SBS TECHNOLOGIES INC
S-2/A, 1996-11-14
INDUSTRIAL INSTRUMENTS FOR MEASUREMENT, DISPLAY, AND CONTROL
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<PAGE>
   
   AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON NOVEMBER 14, 1996
    
                                                      REGISTRATION NO. 333-13747
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                           --------------------------
 
   
                                AMENDMENT NO. 2
                                       TO
                                    FORM S-2
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
    
                           --------------------------
 
                             SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
 
<TABLE>
<S>                            <C>
         NEW MEXICO                  85-0359415
(State or Other Jurisdiction      (I.R.S. Employer
     of Incorporation or       Identification Number)
        Organization)
</TABLE>
 
                          2400 LOUISIANA BOULEVARD NE
                           AFC BUILDING 5, SUITE 600
                         ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO 87110
                                 (505) 875-0600
         (Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including
            Area Code, of Registrant's Principal Executive Offices)
 
         CHRISTOPHER J. AMENSON, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND PRESIDENT
                          2400 LOUISIANA BOULEVARD NE
                           AFC BUILDING 5, SUITE 600
                         ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO 87110
                                 (505) 875-0600
           (Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number,
                   Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)
                           --------------------------
 
                                   COPIES TO:
 
   
       ALISON K. SCHULER, ESQ.                   EDWARD M. LEONARD, ESQ.
    Schuler, Messersmith & McNeill           Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP
   5700 Harper Drive NE, Suite 430                Two Embarcadero Place
    Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109                     2200 Geng Road
            (505) 822-8826                     Palo Alto, California 94303
                                                      (415) 424-0160
 
    
                           --------------------------
 
        APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC:
  AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE AFTER THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT BECOMES EFFECTIVE.
                           --------------------------
 
    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, check the following box. / /
    If  the registrant  elects to deliver  its latest annual  report to security
holders, or a complete and legible facsimile thereof, pursuant to Item  11(a)(1)
of this Form, check the following box. / /
    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. / /
                           --------------------------
 
    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.
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
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.
<PAGE>
PROSPECTUS (Subject to Completion)
   
Dated November 14, 1996
    
 
                                                   Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(a)
                                                      Registration No. 333-13747
                                1,800,000 Shares
 
                                     [LOGO]
 
                                  Common Stock
                               ------------------
 
    Of the 1,800,000 shares of common stock, no par value (the "Common  Stock"),
offered  hereby, 1,500,000 shares are being issued and sold by SBS Technologies,
Inc. ("SBS" or the "Company") and 300,000  shares are being sold by the  selling
shareholders  (the  "Selling Shareholders").  The Company  will not  receive any
proceeds from the sale of shares by the Selling Shareholders. See "Principal and
Selling Shareholders."
 
    The Company's Common Stock is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the
symbol "SBSE." The last sale price for the Common Stock on October 21, 1996,  as
reported  on the Nasdaq National Market, was  $24.50 per share. See "Price Range
of Common Stock."
                            ------------------------
 
                 THIS OFFERING INVOLVES A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK.
                 SEE "RISK FACTORS" BEGINNING ON PAGE 8 HEREOF.
                            ------------------------
 
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
           COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS
            PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A
                               CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                 Underwriting                            Proceeds to
                               Price to         Discounts and        Proceeds to           Selling
                                Public          Commissions(1)        Company(2)         Shareholders
<S>                       <C>                 <C>                 <C>                 <C>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Per Share...............          $                   $                   $                   $
Total (3)...............          $                   $                   $                   $
</TABLE>
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
(1)  The  Company,   the  Selling  Shareholders   and  the  additional   selling
    shareholders   (the  "Additional  Selling   Shareholders")  have  agreed  to
    indemnify the Underwriters against certain liabilities including liabilities
    under the Securities Act of 1933. See "Underwriting."
 
(2) Before deducting  expenses, estimated  at $427,165 payable  by the  Company,
    which  includes underwriting  discounts and  commissions to  be paid  by the
    Company on  behalf of  certain Selling  Shareholders for  100,000 shares  of
    Common Stock being sold by such Selling Shareholders. See "Underwriting."
 
(3) The Additional Selling Shareholders have granted the Underwriters an option,
    exercisable  within 30 days of the date  hereof, to purchase an aggregate of
    up to 270,000  additional shares at  the Price to  Public less  Underwriting
    Discounts  and Commissions  to cover  over-allotments, if  any. If  all such
    shares are purchased, the total Price to the Public, Underwriting  Discounts
    and   Commissions,  Proceeds  to   the  Company  and   Proceeds  to  Selling
    Shareholders will be  $          ,  $         , $           and $          ,
    respectively. See "Underwriting."
                            ------------------------
 
    The  Common Stock is offered by  the several Underwriters named herein when,
as and if received and accepted by them, subject to their right to reject orders
in whole or in part and subject to certain other conditions. It is expected that
delivery of certificates for the shares will  be made at the offices of Cowen  &
Company, New York, New York, on or about        , 1996.
 
COWEN & COMPANY  SOUNDVIEW FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
<PAGE>
          , 1996
<PAGE>
 
[Picture of an AMI, an ABI-V5 and a PCMCIA board arranged from left to right on
                                   the page.]
 
    SBS  has continually developed  its avionics interface  products since their
introduction in 1987. The AMI, pictured above, provided a single channel of full
function  MIL-STD-1553  interface  capability.  The  ABI-V5  and  PCMCIA  boards
introduced  in  1995  and  1996,  respectively,  provide  enhanced functionality
including multiple channels of full  function MIL-STD-1553 capabilty in  smaller
form factors.
 
IN  CONNECTION WITH  THIS OFFERING,  THE UNDERWRITERS  MAY OVER-ALLOT  OR EFFECT
TRANSACTIONS WHICH STABILIZE OR MAINTAIN THE MARKET PRICE OF THE COMMON STOCK AT
A LEVEL  ABOVE THAT  WHICH MIGHT  OTHERWISE  PREVAIL IN  THE OPEN  MARKET.  SUCH
STABILIZING, IF COMMENCED, MAY BE DISCONTINUED AT ANY TIME.
 
IN  CONNECTION  WITH  THIS  OFFERING, CERTAIN  UNDERWRITERS  (AND  SELLING GROUP
MEMBERS) MAY ENGAGE IN PASSIVE MARKET MAKING TRANSACTIONS IN THE COMMON STOCK ON
NASDAQ IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 10b-6A UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934.
SEE "UNDERWRITING."
<PAGE>
                               PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
 
    THE  FOLLOWING SUMMARY  IS QUALIFIED  IN ITS  ENTIRETY BY  THE MORE DETAILED
INFORMATION, INCLUDING THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND NOTES  THERETO,
APPEARING  ELSEWHERE  IN THIS  PROSPECTUS.  EXCEPT AS  OTHERWISE  INDICATED, ALL
INFORMATION  IN  THE  PROSPECTUS  ASSUMES  NO  EXERCISE  OF  THE   UNDERWRITER'S
OVER-ALLOTMENT  OPTION. AS USED IN  THIS PROSPECTUS, UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED,
THE TERM FISCAL YEAR SHALL REFER TO THE 12 MONTH PERIOD ENDED OR ENDING JUNE  30
OF  A  GIVEN YEAR.  THIS  PROSPECTUS CONTAINS  FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS WHICH
INVOLVE RISKS  AND  UNCERTAINTIES. THE  COMPANY'S  ACTUAL RESULTS  COULD  DIFFER
MATERIALLY  FROM  THOSE ANTICIPATED  IN  THESE FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS  AS A
RESULT OF  CERTAIN FACTORS  INCLUDING  THOSE SET  FORTH  IN THE  "RISK  FACTORS"
SECTION AND ELSEWHERE IN THIS PROSPECTUS.
 
                                  THE COMPANY
 
    The  Company is  a leading  manufacturer of  standard bus  embedded computer
components that  perform  a broad  range  of central  processing  unit  ("CPU"),
general   purpose  input/output  ("I/O")  and   special  purpose  I/O  interface
functions. The Company capitalizes on its design expertise and customer  service
capabilities  to  enhance product  quality  and reduce  time  to market  for OEM
customers. The  Company is  seeking to  enhance its  product offerings  and  has
entered  into a definitive agreement to acquire Bit 3 Computer Corporation ("Bit
3"), a manufacturer of high-performance  bus interconnect hardware that  enables
embedded  computers of differing standards to communicate. The Company will fund
the $24.0 million acquisition primarily with the net proceeds of this  offering.
See "The Acquisition of Bit 3."
 
    The  Company's  objective is  to become  a leading  supplier of  board level
components to the standard bus embedded computer market. The Company intends  to
continue  its growth through a combination  of internal growth and acquisitions.
Internal growth is achieved through expanding its existing product lines through
new product  development  and through  increasing  penetration of  its  existing
customer  base. The  Company currently  participates in  a number  of attractive
markets, including the Intel-based VME CPU board market, the IndustryPack ("IP")
market  in  general  purpose  I/O,  the  telemetry  interface  market  and   the
MIL-STD-1553  standard avionics interface market. The  Acquisition of Bit 3 will
add a line of bus interconnect products  for a variety of standard bus  embedded
computer buses to the Company's current product offerings.
 
    Unlike  computers  targeted  at  business  computing  applications, embedded
computers perform a  single function or  a closely related  group of  functions,
such  as I/O and  data processing, as  part of a  larger system and  with a high
degree  of  reliability.  Embedded   computers  generally  are   design-specific
solutions  that require substantial engineering expertise, have extended product
lives reflecting the  long product  cycles of the  systems into  which they  are
incorporated  and often must adhere to specific size and operating requirements.
As a  result,  the  Company believes  that  performance,  reliability,  supplier
stability  and customer support are often the primary factors in the decision to
purchase a particular embedded computer solution.
 
    OEMs requiring embedded computers either construct systems based on standard
bus designs together with  off-the-shelf I/O, processor  and memory modules,  or
they  develop custom or proprietary  solutions. Standard bus solutions generally
enable product designers to  develop systems quickly and  with a high degree  of
confidence  in the reliability of the solution,  to capitalize on the lower cost
of industry-standard components and  to modify designs easily  so that a  single
product  design can serve  multiple applications. As a  result of these factors,
standard bus  systems  today constitute  a  large  and growing  portion  of  the
embedded  computer  market. According  to a  recent industry  study, BOARD-LEVEL
EMBEDDED COMPUTER MARKETS AND TRENDS, the standard bus embedded computer  market
is  projected to grow  from approximately $2.5 billion  in 1995 to approximately
$3.9 billion in 1999.
 
    The most popular embedded  computer standard today is  VME, which is  widely
used  in  aerospace  and  military,  telecommunications,  networking, industrial
automation and control, medical instruments and
 
                                       3
<PAGE>
automated test and measurement  applications. According to BOARD-LEVEL  EMBEDDED
COMPUTER  MARKETS AND TRENDS, the VME-bus  embedded computer market is projected
to grow from approximately $1.2 billion in 1995 to approximately $2.3 billion in
1999. The modular nature of standard bus embedded computers, their wide range of
applications and the variety of bus  architectures available have resulted in  a
highly  fragmented  market.  The  variety  of  standard  bus  embedded  computer
architectures supports a growing market  for products that interconnect  various
types of standard bus embedded computers.
 
    The  Company sells  its products through  a combination of  direct sales and
independent manufacturers' representatives. The Company's products serve a broad
range of functions including commercial, communications, industrial  automation,
medical device, military and space, test and measurement and transportation. The
Company's customers include The Boeing Company, Caterpillar, Inc., Eastman Kodak
Company, General Electric Company and Lockheed Martin Corporation. International
sales constituted approximately 16% of the Company's sales in fiscal 1996.
 
    The  Company was incorporated in New  Mexico in November 1986. The Company's
executive offices are located at 2400  Louisiana Boulevard, NE, AFC Building  5,
Suite  600, Albuquerque,  New Mexico  87110, and  its telephone  number is (505)
875-0600. References in  this Prospectus to  the "Company" or  "SBS" are to  SBS
Technologies,  Inc.  and its  consolidated subsidiaries.  The Company  has three
subsidiaries, Berg Systems International,  Inc. ("BSI"), GreenSpring  Computers,
Inc.    ("GreenSpring")    and    Logical    Design    Group,    Inc.   ("LDG").
IndustryPack-Registered Trademark- is a registered trademark of the Company. All
other trademarks or tradenames referred to  in this Prospectus are the  property
of their respective owners.
 
                                       4
<PAGE>
                                  THE OFFERING
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Common Stock offered:
<S>                                               <C>
  By the Company................................  1,500,000 shares
  By Selling Shareholders.......................  300,000 shares
Common Stock to be outstanding after the          5,030,657 shares(1)
  offering......................................
Use of proceeds.................................  To fund the acquisition of Bit 3, to
                                                  repay long term debt, and for general
                                                  working capital requirements. See "Use of
                                                  Proceeds."
Nasdaq National Market symbol...................  SBSE
</TABLE>
 
 SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED AND PRO FORMA COMBINED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
                   (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT FOR PER SHARE DATA)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                             THREE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30,
                                                   YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,
                                ----------------------------------------------------------   ---------------------------------
                                 1992    1993    1994     1995              1996              1995              1996
                                ------  ------  -------  -------  ------------------------   -------  ------------------------
                                                                  ACTUAL   PRO FORMA(2)(3)            ACTUAL   PRO FORMA(2)(3)
                                                                  -------  ---------------            -------  ---------------
<S>                             <C>     <C>     <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>               <C>      <C>      <C>
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF
 OPERATIONS DATA:
  Sales.......................  $2,542  $5,908  $10,197  $16,218  $31,332      $45,519       $ 7,575  $11,263      $15,092
  Gross profit................   1,448   3,002    5,314    9,461   16,822       26,327         3,994    6,017        8,448
  Income from continuing
    operations................      73     168      871    1,845    3,582          491           722    1,392        2,313
  Income per common and common
    equivalent share from
    continuing operations.....  $ 0.03  $ 0.05  $  0.30  $  0.65  $  0.97      $  0.10       $  0.23  $  0.33      $  0.41
  Weighted average common and
    common equivalent shares
    outstanding...............   2,363   2,958    2,948    2,859    3,792        5,142         3,116    4,218        5,649
</TABLE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                 SEPTEMBER 30, 1996
                                                                                            ----------------------------
                                                                                             ACTUAL      PRO FORMA(2)
                                                                                            ---------  -----------------
<S>                                                                                         <C>        <C>
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET DATA:
  Working capital.........................................................................  $  10,146      $  20,348
  Total assets............................................................................     24,154         49,815
  Long term debt, excluding current portion...............................................      4,915            204
  Total shareholders' equity..............................................................     12,434         40,419
</TABLE>
 
- ------------
 
(1) Based on the number of shares outstanding as of September 30, 1996. Excludes
    shares  reserved for issuance under the  Company's 1992, 1993, 1995 and 1996
    Employee Incentive  Stock  Option Plans  ("ISOPs"),  the 1993  Director  and
    Officer  Stock Option  Plan and  the 1996  Employee Stock  Purchase Plan, of
    which 1,347,886 shares  were subject to  outstanding unexercised options  at
    June  30, 1996 (804,283 shares under all  ISOPs at an average exercise price
    of $8.77 per share, 148,500 shares under the 1993 Director and Officer Stock
    Option Plan  at an  average exercise  price of  $5.78 per  share and  35,103
    shares  under the 1996  Employee Stock Purchase Plan  at an average exercise
    price of $7.75 per share) and 360,000  shares at an exercise price of  $4.50
    per share reserved for issuance under outstanding warrants. Includes 100,000
    shares  which will be issued upon exercise of warrants, at an exercise price
    of $4.80 per share, and sold in this offering. See "Risk  Factors--Potential
    Dilutive Effect of Outstanding Warrants and Options and Registration Rights"
    and "Principal and Selling Shareholders."
 
(2)  Gives Pro Forma effect to the Bit 3 Acquisition and the sale by the Company
    of 1,500,000 shares  of Common  Stock offered  hereby at  an assumed  public
    offering  price of $24.50 per  share, after deducting underwriting discounts
    and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by the Company,  and
    the application of the estimated net proceeds therefrom. See "Acquisition of
    Bit  3," "Use  of Proceeds" and  "Pro Forma  Combined Consolidated Financial
    Statements."
 
(3) Earnings per common  and common equivalent share  are based on the  weighted
    average  shares of common  stock and, if  dilutive, common equivalent shares
    (options and warrants) outstanding during the  period. See Note (l) to  "Pro
    Forma Combined Consolidated Statement of Operations."
 
                                       5
<PAGE>
                              ACQUISITION OF BIT 3
 
    Following  completion  of  this  offering,  the  Company  will  acquire (the
"Acquisition") Bit  3.  Bit 3  is  a  manufacturer of  computer  networking  and
interconnection  hardware for many of the most widely used computer architecture
standards in the  standard bus  embedded computer market.  See "Business--Bit  3
Computer Corporation."
 
