CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 28, 1997--SPSS Inc., (NASDAQ:SPSS) is one of the nation's "Hot Growth Companies," according to the May 26 issue of Business Week. SPSS' inclusion in this elite group of rapidly growing companies confirms the company's leadership in the desktop statistical marketplace.

SPSS placed No. 73 in Business Week's Top 100 Hot Growth Companies for 1997. Ratings are based on a weighted average of sales increase, earnings increase and return on invested capital.

"The combination of drive, ingenuity, and agility marks all the companies on Business Week's 1997 Hot Growth List," said Amy Barrett, Business Week Washington correspondent. "It also keeps them charging ahead faster than much bigger rivals. Sure, many giants of Corporate America continue to boast impressive gains. But these tiny dynamos still put them to shame."

"We are honored to be included among Business Week's top- performing companies in overall growth," said Jack Noonan, SPSS president and CEO. "1996 was the strongest year in our 29-year history, and this growth is a direct result of the market realizing the value of statistics for better business decision making. Awards like this underscore the fact that our growth strategies are right on target."

SPSS is a worldwide software leader

In 1975, Norman Nie, a University of Chicago professor and a leading authority on statistical analysis of social science data, incorporated SPSS to develop sophisticated statistical analysis software. Today, SPSS is one of the nation's leading software companies and is ranked among the World's Largest Independent Software Companies by Software Magazine. The company was No. 23 on the 1997 Softletter 100 which ranks the top 100 personal computer software companies in the United States.

In the past three years, SPSS has made four acquisitions, adding to its already expansive product offerings. These additions include SYSTAT, the award-winning statistical product for scientists in 1994; BMDP Statistical Software in 1995; and two acquisitions in 1996; Jandel Scientific Software and Clear Software Inc.

Company Information

SPSS Inc. is a multinational software products company that provides statistical product and service solutions. The company's mission is to drive the widespread use of statistics. SPSS products and services are used worldwide in corporate, academic and government settings for all types of research and data analysis. The company's four lines of business are: business analysis (including survey research, marketing and sales analysis and data mining); scientific research; quality improvement; and process management. Headquartered in Chicago, SPSS has offices and a network of distributors serving countries around the world. -0-

BMDP, Clear, SPSS and SYSTAT are registered trademarks of SPSS Inc. BMDP, Clear, SPSS and SYSTAT products named are trademarks of SPSS Inc. Other products mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

SPSS information is available on the World Wide Web through the SPSS Press Center at: http://www.spss.com/press/pressctr.htm

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CONTACT: SPSS Inc., Chicago

Susan Kalell, 800/525-4980

E-mail: pr@spss.com