Technology researcher Gartner Inc. agreed to acquire research competitor META Group for $162 million in cash. Gartner, which reported $858 million in revenues in fiscal 2003, will pay $10 per share in cash for META, which posted revenues of $122 million last year. Gartner said the purchase of META, which is also headquartered in Stamford, would help bolster its research capabilities. Gartner said it would finance the acquisition with its cash on hand, as well as borrowing from its existing credit line.

Top-ranked accounting and consulting firm Rothstein Kass, which specializes in serving the alternative investments industry, said that it is selling its interests in RK Consulting, the firm's investment fund administration affiliate, to stave off independence issues.

Filomeno & Company PC, an eight-partner CPA firm based here, has expanded its financial planning practice with the merger of fee-only planning firm Thibodeau Financial Advisors LLC into its fold.

Just three days after Oracle and PeopleSoft signed a truce in their protracted shareholder war via a $10.3 billion merger agreement, security software provider Symantec Corp. agreed to pay $13.5 million to purchase data storage and recovery software concern Veritas Software Corp.

Regional firm Kahn, Litwin, Renza & Co., based here, is expanding into Newport with the merger of Casten, Victor & Co. into its fold.

Accounting and business consulting firm Citrin Cooperman & Co. has plans to merge Brewster, N.Y.-based CPA firm J.P. Bryan & Co. into its fold.

Interface Software, which makes the Interaction CRM software line for the professional services market, has been acquired by LexisNexis.

Two consultants to the profession have launched a consulting firm that will help accountants with succession planning and mergers and acquisitions.

Top-ranked accounting firm The Rehmann Group, based here, will add Perrin, Fordree & Co., a $5 million, 38-employee firm based in Troy, to its fold effective Jan. 1, 2005.

Ernst & Young has shed its investment banking arm by selling the practice to the consulting firm run by former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani.

Filomeno & Company PC, an eight-partner CPA firm based here, has expanded its financial planning practice with the merger of fee-only planning firm Thibodeau Financial Advisors LLC into its fold.

Carr, Riggs & Ingram, a strong Southeastern accounting and business consulting firm headquartered here, has fortified its presence in the Alabama and Florida markets, merging with local Birmingham-based Mackle, Splawn, Tindall & McDonald, and Weathersby, D'Aoust, Harris & Lynn of Panama City, Fla.The mergers became effective Oct. 1. Terms were not disclosed.

AICPA adopts outsourcing ethics

Three months after it announced that it planned to shed its Intuit Public Sector Solutions arm, tax and accounting software concern Intuit Inc. agreed to divest the nonprofit unit to San Diego-based Kintera in an $11 million cash deal.

Top-ranked firm Crowe Chizek & Co. plans to expand its public sector services group with the addition Oak Brook, Ill.-based accounting and consulting firm PTW to its fold.

In an effort to bolster its payroll outsourcing services, Best Software acquired Dallas-based Federal Liaison Services Inc., a maker of software and services that automate payroll tax payments and filings, wage garnishments, and W-2/1099 processing for employers.

Regional CPA and business consulting firm Eide Bailly has expanded into the Boise, Idaho, market, adding the seven-partner group of Balukoff, Lindstrom & Co. under its umbrella.

Top-ranked firm Larson, Allen, Weishair & Co. LLP has merged Bullard, Blanchard, Johns PLLC into its fold, boosting its presence in Charlotte.

Regional accounting firm Rea & Associates has broadened its services with the acquisition of Columbus-based forensic accounting firm Ickert & Co.

Harper & Pearson Co., an auditing and business consulting firm based here, has merged two regional tax-consulting practices under its brand - Cabaniss, Horn & Passmore, and Kathy B. Devine Co.