International Business Machines Co. IBM is close to a deal to buy cloud-based business software company Apptio Inc. for more than double its purchase price five years ago, the Wall Street Journal reported late Friday. IBM could close a deal to buy Apptio from private-equity firm Vista Equity Partners, possibly over the weekend, for around $5 billion, the WSJ reported, citing unnamed sources close to the advanced talks. Back in January 2019, Vista Equity Partners took then-Nasdaq-traded Apptio private in a $38 a share, or $1.94 billion, cash deal.