   
    Under  the  terms  of the  purchase  agreement  dated October  8,  1996 (the
"Acquisition Agreement") among  the Company and  the two shareholders  of Bit  3
(the  "Sellers"), the Company will acquire  all of the outstanding capital stock
of Bit 3 for a total  purchase price of $24.0 million,  to be paid with the  net
proceeds  of this offering  and cash flow  from Company operations.  See "Use of
Proceeds." Of  this total  purchase price,  $20.0 million  will be  paid to  the
Sellers  in  cash upon  the closing  of this  offering. Of  the balance  of $4.0
million, $1.0 million  will be  paid to  the Sellers on  July 1,  1997 and  $3.0
million  will be paid on July 1,  1998, pursuant to secured promissory according
to the terms of the Acquisition Agreement.
    
 
    In the Acquisition Agreement, the Sellers have made certain  representations
and warranties regarding the business, affairs and assets of Bit 3, the material
breach  of which  will entitle the  Company to indemnification.  The Company has
likewise made certain  representations and  warranties to the  Sellers, who  are
also  entitled to indemnification for material  breaches. The Company is relying
upon certain representations and warranties about  Bit 3 made by the Sellers  of
Bit  3 in the Acquisition Agreement, as  well as the Company's own due diligence
investigation.  There  can  be  no  assurance  that  these  representations  and
warranties   are  true  and   correct  or  that   the  Company's  due  diligence
investigation discovered  all  matters of  a  material nature  relating  to  the
Acquisition.  In addition, there  can be no  assurance that the indemnifications
provided in the Acquisition Agreement will  be adequate if a material breach  is
discovered.  The Acquisition Agreement  also requires the  Sellers to enter into
covenants not  to compete  for five  years from  the date  of the  covenant  and
one-year employment agreements with the Company.
 
   
    If  the net  proceeds to the  Company from  the sale of  1,500,000 shares of
Common Stock offered by the Company  in this offering are insufficient to  fully
pay the cash portion of the Bit 3 purchase price, the Company may be required to
use  existing cash and additional bank borrowings  to fund the Acquisition. As a
result, the Company's available cash  reserves following this offering could  be
substantially depleted. To the extent the Company borrows amounts under its line
of credit to fund a portion of the Acquisition, which would require the lender's
approval amounts available for further borrowings under the credit facility will
be correspondingly reduced. In addition, if the Company were required to utilize
its  credit facility to complete the Acquisition, the Company's interest expense
would increase and  the Company's available  credit would be  limited for  other
operating  requirements. See "Management's Discussion  and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results  of Operations  of SBS  Technologies, Inc.--Liquidity  and
Capital Resources."
    
 
    As  a result of the Acquisition,  the Company will record approximately $9.8
million in intangible assets, including goodwill,  which will be amortized on  a
straight  line basis over their estimated  benefit period of ten years. Although
Bit 3's  current  operating profit  offsets  the amortization  expense  and  the
earnings  dilution associated with this offering, there can be no assurance that
Bit 3's operations will continue to perform at current levels. A decrease in Bit
3's operating profit could adversely affect the Company's overall net income and
earnings per  share. In  addition, there  can be  no assurance  that changes  in
future  markets or technologies  will not require more  rapid levels of goodwill
amortization in such a way that  overall Company financial condition or  results
of  operations would be adversely affected.  In connection with the Acquisition,
the Company will record an $11.0 million earnings charge expected to be recorded
in the second fiscal quarter of 1997, the anticipated quarter for closing of the
Acquisition. The earnings charge  is based on an  assessment by the Company,  in
conjunction  with an independent valuation firm,  of purchased technology of Bit
3. The  assessment determined  that  $11.0 million  of  Bit 3's  purchase  price
represented  technology  that  does  not  meet  the  accounting  definitions  of
"completed technology," and thus should  be charged to earnings under  generally
accepted  accounting  principles. Based  on  the Company's  historical financial
performance and  the historical  financial  performance of  Bit 3,  the  Company
currently
 
                                       6
<PAGE>
expects to incur a significant net loss for the second fiscal quarter of 1997 as
a  result  of the  earnings charge.  See "Risk  Factors--Acquisition of  Bit 3,"
"Fluctuations in Operating Results; Expected Second Quarter Loss" and "Pro Forma
Combined Consolidated Financial Statements."
 
    Achieving the anticipated benefits  of the Acquisition  will depend in  part
upon   whether  the  integration  of  the   two  companies'  businesses  can  be
accomplished in an efficient and effective manner, and there can be no assurance
that this will occur. The integration of Bit 3 will require, among other things,
integration of the Company's  and Bit 3's respective  product offerings and  the
coordination  of their sales and marketing and research and development efforts.
The difficulties  of such  integration  may be  increased  by the  necessity  of
coordinating geographically separated organizations. The inability of management
to  successfully integrate the operations of the  Company and Bit 3 could have a
material adverse  effect  on the  Company's  business, financial  condition  and
results of operations. See "Risk Factors--Acquisition of Bit 3."
 
                                       7
<PAGE>
                                  RISK FACTORS
 
    IN  ADDITION  TO  THE  OTHER  INFORMATION  IN  THIS  PROSPECTUS, PROSPECTIVE
INVESTORS SHOULD CONSIDER CAREFULLY THE FOLLOWING RISK FACTORS IN EVALUATING  AN
INVESTMENT  IN THE COMPANY AND BEFORE PURCHASING  ANY SHARES OF THE COMMON STOCK
OFFERED HEREBY. THIS PROSPECTUS CONTAINS FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS THAT INVOLVE
RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES. THE COMPANY'S ACTUAL RESULTS MAY DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM
THE RESULTS DISCUSSED IN SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. FACTORS THAT MAY CAUSE
SUCH A DIFFERENCE INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THOSE DISCUSSED BELOW.
 
ACQUISITION OF BIT 3
 
   
    The Company  will use  a significant  portion of  the net  proceeds of  this
offering to fund the Acquisition. See "Use of Proceeds." The total cash required
to  close the  Acquisition will  be $20.0  million. If  the net  proceeds to the
Company from  this  offering are  insufficient  to close  the  Acquisition,  the
Company  may be required to use existing  cash and additional bank borrowings to
fund the  remaining portion  of  the Acquisition.  As  a result,  the  Company's
available  cash reserves following the offering could be substantially depleted.
To the extent the  Company borrows amounts  under its line of  credit to fund  a
portion  of the Acquisition, which would  require the lender's approval, amounts
available  for   further  borrowings   under  the   credit  facility   will   be
correspondingly  reduced. In addition,  if the Company  were required to utilize
its credit facility to complete the Acquisition, the Company's interest  expense
would  increase and  the Company's available  credit would be  limited for other
operating requirements. See "Management's  Discussion and Analysis of  Financial
Condition  and Results  of Operations  of SBS  Technologies, Inc.--Liquidity and
Capital Resources."
    
 
    The Acquisition Agreement between the Company  and the Sellers, who are  the
founders  of Bit  3, may be  terminated by either  party if the  offering is not
completed by December 20, 1996. The Acquisition of Bit 3 involves numerous risks
including difficulties in the assimilation  of the operations, technologies  and
products  of  Bit 3,  diversion of  management's  attention from  other business
concerns, risks  of entering  markets in  which the  Company has  no or  limited
direct  prior  experience  and in  which  competitors may  have  stronger market
positions, and the potential loss of key employees of Bit 3. In particular,  the
Company  anticipates that  the Sellers will  remain as employees  of the Company
under one-year employment agreements. There can be no assurance that the Sellers
will remain  with  the  Company  for the  period  covered  by  their  employment
agreements. In addition, the Company intends to operate Bit 3 in the Minneapolis
metropolitan area with its current employee base. Although the Company will seek
to  retain these employees, there can be  no assurance that these employees will
continue to  remain with  Bit 3  after the  Acquisition. The  Acquisition  could
increase  the rate of employee  turnover, which could have  an adverse impact on
Bit 3's performance and the Company's results of operations.
 
    Achieving the anticipated benefits  of the Acquisition  will depend in  part
upon   whether  the  integration  of  the   two  companies'  businesses  can  be
accomplished in an efficient and effective manner, and there can be no assurance
that this will occur. The integration of Bit 3 will require, among other things,
integration of the Company's  and Bit 3's respective  product offerings and  the
coordination  of their sales and marketing and research and development efforts.
The difficulties  of such  integration  may be  increased  by the  necessity  of
coordinating geographically separated organizations. The inability of management
to  successfully integrate the operations of the  Company and Bit 3 could have a
material adverse  effect  on the  Company's  business, financial  condition  and
results of operations.
 
    Bit  3 has experienced fluctuations in its operating results in the past and
may experience such fluctuations in  the future as a  result of factors such  as
changes  in  the marketplace,  technology evolution  and competition.  Given the
possibility of such fluctuations, the Company believes that such comparisons  of
the  results  of  its  operations for  preceding  quarters  are  not necessarily
meaningful and that the results for any one period should not be relied upon  as
an indication of future performance.
 
                                       8
<PAGE>
   
    As  a result of the Acquisition,  the Company will record approximately $9.8
million in intangible assets, including goodwill,  which will be amortized on  a
straight line basis over the estimated benefit period of ten years. Although Bit
3's  current operating profit offsets the  amortization expense and the earnings
dilution associated with this offering, there  can be no assurance that Bit  3's
operations  will remain at their current levels. A decrease in Bit 3's operating
profit could adversely affect the Company's overall net income and earnings  per
share.  In addition, there can be no assurance that changes in future markets or
technologies will not require more rapid levels of goodwill amortization in such
a way that overall Company financial condition or results of operations would be
adversely affected. In connection with the Acquisition, the Company will  record
an  $11.0 million earnings charge  expected to be recorded  in the second fiscal
quarter of 1997,  the anticipated quarter  for closing of  the Acquisition.  The
earnings charge is based on an assessment by the Company, in conjunction with an
independent  valuation firm,  of purchased technology  of Bit  3. The assessment
determined that $11.0 million of  Bit 3's purchase price represented  technology
that  does not  meet the accounting  definitions of  "completed technology," and
thus  should  be  charged  to  earnings  under  generally  accepted   accounting
principles.  Based  on the  Company's historical  financial performance  and the
historical financial  performance of  Bit 3,  the Company  currently expects  to
incur  a significant net loss for the second  fiscal quarter of 1997 as a result
of the earnings charge. See "Acquisition of Bit 3," "--Fluctuations in Operating
Results; Expected  Second Quarter  Loss" and  "Pro Forma  Combined  Consolidated
Financial Statements."
    
 
    The Company is relying upon certain representations and warranties about Bit
3  made by the  Sellers of Bit  3 in the  Acquisition Agreement, as  well as the
Company's own due diligence investigation. There can be no assurance that  these
representations  and warranties are  true and correct or  that the Company's due
diligence investigation discovered all matters of a material nature relating  to
the Acquisition. See "Acquisition of Bit 3."
 
FLUCTUATIONS IN OPERATING RESULTS; EXPECTED SECOND QUARTER LOSS
 
    The  Company has  experienced fluctuations in  its operating  results in the
past and  may experience  such fluctuations  in the  future. Sales,  on both  an
annual  and a  quarterly basis,  are subject  to fluctuations  as a  result of a
variety of factors, many of which are  beyond the control of the Company.  These
factors  include the timing of customer  orders, manufacturing delays, delays in
shipment due  to  component  shortages,  cancellations of  orders,  the  mix  of
products  sold, cyclicality or downturns in  the markets served by the Company's
customers,  including  significant  reductions  in  defense  spending  affecting
certain  of the  Company's customers, and  regulatory changes.  In addition, the
Company tends  to  experience an  increase  in  sales during  its  first  fiscal
quarter,  which ends  on September  30, due to  purchases made  by United States
("U.S.") government agencies and contractors at the end of the U.S. government's
fiscal year which also ends on  September 30. The Company primarily  experiences
this  effect in its avionics and telemetry product lines. Similarly, the Company
tends to  experience little  or no  growth  in sales  during its  second  fiscal
quarter,  as sales dependent on U.S. government funding are often delayed during
the start of  the U.S. government's  new fiscal year.  Given the possibility  of
such  fluctuations, the Company believes that  comparisons of the results of its
operations for preceding quarters  are not necessarily  meaningful and that  the
results for any one quarter should not be relied upon as an indication of future
performance.  See "Management's  Discussion and Analysis  of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations--Quarterly Results."  In the event that the  Company's
sales or earnings for any quarter are less than the level expected by securities
analysts  or the market in general, such  shortfalls could have an immediate and
significant adverse impact on the market price of the Company's Common Stock.
 
    In connection with the Acquisition, the Company will record an $11.0 million
earnings charge expected to  be recorded in the  second fiscal quarter of  1997,
the  anticipated quarter for closing of  the Acquisition. The earnings charge is
based on  an assessment  by  the Company,  in  conjunction with  an  independent
valuation firm, of purchased technology of Bit 3. The assessment determined that
$11.0  million of  Bit 3's purchase  price represented technology  that does not
meet the accounting definitions  of "completed technology,"  and thus should  be
charged to earnings under generally accepted accounting
 
                                       9
<PAGE>
principles.  Based  on the  Company's historical  financial performance  and the
historical financial  performance of  Bit 3,  the Company  currently expects  to
incur  a significant net loss for the second  fiscal quarter of 1997 as a result
of the  earnings charge.  See "Acquisition  of Bit  3" and  "Pro Forma  Combined
Consolidated Financial Statements."
 
INTEGRATION OF ACQUISITIONS; EXPANSION THROUGH ACQUISITIONS
 
   
    The  Company has increased the scope of its operations primarily through the
addition of three  new product lines  acquired since 1992.  BSI was acquired  in
1992,  GreenSpring was acquired in 1995 and  LDG was added in August 1996. There
can be  no  assurance that  the  Company's management  and  financial  controls,
personnel,  and other corporate  support systems will be  adequate to manage the
increase in the size and the diversity of scope of the Company's operations as a
result of the recent acquisitions, including the Acquisition. In addition, there
can be  no  assurance that  the  Company's  acquisitions will  be  accretive  to
earnings  or  that the  companies  acquired will  continue  to perform  at their
historical levels.
    
 
    A major element of the Company's business strategy is to continue to  pursue
acquisitions  that either  expand or  complement its  business. There  can be no
assurance that  the Company  will be  able to  identify and  acquire  acceptable
acquisition candidates on terms favorable to the Company and in a timely manner.
A substantial portion of the Company's capital resources could be used for these
acquisitions.  Consequently, the Company  may require additional  debt or equity
financing for future acquisitions, which may not be available on terms favorable
to the  Company,  if  at all.  As  the  Company proceeds  with  its  acquisition
strategy,  the Company will continue to  encounter the risks associated with the
integration of the acquisitions described above. See "Acquisition of Bit 3"  and
"Business--SBS' Strategy."
 
    The   Company   anticipates   that  one   or   more   potential  acquisition
opportunities, including some that  could be material,  may become available  in
the  near  future.  If  and when  appropriate  acquisition  opportunities become
available, the Company  intends to  pursue them  actively. No  assurance can  be
given  that any acquisition by the Company will  or will not occur, that if such
an acquisition does occur that it  will not materially and adversely affect  the
Company  or  that  any such  acquisition  will  be successful  in  enhancing the
Company's business.
 
RELIANCE ON DEFENSE SPENDING
 
    In each of fiscal 1994, 1995 and  1996, the majority of the Company's  sales
were  derived directly  or indirectly from  the U.S. Department  of Defense. The
Company expects that the Department of Defense will continue to be a significant
source of sales.  There can  be no assurance  that changes  in the  geopolitical
environment  or  in national  policy will  not  result in  significantly reduced
defense spending  which  could materially  and  adversely affect  the  Company's
business, financial condition or results of operations. In addition, the Company
believes  that  many of  its potential  customers will  rely on  U.S. government
funding for the purchase of the Company's products. Accordingly, sales to  these
customers   may  be   adversely  affected  by   delays  in   obtaining,  or  the
unavailability of,  such  funds caused  by  budget constraints  or  bureaucratic
processes.
 
RELIANCE ON INDUSTRY STANDARDS; FUNDAMENTAL TECHNOLOGY CHANGE
 
    Most  of  the  Company's products  are  developed to  meet  certain industry
standards, including  MIL-STD-1553, Telemetry  IRIG Standards  and various  ANSI
standards.  These standards are continuing to develop and are subject to change.
Elimination or obsolescence of these standards could materially adversely affect
the design, manufacture and  sale of the Company's  products and require  costly
redesign  to meet new or emerging  standards. In addition, the Company's success
will depend in part on its ability to develop products that evolve with changing
industry standards and customer preferences. There can be no assurance that  the
Company  will be successful in  developing such products in  a timely manner, or
that the Company  will be successful  in selling the  products it develops.  The
Company's delay or failure to adapt to
 
                                       10
<PAGE>
changing  industry  standards  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on the
Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
    Many of  the Company's  product designs  rely on  state of  the art  digital
technology.  There is  no assurance that  future advances in  technology may not
make obsolete  the  Company's existing  product  lines, resulting  in  increased
competition  and  requiring  the Company  to  undertake costly  redesign  of its
products to maintain its  competitive position. There can  be no assurance  that
the  Company will be  able to incorporate  the new technology  into its existing
products or redesign its existing products in order to compete effectively.
 
