1
     AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON AUGUST 10, 1998
                                                     Registration No. 333-
================================================================================
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                 --------------

                                    FORM S-3
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

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                             ASPEN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

            DELAWARE                                        04-2739697      
  (State or other jurisdiction                          (I.R.S. employer    
of incorporation or organization)                     identification number)

                                 TEN CANAL PARK
                         CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS 02141
                                 (617) 949-1000
  (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of
                   registrant's principal executive offices)

                                 --------------

                                LAWRENCE B. EVANS
                Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
                             ASPEN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
                                 Ten Canal Park
                         Cambridge, Massachusetts 02141
                                 (617) 949-1000
 (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code,
                              of agent for service)

                                 --------------

                                   Copies to:
     STEPHEN J. DOYLE, ESQ.                          MARK L. JOHNSON, ESQ.   
Vice President, General Counsel,                    FOLEY, HOAG & ELIOT LLP  
Chief Legal Officer and Secretary                   One Post Office Square   
     ASPEN TECHNOLOGY, INC.                       Boston, Massachusetts 02109
         Ten Canal Park                           
 Cambridge, Massachusetts 02141

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      Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon
as practicable after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

      If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered
pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following
box. [ ]

      If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered
on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act
of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or
interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. [X]

      If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box
and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering. [ ] ______

      If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c)
under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement
for the same offering. [ ] ______

      If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box. [ ]

