John Sall just made a big announcement. We know you have questions, so we’ve written down the answers we know. If you have additional questions, post them in the comments section or send email to JMPsubsidiaryQuestions@SASOffice365.onmicrosoft.com. We will collect your questions, get them answered by the experts, and then amend our Frequently Asked Questions document as possible.
If you missed the division update, you can watch it here.
GENERAL QUESTIONS
What is JMP announcing today?
After more than 30 years as an internal business unit of SAS, JMP will become a separate company and will be structured as a wholly owned subsidiary of SAS.
What does this mean right now?
In upcoming months, JMP will take steps to plan for and establish all the needed systems and processes that we have enjoyed as a business unit of SAS: business systems, information systems, legal systems, financial systems, facilities and more. We are lucky that JMP has already established its own brand identity and many of its own systems of record and development.
What is the name of the new company?
JMP Statistical Discovery LLC
Why is JMP making this transition?
As SAS works toward becoming IPO-ready, JMP is working toward expanding responsibilities for its own future. Now is the time for JMP to solidify its position as a leader in analytic software for engineers and scientists.
Why is JMP becoming a separate company?
JMP has achieved the financial strength, brand equity, and market success to make this move. By becoming a separate company, JMP can open new opportunities for its employees, customers and community.
SAS has been a great home and a tremendous incubator for our business. As a subsidiary, we’re staying under the SAS umbrella of companies so we will still be connected to SAS. John Sall will continue to focus his time on JMP and will also remain attached to SAS as a Co-Founder and Executive Vice President.
Is this announcement related to SAS’ IPO-ready announcement?
Yes. Streamlining operations and separating financial reporting are important parts of SAS’ IPO-ready strategy. This transition supports both of those goals and gives JMP more control over its own future.
Why is becoming a subsidiary of SAS the next step in JMP’s evolution?
JMP has always been its own business within a larger business. It has had the advantages of acting like an agile, small company with the support that comes from a large organization. But as JMP has grown and evolved, it has built a different user base, developed different kinds of products, and embraced the science and engineering community of analytic practitioners. With this move, JMP will have more autonomy to maximize future growth and success.
Will JMP’s new organizational structure be similar to IDeaS’?
Yes. As a matter of fact, it is identical from a corporate ownership perspective. IDeaS is also a wholly owned subsidiary of SAS.
Will the same vaccination requirements for SAS apply to JMP?
Yes! We're so proud of the scientists and engineers that are using JMP to combat COVID-19. We celebrate their successes, and we urge every eligible person to get these life-saving vaccines.
EMPLOYEE CHANGES
What will happen to JMP employees?
Effective January 1, 2022, all U.S. JMP employees will be employed by the JMP subsidiary as opposed to SAS Institute Inc. All JMP employees outside the U.S. will remain employees of their current international SAS entity, but their work will be connected to the new JMP company.
What will happen to salaries and benefits for the U.S. employees moving into the JMP subsidiary?
JMP employees will see no change to their benefits. Salaries will also stay the same, so will paid time off, health insurance, life insurance, retirement plans, etc. All the Human Resources systems and processes that are in place will remain. Employees in Cary and their families can continue using the SAS Health Care Center, child day care, the gyms, the cafes, libraries, etc. Even SAS start dates remain the same, so seniority is not affected.
What will happen to salaries and benefits for employees outside of the United States?
There are no changes to salaries and benefits for employees outside of the United States.
Will JMP reporting structures change after January 1?
Becoming JMP Statistical Discovery LLC will have little to no impact on reporting structures on January 1. Going forward as JMP creates more independent systems and processes as a legal entity, there may be some changes in JMP’s organizational structure. Any changes will be shared as we know more and are not expected to impact direct reporting structures.
Will JMP add employees?
SAS staff who have historically supported JMP Technical Support and JMP Education have officially joined JMP. Additional staff in HR and Finance have also moved to JMP. We expect to continue adding new staff to support these new departments, as well as filling other needs as they arise. We encourage all JMP staff to keep an eye on open positions and recommend any candidates they might know.
What is the benefit to JMP employees of working for this new and separate company?
Securing the best future for JMP employees, its customers, and its community matters deeply to SAS executive leadership, and to John Sall in particular. John Sall’s focus on the future of the business, and on JMP employees around the world, remains steadfast. We will increase our investment in key regional markets and personnel. As such, employees will continue to have the benefit of participating meaningfully in a growing company with a clear focus and bright future ahead. Over the next few years, JMP will continue to strengthen its business to open more and new opportunities for its employees around the world.
