Another Global Positioning Company Gets Bought out: NGPS

The consolidation in the Global Positioning market continues.

Recent buyouts include:

1. Pitney Bowes (PBI) buys GPS Software Maker MapInfo (formerly: MAPS)
   
2. GPS Company Trimble Navigation (TRMB) buys @Road.
   
3. Semiconductor Chip company Broadcom (BRCM) buys privately held GPS chip company Global Locate
   
4. GPS Equipment company Tom-Tom (TOM2.AS) buys privately held Digital Map company Tele-Atlas
   
5. Wireless handset maker Nokia (NOK) buys Digital Map company Navteq (NVT)
   

And the most recent company:

Novatel Inc. (NGPS), the Canadian high precision global navigation satellite system company (GNSS), is bought out by Swedish comgolomerate Hexagon for $390 Million.

Now, there are only three pure plays on Global Positioning publicly traded in the US:

1. Garmin (GRMN): GPS Equipment
   
2. Sirf Technologies (SIRF): Makes Global Positioning Semiconductors
   
3. Trimble Navigation (TRMB): GPS Equipment
   

There should be high demand for these remaining companies as Location Based Services will continue to be a large growth area over many years.