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
================================================================================================================== PROPOSED PROPOSED AMOUNT MAXIMUM MAXIMUM TITLE OF EACH CLASS OF TO BE OFFERING PRICE AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED REGISTERED PER SHARE(1) OFFERING PRICE(1) REGISTRATION FEE - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Common Stock, $.10 par value............. 322,944 shares $23.73 $7,663,461 $2,261 ==================================================================================================================
(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee. In accordance with Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, the above calculation is based on the average of the high and low sale prices reported in the consolidated reporting system of the Nasdaq National Market on August 6, 1998. -------------- THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT SHALL FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(a) OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE COMMISSION, ACTING PURSUANT TO SAID SECTION 8(a), MAY DETERMINE. ================================================================================ 2 Information contained herein is subject to completion or amendment. A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective. This prospectus shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such State. SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED AUGUST 10, 1998 322,944 SHARES ASPEN TECHNOLOGY, INC. COMMON STOCK All of the 322,944 shares of common stock, $.10 par value ("Common Stock"), of Aspen Technology, Inc. ("AspenTech" or the "Company") offered hereby are being sold by the Selling Stockholders named under "Selling Stockholders." The Company will not receive any of the proceeds from the sales of shares by the Selling Stockholders. The Common Stock trades on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol "AZPN." On August 7, 1998, the closing sale price of the Common Stock, as reported by the Nasdaq National Market, was $25.75 per share. The shares of Common Stock offered hereby may be sold from time to time by the Selling Stockholders, or by pledges, donees, transferees or other successors in interest of the Selling Stockholders. Such sales may be made on the Nasdaq National Market, or otherwise, at prices and on terms then prevailing or at prices related to the then-current market prices, or in negotiated transactions at negotiated prices. The shares may be sold by one or a combination of the following: (a) a block trade in which the broker or dealer so engaged will attempt to sell the shares as agent, but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction; (b) purchases by a broker or dealer as principal and resale by such broker or dealer for its account pursuant to this Prospectus; and (c) ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker solicits purchasers. Brokers or dealers will receive commissions or discounts from Selling Stockholders in amounts to be negotiated immediately prior to the sale. The Selling Stockholders will be responsible for any discounts, concessions, commissions or other compensation due to any broker or dealer in connection with the sale of any of the shares offered hereby. All of the other expenses of this offering, estimated at $8,500, will be paid by the Company. See "Plan of Distribution." ----------------- SEE "RISK FACTORS" COMMENCING ON PAGE 5 FOR A DISCUSSION OF CERTAIN FACTORS THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY PROSPECTIVE PURCHASERS OF SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OFFERED HEREBY. ----------------- THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE. , 1998 3 AVAILABLE INFORMATION The Company is subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and in accordance therewith files reports and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"). Such reports and other information may be inspected and copies may be obtained (at prescribed rates) at the Commission's Public Reference Section, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Room 1024, Washington D.C. 20549, and at the Commission's Regional Offices at Northwestern Atrium Center, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661-2511 and 7 World Trade Center, Suite 1300, New York, New York 10048. This Prospectus constitutes part of a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement") filed by the Company with the Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). This Prospectus does not contain all of the information contained in the Registration Statement, and reference is hereby made to the Registration Statement and related exhibits for further information with respect to the Company and the securities offered hereby. Any statements contained herein concerning the provisions of any document are not necessarily complete, and, in such instance, reference is made to the copy of such document filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or otherwise filed with the Commission. Each such statement is qualified in its entirety by such reference. INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE The following documents heretofore filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act are incorporated herein by reference: (1) Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1997; (2) Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 1997, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 1997 (as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto on Form 10-Q/A), and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 1998 (as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto on Form 10-Q/A); (3) Current Report on Form 8-K dated October 9, 1997, Current Report on Form 8-K dated March 12, 1998 (as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto on Form 8-K/A), Current Report on Form 8-K dated April 28, 1998, Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 27, 1998, Current Report on Form 8-K dated June 17, 1998 and Current Report on Form 8-K dated July 27, 1998; and (4) definitive Proxy Statement dated November 25, 1997 used in connection with its Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on December 16, 1997. All reports and other documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Prospectus and prior to the termination of the offering made hereby shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a part hereof from the date of the filing of such reports and documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of the Registration Statement or this Prospectus. Any person to whom a copy of this Prospectus is delivered may obtain, without charge, upon written or oral request, a copy of any of the documents incorporated by reference herein, except for the exhibits to such documents (other than exhibits expressly incorporated by reference into such documents). Requests for such documents should be addressed to the Manager of Investor Relations of the Company, Ten Canal Park, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02141 or directed to the Manager of Investor Relations at either telephone number (617) 949-0100 or e-mail address invest@aspentech.com. 2 4 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PROSPECTUS SUMMARY The following summary is qualified in its entirety by the more detailed information and financial statements, including the notes thereto, appearing elsewhere in this Prospectus or incorporated by reference herein. This Prospectus contains and incorporates by reference certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. See "Risk Factors" and "Forward-Looking Statements." THE COMPANY Aspen Technology, Inc. (the "Company" or "AspenTech") is the leading supplier of software and service solutions used by companies in the process industries to design, operate and manage their manufacturing processes. The process industries include manufacturers of chemicals, petrochemicals, petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, pulp and paper, electric power, food and beverages, consumer products, and metals and minerals. AspenTech offers a comprehensive, integrated suite of process manufacturing optimization solutions that help process manufacturers enhance profitability by improving efficiency, productivity, capacity utilization, safety and environmental compliance throughout the entire manufacturing life-cycle, from research and development to engineering, planning and scheduling, procurement, production and distribution. In addition to its software solutions, AspenTech offers systems implementation, advanced process control, real-time optimization and other consulting services through its staff of more than 450 project engineers. As part of its strategy to offer the broadest, most integrated suite of process manufacturing optimization solutions, AspenTech has acquired businesses from time to time to obtain technologies and expertise that complement or enhance its core solutions. AspenTech currently has more than 750 customers worldwide, including 44 of the 50 largest chemical companies, 17 of the 20 largest petroleum refiners and 16 of the 20 largest pharmaceutical companies. AspenTech believes its customers increasingly view their investments in its solutions as strategic because of the substantial potential economic benefits these solutions offer and the broad range of production issues they address. The Company's competitive advantage is based upon its technology leadership, broad suite of integrated solutions and substantial process industry expertise. AspenTech believes that, through its research and development and strategic acquisitions and partnerships, it has established itself as the technology leader among providers of process manufacturing optimization solutions. The Company's technologies have been applied to create what the Company believes is the most complete suite of integrated software and service solutions available for the design, operation and management of manufacturing processes in the process industries. Over the past 17 years, AspenTech has developed a significant base of chemical engineering and process manufacturing experience and knowledge, which it has enhanced through extensive interaction with customers that have performed millions of simulations using AspenTech's software. To complement its software expertise, AspenTech has assembled a large engineering team that the Company believes provides an important source of competitive differentiation. AspenTech's principal objective is to extend its leadership in providing process management optimization solutions to the process industries. Key elements of the Company's strategy to achieve this objective are to: (i) extend its technology leadership position by continuing to invest in research and development and to identify and pursue opportunities for strategic acquisitions; (ii) leverage its installed customer base in the chemical, petrochemicals, petroleum products, and pharmaceuticals industries by increasing the number of users of software currently licensed by its existing customers and by licensing complementary software and services to those customers; (iii) increase its penetration of other process industries, particularly the pulp and paper, electric power, and food and beverage industries, as well as the semiconductor industry; (iv) pursue strategic acquisitions of complementary technologies and services capabilities; and (v) selectively partner with providers of complementary products and services to supplement the Company's ability to offer enterprise-wide solutions. The Company was incorporated as a Massachusetts corporation on August 11, 1981 and was reincorporated in Delaware on March 12, 1998. AspenTech's principal executive offices are located at Ten Canal Park, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02141, and its telephone number at that address is (617) 949-1000. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 5 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE OFFERING All of the 322,944 shares of Common Stock offered hereby are being sold by the Selling Stockholders. The offered shares were issued to the Selling Stockholders pursuant to (i) the Share Exchange Agreement dated as of March 16, 1998 (the "Zyqad Agreement") between the Company and the Shareholders of Zyqad Limited ("Zyqad"), under which 196,944 of the offered shares were issued in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of Zyqad, and (ii) the Share Exchange Agreement dated as of May 29, 1998 (the "Treiber Agreement") between the Company, Treiber Controls Inc. ("Treiber") and Dr. Steven Treiber, under which 126,000 of the offered shares were issued in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of Treiber. Under the Zyqad Agreement and the Treiber Agreement, the Company is obligated to use its best efforts to keep the Registration Statement in effect until (a) a period of ninety days has elapsed since the date of this Prospectus or (b) all of the shares offered hereby have been sold hereunder. The Company will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of shares by the Selling Stockholders. See "Use of Proceeds." -------------- "ASPENTECH" is a registered trademark of the Company. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 6 RISK FACTORS In addition to the other information in this Prospectus, the following risk factors should be considered in evaluating the Company and its business. FLUCTUATIONS IN QUARTERLY OPERATING RESULTS AND CASH FLOW The Company's operating results and cash flow have fluctuated in the past and may fluctuate significantly in the future as a result of a variety of factors, including purchasing patterns, timing of introductions of new solutions and enhancements by the Company and its competitors, and fluctuating economic conditions. Because license fees for the Company's software products are substantial and the implementation of the Company's solutions often requires the services of the Company's engineers over an extended period of time, the sales process for the Company's solutions is lengthy and can exceed one year. Accordingly, software revenue is difficult to predict, and the delay of any order could cause the Company's quarterly revenues to fall substantially below expectations. Moreover, to the extent that the Company succeeds in shifting customer purchases away from individual software solutions and toward integrated suites of its software and service solutions, the likelihood of delays in ordering may increase and the effect of any delay may become more pronounced. The Company ships software products within a short period after receipt of an order and usually does not have a material backlog of unfilled orders of software products. Consequently, revenues from software licenses in any quarter are substantially dependent on orders booked and shipped in that quarter. Historically, a majority of each quarter's revenues from software licenses has been derived from license agreements that have been consummated in the final weeks of the quarter. Therefore, even a short delay in the consummation of an agreement may cause revenues to fall below expectations for that quarter. Since the Company's expense levels are based in part on anticipated revenues, the Company may be unable to adjust spending in a timely manner to compensate for any revenue shortfall and any revenue shortfalls would likely have a disproportionately adverse effect on net income. The Company expects that these factors will continue to affect its operating results for the foreseeable future. Prior to fiscal 1996, the Company experienced a net loss for the first quarter of each fiscal year, in part because a substantial portion of the Company's total revenues is derived from countries other than the United States where business is slow during the summer months and also in part because of the timing of renewals of software licenses. Although the Company has generated a profit for the first quarter of each of fiscal 1997 and fiscal 1998, the Company expects that it will continue to experience declines in total revenues and net income in the first fiscal quarter as compared to the immediately preceding fiscal quarter. Because of the foregoing factors, the Company believes that period-to-period comparisons of its operating results are not necessarily meaningful and should not be relied upon as indications of future performance. Due to all of the foregoing factors, it is possible that in one or more future quarters the Company's operating results will be below the expectations of public market analysts and investors. In such event, the price of the Common Stock would likely be materially adversely affected. As a result principally of slower-than-anticipated growth in the Company's services revenue and higher-than-expected levels of expenses throughout the AspenTech organization in the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 1998, the Company's operating results in the fiscal quarter and fiscal year ended June 30, 1998 were below the expectations of certain public market analysts and investors. From July 27, 1998, the date on which the Company preliminarily announced its results for the quarter ended June 30, 1998, through the close of business on August 7, 1998, the price per share of Common Stock, as reported by the Nasdaq National Market, decreased from $48.25 to $25.75. The Company derives a substantial portion of its total revenues from service engagements and a majority of these engagements have been undertaken on a fixed-price basis. The Company bears the risk of cost overruns and inflation in connection with fixed-price engagements, and as a result, any of these engagements may be unprofitable. 