    Moreover, new and  enhanced products and  solutions affecting the  Company's
markets  are continually  being introduced  by the  Company's competitors. These
products and solutions can be expected to affect the competitive environment  in
the  markets in which they are introduced. Because new products and technologies
require commitments well in  advance of sales, decisions  with respect to  those
commitments  must accurately  anticipate both  future demand  and the technology
that will be available to meet that  demand. There can be no assurance that  the
Company  will be able to successfully  adapt to future technological changes and
failure to  do  so  may  materially adversely  affect  the  Company's  business,
financial  condition  or  results  of  operations.  See  "Business--Research and
Development" and
"--Competition."
 
UNCERTAINTY OF MARKET DEVELOPMENT
 
   
    Many of the  Company's potential customers  design and manufacture  standard
bus  embedded computer  systems internally.  Increased market  acceptance of the
Company's products and services is dependent in part on these customers  relying
on  the  Company  to provide  embedded  computer system  components  rather than
designing and manufacturing these products internally. The Company believes that
a number of factors will be important to achieve increased market acceptance  of
its  products and services.  These factors include the  quality of the Company's
design and production expertise, the  increasing use and complexity of  embedded
computer  systems in new and traditional products, the expansion of markets that
are served by  standard bus embedded  computers, time-to-market requirements  of
the  Company's  actual and  potential customers,  the  assessment of  direct and
indirect  cost  savings  and  the  willingness  to  rely  on  the  Company   for
mission-critical  applications by customers.  The Company believes  that in many
customer applications, the cost  of its products may  exceed or be perceived  to
exceed  the cost  of internal development.  Failure to  achieve increased market
acceptance of the Company's products will have a material adverse effect on  the
Company's ability to achieve its growth objectives.
    
 
COMPETITION
 
    The  standard  bus  embedded  computer industry  is  highly  competitive and
fragmented, and  the Company's  competitors differ  depending on  product  type,
company  size,  geographic  market  and  application  type.  The  Company  faces
competition in each of its product  lines. The Company believes that because  of
the  diverse nature of the  Company's products and the  fragmented nature of the
embedded computer  market,  there is  little  overlap of  competitors  for  each
product  line. Competitive factors  across the Company's  product lines include:
performance, customer support, product longevity, supplier stability, breadth of
product offerings and reliability. Many of the Company's existing and  potential
competitors  have financial, technological and marketing resources significantly
greater than those of  the Company and may  have established relationships  with
customers or potential customers that afford them a competitive advantage. There
can  be no assurance that the Company will be able to compete effectively in its
current or  future markets  or  that competitive  pressures will  not  adversely
affect   its  business,  financial  condition  or  results  of  operations.  See
"Business--Competition."
 
    In the Company's recently  acquired CPU product  line, the Company  competes
with  a  number of  other  suppliers of  VME  CPU boards.  The  Company's direct
competitors include other  companies that build  VME CPU boards  based on  Intel
microprocessor   technology   such   as  Force   Computers,   Inc.   (which  has
 
                                       11
<PAGE>
recently  agreed  to   be  acquired  by   Solectron  Corporation),   Performance
Technologies,  Inc., RadiSys  Corporation, VME  Microsystems, Inc.  ("VMIC") and
XYCOM, Inc. Indirectly, however, the Company also competes with suppliers of VME
CPU boards based on  other microcomputer architectures  such as Motorola  680x0,
Sparc and PowerPC.
 
    In the generalized computer I/O product area serviced by GreenSpring and its
IP  product line, the  Company has two  classes of competition.  The first class
includes companies  that compete  directly by  selling IP  products. The  second
class  includes  companies  that compete  with  I/O products  using  a different
implementation  to  provide  functionally  equivalent  products.  The  Company's
competitors  in each of these classes  include Computer Products, Inc., Systran,
Inc. and VMIC.
 
    In the telemetry market, the Company  competes with other suppliers of  open
architecture  telemetry solutions. It also indirectly competes with suppliers of
traditional, closed architecture  telemetry systems.  The Company's  competitors
include  Aydin Vector  Division, Lockheed Martin  Telemetry and Instrumentation,
Terametrix, Inc. and Veda, Inc.
 
    In the avionics  interface market,  the Company  competes with  a number  of
other  companies that produce similar avionics interface products. The Company's
competitors  include  Ballard  Technologies,  Inc.,  Data  Devices  Corporation,
Digital  Technology, Inc.,  DY-4, Inc.,  Excalibur Technologies  Corporation and
Gesellschaft Fur Angewandte Informatik und Mikroelekernik, GmbH.
 
RELIANCE ON SPECIALIZED MARKETS
 
    Many of  the  Company's  products,  including  its  telemetry  and  avionics
interface  products, target  specialized markets that  support attractive profit
margins. There can be no assurance  that these markets will continue to  support
these  margins or  that these specialized  markets will continue  to provide the
Company with an environment to support current sales levels or acceptable growth
rates.
 
AVAILABILITY OF COMPONENT MATERIALS
 
    Many of the Company's products contain  state of the art digital  electronic
components.  The  Company is  dependent upon  third  parties for  the continuing
supply of many  of these  components, some  of which  are obtained  from a  sole
supplier,  such as  Xilinx, Inc.,  or a limited  number of  suppliers, for which
alternate  sources  may  be  difficult   to  locate.  Moreover,  suppliers   may
discontinue  or upgrade  some of  the products  incorporated into  the Company's
products, which could require the Company  to redesign a product to  incorporate
newer  or  alternative technology.  Although the  Company  believes that  it has
arranged  for  an  adequate  supply  of  components  to  meet  its  short   term
requirements,   the  Company  does   not  have  contracts   which  would  assure
availability and price. Lack  of timely availability  of components could  cause
delays  in shipment of product and  affect the Company's revenues during certain
periods as well  as lead  to customer dissatisfaction.  Limited availability  of
components  could also  require the  Company to pay  premiums for  parts to make
shipment deadlines and  thus adversely  affect the Company's  profit margin,  or
cause  the Company to increase its inventory  of scarce parts and thus adversely
affect the Company's cash flow. There can be no assurance that the Company  will
continue  to be  able to obtain  all of the  components it requires  or that the
price of certain components  in short supply will  not materially and  adversely
affect its business, financial condition or results of operations.
 
RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT OF KEY EMPLOYEES
 
    The  Company's ability to  maintain its competitive  position and to develop
and market  new  products depends,  in  part, upon  its  ability to  retain  key
employees and to recruit and retain additional qualified personnel, particularly
engineers.  There can be no assurance that  the Company will be able to continue
to retain or recruit such personnel. An  inability by the Company to retain  and
recruit  key employees  could have  a material  adverse effect  on the Company's
business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
                                       12
<PAGE>
NO PATENT PROTECTION
 
    Although the Company believes that some  of its processes and equipment  may
be proprietary, the Company has not sought patent protection for its technology.
The  Company has relied upon trade secret laws, industrial know-how and employee
confidentiality agreements.  There  can  be  no  assurance  that  the  Company's
processes  and equipment provide  it with a  sufficient competitive advantage to
overcome its lack of  patent protection, or that  others will not  independently
develop equivalent or superior products or technology. Furthermore, there can be
no  assurance that trade secret protection  will be established, or that secrecy
obligations will be honored. Also, to the extent that consultants, employees and
other parties apply technological  information developed independently, by  them
or  others, to Company projects, disputes may arise as to the proprietary rights
to that information, which may not be resolved in favor of the Company.
 
    In  addition,  litigation  may  be   necessary  to  enforce  the   Company's
proprietary  rights, to  protect the Company's  trade secrets,  to determine the
validity and scope of  the intellectual property rights  of others or to  defend
against  claims  of infringement.  Such litigation  could result  in substantial
costs and diversion of resources and could have a material adverse effect on the
Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
    Moreover, because patent applications in the United States are not  publicly
disclosed  until the patents issue, patent applications may have been filed that
relate to the Company's  products and technology. The  Company does not  believe
that  it infringes any  patents of which it  is aware; however,  there can be no
assurance that  patent infringement  claims  will not  be asserted  against  the
Company. If such claims were asserted, such claims might have a material adverse
effect  on the Company's business, financial condition or results of operations.
If  infringement  or  invalidity  claims  are  asserted  against  the   Company,
litigation  may be necessary to  defend the Company against  such claims, and in
certain circumstances the Company may choose  to seek to obtain a license  under
the  third-party's intellectual property rights. There  can be no assurance that
such licenses will be available on terms acceptable to the Company, if at all.
 
PRODUCT LIABILITY
 
    The Company's products and  services potentially may  be subject to  product
liability  or government  or commercial  warranty claims.  The Company maintains
primary product  liability insurance  with  a general  aggregate limit  of  $2.0
million,  $1.0 million per occurrence, and  an $8.0 million excess policy. While
the Company has never been the subject of any such claims, considering the  wide
use  of the  Company's products  in a  variety of  applications, as  well as the
propensity of claimants initially to pursue all possible contributors in a legal
action, there can be no assurance that such coverage will be adequate to protect
the Company from liability, or  that the Company will  be able to continue  such
insurance  in effect for premiums  acceptable to the Company.  In the event of a
successful lawsuit against  the Company,  a lack or  insufficiency of  insurance
coverage could have a material adverse effect upon the Company.
 
DEPENDENCE UPON CERTAIN OFFICERS
 
    The success of the Company is dependent in part upon the services of certain
executive  officers  and  other key  employees.  The Company  maintains  key man
insurance on the lives of each of  its executive officers in the amount of  $1.0
million.  Executive officers also  have entered into  employment agreements with
the Company for varying lengths of time.  Other key employees are retained by  a
combination  of employment agreements and incentive  stock option plans. Loss of
the services  of such  employees could  have a  material adverse  effect on  the
Company's business. See "Management."
 
CONTROL BY MANAGEMENT
 
    Upon  completion of this offering, the Officers and Directors of the Company
will  beneficially  own  approximately  27.2%   of  the  Company's  issued   and
outstanding   Common   Stock   (approximately   22.8%   if   the   Underwriter's
over-allotment is exercised in full). The Company's Articles of Incorporation do
not
 
                                       13
<PAGE>
permit cumulative voting. The Officers and Directors ownership if voted together
provides management  with  the  power to  influence  significantly  all  matters
requiring approval by the shareholders of the Company, including the election of
directors and approval of stock option and stock purchase plans.
 
POTENTIAL DILUTIVE EFFECT OF OUTSTANDING WARRANTS AND OPTIONS AND REGISTRATION
  RIGHTS
 
    The  Company, in  connection with its  acquisition of  GreenSpring in August
1995, issued warrants to purchase 400,000 shares of Common Stock at an  exercise
price  of  $4.50 per  share  (the "GreenSpring  Warrants").  The holders  of the
GreenSpring Warrants were  also granted the  right to sell  alongside a  Company
registration.  The  Company is  obligated to  register the  GreenSpring Warrants
under the Securities  Act of  1933 (the "Securities  Act"). In  April 1996,  the
Company registered under the Securities Act 150,001 GreenSpring Warrants as well
as  certain options held by the Company's Chief Executive Officer, President and
Chief Operating  Officer, Mr.  Amenson. As  of  June 30,  1996, 360,000  of  the
GreenSpring Warrants remained, of which 193,334 were exercisable and warrants to
purchase  166,666 shares  of Common Stock  become exercisable over  the next two
years. The holders of  the GreenSpring Warrants also  possess until August  2000
the  right to  sell shares of  Common Stock underlying  the GreenSpring Warrants
alongside the Company should  the Company file  a registration statement  during
this period.
 
    Additionally, in connection with the Company's acquisition in August 1996 of
LDG,  the Company  granted to the  two selling shareholders  of LDG registration
rights and  piggyback rights  covering an  aggregate of  200,000 shares  of  the
Company's Common Stock.
 
    Such  demand,  piggyback and  alongside  registration rights  may negatively
influence the  Company's  ability to  raise  additional equity  capital  in  the
future.  To  the extent  that outstanding  options or  warrants to  purchase the
Company's Common  Stock are  exercised,  there will  be additional  dilution  in
excess  of that  resulting from  use of common  and common  equivalent shares in
earnings calculations.
 
    As of September 30, 1996, the Company had 534,283 vested options and 453,603
options subject to vesting.
 
LIMITED PUBLIC FLOAT; TRADING; VOLATILITY OF STOCK PRICE
 
    The Company's Common Stock is traded on the Nasdaq National Market. While  a
public  market currently  exists for the  Company's Common Stock,  the number of
shares in the public  market is approximately 68.7%  of the 5,030,657 shares  of
Common  Stock  that will  be  outstanding at  the  completion of  this offering.
Trading volume in the four weeks ended October 18, 1996 averaged 151,167  shares
traded  per day. Thus,  trading of relatively  small blocks of  stock can have a
significant impact on the price at which  the stock is traded. In addition,  the
Nasdaq  National  Market has  experienced, and  is likely  to experience  in the
future, significant price and volume  fluctuations which could adversely  affect
the market price of the Common Stock without regard to the operating performance
of  the Company. The Company believes  factors such as quarterly fluctuations in
financial results,  announcements of  new technologies  impacting the  Company's
products,  announcements  by  competitors  or  changes  in  securities analysts'
recommendations may cause the market price to fluctuate, perhaps  substantially.
These  fluctuations, as well as general  economic conditions, such as recessions
or high interest  rates, may  adversely affect the  market price  of the  Common
Stock.  See "--Fluctuations in Operating  Results; Expected Second Quarter Loss"
and "Price Range of Common Stock."
 
SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
 
    Future sales by existing shareholders could adversely affect the  prevailing
market  price of the Common Stock. Upon  completion of the offering, the Company
will have  5,030,657  shares  of  Common Stock  outstanding.  Of  these  shares,
1,800,000   shares  offered  hereby  (2,070,000   shares  if  the  Underwriters'
overallotment option is exercised in full)  will be eligible for immediate  sale
in the public market without
 
                                       14
<PAGE>
restriction  under the Securities Act, unless such shares are held by affiliates
of the Company, as  that term is  defined in the Rule  144 under the  Securities
Act.  In addition, approximately 186,700 shares will be eligible for sale in the
public market without restriction pursuant to Rule 144(k) or Rule 701 under  the
Securities  Act.  Approximately  1,573,200  additional  shares  outstanding upon
completion of  the offering  will be  eligible for  sale pursuant  to Rule  144,
assuming no exercise of the over-allotment option.
 
    The  holders  of  approximately  1,418,188 of  the  shares  of  Common Stock
outstanding after  the offering  and  the holders  of  warrants and  options  to
purchase  approximately 374,783 shares  of Common Stock  have agreed, subject to
certain exceptions, not to sell or otherwise dispose of any of their shares  for
a  period of 120 days after the date  of the Prospectus. Cowen & Company may, in
its sole discretion, at any time without notice, release all or a portion of the
shares subject to lock-up agreements. Following the closing of the offering, the
holders of approximately  449,999 shares  of Common  Stock will  be entitled  to
certain demand and piggyback registration rights with respect to such shares.
 
ABSENCE OF DIVIDENDS
 
    Since  its inception, the Company has not  paid cash dividends on its Common
Stock. The Company intends to retain  future earnings, if any, to provide  funds
for  business operations and,  accordingly, does not  anticipate paying any cash
dividends on its Common Stock in the foreseeable future. Pursuant to its  Credit
Agreement,  dated April  28, 1995, as  amended, with NationsBank  of Texas, N.A.
("NationsBank"), neither the Company nor  any of its subsidiaries may,  directly
or indirectly, make any cash or other distributions (such as dividends) on or in
respect of any person's interest as a shareholder in the Company.
 
                                       15
<PAGE>
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
 
    The  net proceeds to the Company from the sale of 1,500,000 shares of Common
Stock offered by the  Company in this offering  are estimated to be  $34,118,000
assuming   a  public  offering  price  of   $24.50  per  share  after  deducting
underwriting discounts and commissions  and estimated offering expenses  payable
by  the Company.  The Company  will not  receive any  proceeds from  the sale of
shares of Common Stock by the  Selling Shareholders. The Company intends to  use
the net proceeds of the offering first to fund the Acquisition (see "Acquisition
of  Bit 3") and then to pay down its  long term debt. The total cash required to
close the Acquisition will be $20.0 million. In addition, the Company  currently
has  approximately $4.9 million of long term debt, excluding the current portion
of that debt, primarily from its acquisition of GreenSpring in April 1995.  This
debt,  with NationsBank of  Texas, N.A. ("NationsBank"),  matures on October 30,
1999 and carries an interest rate  equal to NationsBank's prime rate plus  0.25%
or LIBOR plus 2.5% in 30, 60 or 90 day options. In fiscal 1996, the average rate
associated with this long term debt was approximately 10% per annum. The Company
anticipates  that  the balance  of the  net  proceeds will  be added  to working
capital and used for general corporate  purposes. The Company may also  consider
using  any  remaining offering  proceeds  for the  acquisition  of complementary
businesses, products or technologies. However, the Company has no specific plans
with respect to any such acquisition. Pending such uses, the Company intends  to
invest  the net  proceeds from  this offering  in short  term, investment-grade,
interest-bearing securities.
 
