IBM gets antitrust OK to buy Cognos

International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) received antitrust clearance to buy Cognos Inc. (COGN) for about $5 billion in cash, or $58 a share.

The Federal Trade Commission said Tuesday that it granted early termination on Monday of the waiting period required under the Hart-Scott-Rodino antitrust law.

Cognos is an Ottawa, Ont., provider of business intelligence services.