5 7 LIMITED SUPPLY OF QUALIFIED PROJECT ENGINEERS The Company derives a substantial portion of its total revenues from services, particularly projects involving advanced process control and optimization and similar projects. These projects can be extremely complex and in general only highly qualified, highly educated project engineers have the necessary training and skills to complete these projects successfully. In order to continue to staff its current and future projects, the Company will need to attract, motivate and retain a significant number of highly qualified, highly educated chemical and other project engineers. The Company primarily hires as project engineers individuals who have obtained a doctoral or master's degree in chemical engineering or a related discipline or who have significant relevant industry experience. As a result, the pool of potential qualified employees is relatively small, and the Company faces significant competition for these employees, from not only the Company's direct competitors but also the Company's clients, academic institutions and other enterprises. Many of these competing employers are able to offer potential employees significantly greater compensation and benefits or more attractive lifestyle choices, career paths or geographic locations than the Company. The failure to recruit and retain a significant number of qualified project engineers could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results and financial condition. Moreover, increasing competition for these engineers may also result in significant increases in the Company's labor costs, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results and financial condition. INTEGRATION OF CHESAPEAKE AND OTHER RECENTLY ACQUIRED COMPANIES Through its acquisitions of Chesapeake Decision Sciences, Inc. ("Chesapeake") and several smaller companies in 1998, the Company has expanded its product and service offerings, has entered new markets and has increased its scope of operations and the number of its employees. The successful and timely integration of Chesapeake and these other companies into the Company's operations is critical to the Company's future financial performance. This integration will require that the Company, among other things, integrate the companies' software products and technologies, retain key employees, assimilate diverse corporate cultures, integrate management information systems, consolidate the acquired operations and manage geographically dispersed operations, each of which could pose significant challenges. To succeed in the market for supply chain management solutions, the Company must also invest additional resources, primarily in the areas of sales and marketing, to extend name recognition and increase market share. The diversion of the attention of management created by the integration process, any disruptions or other difficulties encountered in the integration process, and unforeseen liabilities or unanticipated problems with the acquired businesses could have a material adverse effect on the business, operating results and financial condition of the Company. The difficulty of combining these companies may be increased by the need to integrate personnel, and changes effected in the combination may cause key employees to leave. There can be no assurance that these acquisitions will provide the benefits expected by the Company or that the Company will be able to integrate and develop the operations of Chesapeake and these other companies successfully. Any failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results and financial condition. COMPETITION The Company faces three primary sources of competition: commercial vendors of software products for one or more elements in the design, operation and management of manufacturing processes; vendors of hardware that offer software solutions in order to add value to their proprietary DCS; and large companies in the process industries that have developed their own proprietary software solutions. Because of the breadth of its software and service offerings, the Company faces competition from different vendors depending on the solution in question. The Company competes with respect to the largest number of its solutions with Simulation Sciences, Inc., a subsidiary of Siebe plc. With respect to particular software solutions, the Company also competes with Chemstations, Inc., Hyprotech, Ltd. (a subsidiary of AEA Technology plc), The Foxboro Company and Wonderware Corporation (both of which are subsidiaries of Siebe plc), OSI Software, Inc., the Simcon division of ABB Asea Brown Boveri (Holding) Ltd., and several smaller competitors, such as Pavilion Technologies, Inc. 6 8 With the acquisition of Chesapeake, the Company now competes with established commercial vendors of supply chain management software, including i2 Technologies, Inc. and Manugistics Group, Inc. A number of vendors of ERP software products, such as Baan Company N.V., J.D. Edwards Inc., Oracle Corporation, PeopleSoft, Inc., and SAP A.G., have announced their intentions to enter or expand their existing presence in the market for supply chain management solutions. The Company also expects to encounter increasing competition from DCS solution vendors, such as Honeywell Inc., as they expand their software and service offerings to include additional aspects of process manufacturing. Moreover, in recent years, there has been consolidation in the markets in which the Company competes that has expanded the breadth of product and service offerings by certain of the Company's competitors, such as the acquisitions by Siebe plc of Simulation Sciences, Inc. and Wonderware Corporation. As a result of this consolidation and the expansion of DCS and ERP vendors into additional markets, the Company from time to time may compete with divisions of companies with which it collaborates on other occasions, such as Honeywell Inc. and Siebe plc. There can be no assurance that the Company's efforts to compete and cooperate simultaneously with these or other companies will be successful. The further consolidation of existing competitors or the emergence of new competitors could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results and financial condition. Certain competitors also supply related hardware products to existing and potential customers of the Company and may have established relationships that afford those competitors an advantage in supplying software and services to those customers. The Company's continued success depends on its ability to compete effectively with its commercial competitors and to persuade prospective customers to use the Company's products and services instead of, or in addition to, software developed internally or services provided by their own personnel. In light of these factors, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to maintain its competitive position. RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH FUTURE ACQUISITIONS An element of the Company's business strategy is to continue to pursue strategic acquisitions that will provide it with complementary products, services and technologies and with additional engineering personnel. The identification and pursuit of these acquisition opportunities and the integration of acquired personnel, products, technologies and businesses require a significant amount of management time and skill. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to identify suitable acquisition candidates, consummate any acquisition on acceptable terms or successfully integrate any acquired business into the Company's operations. In light of the consolidation trend in the Company's industry, the Company expects to face competition for acquisition opportunities, which may substantially increase the cost of any acquisition consummated by the Company. There can also be no assurance that any future acquisition will not have a material adverse effect upon the Company's operating results as a result of non-recurring charges associated with the acquisition or as a result of integration problems in the fiscal quarters following consummation of the acquisition. Acquisitions may also expose the Company to additional risks, including diversion of management's attention, failure to retain key acquired personnel, assumption of legal or other liabilities and contingencies, and amortization of goodwill and other acquired intangible assets, some or all of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results and financial condition. Moreover, customer dissatisfaction with, or problems caused by, the performance of any acquired technologies could have a material adverse impact on the reputation of the Company as a whole. In addition, there can be no assurance that acquired businesses will achieve anticipated revenues and earnings. The Company may use Common Stock or Preferred Stock or may incur long-term indebtedness or a combination thereof for all or a portion of the consideration to be paid in future acquisitions. The issuance of Common Stock or Preferred Stock in acquisitions could result in dilution to existing stockholders, while the use of cash reserves or significant debt financing to fund acquisitions could reduce the Company's liquidity. CONCENTRATION OF REVENUES IN THE CHEMICALS, PETROCHEMICALS AND PETROLEUM INDUSTRIES The Company derives a substantial majority of its total revenues from companies in the chemicals, petrochemicals and petroleum industries. Accordingly, the Company's future success depends upon the continued demand for process manufacturing optimization software and services by companies in these industries. The 7 9 chemicals, petrochemicals and petroleum industries are highly cyclical. The Company believes that worldwide economic downturns and pricing pressures experienced by chemical, petrochemical and petroleum companies in connection with cost-containment measures and environmental regulatory pressures have in the past led to worldwide delays and reductions in certain capital and operating expenditures by many of these companies. There can be no assurance that these industry patterns, as well as general domestic and foreign economic conditions and other factors affecting spending by companies in these industries, will not have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results and financial condition. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE The market for software and services for process manufacturing optimization is characterized by rapidly changing technology and continuing improvements in computer hardware, operating systems, programming tools, programming languages and database technology. The Company's future success will depend on its ability to enhance its current software products and services, integrate its current and future software offerings, modify its products to operate on additional or new operating platforms or systems, and develop in a timely and cost-effective manner new software and services that meet changing market conditions, including evolving customer needs, new competitive software and service offerings, emerging industry standards and changing technology. The Company has announced its intention to further integrate its software products with each other and to integrate those products with ERP, DCS and other business software solutions. The Company believes additional development will be necessary before its products are fully integrated with each other and with these other solutions, particularly with respect to ERP solutions. In the past, the Company has experienced delays in the development and enhancement of new and existing products, particularly the Windows version of Aspen Plus, and has on occasion postponed scheduled delivery dates for certain of its products. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to meet customers' expectations with respect to product development, enhancement and integration or that the Company's software and services will otherwise address adequately the needs of customers. Like many other software products, the Company's software has on occasion contained undetected errors or "bugs." Because new releases of the Company's software products are initially installed only by a selected group of customers, any errors or "bugs" in those new releases may not be detected for a number of months after the delivery of the software. If the Company's products do not perform substantially as expected or are not accepted in the marketplace, the Company's business, operating results and financial condition would be materially adversely affected. DEPENDENCE ON KEY PERSONNEL The Company's future success depends to a significant extent on Lawrence B. Evans, the principal founder of the Company and its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, its other executive officers, and certain engineering, technical, managerial and marketing personnel. The loss of the services of any of these individuals or groups of individuals could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results and financial condition. None of the Company's executive officers has entered into an employment agreement with the Company, and the Company does not have, and is not contemplating securing, any significant amount of key-person life insurance on any of its executive officers or other key employees. In addition to the need to recruit qualified project engineers, the Company believes that its future success will also depend significantly upon its ability to attract, motivate and retain additional highly skilled technical, managerial and marketing personnel. Competition for such personnel is intense, and there can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in attracting, motivating and retaining the personnel it requires to continue to grow and operate profitably. PRODUCT LIABILITY The sale and implementation of certain of the Company's software products and services, particularly in the areas of advanced process control and optimization, may entail the risk of product liability claims. The Company's software products and services are used in the design, operation and management of manufacturing processes at 8 10 large facilities, and any failure of the software at those facilities could result in significant claims for damages or for violations of environmental, safety and other laws and regulations. The Company's agreements with its customers generally contain provisions designed to limit the Company's exposure to potential product liability claims. It is possible, however, that the limitation of liability provisions in the Company's agreements may not be effective as a result of federal, state or local laws or ordinances or unfavorable judicial decisions. A substantial product liability claim against the Company could have a material adverse effect upon the Company's business, operating results and financial condition. DEPENDENCE ON PROPRIETARY TECHNOLOGY The Company regards its software as proprietary and relies on a combination of copyright, patent, trademark and trade secret laws, license and confidentiality agreements, and software security measures to protect its proprietary rights. AspenTech has United States patents for the expert guidance system in its proprietary graphical user interface, the simulation and optimization methods in its optimization software, a process flow diagram generator in its planning and scheduling software, and a process simulation apparatus in its polymers software. The Company has registered or has applied to register certain of its significant trademarks in the United States and in certain other countries. The Company generally enters into non-disclosure agreements with its employees and customers, and historically has restricted access to its software products' source codes, which it regards as