                                DIVIDEND POLICY
 
    Since its inception, the Company has  not paid cash dividends on its  Common
Stock.  The Company intends to retain future  earnings, if any, to provide funds
for business operations  and accordingly,  does not anticipate  paying any  cash
dividends  on its Common Stock in the foreseeable future. Pursuant to its Credit
Agreement, dated  April 28,  1995,  as amended,  with NationsBank,  neither  the
Company  nor any of its subsidiaries may,  directly or indirectly, make any cash
or other  distributions such  as dividends  on  or in  respect of  any  person's
interest as a shareholder in the Company.
 
                          PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK
 
    The Company's Common Stock is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the
symbol "SBSE." The following table sets forth for the periods indicated the high
and  low closing prices of the Company's  Common Stock as reported by the Nasdaq
National Market.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                 HIGH        LOW
                                                                               ---------  ---------
<S>                                                                            <C>        <C>
Fiscal Year 1995
  Quarter ended September 30, 1994...........................................  $    6.75  $    4.00
  Quarter ended December 31, 1994............................................       7.13       4.38
  Quarter ended March 31, 1995...............................................       5.00       3.75
  Quarter ended June 30, 1995................................................       5.25       4.00
Fiscal Year 1996
  Quarter ended September 30, 1995...........................................  $    9.00  $    5.00
  Quarter ended December 31, 1995............................................       8.94       7.13
  Quarter ended March 31, 1996...............................................      10.13       7.63
  Quarter ended June 30, 1996................................................      17.13       8.88
Fiscal Year 1997
  Quarter ended September 30, 1996...........................................  $   19.75  $   10.63
  Quarter ending December 31, 1996 (through October 21)......................      24.50      19.00
</TABLE>
 
    The last sale price  of the Company's  Common Stock on  October 21, 1996  as
reported on the Nasdaq National Market was $24.50 per share. As of September 30,
1996,  there were approximately 2,000 beneficial holders of the Company's Common
Stock.
 
                                       16
<PAGE>
                                 CAPITALIZATION
 
    The following  table sets  forth the  capitalization of  the Company  as  of
September 30, 1996, and as adjusted to give effect to the sale by the Company of
the  1,500,000 shares of Common Stock offered hereby, assuming an offering price
of $24.50  per  share,  use  of  the estimated  net  proceeds  to  complete  the
Acquisition,  the effect on earnings of the write-off of in-process research and
development related to the Acquisition and the retirement of up to $6.2  million
of  the Company's  long-term debt  with any  remaining proceeds  retained by the
Company for general  corporate purposes.  See "Acquisition  of Bit  3," "Use  of
Proceeds" and "Pro Forma Combined Consolidated Financial Statements."
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                           SEPTEMBER 30, 1996
                                                                                      ----------------------------
                                                                                                     PRO FORMA
                                                                                                         AS
                                                                                        ACTUAL     ADJUSTED(1)(2)
                                                                                      ----------  ----------------
                                                                                             (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                                                   <C>         <C>
Current portion of long term debt...................................................  $    1,477     $       --
Long term debt, less current portion................................................       4,915            204
                                                                                      ----------       --------
Shareholders' equity:
  Common Stock......................................................................       4,998         39,596
  Common Stock warrants.............................................................         180            180
Retained earnings...................................................................       7,256            643
                                                                                      ----------       --------
  Total shareholders' equity........................................................      12,434         40,419
                                                                                      ----------       --------
Total capitalization................................................................  $   24,154     $   49,815
                                                                                      ----------       --------
                                                                                      ----------       --------
</TABLE>
 
- ------------
 
(1) See "Pro Forma Combined Consolidated Financial Statements."
 
(2) Based on the number of shares outstanding as of September 30, 1996. Excludes
    shares  reserved for issuance under the Company's 1992, 1993, 1995, and 1996
    Employee ISOPs, the 1993 Director and Officer Stock Option Plan and the 1996
    Employee Stock  Purchase Plan,  of which  1,347,886 shares  were subject  to
    outstanding  unexercised options at June 30,  1996 (804,283 shares under all
    ISOPs at an average exercise price of $8.77 per share, 148,500 shares  under
    the 1993 Director and Officer Stock Option Plan at an average exercise price
    of  $5.78 per share and 35,103 shares under the 1996 Employee Stock Purchase
    Plan at an average exercise price of $7.75 per share) and 360,000 shares  an
    an exercise price of $4.50 per share reserved for issuance under outstanding
    warrants.  Includes 100,000  shares which  will be  issued upon  exercise of
    warrants, at  an  exercise  price of  $4.80  per  share, and  sold  in  this
    offering.  See  "Risk  Factors--Potential  Dilutive  Effect  of  Outstanding
    Warrants and Options and Registration Rights."
 
                                       17
<PAGE>
                  SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
                           OF SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
 
    The following selected  consolidated statement  of operations  data for  the
years ended June 30, 1994, 1995 and 1996, and consolidated balance sheet data as
of June 30, 1995 and 1996 are derived from the Consolidated Financial Statements
of  the Company and Notes thereto, which  have been audited by KPMG Peat Marwick
LLP, independent auditors, and  are included elsewhere  in this Prospectus.  The
following selected consolidated statement of operations data for the years ended
June  30, 1992 and 1993 and consolidated balance sheet data as of June 30, 1992,
1993 and 1994 are derived from audited financial statements not included in this
Prospectus. The following selected consolidated statement of operations data for
the three month periods ended September 30, 1995 and 1996 and the balance  sheet
data  as  of September  30,  1996 are  derived  from the  unaudited consolidated
financial statements of the Company included herein. The unaudited  consolidated
financial  statements  have  been prepared  on  the  same basis  as  the audited
financial statements and in the opinion of the Company, include all adjustments,
consisting  only  of   normal  recurring  adjustments   necessary  for  a   fair
presentation  of the financial position and  operating results for the unaudited
periods. The following  selected data  should be  read in  conjunction with  the
Consolidated  Financial Statements  of the  Company and  Notes thereto appearing
elsewhere in this Prospectus.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                              THREE MONTHS
                                                                                            ENDED SEPTEMBER
                                                           YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,                    30,
                                               -------------------------------------------  ----------------
                                                1992     1993     1994     1995     1996     1995     1996
                                               -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------
                                                           (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
<S>                                            <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
  Sales......................................  $ 2,542  $ 5,908  $10,197  $16,218  $31,332  $ 7,575  $11,263
  Cost of sales..............................    1,094    2,906    4,883    6,757   14,510    3,581    5,246
                                               -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------
    Gross profit.............................    1,448    3,002    5,314    9,461   16,822    3,994    6,017
  Selling, general and administrative........      867    1,540    2,221    3,891    6,293    1,549    2,674
  Research and development...................      422      750    1,187    1,687    2,846      685      655
  Amortization of intangible assets..........       --      312      383      493      884      233      219
                                               -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------
    Operating income from continuing
      operations.............................      159      400    1,523    3,390    6,799    1,527    2,469
  Interest expense, net of interest income...       --       12       14      188      830      281      149
                                               -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------
  Income from continuing operations before
    income taxes.............................      159      388    1,509    3,202    5,969    1,246    2,320
  Income taxes...............................       86      220      638    1,357    2,387      524      928
                                               -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------
    Income from continuing operations........       73      168      871    1,845    3,582      722    1,392
                                               -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------
  Discontinued operations, net of tax(1).....      (33)     (35)     855   (1,781)      --       --       --
  Loss on disposal of discontinued
    operations, net of taxes(1)..............       --       --       --   (1,354)      --       --       --
                                               -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------
  Income (loss) from discontinued
    operations(1)............................      (33)     (35)     855   (3,135)      --       --       --
                                               -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------
  Net income (loss)..........................  $    40  $   133  $ 1,726  $(1,290) $ 3,582  $   722  $ 1,392
                                               -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------
                                               -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------
  Income (loss) per common and common
    equivalent share:
    Continuing operations....................     0.03     0.05     0.30     0.65     0.97     0.23     0.33
    Discontinued operations(1)...............    (0.01)   (0.01)    0.29    (1.10)      --       --       --
                                               -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------
  Net income (loss) per common and common
    equivalent share.........................  $  0.02  $  0.04  $  0.59  $ (0.45) $  0.97  $  0.23  $  0.33
                                               -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------
                                               -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------
  Weighted average number of common and
    common equivalent shares outstanding.....    2,363    2,958    2,948    2,859    3,792    3,116    4,218
</TABLE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                   JUNE 30,
                                                             -----------------------------------------------------   SEPTEMBER 30,
                                                               1992       1993       1994       1995       1996          1996
                                                             ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------------
                                                                                         (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                          <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET DATA:
  Working capital..........................................  $   3,218  $   2,542  $   3,188  $   3,320  $   8,233     $  10,146
  Intangible assets, net...................................        100      1,589      1,184      6,077      5,571         5,352
  Total assets.............................................      5,515     11,732     13,477     19,905     20,443        24,154
  Long-term debt, excluding current portion................          3        330        274      5,342      5,188         4,915
  Total shareholders' equity...............................      3,897      4,846      5,865      5,049     10,051        12,434
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
(1) In  April 1995,  the Company  divested its  flight simulation  business  and
    ceased  operation  in this  line of  business.  The results  of discontinued
    operations reflect the performance of this line of business on the Company's
    historical results of operations. The Company has exited from this  business
    and  believes there will be no  material future charges associated with this
    discontinued business  line. See  "Management's Discussion  and Analysis  of
    Financial   Condition  and  Results  of   Operations  of  SBS  Technologies,
    Inc.--Overview."
 
                                       18
<PAGE>
                    MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
                 FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
                           OF SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
 
    THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS SHOULD BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE
COMPANY'S CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND NOTES THERETO INCLUDED ELSEWHERE
IN THIS  PROSPECTUS. THIS  DISCUSSION CONTAINS  FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS  THAT
INVOLVE  RISKS AND  UNCERTAINTIES, SUCH  AS STATEMENTS  OF THE  COMPANY'S PLANS,
OBJECTIVES, EXPECTATIONS AND INTENTIONS. THE CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS MADE IN  THIS
PROSPECTUS  SHOULD BE  READ AS BEING  APPLICABLE TO  ALL RELATED FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS WHEREVER THEY APPEAR IN THIS PROSPECTUS. THE COMPANY'S ACTUAL RESULTS
COULD DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE DISCUSSED HEREIN. FACTORS THAT COULD CAUSE OR
CONTRIBUTE TO SUCH DIFFERENCES INCLUDE THOSE DISCUSSED IN "RISK FACTORS" AS WELL
AS THOSE DISCUSSED ELSEWHERE HEREIN.
 
OVERVIEW
 
    The Company  is a  leading manufacturer  of standard  bus embedded  computer
components  that perform a broad  range of CPU, general  purpose I/O and special
purpose I/O interface applications.  In 1988, the  Company entered the  embedded
computing  market with the development of its avionics interface board, which is
used in  ground-based avionics  systems development  and test  applications.  In
1992,  the  Company  added a  second  embedded  computer product  line  with the
acquisition of BSI, a developer of telemetry interface circuit boards. In recent
years, the  Company  has  discontinued  certain  of  its  operations.  From  its
inception  in  1986 until  1995, the  Company provided  flight simulators  for a
variety of  military aircraft  to  U.S. and  foreign  entities. In  April  1995,
following  a decline in the defense industry, the Company divested this business
and recorded a related charge of  $2.3 million. Additionally, from 1987  through
the  first half of  fiscal 1996, the Company  provided engineering services that
generated minimal revenue and profit.  The Company has subsequently exited  this
business.
 
    Following completion of this offering, the Company will acquire Bit 3. Bit 3
is  a manufacturer of computer networking  and interconnection hardware for many
of the most  widely used  computer architecture  standards in  the standard  bus
embedded  computer market. In connection with  the Acquisition, the Company will
record an $11.0 million  earnings charge expected to  be recorded in the  second
fiscal  quarter of 1997, the anticipated quarter for closing of the Acquisition.
The earnings charge  is based on  an assessment by  the Company, in  conjunction
with  an  independent valuation  firm,  of purchased  technology  of Bit  3. The
assessment determined that $11.0 million  of Bit 3's purchase price  represented
technology   that  does  not  meet  the  accounting  definitions  of  "completed
technology," and thus  should be  charged to earnings  under generally  accepted
accounting  principles. Based on the  Company's historical financial performance
and the historical financial performance of Bit 3, the Company currently expects
to incur a  significant net  loss for  the second fiscal  quarter of  1997 as  a
result   of   the  earnings   charge.  See   "Acquisition   of  Bit   3,"  "Risk
Factors--Acquisition of  Bit 3,"  "Fluctuations in  Operating Results;  Expected
Second Quarter Loss" and "Pro Forma Combined Consolidated Financial Statements."
 
RECENT ACQUISITIONS
 
    On  April 28, 1995,  the Company acquired GreenSpring,  based in Menlo Park,
California, for $7.5 million. GreenSpring is engaged in the design, development,
manufacturing and marketing of general purpose I/O products utilized in multiple
segments of  the standard  bus  embedded computer  market. The  acquisition  was
accounted  for as a purchase. The Company recorded $5.8 million in goodwill with
$653,000 expensed  through  June 30,  1996  and  the remainder  expected  to  be
expensed  through June  30, 2005, the  estimated benefit period.  Net income and
earnings per common and common equivalent share for fiscal 1994 would have  been
approximately  $1.7 million and  $0.56, respectively, had  the acquisition taken
place on July  1, 1993. Had  the acquisition taken  place on July  1, 1994,  the
Company's  reported net loss and net loss per common and common equivalent share
for fiscal 1995 would have been  decreased by approximately $804,000 and  $0.28,
respectively.
 
                                       19
<PAGE>
    On  August 19, 1996, the Company completed a pooling of interest transaction
with LDG. LDG manufactures Intel processor-based CPU boards for the standard bus
embedded computer market. The financial results  of LDG are not included in  the
Company's  Consolidated Financial  Statements for the  periods prior  to July 1,
1996  as  historical  results  did  not  have  a  material  effect  on  combined
consolidated  results of operations.  For its fiscal year  ended March 31, 1996,
LDG recorded  sales of  approximately $4.0  million and  income from  continuing
operations of approximately $103,000.
 
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
    The  following table sets forth for  the periods indicated certain operating
data as a percentage of sales.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                        THREE MONTHS ENDED
                                                                       YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,                SEPTEMBER 30,
                                                              -------------------------------------  ------------------------
                                                                 1994         1995         1996         1995         1996
                                                              -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
<S>                                                           <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>
Sales.......................................................      100.0%       100.0%       100.0%       100.0%       100.0%
Cost of sales...............................................       47.9         41.7         46.3         47.3         46.6
                                                                  -----        -----        -----        -----        -----
  Gross profit..............................................       52.1         58.3         53.7         52.7         53.4
Selling, general and administrative.........................       21.8         24.0         20.1         20.4         23.7
Research and development....................................       11.6         10.4          9.1          9.0          5.8
Amortization of intangible assets...........................        3.8          3.0          2.8          3.1          2.0
                                                                  -----        -----        -----        -----        -----
Operating income from continuing operations.................       14.9         20.9         21.7         20.2         21.9
Interest expense, net of interest income....................        0.1          1.2          2.7          3.7          1.3
                                                                  -----        -----        -----        -----        -----
  Income from continuing operations before income taxes.....       14.8         19.7         19.0         16.5         20.6
Income taxes................................................        6.3          8.3          7.6          6.9          8.2
                                                                  -----        -----        -----        -----        -----
Income from continuing operations...........................        8.5%        11.4%        11.4%         9.6%        12.4%
                                                                  -----        -----        -----        -----        -----
                                                                  -----        -----        -----        -----        -----
</TABLE>
 
THREE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1996 AND THREE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1995
 
   
    SALES.  For the three month period ended September 30, 1996, sales increased
48.7%, or $3.7 million,  from $7.6 million in  the three months ended  September
30,  1995  to $11.3  million. This  increase was  primarily attributable  to the
additional sales contributed by LDG, which was acquired on August 19, 1996,  and
pooled  effective July 1, 1996, as well as increases from the Company's avionics
and telemetry products. During the three month period ended September 30,  1996,
prices for the Company's products remained firm and unit shipments increased.
    
 
   
    GROSS  PROFIT.  For the  three month period ended  September 30, 1996, gross
profit increased 50.0%, or $2.0 million,  from $4.0 million in the three  months
ended  September 30,  1995 to  $6.0 million.  For the  three month  period ended
September 30, 1996, gross margin increased to  53.4% of sales from 52.7% in  the
three  months ended September 30,  1995. This increase was  primarily due to the
effects of additional sales volume and reductions in component material costs.
    
