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Filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
Registration statement No. 333-41387
PROSPECTUS
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MICROSOFT CORPORATION
359,209 Common Shares
Par Value of $.000025 Per Share
-------------------------------
This Prospectus relates to up to 359,209 shares of common stock (the
"Common Shares") of Microsoft Corporation, a Washington corporation
("Microsoft"), which may be offered from time to time by the selling
shareholders named herein (the "Selling Shareholders"). Microsoft will not
receive any of the proceeds from the sale of the Common Shares. Microsoft will
bear the costs relating to the registration of the Common Shares estimated to be
approximately $24,532.
The Common Shares are registered as a result of (i) the merger of Microsoft
Investments Washington Parent, Inc., a Washington corporation and wholly owned
subsidiary of Microsoft, with and into VXtreme, Inc., a California corporation
("VXtreme") and (ii) the merger of Walkabout Software, Inc., a California
corporation ("Walkabout"), with and into Microsoft (collectively, the
"Mergers"). Pursuant to the Mergers, Microsoft agreed to register the Common
Shares received by the Selling Shareholders in connection with the Mergers. In
agreements related to the Mergers, each Selling Shareholder entered into an
investment agreement with Microsoft (the "Investment Agreements").
The Common Shares are traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol
MSFT. The average of the high and low prices of the Common Shares as reported
on the Nasdaq Stock Market on November 25, 1997 was $137.50 per Common Share.
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION, NOR HAS THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES
COMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF
THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE
CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
________________________________________
The date of this Prospectus is December 9, 1997
All of the securities to be registered hereby are to be offered for the
account of security holders.
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AVAILABLE INFORMATION
Microsoft is subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and files reports and other
information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") in
accordance therewith. Such reports, proxy statements, and other information
filed by Microsoft are available for inspection and copying at the public
reference facilities of the Commission at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington,
D.C. 20549, and at the Commission's Regional Offices located at 7 World Trade
Center, Suite 1300, New York, New York 10048, and at Citicorp Center, 500 West
Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661-2511. Copies of such
material may be obtained by mail from the Public Reference Section of the
Commission at 450 Fifth St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates.
The Commission maintains a World Wide Web site on the Internet at
http://www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements and
other information regarding registrants, including Microsoft, that file
electronically with the Commission. The Common Shares are traded as "National
Market Securities" on the Nasdaq National Market. Material filed by Microsoft
can be inspected at the offices of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., Reports Section, 1735 K Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006.
________________________________________
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE
The following documents filed by Microsoft with the Commission are
incorporated by reference in this Prospectus:
1. Microsoft's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30,
1997.
2. Microsoft's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period
ended September 30, 1997.
3. Microsoft's Proxy Statement dated September 26, 1997.
4. The description of the Common Stock of Microsoft which is contained in
the registration statement of Microsoft filed on Form S-3, dated
December 13, 1996.
All documents filed by Microsoft pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or
15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this Prospectus and prior to
the termination of the offering of the Common Shares offered hereby shall be
deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and to be a part
hereof.
Microsoft hereby undertakes to provide without charge to each person to
whom this Prospectus has been delivered, upon the written or oral request of any
such person, a copy of any and all of the foregoing documents incorporated
herein by reference (other than exhibits to such documents which are not
specifically incorporated by reference into the information that this Prospectus
incorporates). Written or telephone requests should be directed to Investor
Relations Department, Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond,
Washington 98052-6399, telephone number (425) 882-8080.
No dealer, salesman, or any other person has been authorized to give any
information or to make any representation not contained in this Prospectus, and,
if given or made, such information and representation must not be relied upon as
having been authorized by Microsoft. This Prospectus does not constitute an
offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities offered
hereby in any state to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer in
such state. Neither the delivery of this Prospectus nor any sales made hereunder
shall, under any circumstances, create any implication that there has been no
change in the affairs of Microsoft since the date hereof .