proprietary information. In a few cases, the Company has provided copies of the source code for certain products to customers solely for the purpose of special customization of the products and has deposited copies of the source code for certain products in third-party escrow accounts as security for on-going service and license obligations. In these cases, the Company relies on nondisclosure and other contractual provisions to protect its proprietary rights. The laws of certain countries in which the Company's products are licensed do not protect the Company's products and intellectual property rights to the same extent as the laws of the United States. The laws of many countries in which the Company licenses its products protect trademarks solely on the basis of registration. The Company currently possesses a limited number of trademark registrations in certain foreign jurisdictions and does not possess, and has not applied for, any foreign copyright or patent registrations. In fiscal 1996, fiscal 1997 and the nine months ended March 31, 1998, the Company derived approximately 42.0%, 50.0% and 45.3% of its total revenues, respectively, from customers outside the United States. There can be no assurance that the steps taken by the Company to protect its proprietary rights will be adequate to deter misappropriation of its technology or independent development by others of technologies that are substantially equivalent or superior to the Company's technology. Any such misappropriation of the Company's technology or development of competitive technologies could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results and financial condition. The Company could incur substantial costs in protecting and enforcing its intellectual property rights. Moreover, from time to time third parties may assert patent, trademark, copyright and other intellectual property rights to technologies that are important to the Company. In such an event, the Company may be required to incur significant costs in litigating a resolution to the asserted claims. There can be no assurance that such a resolution would not require that the Company pay damages or obtain a license of a third party's proprietary rights in order to continue licensing its products as currently offered or, if such a license is required, that it will be available on terms acceptable to the Company, if at all. MANAGEMENT OF GROWTH The Company has experienced substantial growth in recent years in the number of its employees, the scope of its operating and financial systems, and the geographic area of its operations. The Company's operations have expanded significantly through both internally generated growth and acquisitions. This growth has resulted in increased responsibilities for the Company's management. To manage its growth effectively, the Company must continue to expand its management team, attract, motivate and retain employees, including qualified project engineers, and implement and improve its operating and financial systems. There can be no assurance that the 9 11 Company's current management systems will be adequate or that the Company will be able to manage the Company's recent or future growth successfully. Any failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results and financial condition. INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS In fiscal 1996, fiscal 1997 and the nine months ended March 31, 1998, the Company derived approximately 42.0%, 50.0% and 45.3% of its total revenues, respectively, from customers outside the United States. The Company anticipates that revenues from customers outside the United States will continue to account for a significant portion of its total revenues for the foreseeable future. The Company's operations outside the United States are subject to additional risks, including unexpected changes in regulatory requirements, exchange rates, tariffs and other barriers, political and economic instability, difficulties in managing distributors or representatives, difficulties in staffing and managing foreign subsidiary operations, difficulties or delays in translating products and product documentation into foreign languages, and potentially adverse tax consequences. In addition, the Company currently is unable to determine the effect, if any, that recent economic downturns in Asia, particularly Japan, or the adoption and use of the euro, the single European currency to be introduced in January 1999, will have on the Company's business. There can be no assurance that any of these factors will not have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results and financial condition. The impact of future exchange rate fluctuations on the Company's financial condition and operating results cannot be accurately predicted. In recent years, the Company has increased the extent to which it denominates arrangements with customers outside the United States in the currencies of the country in which the software or services are provided. From time to time the Company has engaged in, and may continue to engage in, hedges of a significant portion of installment contracts denominated in foreign currencies. There can be no assurance that any hedging policies implemented by the Company will be successful or that the cost of such hedging techniques will not have a significant impact on the Company's business, operating results and financial condition. DEPENDENCE ON INCREASED MARKET PENETRATION Increased use in the process industries of software and services for process manufacturing optimization in general and of the Company's software products and services in particular is critical to the Company's future growth. The Company believes that a number of factors will determine its ability to increase market penetration. These factors include product performance, accuracy of results, reliability, breadth and integration of product offerings, scope of applications, and ease of implementation and use. Failure of the Company to achieve increased market penetration in the process industries would substantially restrict the future growth of the Company and could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results and financial condition. YEAR 2000 COMPLIANCE Many currently installed computer systems and software applications are designed to accept only two digit entries in the date code field used to identify years. These date code fields will need to be modified to recognize twenty-first century years. As a result, computer systems and software applications used by many companies may need to be upgraded to comply with "year 2000" requirements. Significant uncertainty exists in the software industry concerning the potential effects of failure to comply with such requirements. The Company has developed a testing and compliance program to ascertain whether and to what extent the Company may need to update its software products to become year 2000 compliant. The Company does not intend to test or modify all prior versions of its software products, current products used on year 2000 non-compliant systems, custom applications developed by or for customers, or certain current software products that the Company plans to replace with either new software products or year 2000 compliant releases by the end of 1999. Certain of the Company's software products are currently year 2000 compliant; however, the Company 10 12 has not completed testing on many of the other software products that it intends to test. There can be no assurance that the Company will complete in a timely manner the testing of such software products or the development of any updates necessary to render such software products year 2000 compliant. Although the Company has obtained representations as to year 2000 compliance from the sellers of certain of its recently acquired technologies, there can be no assurance that the Company will not encounter year 2000 problems arising from these technologies or any other technologies that the Company may acquire in the future. Moreover, the ability of the Company's software products to comply with year 2000 requirements depends in part upon the availability of year 2000 compliant versions of operating systems and software applications used by or with the Company's products. Any delay in developing or offering, or the failure to develop or offer year 2000 compliant products or any necessary updates to existing products, could result in delays in the purchasing of the Company's products and services or in reduced demand for those products and services, and could also result in errors that materially impair the utility of one or more of the Company's products, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results and financial condition. Although the Company does not expect the costs associated with its year 2000 compliance program to be material, there can be no assurance that unidentified year 2000 problems will not cause the Company to incur material expenses in responding to such problems or otherwise have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results and financial condition. Moreover, customer purchasing patterns may be affected by year 2000 issues as customers delay purchases in anticipation of the future release of year 2000 compliant products or releases, and as customers expend significant resources to upgrade their current software systems and applications for year 2000 compliance. These expenditures may result in reduced funds available to purchase software products such as those offered by the Company. The Company has reviewed certain internal systems and future system plans on a preliminary basis to assess Year 2000 compliance. The Company expects that its internal system development plans will address the Year 2000 issue and will correct any existing non-compliant systems without the need to accelerate the overall information systems implementation plans. The Company believes that the cost of any modifications will not be material. The Company's ability to implement its information systems plan and to make the necessary modifications or replacements may be adversely affected by a number of factors outside the control of the Company, including the availability and cost of trained personnel and the ability of such personnel to acquire Year 2000 compliant systems and otherwise to locate and correct all relevant computer codes. The Company is also conducting an additional assessment of its systems and operations in order to more fully identify and plan for any Year 2000 risks, although it believes that its business would not be materially affected by the failure of any internal systems to be Year 2000 compliant. If there are unidentified dependencies on internal systems to operate the business, or if any required modifications are not completed on a timely basis or are more costly to implement than currently anticipated, the Company's business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected. NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARD In October 1997, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants ("AICPA") issued Statement of Position No. 97-2 ("SOP 97-2"), "Software Revenue Recognition," which the Company adopted for software license agreements entered into with customers on or after January 1, 1998. This statement provides accounting standards for software revenue recognition. The Company believes that its revenue recognition policies comply with SOP 97-2; however, unanticipated changes or new interpretations by the AICPA of SOP 97-2 could require changes in the Company's revenue recognition practices, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's operating results and financial condition. POTENTIAL VOLATILITY OF PRICE OF COMMON STOCK The equity markets have from time to time experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations, particularly in the high technology sector, and those fluctuations have often been unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. In addition, factors such as the financial performance of the Company, announcements of 11 13 technological innovations or new products by the Company or its competitors, as well as market conditions in the computer software or hardware industries, may have a significant impact on the market price of the Common Stock. From July 27, 1998, the date on which the Company preliminarily announced its results for the quarter ended June 30, 1998, through the close of business on August 7, 1998, the price per share of Common Stock, as reported by the Nasdaq National Market, decreased from $48.25 to $25.75. See "--Fluctuations in Quarterly Operating Results and Cash Flow." EFFECT OF CERTAIN CHARTER AND BY-LAW PROVISIONS AND ANTI-TAKEOVER PROVISIONS; POSSIBLE ISSUANCES OF PREFERRED STOCK; STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN The Company's Certificate of Incorporation, its By-Laws and certain Delaware laws contain provisions that may discourage acquisition bids for the Company and that may deprive stockholders of certain opportunities to receive a premium for their shares as part of an acquisition of the Company. Preferred Stock may be issued by the Company in the future without stockholder approval and upon such terms as the Board of Directors may determine. The rights of the holders of Common Stock will be subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of any Preferred Stock that may be issued in the future. The issuance of Preferred Stock, while providing desirable flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could have the effect of making it more difficult for a third party to acquire, or of discouraging a third party from acquiring, a majority of the outstanding stock of the Company. The Company has adopted a stockholder rights plan, which may deter or delay attempts to acquire the Company or accumulate shares of Common Stock. Except for the stockholder rights plan, the Company has no present plans to designate or issue any shares of Preferred Stock. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This Prospectus contains and incorporates by reference certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. For this purpose, any statements contained or incorporated by reference herein that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Without limiting the foregoing, the words "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, including the factors set forth under "Risk Factors." Although the Company believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained or incorporated by reference herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate and there can be no assurance that actual results will be the same as those indicated by the forward-looking statements included or incorporated by reference in this Prospectus. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion or incorporation by reference of such information should not be regarded as a representation by the Company or any other person that the objectives and plans of the Company will be achieved. Moreover, the Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting such forward-looking statements. USE OF PROCEEDS The Company will not receive any proceeds from the sale of Common Stock by the Selling Stockholders, nor will any such proceeds be available for use by the Company or otherwise for the Company's benefit. See "Selling Stockholders." 12 14 SELLING STOCKHOLDERS The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the beneficial ownership of Common Stock by the Selling Stockholders as of August 4, 1998 and as adjusted to reflect the sale of the shares of Common Stock offered hereby. Except as indicated, each of the Selling Stockholders possesses sole voting and investment power with respect to shares, subject to community property laws where applicable.
SHARES SHARES TO BE BENEFICIALLY NUMBER BENEFICIALLY OWNED OWNED OF AFTER OFFERING IF PRIOR TO OFFERING SHARES ALL SHARES SOLD ------------------- BEING ------------------ NAME NUMBER PERCENT OFFERED NUMBER PERCENT - ------- --------- ------- ------- ------ ------- Steven Treiber........................................ 140,000 * 126,000 14,000 * James Madden(1)....................................... 108,451 * 97,605 10,846 * Joyce Madden(2)....................................... 108,451 * 97,605 10,846 * Margaret Iolene Taylor................................ 35,945 * 32,351 3,594 * John De Brugha........................................ 19,834 * 17,850 1,984 * Andrew McBrien........................................ 19,220 * 17,298 1,922 * Nigel Shadbolt........................................ 8,436 * 7,592 844 * Alison C.M. Lindsey................................... 8,088 * 7,279 809 * Francis Neil Madden................................... 8,088 * 7,279 809 * Mark Madden........................................... 8,088 * 7,279 809 * Stephen Madden........................................ 8,088 * 7,279 809 * Richard Mervyn Wordsworth Deaville.................... 7,592 * 6,833 759 * John E. Richards...................................... 7,189 * 6,470 719 * Simon Monk............................................ 4,842 * 4,358 484 * Julian C. Burman...................................... 3,594 * 3,235 359 * Jannette Parsons...................................... 2,552 * 2,297 255 * Anne Mecklenburgh..................................... 1,172 * 1,055 117 *