 
    SELLING, GENERAL  AND ADMINISTRATION.    For the  three month  period  ended
September 30, 1996, selling, general and administration expense increased 80.0%,
or  $1.2 million, from $1.5 million in the three months ended September 30, 1995
to $2.7 million and as  a percentage of sales increased  to 23.7% from 20.7%  in
the  three  months ended  September 30,  1995. This  increase was  primarily the
result of the inclusion of the results of LDG, management's decision to increase
reserves and accruals  due to the  higher level of  business activity and  costs
associated with acquisitions.
 
    RESEARCH  AND DEVELOPMENT.   For the three month  period ended September 30,
1996, research and development expense decreased 4.3%, or $30,000, from $685,000
in the three months ended September 30, 1995 to $655,000 and as a percentage  of
sales    decreased   to   5.8%   from   9.0%   in   the   three   months   ended
 
                                       20
<PAGE>
September 30, 1995. This decrease was  a result of expenditures relating to  the
completion of certain development programs during the 1996 fiscal year.
 
    AMORTIZATION OF INTANGIBLE ASSETS.  For the period ended September 30, 1996,
amortization  of intangible assets decreased 6.0%,  or $14,000, from $233,000 in
the three  months ended  September 30,  1995 to  $219,000. This  decrease was  a
result  of  completing the  amortization of  intangible  assets relating  to the
acquisition of Berg  Systems International  during the first  quarter of  fiscal
1996.
 
    INTEREST  EXPENSE, NET OF  INTEREST INCOME.  For  the period ended September
30, 1996, interest expense, net of interest income decreased 46.8%, or $131,000,
from $280,000 in  the three months  ended September 30,  1995 to $149,000.  This
decrease  was the result of the reduction  in debt to finance the acquisition of
Green Spring Computers, Inc.
 
    INCOME TAXES.    For the  period  ended  September 30,  1996,  income  taxes
increased  $404,000, or 77.1%, from $524,000 in the three months ended September
30, 1995  to  $928,000,  representing  effective  tax  rates  of  40%  and  42%,
respectively.
 
YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1996 COMPARED TO YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1995
 
    SALES.   In fiscal 1996, sales increased 93.2%, or $15.1 million, from $16.2
million in fiscal 1995 to $31.3 million.  This increase reflects a full year  of
sales in fiscal 1996 for GreenSpring, whereas fiscal 1995 sales include only two
months  of GreenSpring  sales. As a  result, $11.1 million  in GreenSpring sales
were reflected  in fiscal  1996 compared  to  $1.5 million  in fiscal  1995.  In
addition,  sales of the Company's avionics and telemetry product lines increased
by 37.5%, or $5.5 million, in fiscal 1996. The increases in sales in fiscal 1996
reflected increases in unit volume,  new product introductions and the  addition
of new customers in all of the Company's product lines.
 
    GROSS  PROFIT.    In fiscal  1996,  gross  profit increased  77.8%,  or $7.4
million, from $9.5  million in  fiscal 1995  to $16.8  million, as  a result  of
increased sales volume. In fiscal 1996, gross margin decreased to 53.7% of sales
from  58.3% in fiscal  1995 as a  result of a  change in sales  mix. While gross
margins on the  Company's avionics  and telemetry  products remained  relatively
constant in fiscal 1996, fiscal 1996 sales were comprised of a higher proportion
of GreenSpring products, which generally yield lower gross margins than sales of
the  Company's other products. Reductions in component material costs in each of
the Company's product lines partially offset the effect on gross margin of  this
shift in sales mix.
 
    SELLING,  GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE.  In  fiscal 1996, selling, general and
administrative expense increased 61.7%,  or $2.4 million,  from $3.9 million  in
fiscal  1995 to $6.3 million. The  increase resulted primarily from the addition
of certain expenses  of GreenSpring's  operations, and  additional staffing  and
promotional  expenses related  to the  Company's avionics  and telemetry product
lines. However,  selling,  general and  administrative  expense decreased  as  a
percentage of sales from 24.0% in fiscal 1995 to 20.1% in fiscal 1996, primarily
due   to  a  more  rapid  increase  in   sales  than  in  selling,  general  and
administrative expense.
 
    RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.  In fiscal 1996, research and development  expense
increased  by 68.8%, or $1.2  million, from $1.7 million  in fiscal 1995 to $2.9
million, reflecting the  costs of  GreenSpring's operations  and the  additional
staffing  required for  new product  development in  the avionics  product line.
However, research and  development expense  decreased as a  percentage of  sales
from  10.4% in fiscal 1995 to 9.1% in fiscal 1996, primarily due to a more rapid
increase in sales than in research and development expense.
 
    AMORTIZATION  OF  INTANGIBLE  ASSETS.    In  fiscal  1996,  amortization  of
intangible  assets increased 79.3%, or $391,000, from $493,000 in fiscal 1995 to
$884,000 due to the increase in intangible assets related to the acquisition  of
GreenSpring.
 
                                       21
<PAGE>
    INTEREST EXPENSE, NET OF INTEREST INCOME.  In fiscal 1996, interest expense,
net  of interest income, increased by 342%, or $642,000, from $188,000 in fiscal
1995 to $830,000 as a result of debt assumed late in fiscal 1995 as part of  the
acquisition of GreenSpring.
 
    INCOME TAXES.  In fiscal 1996, tax expense increased 75.9%, or $1.0 million,
from  $1.4 million in fiscal 1995  to $2.4 million representing effective income
tax rates of 40% and 42%, respectively.  The lower effective tax rate in  fiscal
1996 resulted primarily from the use of a foreign sales corporation.
 
YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1995 COMPARED TO YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1994
 
    SALES.   In fiscal 1995, sales increased  59.1%, or $6.0 million, from $10.2
million in fiscal 1994 to $16.2 million. This increase resulted from a number of
factors, including  introduction  of  the  PASS 1000  bus  analyzer  product  in
avionics,  broader participation in defense-related programs and $1.5 million in
sales of  GreenSpring  products  included  for  the  two  months  following  its
acquisition in April 1995.
 
    GROSS  PROFIT.    In fiscal  1995,  gross  profit increased  78.0%,  or $4.2
million, from $5.3 million in fiscal 1994 to $9.5 million due to increased sales
volume and improved gross  margin. In fiscal 1995,  gross margin increased  from
52.1% of sales in fiscal 1994 to 58.3% of sales as a result of reductions in per
unit component and labor costs, and more efficient amortization of manufacturing
overheads resulting from increased volume.
 
    SELLING,  GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE.  In  fiscal 1995, selling, general and
administrative expense increased 75.1%,  or $1.7 million,  from $2.2 million  in
fiscal  1994  to  $3.9  million.  The increase  resulted  from  the  addition of
GreenSpring's costs, and increases in  staffing and promotional expenses in  the
avionics and telemetry product lines. As a percentage of sales, selling, general
and  administrative  expense increased  from 21.8%  in fiscal  1994 to  24.0% in
fiscal 1995, reflecting expense incurred in anticipation of increased sales.
 
    RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.  In fiscal 1995, research and development  expense
increased  by  42.1%, or  $500,000, from  $1.2  million in  fiscal 1994  to $1.7
million reflecting the  costs of  additional staffing required  for new  product
development  in the avionics product line including  the ABI V5, ABI V6 and PASS
1000 interface boards. However, research and development expense decreased as  a
percentage of sales from 11.6% in fiscal 1994 to 10.4% in fiscal 1995, primarily
due to a more rapid increase in sales than in research and development expense.
 
    AMORTIZATION  OF  INTANGIBLE  ASSETS.    In  fiscal  1995,  amortization  of
intangible assets increased 28.8%, or $110,000, from $383,000 in fiscal 1994  to
$493,000  due to the increase in intangible assets related to the acquisition of
GreenSpring.
 
    INTEREST EXPENSE, NET OF INTEREST INCOME.  In fiscal 1995, interest expense,
net of interest income, increased by $173,000, or 1,183%, from $15,000 in fiscal
1994 to $188,000 as a result of debt assumed late in fiscal 1995 related to  the
acquisition of GreenSpring.
 
    INCOME  TAXES.  In  fiscal 1995, tax expense  increased 112.7%, or $719,000,
from $638,000 in fiscal 1994 to  $1.4 million, representing an effective  income
tax rate of 42% in each year.
 
                                       22
<PAGE>
QUARTERLY RESULTS
 
    The  following tables present  certain unaudited financial  data for each of
the five fiscal quarters ended September 30, 1996. These data have been  derived
from  unaudited financial  statements that, in  the opinion  of management, have
been prepared on  the same basis  as the Consolidated  Financial Statements  and
Notes thereto appearing elsewhere in this Prospectus, including all adjustments,
consisting   only  of  normal  recurring   adjustments,  necessary  for  a  fair
presentation of the financial results herein. Such statement of operations  data
should  be read  in conjunction with  the Consolidated  Financial Statements and
Notes thereto appearing elsewhere in this Prospectus. The operating results  for
any  previous quarter are  not necessarily indicative of  results for any future
period. See "Risk  Factors--Fluctuations in Operating  Results; Expected  Second
Quarter Loss."
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                         THREE MONTHS ENDED
                                                    -------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     SEPT. 30,    DEC. 31,     MAR. 31,     JUNE 30,    SEPT. 30,
                                                       1995         1995         1996         1996        1996
                                                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  ---------
                                                                (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
<S>                                                 <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
  Sales...........................................   $   7,575    $   7,443    $   7,896    $   8,418   $  11,263
  Cost of sales...................................       3,581        3,530        3,683        3,716       5,246
                                                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  ---------
    Gross profit..................................       3,994        3,913        4,213        4,702       6,017
  Selling, general and administrative.............       1,549        1,486        1,560        1,698       2,674
  Research and development........................         685          678          705          778         655
  Amortization of intangible assets...............         233          213          222          216         219
                                                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  ---------
    Operating income from continuing operations...       1,547        1,536        1,726        2,010       2,469
  Interest expense, net of interest income........         280          200          200          150         149
                                                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  ---------
    Income from continuing operations before
      income taxes................................       1,247        1,336        1,526        1,860       2,320
  Income taxes....................................         524          560          560          743         928
                                                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  ---------
    Income from continuing operations.............   $     723    $     776    $     966    $   1,117   $   1,392
                                                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  ---------
  Net income per common and common share
    equivalents...................................   $    0.23    $    0.23    $    0.26    $    0.29   $    0.33
                                                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  ---------
                                                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  ---------
 
AS A PERCENTAGE OF SALES:
  Sales...........................................       100.0%       100.0%       100.0%       100.0%      100.0%
  Cost of sales...................................        47.3         47.4         46.6         44.2        46.6
                                                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  ---------
    Gross profit..................................        52.7         52.6         53.4         55.8        53.4
  Selling, general and administrative.............        20.4         20.0         19.8         20.2        23.7
  Research and development........................         9.0          9.1          8.9          9.2         5.8
  Amortization of intangible assets...............         3.1          2.9          2.8          2.5         2.0
                                                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  ---------
    Operating income from continuing operations...        20.2         20.6         21.9         23.9        21.9
  Interest expense, net of interest income........         3.7          2.7          2.5          1.8         1.3
                                                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  ---------
    Income from continuing operations before
      income taxes................................        16.5         17.9         19.4         22.1        20.6
  Income taxes....................................         6.9          7.5          7.1          8.8         8.2
                                                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  ---------
    Income from continuing operations.............         9.6%        10.4%        12.3%        13.3%       12.4%
                                                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  ---------
                                                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  ---------
</TABLE>
 
    The Company tends to experience an increase in sales during its first fiscal
quarter,  which  ends September  30, due  to purchases  made by  U.S. government
agencies and contractors at the end of the U.S. government's fiscal year,  which
also  ends  on  September  30. The  Company  primarily  experiences  this effect
 
                                       23
<PAGE>
in its avionics  and telemetry product  lines. Similarly, the  Company tends  to
experience  little or  no growth  in sales during  its second  fiscal quarter as
sales dependent on U.S. government funding are often delayed during the start of
the U.S. government's  new fiscal  year. However,  as sales  of its  non-defense
related  product lines continue to grow in proportion to total sales the Company
believes this seasonal effect will diminish.
 
    In connection with the Acquisition, the Company will record an $11.0 million
earnings charge expected to  be recorded in the  second fiscal quarter of  1997,
the  anticipated quarter for the closing of the Acquisition. The earnings charge
is based on  an assessment by  the Company, in  conjunction with an  independent
valuation firm, of purchased technology of Bit 3. The assessment determined that
$11.0  million of  Bit 3's purchase  price represented technology  that does not
meet the accounting definitions  of "completed technology,"  and thus should  be
charged to earnings under generally accepted accounting principles. Based on the
Company's   historical  financial  performance   and  the  historical  financial
performance of Bit 3, the Company  currently expects to incur a significant  net
loss  for the second fiscal quarter of 1997  as a result of the earnings charge.
See "Risk Factors--Acquisition  of Bit 3,"  "Fluctuations in Operating  Results;
Expected  Second Quarter  Loss" and  "Pro Forma  Combined Consolidated Financial
Statements."
 
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
 
    The Company uses a combination of the sale of equity securities,  internally
generated funds and bank borrowings to finance its acquisitions, working capital
requirements, capital expenses and operations.
 
    Cash  totaled $2.1  million at September  30, 1996, an  increase of $972,000
from June 30,  1996. Net  cash provided by  operating activities  for the  three
months  ended September 30, 1996 was $1.7 million. Increases in sales volume and
demand for semiconductor parts during the three months ended September 30,  1996
have  caused  the  Company to  increase  accounts receivable  and  inventory. In
addition, liabilities  increased in  line  with the  current level  of  business
activity.  Net  cash used  in investing  activities for  the three  months ended
September 30, 1996 of $207,000 was primarily for the purchase of equipment.  The
Company  utilized cash  in financing activities  of $491,000  primarily to repay
portions of bank debt.
 
   
    On April 26,  1996, the Company  amended its bank  financing agreement  with
NationsBank,  originally entered into in April 1995, to provide the Company with
a $6.8 million term loan and a  $2.5 million revolving line of credit. The  term
loan  is a three year  note with five year  amortization maturing on October 30,
1999. This  note  refinanced  a  majority of  the  Company's  outstanding  debt,
including  the $1.0 million  note previously payable  to the former shareholders
and option holders of  GreenSpring entered into  in April 1995  at the time  the
Company  acquired GreenSpring. The  revolving line of  credit matures on October
30, 1997. The interest rate  on the term loan  is NationsBank's prime rate  plus
0.25%  or LIBOR plus 2.5% in 30, 60, or 90 day options. The interest rate of the
revolving line of credit is NationsBank's prime rate or LIBOR plus 2.25% in  30,
60,  or 90 day options. The amended  financing agreement provides for a security
interest by NationsBank in the Company's receivables, inventories, equipment and
all other  personal  property and  imposes  certain performance  ratios  on  the
Company. These ratios include a current maturities ratio which requires that the
Company's  net  earnings, plus  depreciation  and amortization  expense  for the
preceding four  quarters from  time  of measurement  compared to  the  Company's
current  portion of its long-term debt, will not be less than a ratio of 2 to 1;
a senior funded  debt to EBITDA  ratio which requires  that the Company's  total
debt   evidenced  by  promissory  notes,   loan  agreements,  bonds  or  similar
instruments, but excluding subordinated debt, will  not be greater than a  ratio
of  1.5 to  1 when compared  to the  Company's profit before  tax plus interest,
depreciation, and amortization expense for the preceding four quarters from time
measurement; and  a fixed  charge coverage  ratio requiring  that the  Company's
income  before tax  plus interest  expense and  operating lease  expense for the
preceding four quarters from time of measurement  will not be less than a  ratio
of  2 to 1 when compared to  the Company's interest expense plus operating lease
expense for the  same preceding four  quarters. The Company  is also  prohibited
from  disposing of or acquiring certain assets and businesses and from incurring
additional debt,
    
 
                                       24
<PAGE>
   
with certain exceptions,  without the consent  of the lender.  At September  30,
1996,  the Company was  in compliance with  all of the  covenants of the amended
financing agreement. The outstanding balance  on the term loan with  NationsBank
at  September 30, 1996 was $6.2 million, of which $5.0 million bears interest at
LIBOR  plus  2.5%  (8.1%  at  September  30,  1996)  and  $1.2  million  was  at
NationsBank's  base rate plus 0.25% (8.5% at  September 30, 1996). The term loan
is payable in monthly installments of $112,500. As of September 30, 1996,  there
were no borrowings drawn on the revolving line of credit.
    
 
    Management  believes  that  financial  resources,  including  its internally
generated funds,  available  bank borrowings  and  the net  proceeds  from  this
offering,  will be  sufficient to finance  the Company's  current operations and
capital expenditures, excluding acquisitions, for the next twelve months.
 