________________________________________
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This Prospectus constitutes a part of a Registration Statement which
Microsoft has filed with the Commission under the 1933 Act, with respect to the
Common Shares. This Prospectus omits certain of the information contained in the
Registration Statement, and reference is hereby made to the Registration
Statement and related Exhibits thereto for further information with respect to
Microsoft and the securities offered hereby. Such additional information can be
obtained from the Commission's office in Washington, D.C. Any statements
contained herein concerning the provisions of any documents are not necessarily
complete, and, in each 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.
THE COMPANY
Microsoft was founded as a partnership in 1975 and incorporated in 1981.
Microsoft develops, manufactures, licenses, sells, and supports a wide range of
software products, including operating systems for personal computers ("PCs")
and servers; server applications for client/server environments; business and
consumer productivity applications; software development tools; and Internet and
intranet software and technologies. Microsoft has recently expanded its
interactive content efforts, including MSN(TM), The Microsoft Network online
service, various Internet-based services, and entertainment and information
software programs. Microsoft also sells personal computer books and input
devices and researches and develops advanced technologies for future software
products. Microsoft's business strategy emphasizes the development of a broad
line of PC and server software products for business and personal use, marketed
through multiple channels of distribution.
Microsoft is a Washington corporation and its principal executive offices
are located at One Microsoft Way, Redmond, Washington 98052-6399, its telephone
number is (425) 882-8080 and its electronic mail address is [email protected].
USE OF PROCEEDS
Microsoft will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the Common Shares
offered hereby; nor will such proceeds be available for Microsoft's use or
benefit.
SELLING SHAREHOLDERS
The following table sets forth beneficial ownership for the Selling
Shareholders as of December 9, 1997. All of the shares offered below were
acquired in connection with the Mergers. Certain of the Selling Shareholders,
indicated with an asterisk (*), have recently become employees of Microsoft.
Except as otherwise indicated, none of the Selling Shareholders has a material
relationship with Microsoft.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Microsoft Common Number of Common Shares
Name of Shares Owned Prior Shares Received Owned and
Selling Shareholders (1) to Offering From Microsoft Percentage(2)
- ------------------------ ------------------ ---------------- -------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Bengier, Gary 0 1,245 1,245
Beyk, Alex 0 498 498
Bott, Ross 0 14,226 14,226
Chaddha, Navin* 0 15,924 15,924
Chauhan, Abishek (3) 80 1,867 1,947
Chen, Ling Tony 0 1,411 1,411
Cisco Systems, Inc. 0 43,956 43,956
Del Val, David* 0 33,573 33,573
Greene, Diane 0 9,487 9,487
Greene, Diane, Custodian Under
UGMA for Nathan Rosenblum 0 5,690 5,690
Gupta, A.* and Iwasaki, Y., Trustees
of the Gupta-Iwasaki Family Trust 0 42,677 42,677
</TABLE>
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Microsoft Common Number of Common Shares
Name of Shares Owned Prior Shares Received Owned and
Selling Shareholders (1) to Offering From Microsoft Percentage(2)
- ------------------------ ------------------ ---------------- -------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Hansen, Janet 0 14 14
Hennessey, John L. (4) 2,200 889 3,089
Hill, Steven E. 0 1,081 1,081
Hromadko, Gary F. 0 1,992 1,992
Informix Corporation 0 21,339 21,339
Keller, Donald M. 100 53 153
Knoche, Craig (5) 0 2,149 2,149
Lovett, Chris* 0 6,596 6,596
Marsh, Donald* 0 5,856 5,856
Marsh, Jonathan* 45 6,596 6,641
Mountanos, William P.* 0 45,523 45,523
Rapperport, James* 700 16,502 17,202
Rip, Peter 0 3,983 3,983
Sasson, Ori 0 7,113 7,113
Schroeder, William J. and Marilee J.,
Trustees FBO the Schroeder 1993
Rev Trust dtd 11/01/93 0 7,832 7,832
Semanzato, Luigi 0 771 771
Sharma, Rosen 0 10,157 10,157
SOFTVEN No. 2 Investment
Enterprise Partnership 0 6,041 6,041
Stanford University 2,000 1,992 3,992
Tripp, Daniel* 0 4,947 4,947
Tweet, Anne 0 2,149 2,149
VLG Investments 1997 (6) 0 214 214
White, Phil 0 7,832 7,832
Wilmot, Robert W. and Mary J.,
Trustees of the Wilmot Living Trust
(7) 0 22,916 22,916
WS Investment Company 96A 0 505 505
WS Investment Company 95B 0 3,201 3,201
Zeprun, Howard 0 56 56
Rosati, M. and Laurice, D. 0 356 356
Trustees, WSGR Profit Sharing Plan
FBO Howard S. Zeprun
----- ------- -------
Total 5,125 359,209 364,334
</TABLE>
(1) None of the Selling Shareholders held any office with Microsoft during
the last three years.
