" 
 ::::: How about ""SAS grew from $10 million in revenues in 1980 to $1.1 billion by 2000. A larger proportion of these revenues are spent on research and development than at most other software companies, at one point more than double the industry average.""? I think that could be copy-edited but it makes the claim a bit more general and notes that the 2.5 figure was a point in time not a constant. I'd also approve of a lede cite for the claim that they spend more than most.   "