    For the  three most  recent fiscal  years,  there has  been no  impact  from
inflation  or changing prices  to the Company's sales  or income from continuing
operations.
 
ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES
 
    In October 1995, the FASB issued Financial Accounting Standard No. 123 ("FAS
123"), "Accounting for  Stock-Based Compensation." Under  the provisions of  FAS
123,  companies may elect to account  for stock-based compensation plans using a
fair-value-based method or may continue measuring compensation expense for those
plans using  the intrinsic-rate-based  method.  Companies electing  to  continue
using the intrinsic-value-based method must provide pro forma disclosures of net
income  and  earnings  per share  as  if  the fair-value-based  method  had been
applied. Management intends to continue to account for stock-based  compensation
using the stock-based method and, as such, does not believe FAS 123 will have an
impact  on the  Company's results of  operations or financial  position. FAS 123
becomes effective in fiscal year 1997.
 
                                       25
<PAGE>
                       SELECTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF
                           BIT 3 COMPUTER CORPORATION
 
    The following  selected statement  of operations  data for  the years  ended
December  31, 1993, 1994 and 1995 and balance sheet data as of December 31, 1994
and 1995 are derived  from the financial  statements of Bit  3, which have  been
audited  by  KPMG  Peat  Marwick LLP,  independent  auditors,  and  are included
elsewhere in this Prospectus.  The balance sheet data  as of December 31,  1991,
1992  and  1993 and  as  of September  30, 1996  and  the selected  statement of
operations data for the years ended December 31, 1991 and 1992 and for the  nine
month  period ended September 30,  1995 and 1996 have  been derived from Bit 3's
unaudited financial statements that have been prepared on the same basis as  the
audited  financial  statements  and  in  the  opinion  of  Bit  3,  include  all
adjustments, consisting only  of normal  recurring adjustments  necessary for  a
fair  presentation  of  the financial  position  and operating  results  for the
unaudited periods. The  following selected  data should be  read in  conjunction
with  the Financial  Statements of  Bit 3  and Notes  thereto elsewhere  in this
Prospectus.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                NINE MONTHS ENDED
                                                      YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,                     SEPTEMBER 30,
                                       -----------------------------------------------------  ----------------------
                                         1991       1992       1993       1994       1995       1995        1996
                                       ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -----------
                                                                      (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                    <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
  Sales..............................  $   6,175  $   8,042  $  10,750  $  11,599  $  12,530  $   9,210   $  11,466
  Cost of sales......................      2,794      3,085      4,151      4,219      4,438      3,310       3,791
                                       ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -----------
    Gross profit.....................      3,381      4,957      6,599      7,380      8,092      5,900       7,675
  Selling, general and
    administrative...................      1,300      1,321      1,473      1,661      1,857      1,294       1,284
  Research and development...........      1,575      1,621      1,596      1,531      1,571      1,118       1,480
                                       ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -----------
  Income from operations.............        506      2,015      3,530      4,188      4,664      3,488       4,911
  Interest income....................         52         46         28         58         66         38          52
                                       ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -----------
  Income before income taxes.........  $     558  $   2,061  $   3,558  $   4,246  $   4,730  $   3,526   $   4,963
                                       ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -----------
                                       ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -----------
</TABLE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                    DECEMBER 31,
                                                -----------------------------------------------------      SEPTEMBER 30,
                                                  1991       1992       1993       1994       1995              1996
                                                ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ----------------------
<S>                                             <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
                                                                               (IN THOUSANDS)
BALANCE SHEET DATA:
  Working capital.............................  $   1,906  $   3,360  $   3,334  $   3,195  $   3,426        $    4,250
  Total assets................................      2,680      3,701      3,680      3,594      3,818             4,698
  Total shareholders' equity..................      2,242      3,599      3,579      3,395      3,590             4,384
</TABLE>
 
                                       26
<PAGE>
                    MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
                 FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
                         OF BIT 3 COMPUTER CORPORATION
 
    THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS SHOULD BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH BIT
3 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND NOTES THERETO INCLUDED ELSEWHERE IN THIS  PROSPECTUS.
THIS  DISCUSSION  CONTAINS  FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS  THAT  INVOLVE  RISKS AND
UNCERTAINTIES, SUCH AS STATEMENTS OF BIT 3'S PLANS, OBJECTIVES, EXPECTATIONS AND
INTENTIONS. THE CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS MADE IN THIS PROSPECTUS SHOULD BE READ  AS
BEING  APPLICABLE TO ALL RELATED FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS WHEREVER THEY APPEAR
IN THIS PROSPECTUS. BIT  3'S ACTUAL RESULTS COULD  DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM  THOSE
DISCUSSED  HEREIN. FACTORS  THAT COULD CAUSE  OR CONTRIBUTE  TO SUCH DIFFERENCES
INCLUDE THOSE DISCUSSED IN "RISK FACTORS"  AS WELL AS THOSE DISCUSSED  ELSEWHERE
HEREIN.
 
OVERVIEW
 
    Bit  3 manufactures high performance  computer bus interconnect hardware and
software used in  a wide  variety of applications,  including data  acquisition,
image   and  visualization  processing,   industrial  process  control,  medical
electronics, signal processing and system  integration. Bit 3, founded in  1979,
currently  provides these interconnect products to  a wide variety of commercial
users. Sales to a major customer represented 19.2% of sales in 1995 and 22.1% of
sales in  the total  first nine  months ended  September 30,  1996. Sales  to  a
distributor  serving the adapter  market in Japan, represented  8.1% of sales in
1995 sales  and 10.2%  of total  first  nine months  ended September  30,  1996.
International sales accounted for approximately 17.0% of total sales in 1995.
 
    The  results of operations for Bit 3 have been prepared using the accounting
policies used  by  the Company.  See  Note 2  of  "Notes to  Bit  3's  Financial
Statements".  During the period  for the financial data  contained herein, Bit 3
has elected to be  taxed under the  provisions of Subchapter  S of the  Internal
Revenue  Code. As  a result,  no provision  has been  made for  federal or state
income  taxes,  because  the  applicable   tax  liability  or  benefit  is   the
responsibility of Bit 3's shareholders.
 
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
    The  following table sets forth for  the periods indicated certain operating
data as a percentage of sales.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                          NINE MONTHS ENDED
                                                            YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,         SEPTEMBER 30,
                                                        -------------------------------  --------------------
                                                          1993       1994       1995       1995       1996
                                                        ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
<S>                                                     <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
Sales.................................................      100.0%     100.0%     100.0%     100.0%     100.0%
Cost of sales.........................................       38.6       36.4       35.4       35.9       33.1
                                                        ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
  Gross profit........................................       61.4       63.6       64.6       64.1       66.9
Selling, general and administrative...................       13.7       14.3       14.8       14.0       11.2
Research and development..............................       14.8       13.2       12.5       12.1       12.9
                                                        ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
  Income from operations..............................       32.9       36.1       37.3       38.0       42.8
Interest income.......................................        0.3        0.5        0.5        0.4        0.5
                                                        ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
  Income before income taxes..........................       33.2%      36.6%      37.8%      38.4%      43.3%
                                                        ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                        ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
</TABLE>
 
                                       27
<PAGE>
NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1996 AND NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1995
 
    SALES.  For the nine months ended September 30, 1996, sales increased 24.5%,
or $2.3 million, from $9.2 million in  the nine months ended September 30,  1995
to  $11.5  million. This  increase was  attributable to  increased sales  of new
products and increased sales to existing customers.
 
    GROSS PROFIT.  For  the nine months ended  September 30, 1996, gross  profit
increased  30.1%, or $1.8  million, from $5.9  million in the  nine months ended
September 30, 1995 to $7.7  million as a result  of increased sales volume.  For
the  nine months ended  September 30, 1996,  gross margin increased  to 66.9% of
sales, from 64.1% in  the nine months  ended September 30,  1995 primarily as  a
result of reductions in material costs and improved manufacturing efficiencies.
 
    SELLING,  GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE.   For the  nine months ended September
30, 1996, selling,  general and  administrative expense was  unchanged from  the
nine   months  ended   September  30,   1995.  However,   selling,  general  and
administrative expense decreased as a percentage of sales from 14.0% in the nine
months ended September 30, 1995 to 11.2% for the nine months ended September 30,
1996, primarily  due  to improved  operating  efficiencies achieved  by  holding
personnel costs constant as sales increased.
 
    RESEARCH  AND DEVELOPMENT.   For the  nine months ended  September 30, 1996,
research and  development expense  increased by  32.4%, or  $362,000, from  $1.1
million  in the nine months  ended September 30, 1995  to $1.5 million. Research
and development expense  increased as a  percentage of sales  from 12.1% in  the
nine months ended September 30, 1995 to 12.9% in the nine months ended September
30, 1996, primarily due to increased staffing.
 
    INTEREST INCOME.  For the nine months ended September 30, 1996, other income
increased  by 36.8%, or $14,000, from $38,000 in the nine months ended September
30, 1995 to  $52,000 as  a result increased  cash reserves  in interest  bearing
accounts.
 
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1995 COMPARED TO YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1994
 
    SALES.   In 1995, sales  increased 8.0%, or $931,000,  from $11.6 million in
1994 to $12.5 million. This increase was attributable to increased sales of  new
products,  particularly  Bit 3's  PCI  to VME  adapter,  and increased  sales to
existing customers.
 
    GROSS PROFIT.  In 1995, gross profit increased 9.6%, or $712,000, from  $7.4
million in fiscal 1994 to $8.1 million as a result of increased sales volume. In
1995,  gross  margin increased  to 64.6%  of  sales, from  63.6% in  fiscal 1994
primarily as a result of reductions in material costs.
 
    SELLING,  GENERAL  AND  ADMINISTRATIVE.    In  1995,  selling,  general  and
administrative  expense increased 11.8%, or $196,000,  from $1.7 million in 1994
to $1.9  million. Selling,  general and  administrative expense  increased as  a
percentage  of  sales from  14.3%  in 1994  to 14.8%  in  1995 primarily  due to
increased advertising and trade show expense.
 
    RESEARCH AND  DEVELOPMENT.    In  1995,  research  and  development  expense
increased  by  2.6%, or  $40,000, from  $1.5  million in  1994 to  $1.6 million.
Research and development expense decreased as  a percentage of sales from  13.2%
in 1994 to 12.5% in 1995 primarily due to a more rapid increase in sales than in
research and development expense.
 
    INTEREST  INCOME.  In  1995, interest income increased  by 13.8%, or $8,000,
from $58,000 in 1994 to $66,000 as a result increased cash reserves in  interest
bearing accounts.
 
                                       28
<PAGE>
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1994 COMPARED TO YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1993
 
    SALES.   In 1994, sales  increased 7.9%, or $849,000,  from $10.8 million in
1993 to  $11.6  million.  This  increase  resulted  from  a  number  of  factors
including,  increased sales of  existing products, particularly  the Sbus to VME
adapter, and increased sales to two major customers.
 
    GROSS PROFIT.  In 1994, gross profit increased 11.9%, or $781,000, from $6.6
million in 1993 to $7.4 million due to increased sales volume and improved gross
margin. In 1994, gross margin increased from 61.4% of sales in 1993 to 63.6%  of
sales as a result of reductions in material costs.
 
    SELLING,  GENERAL  AND  ADMINISTRATIVE.    In  1994,  selling,  general  and
administrative expense increased by 12.8% or $188,000, from $1.5 million in 1993
to  $1.7  million.  The  increase  resulted  from  the  addition  of   increased
promotional  and trade show expenses. As a percentage of sales, selling, general
and administrative expense increased from 13.7% in 1993 to 14.3%.
 
    RESEARCH AND  DEVELOPMENT.    In  1994,  research  and  development  expense
decreased  by  4.1%, or  $65,000,  from $1.6  million  in 1993  to  $1.5 million
reflecting the  completion  of  certain  product  development  programs  to  the
pre-production  stage.  Research and  development decreased  as a  percentage of
sales from 14.8% to 13.2% primarily due  to a more rapid increase in sales  than
in research and development expense.
 
    INTEREST  INCOME.  In 1994, interest income increased by $30,000, or 107.1%,
from $28,000 in 1993 to $58,000 primarily as a result of increased cash reserves
in interest bearing accounts.
 
    For the three most recent years, there has been no impact from inflation  or
changing prices to Bit 3's sales or income from continuing operations.
 
                                       29
<PAGE>
              PRO FORMA COMBINED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
             SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND BIT 3 COMPUTER CORPORATION
                                  (UNAUDITED)
 
    The  Company intends to acquire all the outstanding stock of Bit 3 using the
net proceeds from this offering and,  as required, additional debt or cash  flow
from Company operations. The unaudited Pro Forma Combined Consolidated Financial
Statements reflect the following: (i) adjustment for the purchase accounting and
estimated fair value allocation of the assets to be acquired and the obligations
to be assumed; (ii) provision for income taxes as if the combined operations had
been  taxed as a C  corporation for the period presented;  (iii) the sale of the
shares offered  by  the Company  and  the  application of  the  anticipated  net
proceeds  therefrom to  reduce outstanding long  term debt  and increase working
capital. The  unaudited Pro  Forma  combined consolidated  balance sheet  as  of
September 30, 1996 was prepared as if the transaction had occurred at that date.
The  unaudited Pro Forma Statements of Operations  for the 12 month period ended
June 30, 1996 and the three month period ended September 30, 1996 prepared as if
the Acquisition had occurred on July 1, 1995.
 
    In the opinion of Company  management, all adjustments necessary to  present
fairly  such Pro Forma Combined Consolidated Financial Statements have been made
based on  the proposed  terms  and structure  of  the Acquisition.  The  Company
anticipates,  however,  that changes  in  the composition  of  the assets  to be
acquired and the  liabilities to be  assumed will  occur due to  changes in  the
ordinary  course of  the Company's  business. The  Company believes  any related
adjustments will  not  be  material  to  the  Pro  Forma  Combined  Consolidated
Financial  Statements. Certain  of the  Pro Forma  adjustments are  based on the
price per share  of the Company's  Common Stock  on the date  of completing  the
offering.   The  adjustments  included  in  the  following  Pro  Forma  Combined
Consolidated Financial Statements are  based upon an  assumed offering price  of
$24.50 per share. To the extent that the actual price per share and net proceeds
after  deducting underwriting  discounts and  commissions and  offering expenses
payable by the Company to the Company are not the same as the assumed price, the
related adjustments will differ.
 
    These unaudited Pro Forma Combined Consolidated Financial Statements are not
necessarily  indicative  of  what  actual  results  would  have  been  had   the
transactions  occurred at  the beginning of  the respective periods  nor do they
purport to indicate the results of future operations of the Company.
 
    These unaudited Pro Forma Combined Consolidated Financial Statements  should
be  read  in conjunction  with  the accompanying  notes  and with  the financial
statements and notes thereto  of the Company and  Bit 3, respectively,  included
elsewhere  in  this Prospectus.  See  "Management's Discussion  and  Analysis of
Financial Condition and  Results of  Operations of SBS  Technologies, Inc."  and
"Management's Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations of Bit 3 Computer
Corporation."
 