(2) All amounts are less than 1% of the issued and outstanding shares of
common stock of Microsoft.
(3) Mr. Chauhan was employed by Microsoft as a software design engineer
from January, 1995 through December, 1995.
(4) Mr. Hennessy was a consultant to Microsoft through June 1997.
(5) Summit Performance Group, Inc., which Mr. Knoche owns, provided
consulting services to Microsoft from April 1997 through May 15, 1997
and from May 1997 through October 1997.
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(6) Shares held on behalf of the general partners of VLG Investments 1997.
(7) Wilmot Consulting, Inc., a corporation of which Mr. Wilmot is the sole
shareholder, provided consulting services to Microsoft from November,
1995 through March, 1996. Mr. Wilmot has entered a consulting
agreement with Microsoft dated October 3, 1997.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Microsoft has been advised by each Selling Shareholder that, subject to the
terms of the Investment Agreements, each Selling Shareholder expects to offer
his, her or its Common Shares to or through brokers and dealers and underwriters
to be selected by the Selling Shareholder from time to time. In addition, the
Common Shares may be offered for sale through the Nasdaq Stock Market, in the
over-the-counter market, through a market maker, in one or more private
transactions, or a combination of such methods of sale, at prices and on terms
then prevailing, at prices related to such prices, or at negotiated prices.
Each Selling Shareholder may pledge all or a portion of the Common Shares owned
by him, her or it as collateral in loan transactions. Upon default by any such
Selling Shareholder, the pledgee in such loan transaction would have the same
rights of sale as such Selling Shareholder under this Prospectus. Each Selling
Shareholder also may enter into exchange traded listed option transactions which
require the delivery of the Common Shares listed hereunder. Subject to the
terms of the Investment Agreement, each Selling Shareholder may also transfer
Common Shares owned by him, her or it in other ways not involving market makers
or established trading markets, including directly by gift, distribution, or
other transfer without consideration, and upon any such transfer the transferee
would have the same rights of sale as such Selling Shareholder under this
Prospectus. In addition, any securities covered by this Prospectus which
qualify for sale pursuant to Rule 144 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the "1933 Act"), may be sold under Rule 144 rather than pursuant to this
Prospectus. Finally, each Selling Shareholder and any brokers and dealers
through whom sales of the Common Shares are made may be deemed to be
"underwriters" within the meaning of the 1933 Act, and the commissions or
discounts and other compensation paid to such persons may be regarded as
underwriters' compensation.
LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the Common Shares offered hereby will be passed upon for
Microsoft by Preston Gates & Ellis LLP, 5000 Columbia Center, 701 Fifth Avenue,
Seattle, Washington 98104. As of the date hereof, attorneys in Preston Gates &
Ellis LLP who have worked on substantive matters for Microsoft own less than
250,000 Common Shares.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements of Microsoft for each of the three
years in the period ended June 30, 1997, incorporated by reference in this
Prospectus from Microsoft's Annual Report on Form 10-K, have been audited by
Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent auditors, as stated in their report
which is incorporated herein by reference, and have been so incorporated in
reliance upon such report given upon the authority of said firm as experts in
accounting and auditing.
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