NEW YORK, December 22, 2000  — Berkery , Noyes & Co . advised Information Handling Services Group (IHS) in its divestiture of its Financial Information division to CCH, Inc.

IHS Financial Information is a widely recognized provider of electronic databases, offering compliance and regulatory information, used primarily by banking, securities and credit union customers. CCH Incorporated, a subsidiary of the Dutch media leader Wolters Kluwer NV, is a leading U.S. provider of online and print information for the financial and business sectors.

"This transaction illustrates the trend among information companies to achieve growth through strategic acquisitions that significantly expand their product line depth and breadth," said Joe Berkery, president of Berkery , Noyes & Co . "This is a business that enjoys a strong franchise in the market, being acquired by a leading-edge and world-class information company."

IHS is a premier global publisher of regulatory, business, professional, engineering, technical and energy information databases. Berkery , Noyes & Co . is a leading investment banking firm serving the information, media and publishing markets. The firm’s web site, https://www.berkerynoyes.com, is a useful information resource on publishing and information industry mergers and acquisitions.