- ---------------- * Percentage of shares beneficially owned is less than 1.0%. (1) Includes (a) 37,742 shares beneficially owned before the offering by Joyce Madden, who is the spouse of James Madden and who is offering 33,968 shares hereby, and (b) 8,088 shares beneficially owned before the offering by each of Alison C.M. Lindsey, Francis Neil Madden, Mark Madden and Stephen Madden, who are children of James Madden and each of whom is offering 7,279 shares hereby. (2) Includes (a) 38,357 shares beneficially owned before the offering by James Madden, who is the spouse of Joyce Madden and who is offering 34,521 shares hereby, and (b) 8,088 shares beneficially owned before the offering by each of Alison C.M. Lindsey, Francis Neil Madden, Mark Madden and Stephen Madden, who are children of Joyce Madden and each of whom is offering 7,279 shares hereby. 13 15 PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION This Prospectus and the Registration Statement are in furtherance of a "shelf" registration pursuant to Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission under the Securities Act. Under the Zyqad Agreement and the Treiber Agreement, the Company is obligated to use its best efforts to keep the shelf registration in effect until (a) a period of ninety days has elapsed since the date of this Prospectus or (b) all of the shares offered hereby have been sold hereunder. The shares offered hereby may be sold from time to time by the Selling Stockholders, or by pledges, donees, transferees or other successors in interest of the Selling Stockholders. Such sales may be made on the Nasdaq National Market, or otherwise, at prices and on terms then prevailing or at prices related to the then-current market prices, or in negotiated transactions at negotiated prices. The shares may be sold by one or a combination of the following: (a) a block trade in which the broker or dealer so engaged will attempt to sell the shares as agent, but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction; (b) purchases by a broker or dealer as principal and resale by such broker or dealer for its account pursuant to this Prospectus; and (c) ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker solicits purchasers. In effecting sales, brokers or dealers engaged by the Selling Stockholders may arrange for other brokers or dealers to participate. Brokers or dealers will receive commissions or discounts from Selling Stockholders in amounts to be negotiated immediately prior to the sale. The Selling Stockholders and any broker-dealers that participate in the distribution may be deemed to be "underwriters" within the meaning of Section 2(11) of the Securities Act, and any commission received by them and any profit on the resale of shares sold by them may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions. Upon the Company being notified by the Selling Stockholders that any material arrangement has been entered into with a broker-dealer for the sale of shares through a block trade, special offering, exchange distribution or secondary distribution or a purchase by a broker or dealer, a supplemented prospectus will be filed, if required, pursuant to Rule 424(c) under the Securities Act, setting forth (i) the name of each of the participating broker-dealers, (ii) the number of shares involved, (iii) the price at which such shares were sold, (iv) the commissions paid or discounts or concessions allowed to such broker-dealers, where applicable, (v) a statement to the effect that such broker-dealers did not conduct any investigation to verify the information set out or incorporated by reference in this Prospectus, and (vi) other facts material to the transaction. LEGAL MATTERS The validity of the shares of Common Stock offered hereby has been passed upon for the Company by Foley, Hoag & Eliot LLP, Boston, Massachusetts. EXPERTS The consolidated and supplemental consolidated balance sheets of the Company as of June 30, 1996 and 1997 and the related consolidated and supplemental consolidated statements of operations, stockholders' equity and cash flows for the years ended June 30, 1995, 1996 and 1997 incorporated by reference herein from the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 27, 1998 have been audited by Arthur Andersen LLP, independent public accountants, to the extent and for the periods indicated in their reports included in such Form 8-K, and are incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the authority of that firm as experts in giving those reports. 14 16 ======================================= ======================================= No broker, dealer or any other person 322,944 SHARES has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations in connection with this offering other than those contained in this Prospectus, and, if given or made, such information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorized by the Company or the Selling Stockholders. This Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the shares of ASPEN TECHNOLOGY, INC. Common Stock to which it relates or an offer to, or a solicitation of, any person in any jurisdiction where such an offer or solicitation would be unlawful. Neither the delivery of this Prospectus nor any sale made hereunder shall, under any circumstances, create any implication that there has been no change in the affairs of the Company since the date hereof or that information contained herein is correct as of any time subsequent to its date. COMMON STOCK ----------------- ---------- TABLE OF CONTENTS PROSPECTUS ----------------- ---------- Page ---- Available Information.............. 2 Information Incorporated by Reference......................... 2 Prospectus Summary................. 3 Risk Factors....................... 5 Forward-Looking Information........ 12 Use of Proceeds.................... 12 Selling Stockholders............... 13 Plan of Distribution............... 14 Legal Matters...................... 14 Experts............................ 14 , 1998 ======================================= ======================================= 17 PART II INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS ITEM 14. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION The following table sets forth the various expenses to be paid by the Registrant in connection with the issuance and distribution of the shares of Common Stock being registered. All amounts shown are estimates except for the Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee. The Registrant will pay all expenses in connection with the distribution of the shares of Common Stock being sold by the Selling Stockholders (including fees and expenses of counsel for the Company), except for any discounts, concessions, commissions or other compensation due to any broker or dealer in connection with the sale of any of the shares offered hereby. Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee....... $2,261 Legal fees and expenses................................... 4,500 Printing, EDGAR formatting and mailing expenses........... 500 Miscellaneous............................................. 1,239 ------ Total................................................ $8,500 ====== ITEM 15. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS Article SEVENTH of the Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the "Certificate of Incorporation"), provides that no director of the Registrant shall be personally liable for any monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent that the Delaware General Corporation Law prohibits the elimination or limitation of liability of directors for breach of fiduciary duty. Article EIGHTH of the Certificate of Incorporation provides that a director or officer of the Registrant shall be indemnified by the Registrant against (a) all expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement incurred in connection with any litigation or other legal proceeding (other than an action by or in the right of the Registrant) brought against him or her by virtue of his or her position as a director or officer of the Registrant if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Registrant, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful and (b) all expenses (including attorneys' fees) and amounts paid in settlement incurred in connection with any action by or in the right of the Registrant brought against him or her by virtue of his or her position as a director or officer of the Registrant if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Registrant, except that no indemnification shall be made with respect to any matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Registrant, unless a court determines that, despite such adjudication but in view of all of the circumstances, he or she is entitled to indemnification of such expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that a director or officer has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, including the dismissal of an action without prejudice, he or she is required to be indemnified by the Registrant against all expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred in connection therewith. Expenses shall be advanced to a director or officer at his or her request, provided that he or she undertakes to repay the amount advanced if it is ultimately determined that he or she is not entitled to indemnification for such expenses. Indemnification is required to be made unless the Registrant determines that the applicable standard of conduct required for indemnification has not been met. In the event of a determination by the Registrant that the director or officer did not meet the applicable standard of conduct required for indemnification, or if the Registrant fails to make an indemnification payment within sixty days after such payment is claimed by such person, such person is permitted to petition the court to make an independent determination as to whether such person is entitled to II-1 18 indemnification. As a condition precedent to the right of indemnification, the director or officer must give the Registrant notice of the action for which indemnity is sought and the Registrant has the right to participate in such action or assume the defense thereof. Article EIGHTH of the Certificate of Incorporation further provides that the indemnification provided therein is not exclusive, and provides that in the event that the Delaware General Corporation Law is amended to expand the indemnification permitted to directors or officers the Registrant must indemnify those persons to the fullest extent permitted by such law as so amended. Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides that a corporation has the power to indemnify a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation and certain other persons serving at the request of the corporation in related capacities against amounts paid and expenses incurred in connection with an action or proceeding to which he or she is or is threatened to be made a party by reason of such position, if such person shall have acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, in any criminal proceeding, if such person had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful; provided that, in the case of actions brought by or in the right of the corporation, no indemnification shall be made with respect to any matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the adjudicating court determines that such indemnification is proper under the circumstances. The Company maintains a directors' and officers' insurance policy that covers certain liabilities of directors and officers of the Company, including liabilities under the Securities Act. The Company maintains a general liability insurance policy that covers certain liabilities of directors and officers of the Company arising out of claims based on acts or omissions in their capacities as directors or officers. ITEM 16. EXHIBITS EXHIBIT NO. - ----------- 5.1 Opinion of Foley, Hoag & Eliot LLP 23.1 Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP 23.2 Consent of Foley, Hoag & Eliot LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1) 24.1 Powers of Attorney (included on page II-4) 99.1 Section 5.8 (Registration of Exchanged Shares) of Share Exchange Agreement dated as of March 16, 1998 between Aspen Technology, Inc. and the Shareholders of Zyqad Limited 99.2 Section 6 (Registration Rights) of Share Exchange Agreement dated as of May 29, 1998 between Aspen Technology Inc., Treiber Controls Inc. and Dr. Steven Treiber ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS (a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes: (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement; (i) To include any prospectus required to Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; II-2 19 (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement; and (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement; provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8, or Form F-3, and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement. (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. (3) To remove from registration, by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. II-3 20 SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Cambridge, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as of August 5, 1998. ASPEN TECHNOLOGY, INC. By: /s/ LAWRENCE B. EVANS ------------------------------------------------- LAWRENCE B. EVANS Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer POWER OF ATTORNEY We, the undersigned officers and directors of Aspen Technology, Inc., hereby severally constitute and appoint Lawrence B. Evans, Mary A. Palermo and Stephen J. Doyle, and each of them singly, our true and lawful attorneys with full power to them, and each of them singly, to sign for us and in our names in the capacities indicated below, the Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed herewith and any and all pre-effective and post-effective amendments to said Registration Statement, and any subsequent Registration Statement for the same offering which may be filed under Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and generally to do all such things in our names and on our behalf in our capacities as officers and directors to enable Aspen Technology, Inc. to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 and all requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming our signatures as they may be signed by our said attorneys, or any of them, to said Registration Statement and any and all amendments thereto or to any subsequent Registration Statement for the same offering which may be filed under said Rule 462(b). Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated as of August 5, 1998.
SIGNATURE TITLE --------- ----- /s/ LAWRENCE B. EVANS Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer - ----------------------------- (Principal Executive Officer) LAWRENCE B. EVANS /s/ MARY A. PALERMO Executive Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer - ----------------------------- (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) MARY A. PALERMO /s/ JOSEPH F. BOSTON Director - ----------------------------- JOSEPH F. BOSTON /s/ GRESHAM T. BREBACH, JR. Director - ----------------------------- GRESHAM T. BREBACH, JR. /s/ DOUGLAS R. BROWN Director - ----------------------------- DOUGLAS R. BROWN /s/ JOAN C. MCARDLE Director - ----------------------------- JOAN C. MCARDLE /s/ ALISON ROSS Director - ----------------------------- ALISON ROSS
II-4 21 EXHIBIT INDEX 5.1 Opinion of Foley, Hoag & Eliot LLP 23.1 Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP 23.2 Consent of Foley, Hoag & Eliot LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1) 24.1 Powers of Attorney (included on page II-4) 99.1 Section 5.8 (Registration of Exchanged Shares) of Share Exchange Agreement dated as of March 16, 1998 between Aspen Technology, Inc. and the Shareholders of Zyqad Limited 99.2 Section 6 (Registration Rights) of Share Exchange Agreement dated as of May 29, 1998 between Aspen Technology Inc., Treiber Controls Inc. and Dr. Steven Treiber II-5
   1
                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1

