest $10 million in new equity capital in the combined company upon the merger, in which former shareholders of Predict It and Hollywood Stock Exchange will receive approximately 19% and 57% respectively, while the new investor group will receive approximately a 24% stake.

 

 Keyware acquires Neosys

   *  Amount:         $3 million

   *  Terms:            cash and stock

   *  Premium:        n/a

   *  Industry:        E-commerce enablers

   *  Scorecard:      n/a

WOBURN, Mass., Sept. 19--Keyware, a provider of biometric identification solutions, announced the acquisition of Neosys, providers of advanced e-commerce solutions, located in Belgium. Neosys will be integrated into the Keyware Internet Division, which develops technology designed to speed the growth of biometric-enabled Internet applications. The deal was worth approximately $3 million in cash and shares plus an earn-out incentive.