Analytics firm Qlik, which has office in Raleigh, being sold for $3B

Qlik, an analytics firm that CNBC’s Jim Cramer wanted IBM to acquire, is being sold to a private equity firm for $3 billion.

Thoma Bravo will pay $30.50 per share in cash – a 40 percent premium over the Qlik stock price in early March of $21.83.

Qlik operates one of its seven U.S. offices in Raleigh.

The deal was announced early Thursday.

Qlik (Nasdaq: OLIK) is based in Radnor, Pa. The company will remain based there.

“Business intelligence is something I want IBM to move into more aggressively, and I wanted them to buy it,” Cramer said on Squawk on the Street.

The deal is expected to close in the third quarter.

“We believe the proposed transaction is in the best interest of Qlik’s shareholders and provides the company with additional flexibility to execute our strategic plan as we continue to diligently provide customers with the premier products and services they have come to expect,” said Lars Björk, Chief Executive Officer of Qlik, in the announcement.