                             FOLEY, HOAG & ELIOT LLP
                             One Post Office Square
                        Boston, Massachusetts 02109-2170
                            Telephone: (617) 832-1000
                            Facsimile: (617) 832-7000
                                  Telex 940693
                               http://www.fhe.com


                                             August 10, 1998

ASPEN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Ten Canal Park
Cambridge, Massachusetts  02141

Ladies and Gentlemen:

      We have acted as special counsel for Aspen Technology, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the preparation and filing with
the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, of a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement")
relating to the offering of up to 322,944 shares (the "Shares") of the Company's
common stock, $.10 par value, by certain stockholders of the Company.

      In arriving at the opinion expressed below, we have examined and relied
on: (i) the Registration Statement; (ii) the Certificate of Incorporation of the
Company, as amended; (iii) the By-Laws of the Company; and (iv) minutes of
meetings of the Board of Directors of the Company, including meetings held on
March 11, 1998 and May 26, 1998. In addition, we have examined and relied on the
originals or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction of all
such other records, documents and instruments of the Company and such other
persons, and we have made such investigations of law, as we have deemed
appropriate as a basis for the opinions expressed below. We have assumed the
genuineness of all signatures and the authenticity of all documents submitted to
us as originals and the conformity to the original documents of all documents
submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies.

      We express no opinion other than as to the corporation laws of the State
of Delaware.

      Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares have been
duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.

      We consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the
Registration Statement and to the reference to us under the heading "Legal
Matters" in the prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement.

                                             Very truly yours,

                                             FOLEY, HOAG & ELIOT LLP


                                             By /s/ Mark L. Johnson
                                                --------------------------------
                                                A Partner

   1



                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.1


                    CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

      As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the incorporation
by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our reports included
in the Current Report on Form 8-K of Aspen Technology, Inc. dated May 27, 1998
and to the reference to our firm in this Registration Statement.


                                             /s/  ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP



Boston, Massachusetts
August 6, 1998


   1


                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1

       [Excerpted from Share Exchange Agreement dated as of March 16, 1998
      between Aspen Technology, Inc. and The Shareholders of Zyqad Limited]

5.8.  Registration of Exchanged Shares.

      a.    Holders and Initial Holders. The rights to registration of shares
            under this section are for the Shareholders, and the Derivative
            Rights Holders to the extent they are entitled to registration as
            set forth in Section 2.2, and any of their respective (i)
            successors-in-interest, (ii) family members, trusts wholly or
            principally for the benefit of family members and affiliates to whom
            a Shareholder or Derivative Rights Holder or its
            successor-in-interest transfers any of the Registrable Securities
            (as defined in paragraph (b) of this section) initially issued to
            such Shareholder or Derivative Rights Holder and (iii) any other
            person or persons to whom a Shareholder or Derivative Rights Holder
            transfers all or substantially all of the Registrable Securities
            initially issued to such Shareholder or Derivative Rights Holder,
            which family member, trust, affiliate or person described in clause
            (ii) or (iii) is registered on the books of AspenTech (together with
            the Shareholders, Derivative Rights Holder such successors-in-
            interest, family members, trusts, affiliates and other persons are
            hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "Holders").

      b.    Securities Subject to this Section. The securities entitled to the
            benefits of this section are the Exchanged Shares, and the
            Derivative Rights Shares if the converted AT Derivative Rights are
            exercised prior to registration of the Exchanged Shares hereunder,
            and any other securities issued by AspenTech in exchange for any of
            the Exchanged Shares (collectively the "Registrable Securities")
            but, with respect to any particular Registrable Security, only so
            long as it continues to be a Registrable Security. Registrable
            Securities shall include any securities issued as a dividend or
            distribution on account of Registrable Securities or resulting from
            a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Registrable Securities
            into a greater number of shares (by reclassification, stock split or
            otherwise). For the purposes of this Agreement a security that was
            at one time a Registrable Security shall cease to be a Registrable
            Security when (i) such security has been effectively registered
            under the Securities Act and has been disposed of pursuant to such
            registration statement, (ii) such security is or can be distributed
            to the public pursuant to Rule 144 (or any similar provision then in
            force) under the Securities Act, (iii) such security has been
            otherwise transferred and (A) AspenTech has delivered a new
            certificate or other evidence of ownership not bearing the legend
            set forth on the Exchanged Shares upon the initial issuance thereof
            (or other legend of similar import) and (B) in the opinion of
            counsel to AspenTech, the subsequent disposition of such security
            shall not require the registration or qualification under the
            Securities Act or [(iv)] such security has ceased to be outstanding.

      c.    Shelf Registration. AspenTech agrees that it shall cause to be filed
            a registration statement (the "Shelf Registration") on Form S-3 or
            any other appropriate form under the Securities Act for an offering
            to be made on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415
            thereunder or any similar rule that may be adopted by the Securities
            and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") and permitting sales in
            ordinary course brokerage or dealer transactions not involving an
            underwritten public offering (and shall register or qualify the
            shares to be sold in such offering under such other securities or
            "blue sky" laws as would reasonably be required) covering the entire
            issue of Registrable Securities and such other shares of Aspen
            Common as may be included pursuant to registration rights of other
            holders of Aspen Common. AspenTech shall use its best efforts to (i)
            cause the Shelf Registration to be declared effective by the
            Commission on, or as soon as practicable after, the date on which
            AspenTech first publishes financial results covering at least thirty
            days of post-acquisition combined operations of AspenTech and Zyqad
            and (ii) keep the Shelf Registration continuously effective (and
            register or qualify the shares to be sold in such offering under
            such other securities or "blue sky" laws as would be required for a
            period (the "Shelf Registration Period") of ninety (90) days after
            the date on which the Shelf Registration is declared effective by
            the Commission (or such shorter period that will terminate




   2



            when all Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration
            have been sold), provided that AspenTech may terminate the
            effectiveness of the Shelf Registration or delay registration of the
            Shelf Registration upon a finding in good faith by AspenTech board
            of directors that continuation or registration would be
            significantly disadvantageous to AspenTech because AspenTech would
            be required to disclose in such registration statement, either
            directly or through incorporation by reference, non-public
            information that it would not otherwise be obligated to disclose at
            such time). AspenTech agrees, if necessary, to supplement or make
            amendments to the Shelf Registration, if required by the
            registration form used by AspenTech for the Shelf Registration or by
            the instructions applicable to such registration form or by the
            Securities Act or the rules or regulations thereunder.

      d.    Expenses. AspenTech shall pay all expenses incident to its
            performance of or compliance with this Section 5.8, regardless of
            whether such registration becomes effective, including (i) all
            Commission, stock exchange or market registration and filing fees,
            (ii) all printing, messenger and delivery expenses, (iii) all fees
            and disbursements of AspenTech's independent public accountants and
            counsel, (iv) all expenses incurred in registering the Exchanged
            Shares, and if applicable the Derivative Rights Shares, under any
            applicable state securities or "blue sky" laws, and (v) all fees and
            expenses of any special experts retained by AspenTech in connection
            with any registration pursuant to the terms of this Agreement;
            provided, however, that the Holders shall be liable for (A) any fees
            or commissions of brokers, dealers or underwriters, (B) any transfer
            taxes and (C) any fees or expenses of consultants, financial
            advisors, counsel and other professionals acting on behalf of the
            Holders in connection with any registration pursuant to the tenets
            of this Agreement.

      e.    Rule 144. AspenTech covenants that it shall use its best efforts to
            file the reports required to be filed by it under the Securities
            Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of
            the Commission thereunder, and it shall, if feasible, take such
            further action as any Holder may reasonable request all to the
            extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell
            shares of Aspen Common which were formerly Registrable Securities
            without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation
            of the exemptions provided by (a) Rule 144 under the Securities Act,
            as such Rule may be amended from time to time or (b) any similar
            rules or regulations hereafter adopted by the Commission; provided
            that nothing herein shall obligate AspenTech to disclose non-public
            information that it would not otherwise be obligated to disclose at
            such time.

