SBC subsidiary to acquire logistics software maker

Sterling Commerce, an e-commerce subsidiary of SBC Communications, announced on Monday that it's agreed to acquire Boston-based software maker Yantra for $170 million in cash.

Yantra, which is privately held, makes business software that handles inventory and shipping logistics. The buyout gives Sterling, which specializes in electronic trading networks, additional e-commerce tools and services to offer more than 29,000 corporate clients, the company said. Sterling plans to retain all 250 Yantra employees and complete the deal by March.