Blue Yonder vs o9 Solutions
Blue Yonder holds the stronger position overall, because its bigger scale and Panasonic backing give it more staying power than o9's faster but slowing growth and open legal fight with SAP.
Blue Yonder
Supply chain planning and warehouse management software owned by Panasonic
o9 Solutions
o9 Solutions runs an AI planning platform big companies use to forecast supply chains
Dimension by dimension
| Dimension | Blue Yonder | o9 Solutions |
|---|---|---|
| staying power of the core product | AI partly overlaps with what Blue Yonder does, meaning some of its planning work could be folded into broader AI tools over time. | AI is unlikely to absorb o9's planning software, so the product keeps a clear reason to exist on its own. |
| exposure to AI | Blue Yonder's work is described as partly exposed, so more of its value could be pulled into AI-driven platforms. | o9's core planning function sits outside what general AI tools currently replicate well. |
| how easily a giant copies them | A large rival could plausibly build a competing version of Blue Yonder's platform too. | A large rival could plausibly build a competing version of o9's platform. |
| pressure from rivals | SAP and Oracle compete for new deals, but there is no documented case of either pulling an entrenched Blue Yonder customer away. | o9 is in a direct trade-secret lawsuit with SAP, its main competitor for the same large accounts. |
| financial footing | Revenue reached $1.42 billion with SaaS growth also slowing, from 14.2% to 10.4%, but the base and ownership by Panasonic add financial weight. | ARR growth has been strong but is slowing, from 47% to 51% and down to 36% within about a year. |
| overall standing | Rated as built to last, reflecting its established base of accounts and larger scale. | Rated as defensible for now, reflecting the lawsuit and growth deceleration. |
Questions people ask
- Is o9 Solutions or Blue Yonder better positioned for the AI era?
- Blue Yonder is rated hard to displace while o9 is rated defensible for now, mainly because of Blue Yonder's scale and Panasonic ownership. o9 has faster growth but faces a lawsuit from SAP and a growth rate that is slowing.
- Which company faces more pressure from competitors, o9 or Blue Yonder?
- o9 faces more direct pressure, since it is in an active trade-secret lawsuit with SAP over the same multinational accounts. Blue Yonder competes with SAP and Oracle for new deals, but no rival has been shown to take an existing customer from it.
- Does AI threaten o9 Solutions' business model?
- Not much for now. o9's planning software is rated unlikely to be absorbed by AI, giving it more separation from general AI tools than Blue Yonder, which is rated only partly protected.
- How does Blue Yonder's ownership by Panasonic affect its outlook?
- Panasonic's ownership gives Blue Yonder financial backing that o9, an independent company, does not have. This is part of why Blue Yonder is rated hard to displace despite similar competitive pressure and moat scores to o9.
- Which company has faster revenue growth, o9 or Blue Yonder?
- o9 has faster percentage growth, with ARR growth as high as 51% in one quarter, compared to Blue Yonder's SaaS growth of 10.4% to 14.2%. But o9's growth rate has been dropping faster, down to 36% by early 2024.
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