[For purposes of the foregoing Section 5.8, the following terms have the
indicated meanings:

"Aspen Common" means common stock, $.10 par value, of AspenTech.

"AspenTech" means Aspen Technology, Inc.

"AT Derivative Rights" means convertible debentures, options, warrants or other
rights to Aspen Common.

"Derivative Rights Holders" means certain persons identified as holders of
convertible debentures, options, warrants or other rights to shares of Zyqad
Limited.

"Exchanged Shares" means 171,337 shares of Aspen Common exchanged for previously
outstanding shares of capital stock of Zyqad Limited.

"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

"Shareholders" means the former shareholders of Zyqad Limited.

"Zyqad" means Zyqad Limited.]


                                        2


   1

                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.2


        [Excerpted from Share Exchange Agreement dated as of May 29, 1998
  between Aspen Technology, Inc., Treiber Controls Inc. and Dr. Steven Treiber]

6.    REGISTRATION RIGHTS

      6.1.  REGISTRATION STATEMENT. After the Publication Date, AspenTech shall
            either, at the Stockholder's option, (i) prepare and file with the
            SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 (a "Shelf Registration")
            that shall register under the Securities Act the Registrable Shares
            within ten days of the Publication Date, or (ii) include the
            Registrable Shares in an underwritten public offering of Aspen
            Common conducted by AspenTech for its own account or the account of
            other security holders of AspenTech on or before September 25, 1998
            (a "Piggyback Underwriting") (the registration statements filed
            under either the Shelf Registration or Piggyback Underwriting
            collectively called the "Registration Statements"). A Piggyback
            Underwriting shall not include (a) a registration on Form S-4 or S-8
            (or any successor form), (b) a registration on any form that does
            not include substantially the same information as would be required
            to be included in a Registration Statement covering the sale of
            [Registrable Shares], or (c) a registration relating solely to
            securities of AspenTech convertible into Aspen Common or as to which
            Aspen Common may be issued upon exercise of rights thereunder and to
            the Aspen Common issuable upon conversion or exercise thereof. If
            Stockholder notifies AspenTech of his election for either a Shelf
            Registration or Piggyback Underwriting by August 1, 1998, AspenTech
            shall use its reasonable efforts to register the Registrable Shares
            under clause (i) above by August 20, 1998 or clause (ii) above, as
            the case may be, by September 25, 1998. In the event of a Shelf
            Registration, AspenTech agrees to use reasonable efforts to keep
            such registration statement continuously effective for a period of
            ninety (90) days after its effective date. The Stockholder shall
            furnish all information that AspenTech may reasonably request in
            connection with the foregoing registration or any other filings
            required to be made in connection with this transaction. AspenTech
            shall, within fifteen (15) days of the Closing Date, list the
            Exchanged Shares on NASDAQ.

      6.2   OBLIGATIONS OF ASPENTECH.

            a.    In connection with registrations under this Section, and 
                  subject to the limitations of this Section, AspenTech shall:

                  i.    use its reasonable efforts to keep the registration 
                        statement filed in connection with a Shelf Registration
                        effective as provided therein;

                  ii.   prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and
                        supplements to such registration statements and the
                        prospectuses used in connection therewith as may be
                        necessary, and comply with the provisions of the
                        Securities Act with respect to the sale or other
                        disposition of all Registrable Shares registered in such
                        registration statements;

                  iii.  furnish to the Stockholder such number of copies of any
                        prospectus (including any preliminary prospectus and any
                        amended or supplemented prospectus) in conformity with
                        the requirements of the Securities Act, and such other
                        documents, as the Stockholder may reasonably request in
                        order to effect the offering and sale of the Registrable
                        Shares to be offered and sold, but only while AspenTech
                        shall be required under the provisions hereof to cause
                        the registration statement to remain current;

                  iv.   use its reasonable efforts to register or qualify the
                        Registrable Shares covered by such registration
                        statements under the securities or blue sky laws of such
                        jurisdictions as the Stockholder shall reasonably
                        request (provided that AspenTech shall not be required
                        in




   2



                        connection therewith or as a condition thereto to
                        qualify to do business or to file a general consent to
                        service of process in any such jurisdiction where it has
                        not been qualified).

            b.    NOTIFICATION OBLIGATIONS. AspenTech shall promptly notify the
                  Stockholder once the Registrable Shares are covered by a
                  registration statement hereunder:

                  i.    when a prospectus or any prospectus supplement or
                        post-effective amendment has been filed, and, with
                        respect to the registration statements or any
                        post-effective amendment, when the same has become
                        effective;

                  ii.   of any request by the SEC or any other federal or state
                        governmental authority during the period of
                        effectiveness of the registration statements for
                        amendments or supplements to the registration statements
                        or related prospectus or for additional information
                        relating to the registration statements,

                  iii.  of the issuance by the SEC or any other federal or state
                        governmental authority of any stop order suspending the
                        effectiveness of the registration statements or the
                        initiation of any proceedings for that purpose,

                  iv.   of the receipt by AspenTech of any notification with
                        respect to the suspension of the qualification or
                        exemption from qualification of any of the Registrable
                        Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or
                        threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; or

                  v.    of the happening of any event which makes any statement
                        made in the registration statements or related
                        prospectuses or any document incorporated or deemed to
                        be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any
                        material respect or which requires the malting of any
                        changes in the registration statements or prospectuses
                        so that, in the case of the registration statements,
                        they will not contain any untrue statement of a material
                        fact or omit to state any material fact required to be
                        stated therein or necessary to make the statements
                        therein not misleading, and that in the case of the
                        prospectuses, they will not contain any untrue statement
                        of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
                        required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
                        statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
                        under which they were made, not misleading.

                  Upon the happening of any event of the kind described in
                  clause (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) above or any other event that,
                  in the good faith judgment of AspenTech's Board of Directors,
                  renders it advisable to suspend use of any prospectus due to
                  pending corporate developments, public filings with the SEC or
                  similar material events, AspenTech may suspend use of the
                  prospectuses on written notice to the Stockholder (in which
                  case the Stockholder shall discontinue disposition of
                  Registrable Shares covered by a registration statement or
                  prospectus until copies of a supplemented or amended
                  prospectus are distributed to the Stockholder or until the
                  Stockholder is advised in writing by the AspenTech that the
                  use of the applicable prospectus may be resumed). AspenTech
                  shall use its reasonable efforts to ensure that the use of the
                  prospectuses may be resumed as soon as practicable. AspenTech
                  shall use its reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal of
                  any order suspending the effectiveness of a registration
                  statement, or the lifting of any suspension of the
                  qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the
                  securities for sale in any jurisdiction, at the earliest
                  practicable moment. AspenTech shall, upon the occurrence of
                  any event contemplated by clause (v) above, prepare a
                  supplement or post-effective amendment to the registration
                  statements or a supplement to the related prospectuses or any
                  document incorporated therein by reference or file any other
                  required document so that, as thereafter delivered to the
                  purchasers of the Registrable Shares being sold thereunder,
                  such prospectuses will


                                        2


   3



                  not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
                  state a material fact required to be stated therein or
                  necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
                  circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. In
                  addition to the foregoing, AspenTech may either suspend or
                  terminate the Shelf Registration on written notice to the
                  Stockholder, in which case the Stockholder shall discontinue
                  dispositions of such Registrable Shares and in the event of
                  termination, AspenTech shall deregister any shares registered
                  but unsold thereunder. In such event the Chief Financial
                  Officer shall furnish a certificate of AspenTech stating that
                  in the good faith judgment of the Board of Directors of
                  AspenTech it would be significantly disadvantageous to Aspen
                  and its stockholders for any such registration statement to be
                  amended or supplemented or continued because AspenTech would
                  be required to disclose in such registration statement, either
                  directly or though incorporation by reference, non-public
                  information that it would not otherwise be obligated to
                  disclose at such time. If AspenTech provides Stockholder with
                  notice of suspension, AspenTech shall extend the period during
                  which such Shelf Registration shall be maintained effective
                  pursuant to this Agreement by the same number of days the
                  Stockholder is required to discontinue dispositions
                  thereunder. If AspenTech provides Stockholder with notice of
                  termination, AspenTech shall file a new shelf registration as
                  provided herein as soon as practicable after the cause for
                  such termination ceases to prohibit the registration, and such
                  new shelf registration shall be maintained for a subsequent
                  two months subject to the provisions of this Agreement.

            c.    REPORTS UNDER EXCHANGE ACT. AspenTech agrees to (a) use its
                  reasonable efforts to file with the SEC in a timely manner all
                  reports and other documents required of AspenTech under the
                  Securities Act and the Exchange Act and (b) furnish to the
                  Stockholder forthwith upon request (i) a written statement by
                  AspenTech that it has complied with the reporting requirements
                  of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act or that it
                  qualifies as a registrant whose securities may be resold
                  pursuant to Form S-3 (at any time that it so qualifies) and
                  (ii) such other information as may be reasonably requested in
                  availing the Stockholder of any rule or regulation of the SEC
                  which permits the selling of any such securities pursuant to
                  Form S-3.