                                       30
<PAGE>
          PRO FORMA COMBINED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET (UNAUDITED)(A)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                        SEPTEMBER 30, 1996
                                                       --------------------   PRO FORMA
                                                          SBS       BIT 3    ADJUSTMENTS   PRO FORMA
                                                       ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
                                                                       (IN THOUSANDS)
                                               ASSETS
<S>                                                    <C>        <C>        <C>          <C>
Current assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents..........................  $   2,102  $   1,210   $   8,026(b)  $  11,338
  Receivables........................................      7,717      1,743                    9,460
  Inventories........................................      6,425      1,593                    8,018
  Deferred income tax................................        344                                 344
  Prepaid expenses...................................        224         18                      242
  Other current assets...............................        138                                 138
                                                       ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
    Total current assets.............................     16,950      4,564       8,026       29,540
 
Property and equipment, net..........................      1,764        134                    1,898
Intangible assets:
  Pre-acquisition intangible assets, net.............      5,352                               5,352
  Excess of estimated cost of acquisition over the
    estimated fair value of the assets acquired......                             8,531(c)      8,531
                                                       ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
  Intangible assets, net.............................      5,352                  8,531       13,883
                                                       ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
Deferred income taxes................................         56                  4,406(d)      4,462
Other assets.........................................         32                                  32
                                                       ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
    Total assets.....................................  $  24,154  $   4,698   $  20,963    $  49,815
                                                       ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
                                                       ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
 
<CAPTION>
 
                                LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
<S>                                                    <C>        <C>        <C>          <C>
Current liabilities:
  Current portion of long term debt..................  $   1,477              $  (1,477)(e)         --
  Accounts payable...................................      1,995  $     115                $   2,110
  Accrued liabilities................................      1,921        199       3,550(f)      5,670
  Income taxes payable...............................        791                                 791
  Other current liabilities..........................        557                                 557
  Reserve for discontinued operations................         64                                  64
                                                       ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
    Total current liabilities........................      6,805        314       2,073        9,192
Long term debt, less current portion.................      4,915                 (4,711)(e)        204
                                                       ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
    Total liabilities................................     11,720        314      (2,638)       9,396
 
Stockholders equity:
  Common stock.......................................      4,998         20      34,578(g)     39,596
  Common stock warrants..............................        180                                 180
  Retained earnings..................................      7,256      4,364     (10,977)(h)        643
                                                       ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
    Total stockholders' equity.......................     12,434      4,384      23,602       40,419
                                                       ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
 
    Total liabilities and stockholders' equity.......  $  24,154  $   4,698   $  20,963    $  49,815
                                                       ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
                                                       ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
</TABLE>
 
                                                    (see accompanying footnotes)
 
                                       31
<PAGE>
    PRO FORMA COMBINED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED)(A)
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       YEAR ENDED
                                                                     JUNE 30, 1996             PRO FORMA
                                                                  --------------------  ------------------------
                                                                     SBS       BIT 3    ADJUSTMENTS   COMBINED
                                                                  ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
                                                                      (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
<S>                                                               <C>        <C>        <C>          <C>
Sales...........................................................  $  31,332  $  14,187                $  45,519
Cost of sales...................................................     14,510      4,682                   19,192
                                                                  ---------  ---------               -----------
    Gross profit................................................     16,822      9,505                   26,327
Selling, general and administrative.............................      6,293      1,837   $  11,000(m)     19,130
Research and development........................................      2,846      1,881                    4,727
Amortization of intangible assets...............................        884         --         975(i)      1,859
                                                                  ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
  Operating income from continuing operations...................      6,799      5,787     (11,975)         611
Interest expense (income), net..................................        830        (76)       (960)(j)       (206)
                                                                  ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
  Income from continuing operations before income taxes.........      5,969      5,863     (11,015)         817
Income taxes....................................................      2,387      2,345(k)     (4,406)(d)        326
                                                                  ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
  Income from continuing operations.............................  $   3,582  $   3,518   $  (6,609)   $     491
                                                                  ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
                                                                  ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
Common and common equivalent shares outstanding.................      3,792                               5,144
Income per common and common equivalent share from continuing
 operations(l)..................................................  $    0.97                           $    0.10
                                                                  ---------                          -----------
                                                                  ---------                          -----------
</TABLE>
    
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                   THREE-MONTHS ENDED
                                                                   SEPTEMBER 30, 1996          PRO FORMA
                                                                  --------------------  ------------------------
                                                                     SBS       BIT 3    ADJUSTMENTS   COMBINED
                                                                  ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
                                                                      (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
<S>                                                               <C>        <C>        <C>          <C>
Sales...........................................................  $  11,263  $   3,829                $  15,092
Cost of sales...................................................     (5,246)    (1,398)                   6,644
                                                                  ---------  ---------               -----------
    Gross profit................................................      6,017      2,431                    8,448
Selling, general and administrative.............................      2,674        419                    3,093
Research and development........................................        655        488                    1,143
Amortization of intangible assets...............................        219         --   $     244(i)        463
                                                                  ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
  Operating income from continuing operations...................      2,469      1,524         244        3,749
Interest expense (income), net..................................        149        (18)       (240)(j)       (109)
                                                                  ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
  Income from continuing operations before income taxes.........      2,320      1,542          (4)       3,858
Income taxes....................................................        928        617(k)                 1,545
                                                                  ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
  Income from continuing operations.............................  $   1,392  $     925   $      (4)   $   2,313
                                                                  ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
                                                                  ---------  ---------  -----------  -----------
Common and common equivalent shares outstanding.................      4,218                               5,649
Income per common and common equivalent share from continuing
 operations(l)..................................................  $    0.33                           $    0.41
                                                                  ---------                          -----------
                                                                  ---------                          -----------
</TABLE>
 
                                                    (see accompanying footnotes)
 
                                       32
<PAGE>
   NOTES TO PRO FORMA COMBINED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION (UNAUDITED)
 
(a) See introductory paragraphs under "Pro Forma Combined Consolidated Financial
    Statements."
 
(b) Adjustment to cash consists of the following:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                                    <C>
    Net proceeds from the offering...................................................  $  34,118
    Capital adjustment to Bit 3 net equity of $3.25 million..........................     (1,134)
    Cash used at closing.............................................................    (20,450)
    Use of extra cash to eliminate long term debt....................................     (6,188)
    Interest adjustment resulting from increased cash and reduced debt...............      1,200
    Proceeds from exercise of warrants...............................................        480
                                                                                       ---------
    Total adjustment                                                                   $   8,026
                                                                                       ---------
                                                                                       ---------
</TABLE>
 
(c)  Excess of estimated  cost of acquisition  over the estimated  fair value of
    assets acquired:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                                    <C>
Purchase price.......................................................................  $  24,000
Estimated acquisition costs..........................................................        450
Less:
  In-process research and development................................................    (11,000)
  Bit 3 net assets at closing per the acquisition agreement..........................     (3,250)
  Discount on notes payable to selling shareholders..................................       (450)
                                                                                       ---------
Intangible assets, including goodwill................................................  $   9,750
                                                                                       ---------
Amortization.........................................................................     (1,219)
Pro forma intangible assets, including goodwill......................................  $   8,531
                                                                                       ---------
                                                                                       ---------
</TABLE>
 
(d) Change  in income  tax  resulting from  income charges  due  to the  net  of
    increased  amortization  of  intangible  assets associated  with  the  Bit 3
    purchase, interest income and interest savings resulting from elimination of
    long term debt as a result of the offering on a pro forma basis.
 
(e) Payment of long term debt financed  by cash from the net proceeds from  this
    offering in excess of cash required at closing.
 
(f) Liability for future payments to Sellers, see "Acquisition of Bit 3."
 
(g) Increase in Common Stock from the sale by the Company of 1,500,000 shares at
    an  assumed public  offering price  of $24.50  per share,  less Underwriting
    Discounts and Commissions and estimated expenses, proceeds from exercise  of
    warrants and the elimination of Bit 3 Common Stock.
 
(h)  Adjustment to  eliminate the  net investment  of Sellers  in Bit  3 and the
    income effects of other pro forma adjustments.
 
(i) Amortization of assets in (c) above,  $975 for the year ended June 30,  1996
    and $244 for the three months ended September 30, 1996.
 
(j)  Interest adjustment in (b) above, $960 for the year ended June 30, 1996 and
    $240 for the three months ended September 30, 1996.
 
(k) Bit 3 income tax when taxed as a C Corporation at a 40% effective income tax
    rate.
 
(l) The Company's earnings per common  and common equivalent share are based  on
    the  weighted  average  shares  of common  stock  and,  if  dilutive, common
    equivalent shares (options and warrants) outstanding during the period.
 
   The numbers of shares used in the earnings per share computations for SBS and
    pro forma combined consolidated earnings per share are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                               JUNE 30, 1996             SEPTEMBER 30, 1996
                                                                         --------------------------  --------------------------
                                                                                       PRO FORMA                   PRO FORMA
                                                                                       COMBINED                    COMBINED
                                                                            SBS      CONSOLIDATED       SBS      CONSOLIDATED
                                                                         ---------  ---------------  ---------  ---------------
<S>                                                                      <C>        <C>              <C>        <C>
                                                                                             (IN THOUSANDS)
Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding during the year....      3,018         4,516         3,394         4,894
Common equivalent shares--assumed exercise of options and warrants.....      1,378         1,378         1,503         1,503
Shares assumed to be repurchased with proceeds from exercise subject to
 20% of average shares outstanding maximum.............................       (604)         (752)         (679)         (748)
                                                                         ---------         -----     ---------         -----
    Total common and common equivalent shares..........................      3,792         5,142         4,218         5,649
                                                                         ---------         -----     ---------         -----
                                                                         ---------         -----     ---------         -----
</TABLE>
 
   
(m) Earnings  change  related to  Bit  3  in process  research  and  development
    expensed in connection with the Acquisition.
    
 
                                       33
<PAGE>
                                    BUSINESS
 
GENERAL
 
    The  Company is  a leading  manufacturer of  standard bus  embedded computer
components that perform a  broad range of CPU,  general purpose I/O and  special
purpose I/O interface functions. The Company capitalizes on its design expertise
and  customer service capabilities to enhance product quality and reduce time to
market for  OEM  customers.  The  Company is  seeking  to  enhance  its  product
offerings  and  has entered  into a  definitive  agreement to  acquire Bit  3, a
manufacturer of high-performance bus interconnect hardware that enables embedded
computers of differing standards to communicate. The Company will fund the $24.0
million acquisition primarily with the net  proceeds of this offering. See  "The
Acquisition of Bit 3."
 
    The  Company's  objective is  to become  a leading  supplier of  board level
components to the standard bus embedded computer market. The Company intends  to
continue  its growth through a combination  of internal growth and acquisitions.
Internal growth is achieved through expanding its existing product lines through
new product  development and  increasing penetration  of its  existing  customer
base.  The Company  currently participates  in a  number of  attractive markets,
including the Intel-based VME CPU board market, the IP market in general purpose
I/O, the  telemetry interface  market and  the MIL-STD-1553  avionics  interface
market.  The Acquisition  will add  a line  of bus  interconnect products  for a
variety of standard bus embedded computer buses to the Company's current product
offerings.
 
    The Company sells  its products through  a combination of  direct sales  and
independent manufacturers' representatives. The Company's products serve a broad
range  of functions including commercial, communications, industrial automation,
medical device, military  and space,  test and  measurement and  transportation.
Customers  include The Boeing Company, Caterpillar, Inc., Eastman Kodak Company,
General Electric Company  and Lockheed Martin  Corporation. International  sales
constituted  approximately  16% of  the Company's  sales in  fiscal 1996.  Bit 3
currently provides interconnect products to  a wide variety of commercial  users
including  Digital  Equipment  Corporation, General  Electric  Company, Lockheed
Martin Corporation and Rockwell International Corporation.
 
INDUSTRY BACKGROUND
 
    In recent years, development of electronics and semiconductor technology has
fueled rapid growth in  sales of electronics products  and systems. This  growth
has  resulted from the emergence of new  markets such as cellular telephones and
personal computers,  as well  as the  application of  electronics technology  in
existing  markets such as factory  automation, medical instrumentation, test and
measurement systems, telecommunications, transportation and retailing. The rapid
proliferation  of  increasingly   complex  electronics   applications  and   the
widespread  trend  toward  outsourcing  of  electronics  subsystems  by  product
manufacturers have created  attractive markets  for experienced,  highly-focused
developers and manufacturers of electronics subsystems and components.
 
    EMBEDDED  COMPUTER  MARKET.   Embedded computers,  which are  computers that
comprise part of larger systems and  which often perform functions such as  data
I/O  and system communication and control, represent an important segment of the
electronics market. Examples  of embedded computers  include the computer  board
that  operates an automated teller machine and the computer system that operates
a factory.  Embedded  computers  differ  from  computers  targeted  at  business
applications in several key respects, including the following:
 
    - Embedded computers are integrated into larger systems and perform a single
      function  or a closely  related group of  functions, such as  I/O and data
      processing, with high degrees of repeatability, accuracy and reliability.
 
    - Embedded computers are design-specific solutions that require  substantial
      engineering  expertise and a comprehensive understanding of the individual
      product into which they are incorporated.
 
    - Unlike PC products,  which have  experienced and will  likely continue  to
      experience  short product cycles, typical embedded computer solutions have
      an extended product life reflecting the  long life cycles of the  products
      into   which  embedded  computers  are   typically  incorporated  and  the
      manufacturer's desire to maintain a stable product configuration.
 
    - Embedded computers must often  adhere to specific requirements,  including
      size,  reliability  and  ability  to  withstand  the  demands  of  extreme
      operating environments.
 
    - Embedded computers typically represent only a small portion of the overall
      cost of the larger systems into which they are incorporated.
 
                                       34
<PAGE>
As a  result,  the  Company believes  that  performance,  reliability,  supplier
stability and customer support, rather than price, are often the primary factors
in a decision to purchase a particular embedded computer solution.
 
    A  typical embedded computer  application consists of an  element, such as a
machine tool, to  be controlled  by or  interfaced with  the embedded  computer,
input  boards  to  transfer  status  data from  the  element  into  the embedded
computer, one or more processor  boards to take the  status data from the  input
boards  and select an appropriate  action for the element  to perform and output
boards to send control instructions back to the element. Embedded computers also
often incorporate a  user interface  through which  an operator  can control  or
monitor   the  embedded  computer   manually.  Additionally,  multiple  embedded
computers of  similar or  differing architectures  are often  interconnected  to
create  larger systems. An  example is the  interconnection of multiple computer
controlled machines to automate an  entire factory. A typical embedded  computer
architecture  is illustrated by  the diagram below which  illustrates the use of
the Company's products.
 
                             [NEW GRAPHIC TO COME]
 
                                       35
<PAGE>
    OEMs requiring embedded computers either construct systems based on standard
bus designs together with  off-the-shelf I/O, processor  and memory modules,  or
they  develop custom or proprietary  solutions. Standard bus solutions generally
enable product designers to  develop systems quickly and  with a high degree  of
confidence  in the reliability of the solution,  to capitalize on the lower cost
of industry-standard components and  to modify designs easily  so that a  single
product  design can serve  multiple applications. As a  result of these factors,
standard bus  systems  today constitute  a  large  and growing  portion  of  the
embedded  computer  market. According  to a  recent industry  study, BOARD-LEVEL
EMBEDDED COMPUTER MARKETS AND TRENDS, the standard bus embedded computer  market
is  projected to grow  from approximately $2.5 billion  in 1995 to approximately
$3.9 billion in 1999.
 
    The most popular embedded  computer standard today is  VME, which is  widely
used  in  aerospace  and  military,  telecommunications,  networking, industrial
automation and control, medical instruments  and automated test and  measurement
applications.  According to  BOARD-LEVEL EMBEDDED  COMPUTER MARKETS  AND TRENDS,
theVME-bus embedded computer market is projected to grow from approximately $1.2
billion in 1995  to approximately  $2.3 billion  in 1999.The  modular nature  of
standard  bus  embedded  computers, their  wide  range of  applications  and the
variety of  bus architectures  available have  resulted in  a highly  fragmented
market.  The variety of standard bus  embedded computer architectures supports a
growing market  for products  that interconnect  various types  of standard  bus
embedded computers.
 
    The  modular nature of standard bus  embedded computers, their wide range of
applications and the variety of bus  architectures available have resulted in  a
highly  fragmented  market.  The  variety  of  standard  bus  embedded  computer
architectures supports a growing market  for products that interconnect  various
types  of standard bus embedded computers.  The acceptance of embedded computers
among industrial  product  OEMs  and  the  fragmentation  of  embedded  computer
standards  have  also  created  a  need  for  interconnection  equipment between
individually incompatible embedded computer  systems. This need  has led to  the
development  of  a  growing set  of  products that  support  interconnection and
networking between various types of standard bus embedded computers.
 
    TREND TOWARD OUTSOURCING.   In  recent years, the  increasing complexity  of
electronics  subsystems and components, together with a widespread trend in many
companies to focus on  core competencies, has led  to growth in outsourcing  the
design  and manufacture  of electronic  components and  subsystems by  OEMs. The
increasing complexity of  the design and  manufacture of electronics  components
and subsystems can require extensive research and divert valuable resources away
from  the core competencies of  an OEM. An OEM  that designs and manufactures an
embedded computer internal  typically maintains a  specialized design staff,  an
investment   of  inventory  of  components,   and  a  specialized  manufacturing
capability. To address the  challenges created by  the increasing complexity  of
key  electronics components and  subsystems, such as  embedded computers, and to
focus on  their  core  areas  of  competency,  a  growing  number  of  OEMs  are
outsourcing  the design and manufacture  of complex embedded computer solutions.
As a result, the Company believes there is a significant opportunity to  provide
OEMs  with  cost-effective,  reliable  and  high  value-added  embedded computer
solutions.
 
SBS' STRATEGY
 
    The Company  is a  leading manufacturer  of standard  bus embedded  computer
components  that perform a broad  range of CPU, general  purpose I/O and special
purpose I/O  interface  applications.  The Company  capitalizes  on  its  design
expertise  and  customer service  capabilities  to enhance  product  quality and
reduce time to market for OEM customers. The Company's objective is to become  a
leading supplier of board level components to the standard bus embedded computer
market.  The Company  believes that  multiple applications  associated with this
market and its fragmented nature provide numerous opportunities for the  Company
to expand the scope of its activity. Key elements of the Company's strategy are:
 
    - EXPAND  MARKET  PENETRATION  THROUGH  INTERNAL  GROWTH.  The  Company  has
      achieved internal growth in each of its principal product lines through  a
      combination  of new  product development  and increased  sales of existing
      products to new  and existing  customers. By increasing  the direct  sales
      capability of the companies it has acquired, cross-selling to its existing
      customers  and to customers gained through acquisitions, and continuing to
      update its existing products with state of the art technology, the Company
      has been able to expand its  available market and increase penetration  of
      its customer base. For example, after the Acquisition, the Company intends
      to expand Bit 3's
 
                                       36
<PAGE>
      marketing  focus  from catalogue  sales to  include increased  emphasis on
      direct sales and thereby offer a wide range of complementary I/O, CPU  and
      interconnect  solutions to both  the Company's existing  customers and Bit
      3's customers.  The  Company seeks  to  expand its  product  offerings  to
      accommodate popular embedded computer bus standards. The Company currently
      has  products serving the  VME and ISA bus  marketplaces and is developing
      products compatible with compact PCI bus formats.
 
