http://finance.yahoo.com/news/TradeStation-Group-to-be-pz-3729028292.html?x=0&.v=1 Press Release Source: TradeStation Group, Inc. On Wednesday April 20, 2011, 8:46 pm EDT Shareholders to Receive $9.75 in Cash per Share Transaction Valued at $411 Million TradeStation Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:TRAD - News) ("TradeStation" or the "Company") and Monex Group, Inc. (Tokyo Stock Exchange: 8698) ("Monex") today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which a subsidiary of Monex (the "Merger Sub") will acquire all the outstanding common stock of TradeStation for $9.75 per share, or approximately $411 million in aggregate, through a cash tender offer followed by a merger. Under the terms of the agreement, which has been unanimously approved by TradeStation and Monex's respective Boards of Directors, TradeStation's shareholders will receive $9.75 in cash for each outstanding share of TradeStation common stock they own, [snip] Under the terms of the agreement, it is anticipated that Merger Sub will commence a tender offer for all of the outstanding shares of TradeStation by May 10, 2011. If the tender offer is successfully completed, the parties expect the transaction to close early in the 2011 third quarter. Monex: http://noir.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=8698:JP
IB's Tom Peterffy will receive a nice gain on all that TradeStation stock he bought a few months back. A good decision on his part.
Tradestation, before it was a brokerage is was simply a software package. I think it was about $1,800 for charting and $3,000 for all the bells and whiltles or something like that.
this is interesting... my impression, and correct me if i'm wrong, is that tradestation is (was) a decent retail backtesting product that became obsolete as capitalized high frequency trading gradually (but surely) eclipsed the resources of at-home/small/mid backtesters. automated trading was relatively obscure 5-10 years ago and a very viable niche for early adopters at home. over the years it seems like ts stock has given some representation of opportunities for individual types. what am i missing? granted, ts was always ahead of its time in terms of charting quality, but is this indicative of some kind of dislocation, regulatory change, market sea change... or is it just a little acquisition with nothing to see here folks? is there any color out there on why peterffy was a buyer? it's interesting.