Can we still use SAS domain for email?
You can still use your sas.com email for now but it will be going away at some point, we’re just not sure when. Please switch to using the jmp.com email exclusively as soon as possible so there’s not any disruption.
WHAT ELSE IS CHANGING?
How will this change JMP’s current strategy?
Our mission hasn’t changed – we aim to transform a world of data into a world of intelligence by bringing interactive data visualization and analysis to the desktop. JMP is also seeking to obtain operational independence to ensure it is agile and poised for optimal future growth.
Does this mean John Sall is retiring?
No. John Sall is not retiring. Jim Goodnight and John Sall will continue to own the JMP subsidiary since they are the owners of SAS. John Sall will remain hands-on with JMP R&D, and Jon Weisz will continue running the JMP business.
Will JMP remain based in Cary, NC?
JMP is deeply committed to the Triangle and is very proud to be a part of the SAS campus in Cary, NC. At this time, there are no plans to move JMP’s world headquarters away from its current location.
Will JMP have access to facilities at SAS World Headquarters?
JMP will continue to be able to host meetings and events in the Executive Briefing Center, Building V Auditorium, the Global Training Center and other parts of the world-class facilities in Cary. JMP employees in Cary will also continue to have access to the amenities and resources on SAS campus they are used to.
Will there be any changes to leadership at JMP?
No. JMP has the right leadership in place at this time to take this next step.
Will SAS groups continue to support JMP business?
Absolutely. Many SAS employees support JMP’s business and will continue to do so.
Will JMP continue to use the same systems we’ve been using (CVENT, Jira, Confluence, etc.)?
Some of the systems we’ve been using will stay in place. Others will be replaced with new systems that better support our newly independent business model. You will be given lots of notice before any changes are made.
Does this announcement change the way employees work?
For now, it’s business as usual. JMP will keep its stakeholders posted about any changes in the longer term.
Will there be any changes to operations or business structure in the future?
JMP is always evaluating its needs as a business, the needs of its customers, and how it can best approach its goals. As JMP moves forward, it will share updates as they arise.
Can I talk about this with my friends and family?
Sure. We’re excited about this, and you should be too. Feel free to share your excitement with friends and family. This document is internal only, but it will help you have those conversations.
Should I share this news on social media?
Not yet, please. When the time is right to share this news with the world, we will prepare materials for you to post on social media and other channels. Please refrain from posting or commenting on anything related to this news until then. You may, however, update your personal social media accounts as specified in these guidelines.
What do we tell customers?
If you hear inquiries from customers, please reach out to Legal or Business Operations. We want to help you guide those conversations when they do happen.
Will JMP software change?
We’ll continue to release new versions of JMP every 18 months, with every iteration more user-friendly, more comprehensive and more powerful than the one before. And we’ll continue to introduce new products – like JMP Live – as the markets demand.
SALES
With the US being its own LLC and non-US staff still reporting to SAS, how will this affect our global clients?
In the immediate future, our customers will continue to license JMP software from SAS (and SAS’ subsidiaries) as they do today. Then, over time, licenses will transition to the new company. Our legal and business operations staff will work with customers and the JMP Sales Team to ensure an easy transition at that time.
How will customers pay invoices?
Invoices will continue to be paid as detailed in the customer’s specific license agreement.
Will splits work the same?
JMP will continue to address splits per the Sales Policies.
Will we allow for multi-entity agreements?
JMP will continue to offer a multi-entity access rights license.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
How much is JMP worth separate from SAS?
JMP has achieved the financial strength, brand equity, and market leadership to enter the next phase of its evolution, and we believe that its business and customer relationships carry significant value.
Will JMP be profitable when it’s separate from SAS?
JMP has been a growing and successful business for some time, seeing an average of 13% growth year-over-year in the last 15 years. With this track record, JMP has every reason to expect continued growth and profitability.
Will there be any ownership options or stock options for employees moving forward?
JMP is a wholly owned subsidiary of SAS. As such JMP will remain under the SAS umbrella of companies. It’s too early in the SAS IPO process to have answers about that right now.
Will everyone keep their existing corporate SAS credit cards? Will travel coordination and other expenses go through SAS Travel/Concur?
Until folks are told otherwise, they should still use their SAS cards. Everyone will be notified when that changes. Like with the credit cards, keep using Concur until you hear something different.
DEVELOPMENT
Will we still plan to file patents moving forward, and if so, how would the process change from the current one?
Please continue to work with the SAS patent team for filing patents moving forward. These patents will be held by the new JMP subsidiary, as opposed to by SAS.