      6.3   OBLIGATIONS OF STOCKHOLDER.

            In order for any Registrable Shares to be included in any Piggyback
            Underwriting or Shelf Registration, the Stockholder shall provide
            all such information and materials to AspenTech and take all such
            action as may be required in order to permit AspenTech to comply
            with all applicable requirements of the SEC and any state securities
            commission and to obtain the effectiveness of and any desired
            acceleration of the effective date of such registration statement.
            Such provision of information and materials is a condition precedent
            to the obligations of AspenTech pursuant to Section 6.1, provided
            that AspenTech shall have used its reasonable efforts to provide
            reasonable advance notice of the need for such information,
            materials or action and shall have afforded the Stockholder a
            reasonable opportunity to provide such materials and to take such
            action. The Stockholder shall enter into, if the registration is
            pursuant to a Piggyback Underwriting, an underwriting agreement with
            the underwriter or underwriter of such offering containing
            representations, warranties, indemnities and agreements then
            customarily included by selling stockholders in underwriting
            agreements with respect to secondary distributions.

      6.4   EXPENSES.

            AspenTech shall pay all expenses incident to its performance of or
            compliance with this Section 6, regardless of whether any
            registration becomes effective, including all registration and
            filing fees of the SEC, the National Association of Securities
            Dealers, Inc. and the NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc., all fees and
            expenses incurred in complying with securities or blue sky laws
            (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel in
            connection with blue sky qualifications of the Registrable Shares),
            all


                                        3


   4



            printing, messenger and delivery expenses, all fees and expenses of
            AspenTech's transfer agent and registrar, all fees and disbursements
            of AspenTech's independent public accountants and counsel and all
            fees and expenses of any special experts retained by AspenTech in
            connection with any registration pursuant to the terms of this
            Section; provided, however, that (a) in connection with any
            Piggyback Underwriting pursuant to the terms of this Section, or (b)
            in connection with the sale of Registrable Shares by the Stockholder
            under an S-3 registration filing through a broker other than
            Nationsbank Montgomery Securities, then in each such event the
            Stockholder shall be liable for any fees or commissions of brokers
            with respect to the Registrable Shares, and any fees or expenses of
            consultants, financial advisors, counsel and other professionals
            acting on behalf of the Stockholder in connection with any
            registration or Piggyback Underwriting pursuant to the terms of this
            Section.

      6.5   INDEMNIFICATION.

            In the event of any offering registered pursuant to this Section:

            a.    AspenTech will indemnify the Stockholder against all claims,
                  losses, damages and liabilities (or actions in respect
                  thereof), including any of the foregoing incurred in
                  settlement of any litigation, commenced or threatened, arising
                  out of or based on any untrue statement (or alleged untrue
                  statement) of a material fact contained in any registration
                  statement, prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto,
                  incident to any offering registered pursuant to this Section,
                  or based on any omission (or alleged omission) to state
                  therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
                  necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
                  circumstances in which they are made, not misleading, or any
                  violation by AspenTech of any rule or regulation promulgated
                  under the Securities Act, or state securities laws applicable
                  to AspenTech in connection with any such registration, and
                  subject to Section 6.5, will reimburse the Stockholder for any
                  legal and any other out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred
                  in connection with investigating, preparing or defending any
                  such claim, loss, damage, liability or action, provided that
                  AspenTech will not be liable in any such case to the extent
                  that any such claim, loss, damage, or liability arises out of
                  or is based on any untrue statement or omission or alleged
                  untrue statement or omission, made in reliance upon and in
                  conformity with written information furnished to AspenTech by
                  the Stockholder.

            6.    The Stockholder will indemnify AspenTech, each of its
                  directors and officers and its legal counsel and independent
                  accountants, each underwriter, if any, of AspenTech's
                  securities covered by such a registration statement, each
                  person who controls AspenTech or such underwriter within the
                  meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, and each other
                  such Stockholder of shares included in the offering, and such
                  Stockholder's legal counsel and independent accountants,
                  against all claims, losses, damages and liabilities (or
                  actions in respect thereof) arising out of or based on any
                  untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) or a material
                  fact contained in any such registration statement, prospectus,
                  offering circular or any amendment or supplement thereto, or
                  any omission (or alleged omission) to state therein a material
                  fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
                  statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse
                  AspenTech, such Stockholders, such directors, officers, legal
                  counsel, independent accountants, underwriters or control
                  persons for any legal or any other expenses reasonably
                  incurred in connection with investigating or defending any
                  such claim, loss, damage, liability or action, in each case to
                  the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement
                  (or alleged untrue statement) or omission (or alleged
                  omission) is made in such registration statement, prospectus,
                  offering circular or any amendment or supplement thereto in
                  reliance upon and in conformity with written information
                  furnished to AspenTech by the Stockholder.


                                        4


   5



            c.    Each party entitled to indemnification under this Section 6.6
                  (the "Indemnified Party") shall give notice to the party
                  required to provide indemnification (the "Indemnifying Party")
                  promptly after such Indemnified Party receives written notice
                  of any claim as to which indemnity may be sought, and shall
                  permit the Indemnifying Party to assume the defense of any
                  such claim or any litigation resulting therefrom, provided
                  that counsel for the Indemnifying Party, who shall conduct the
                  defense of such claim or litigation, shall be approved by the
                  Indemnified Party (whose approval shall not be unreasonably
                  withheld), and the Indemnified Party may participate in such
                  defense at such Indemnified Party's expense, and provided
                  further that the failure of any Indemnified Party to give
                  notice as provided herein shall not relieve the Indemnifying
                  Party of its obligations under this Section, except to the
                  extent, but only to the extent, that the Indemnifying Party's
                  ability to defend against such claim or litigation is impaired
                  as a result of such failure to give notice. Notwithstanding
                  the foregoing sentence, the Indemnified Party may retain its
                  own counsel to conduct the defense of any such claim or
                  litigation, and shall be entitled to be reimbursed by the
                  Indemnifying Party for expenses reasonably incurred by the
                  Indemnified Party in defense of such claim or litigation, in
                  the event that (i) the Indemnifying Party does not assume the
                  defense of such claim or litigation within ten days after the
                  Indemnifying Party receives notice thereof from the
                  Indemnified Party or (ii) the Indemnified Party reasonably
                  determines that counsel for the Indemnifying Party has a
                  conflict of interest in representing the Indemnified Party.
                  Further, an Indemnifying Party shall be liable for amounts
                  paid in settlement of any such claim or litigation only if the
                  Indemnifying Party consents in writing to such settlement
                  (which consent shall not be reasonably withheld). No
                  Indemnifying Party, in the defense of any such claim or
                  litigation, shall, except with the consent of each Indemnified
                  Party, consent to entry of any judgment or enter any
                  settlement which does not include as an unconditional term
                  thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such
                  Indemnified Party a release from all liability in respect to
                  such claim or litigation.

[For purposes of the foregoing Section 6, the following terms have the indicated
meanings:

"Aspen Common" means common stock, $.10 par value, of AspenTech.

"AspenTech" means Aspen Technology, Inc.

"Closing Date" means May 29, 1998.

"Exchanged Shares" means 140,000 shares of Aspen Common exchanged for all
ownership interest in and to Treiber Controls Inc..

"Publication Date" means the date on which AspenTech initially publishes
financial results reflecting the first thirty days of combined operations of
AspenTech and Treiber Controls Inc.

"Registrable Shares" means (a) the shares of Aspen Common issued to the
Stockholder in exchange for all of the outstanding equity of Treiber Controls
Inc., (b) any other securities issued by AspenTech in exchange for any of such
shares (but, with respect to any particular Registrable Share, only so long as
it continues to be a Registrable Share) and (c) any shares of Aspen Common
issued as a dividend or distribution on account of Registrable Shares or
resulting from a subdivision of outstanding Registrable Shares into a greater
number of securities (by reclassification, stock split or otherwise), provided
that a security that was at one time a Registrable Share shall cease to be a
Registrable Share when (i) it has been effectively registered under the
Securities Act and has been disposed of pursuant to a registration statement or
(ii) it has been transferred and is no longer held of record by the Stockholder.

"SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.


                                        5


   6


"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

"Securities Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

"Stockholder" means Dr. Steven Treiber, sole equity holder of Treiber Controls
Inc.]


                                        6