Factbox: Key facts about top cloud computing companies

BANGALORE (Reuters) - With sales of web-based business software soaring, companies that focus on cloud computing are slipping into a sweet spot as technology giants look to bolster their presence in this fast-growing segment.

Cloud computing, or software as a service, allows businesses to cut back on hardware and space by having their software hosted in remote datacenters they access over the Web.

Following are some facts about SaaS companies:

SalesForce.com Inc (CRM.N)

Founded: 1999

Went Public: 2004

Market cap: $10.93 bln

Estimated P/E for fiscal 2011 is 76.18

Shares have risen 113 percent in last one year

SuccessFactors Inc SFSF.O

Founded: 2001

Went Public: 2007

Market Cap: $1.60 bln

Estimated P/E for fiscal 2010 is 1,138

Shares have risen 166 percent in last one year

Taleo Corp TLEO.O

Founded: 1999

Went Public: 2005

Market Cap: $997.2 mln

Estimated P/E for fiscal 2010 is 33.77

Shares have risen 56 percent in last one year

NetSuite Inc (N.N)

Founded: 1998

Went Public: 2007

Market Cap: $865 mln

Estimated P/E for fiscal 2010 is 175.06

Shares have risen 13 percent in last one year

Constant Contact Inc (CTCT.O)

Founded: 1995

Went Public: 2007

Market Cap: $599.1 mln

Estimated P/E for fiscal 2010 is 60.88

Shares have risen 16.7 percent in last one year

RightNow Technologies Inc (RNOW.O)

Founded: 1997

Went Public: 2004

Market Cap: $448.1 mln

Estimated P/E for fiscal 2010 is 34.58

Shares have risen 50 percent in last one year

Kenexa Corp KNXA.O

Founded: 1987

Went Public: 2005

Market Cap: $306.2 mln

Estimated P/E for fiscal 2010 is 23.47

Shares have risen 30 percent in last one year

DemandTec Inc DMAN.O

Founded: 1999

Went Public: 2007

Market Cap: $176.1 mln

Estimated P/E: for fiscal 2011 (current year) no data because of loss forecast, for fiscal 2012, it is 61.68

Shares have fallen 40 percent in last one year

(Compiled by Sudipto Ganguly and Sayantani Ghosh in Bangalore; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)