    - COMPLEMENT INTERNAL GROWTH THROUGH ACQUISITION. The Company has  developed
      its  business through the acquisition  of embedded computer companies with
      product lines compatible with its own. As a result, the Company is able to
      offer integrated  solutions to  its customers  and to  enter a  number  of
      complementary  markets. The Company's acquisitions of BSI, GreenSpring and
      LDG have  enabled  the Company  to  expand from  its  initial  specialized
      applications  markets into larger  and broader markets.  The Company views
      the Acquisition as a key step in its acquisition growth strategy.
 
    - CONTINUED TECHNOLOGY  INTEGRATION. The  Company  invests in  research  and
      development  to improve product performance, extend its product offerings,
      serve  new  applications  and  develop  new  products  for  its   existing
      customers.   Existing  products  are  regularly  upgraded  to  incorporate
      advanced digital technology and to maintain state of the art  performance.
      As  a result of  its efforts to increase  product performance, the Company
      has also been  able to reduce  product size  and cost through  the use  of
      state of the art components. The Company seeks to share technology between
      its  divisions to reduce development costs,  development risks and time to
      market.
 
    - EMPHASIZE CUSTOMER SUPPORT. Because of the critical nature of many of  the
      applications  for the  Company's products  and the  complex nature  of the
      systems  into  which  they  are  incorporated,  comprehensive  and  timely
      customer  support are important aspects of a customer's purchase decision.
      The  Company  provides  extensive  customer  support  to  assist  in   the
      integration  of  its  products  into customer  systems.  This  support can
      include providing on-site, applications engineering assistance at no cost.
      The Company believes that this  focus on customer support has  contributed
      to  high levels  of repeat  business and  has helped  expand sales  of the
      Company's products throughout its customers' organizations.
 
    - EXPAND INTERNATIONAL SALES. Currently,  the Company derives  approximately
      16%  of its revenue from international  sales, primarily in Europe, Canada
      and the Far  East. In  1996, the  Company opened  its first  international
      office  in Scotland to  service the European market.  The Company seeks to
      extend its  sales  penetration  through  a  combination  of  international
      distributions and sales representatives' networks, potential international
      acquisitions,  certifying  its  products  to  international  standards and
      opening additional international Company sales offices.
 
SBS' PRODUCTS
 
    The Company's primary  product lines  are divided into  two groups:  general
purpose  products including CPU  products and general  purpose I/O products, and
special purpose products  including telemetry and  avionics interface  products.
The Acquisition will add bus interface products to the Company's general purpose
product grouping.
 
    GENERAL PURPOSE PRODUCTS
 
    CPU  PRODUCTS.  The  Company entered the standard  bus embedded computer CPU
board market with its acquisition of LDG in August 1996. CPU boards contain  the
computational functionality of an embedded computer system. The Company produces
CPU  boards for the VME segment of the embedded computer market, the most widely
accepted bus standard in the industry. The VME CPU board market can be segmented
by processor type. The largest segment is made up of boards designed around  the
Motorola  680x0  series processors,  upon which  the VME  standard was  based. A
growing segment  is  comprised  of  boards based  on  Intel  80x86  and  Pentium
processors  which provide  access to  the large base  of Windows  and Windows NT
software available from the PC market. The  CPU boards sold by LDG are based  on
Intel  80x86 and Pentium processors  and are focused on  the market for "Wintel"
CPU board products  in the VME  marketplace. In August  1996, the Company  began
shipment of its single-slot
 
                                       37
<PAGE>
Pentium-based   VME   board.  At   present,   the  Company   offers   six  Intel
processor-based CPU  boards  ranging  in  price  from  approximately  $2,500  to
approximately $8,500.
 
    GENERAL  PURPOSE  I/O  PRODUCTS.    In  April  1995,  the  Company purchased
GreenSpring,  a  leading  developer  and  producer  of  I/O  modules  known   as
IndustryPacks ("IPs"). IPs are small mezzanine boards that plug onto an embedded
computer  board and provide specific types of I/O for embedded computer systems.
GreenSpring pioneered the development  of the IP as  a modular I/O solution  for
Motorola's  MVME162  processor board,  which is  becoming  the most  widely used
processor board  in the  VME market.  The Company  has continued  to expand  the
market  for IP products by  introducing a line of  carrier cards for VME systems
that can accommodate up  to four IPs.  This allows system  designers to use  IPs
even  if  they do  not use  Motorola MVME162  products. The  Company's offerings
currently include VME, PCI, compact PCI and ISA bus carrier cards. GreenSpring's
product line of over 100  I/O products service a  wide range of applications  in
the  embedded  computer market  including analog  I/O, bus  interface functions,
digital/  parallel   I/O,   motion   control,   telecommunications/serial   I/O,
telecommunications products, video/graphics adapters and temperature measurement
with prices ranging from approximately $350 to approximately $3,500.
 
    SPECIAL PURPOSE PRODUCTS
 
    TELEMETRY  PRODUCTS.   In August  1992, the  Company purchased  BSI, a major
supplier of  telemetry interface  equipment for  the embedded  computer  market.
Telemetry  is the process used to send and receive digital data via radio waves.
The Company's telemetry interface products allow computers to receive, interpret
and process telemetry data. Telemetry is  often used to transmit data from  some
object under test, such as an aircraft, to a receiving station while the test is
underway.  This allows engineers to monitor test performance in real time, often
decreasing total test costs  and enhancing test safety.  Use of this  technology
has  expanded to include continuous monitoring  of remote sites and transmission
of digital data from satellites to the earth. BSI pioneered the concept of using
special purpose interface boards for telemetry ground station applications based
on standard bus embedded  computers. BSI has expanded  its product offerings  to
include  specialized equipment designed  to receive and  process satellite data.
The Company's  telemetry  products serve  a  specialized market  and  include  a
significant  software component. BSI sells approximately 30 products for the VME
and ISA bus  telemetry markets at  prices ranging from  approximately $1,600  to
approximately $41,000.
 
    AVIONICS  INTERFACE PRODUCTS.  The  Company's avionics products interface an
embedded computer  system with  the MIL-STD-1553  avionics bus  used in  a  wide
variety  of military and space applications including aircraft, missiles, ground
vehicles, the International Space Station, the Space Shuttle and naval  vessels.
Initial   applications  for  the  Company's  products  were  support  of  system
development, system testing  and simulation.  Over the past  several years,  the
Company  has expanded its product line  to include ruggedized interface products
that are used in operational systems, and  monitor and test systems that can  be
used  as diagnostic tools for operational  systems. Like its telemetry products,
the Company's avionics products occupy a niche market and include a  significant
software  component.  The  Company offers  approximately  20  avionics interface
boards at prices ranging from approximately $4,000 to approximately $20,000.
 
    The Company also produces  a judgmental use of  force product. This  product
utilizes  an embedded computer in a device to train police officers and military
personnel in proper responses to crisis situations.
 
BIT 3 COMPUTER CORPORATION
 
    A significant portion of the net proceeds from this offering will be used to
acquire Bit 3.  See "Acquisition  of Bit  3" and "Use  of Proceeds."  Bit 3  was
incorporated  in  1980 and  its management  recognized early  on that  the rapid
expansion of  microprocessor-based  industrial  computers had  resulted  in  the
proliferation  of a number  of different computer  architecture standards. Bit 3
identified a market for products that interface and network industrial computers
designed around different computer architectures. In 1983, Bit 3 introduced  its
first  adapter product,  an interface  device to  connect IBM  PC equipment with
Multibus architecture computers. Since then, Bit 3 has expanded its product line
to include  computer networking  and interconnection  hardware for  many of  the
popular computer architecture standards used
 
                                       38
<PAGE>
in  the standard bus  embedded computer market, including  VME, Sbus, ISA, EISA,
Micro Channel,  GIO,  TURBOCHANNEL,  PCI,  Multibus  and  Qbus.  Currently,  the
majority  of Bit 3's new product development  is focused on VME, PCI and compact
PCI bus  designs. The  development of  Bit 3's  new products  is driven  by  the
emergence of significant new bus specifications and applications.
 
    Bit  3  produces high  performance  bus interconnect  hardware  and software
products that  are  used in  a  wide  variety of  applications,  including  data
acquisition,  image  and visualization  processing, industrial  process control,
medical electronics, signal processing and  system integration. Bit 3's  typical
customer  uses  bus  adapter  products,  because of  the  need  for  high speed,
low-latency  interconnections  between  computer  platforms.  This  connectivity
cannot  be  provided at  the required  performance levels  by common  local area
networking solutions, such as Ethernet or Token  Ring, nor can it in most  cases
be  provided by  higher speed protocols,  such as  ATM or FDDI.  Bit 3 currently
provides interconnect products to  a wide variety of  commercial users. Bit  3's
customers  include  Digital  Equipment  Corporation,  General  Electric Company,
Lockheed Sanders, Soliton Systems  and Westinghouse Electric Corporation.  Sales
to  General Electric represented approximately 19.2%  and 22.1% of Bit 3's sales
for the  twelve  months  ended December  31,  1995  and the  nine  months  ended
September  30, 1996, respectively. A decrease in sales to General Electric could
materially adversely affect Bit 3's business.
 
    The Company believes  that Bit  3's products, technology  and customers  are
synergistic  with its existing businesses,  particularly its general purpose CPU
and I/O products. As with its other businesses, the Company intends to  actively
pursue cross selling opportunities between its existing product lines, including
those  acquired  with Bit  3. It  also believes  that the  computer interconnect
market will  continue to  grow as  the use  of standard  bus embedded  computers
proliferates and that it can participate in this growth through active marketing
of Bit 3 products. However, there can be no assurance that any synergy will take
place  between Bit 3 and the Company's existing product lines or that Bit 3 will
experience  future  growth  or  remain  at  its  current  level  of  sales   and
profitability in the future. See "Risk Factors--Acquisition of Bit 3."
 
    Achieving  the  anticipated benefits  of  the Acquisition  will  depend upon
whether the integration of the two  companies' businesses is accomplished in  an
efficient  and effective manner,  and there can  be no assurance  that this will
occur. The integration of Bit 3 will require, among other things, integration of
the Company's and Bit 3's respective  product offerings and the coordination  of
their sales and marketing and research and development efforts. The difficulties
of   such  integration  may  be  increased  by  the  necessity  of  coordinating
geographically  separated  organizations.   The  inability   of  management   to
successfully  integrate the  operations of  the Company and  Bit 3  could have a
material adverse  effect  on the  Company's  business, financial  condition  and
results of operations. See "Risk Factors--Acquisition of Bit 3."
 
APPLICATIONS AND CUSTOMERS
 
    The  Company's broad range of products support a wide range of applications.
In fiscal 1994, 1995  and 1996, no  one customer exceeded  10% of the  Company's
sales.  The  following table  highlights  some of  the  Company's representative
customers and their applications utilizing the Company's products.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                  APPLICATION                            CUSTOMER           COMPANY PRODUCT
- -----------------------------------------------  -------------------------  ----------------
COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS
<S>                                              <C>                        <C>
    Airport Ground Traffic Control               Norden/Westinghouse        CPU
    "C" Size Copier                              Xerox                      I/O
    Color Proof Copier                           Eastman Kodak              I/O
    Currency Inspection System                   Currency Systems           CPU
    Document Scanner                             General Scanning           I/O
    Heavy Machinery Testing                      Caterpillar                Telemetry
    Semiconductor Handler                        Delta Design               I/O
    Turbine Control System                       GE Motors                  CPU
</TABLE>
 
                                       39
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                  APPLICATION                            CUSTOMER           COMPANY PRODUCT
- -----------------------------------------------  -------------------------  ----------------
COMMUNICATIONS
<S>                                              <C>                        <C>
    Cellular Telephone Systems                   ArgoSystems                CPU
    Commercial Satellite Testing                 Loral Test & Information   Telemetry
    Communications Satellite Testing             TRW                        Telemetry
    GSP Testing                                  Aerospatiale               Telemetry
    SS7 Telephone Protocol                       Undisclosed                I/O
    Telephone Protocol                           Undisclosed                I/O
    Telephone Switch Billing System              ACECOM                     I/O
INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION
    Animatronics                                 Walt Disney                I/O
    Automotive Brake Tester                      Burke Porter Machinery     CPU
    Automotive Wheel Alignment                   Burke Porter Machinery     CPU
    Carpet Manufacturer Process Control          MOOG                       I/O
    Packaging Machinery                          Triangle Package           I/O
                                                  Machinery
    PLC Co-processor                             GE Fanuc                   CPU
    Robot Control                                Adept Technology           I/O
    Semiconductor Trim Equipment                 Control Automation         CPU
MEDICAL DEVICES
    Blood Analyzer                               IGEN                       I/O
    Blood Analyzer                               Helena Laboratories        CPU
    Ventilators Display                          NellCor                    I/O
MILITARY AND SPACE APPLICATIONS
    Ariane V System Test and Simulation          Aerospatiale               Avionics
    Ariane V Test Support                        Lockheed Martin            Telemetry
    B-2 Flight Testing                           Northrop Grumman           Telemetry
    C-17 Aircraft Testing                        McDonnell Douglas          Telemetry
    Satellite Imaging                            TRW                        Telemetry
TEST AND MEASUREMENT APPLICATIONS
    Cyclotron Controller                         Univ. of Wisconsin         I/O
    Particle Collision and Detection System      CERN                       I/O
    Temperature Control                          Therm-O-Disk               I/O
TRANSPORTATION
    Aircraft Flight Testing                      Cessna                     Telemetry
    Commercial Avionics System Test              Honeywell                  Avionics
    Commercial Avionics System Test              Rockwell International     Avionics
    Jet Engine Testing                           Pratt & Whitney            Telemetry
    Lane Controllers                             NYSTA                      I/O
    Maritime Systems                             NEC                        Avionics
    Personal Rapid Transit                       Raytheon                   I/O
    777 Aircraft Testing                         Boeing                     Telemetry
    Train Track Alignment System                 Fairmont Tamper            CPU
</TABLE>
 
SALES AND MARKETING
 
    The Company markets its products  both domestically and internationally.  As
of  September  30,  1996,  the  Company had  19  employees,  who  typically hold
engineering degrees,  in  sales,  marketing  and  customer  relations,  over  43
independent  manufacturers' representatives  and 35  international distributors.
Employee sales personnel are educated on each of the Company's product lines and
refer opportunities to appropriate product line managers. Primary sales  methods
vary  among the  Company's product lines.  The Company's  avionics interface and
telemetry products  generally  have the  most  complex applications  and,  as  a
 
                                       40
<PAGE>
result,   leads   are   generally  identified   by   independent  manufacturers'
representatives and sales are closed by the sales employees. In the case of  its
CPU  and  I/O  products, a  higher  percentage  of sales  are  either  closed by
independent manufacturers' representatives or are  the result of catalog  sales.
In each of the Company's product lines, sales employees generally pursue "design
in" applications where the Company's products are included as part of a system.
 
    The  Company  sells approximately  16% of  its  products outside  the United
States. It maintains  sales offices  in Albuquerque for  its avionics  interface
products,  in Raleigh, North Carolina, for its Intel processor-based CPU boards,
in Menlo Park, California, for its I/O products and in Carlsbad, California, for
its telemetry products. The Company also maintains an international sales office
in Glasgow,  Scotland  to  support  European sales  of  its  avionics  interface
products.  Sales and  sales leads  are generated  through a  range of activities
performed by  the  Company  including  identification  of  participants  in  key
defense-related  programs, participation  in numerous  trade shows,  direct mail
catalogs,  advertisements  in  leading  trade  publications  and  corporate  and
subsidiary web sites on the Internet.
 
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
 
    The  Company invests  in research  and development  programs to  develop new
products in related markets  and to integrate state  of the art technology  into
existing  products. As  of September 1,  1996, the Company  had approximately 28
employees engaged in research and development activities. Of these employees, 20
have technical degrees  and eight have  advanced degrees. The  Company seeks  to
combine  special-purpose  hardware, firmware  and  software in  its  products to
provide its customers with the  desired functionality. Approximately 60% of  the
Company's  research and  development efforts in  fiscal year  1996 were software
related. The Company's research and  development expense was $2.8 million,  $1.7
million   and  $1.2  million  in  fiscal  1996,  1995  and  1994,  respectively,
corresponding to 9.1%, 10.4% and 11.6% of sales, respectively.
 
    LDG's current research and development  activity is focused on  evolutionary
improvement  of its  existing product  line. GreenSpring's  efforts are directed
towards broadening the scope of its  market by developing new IPs and  upgrading
existing  products to  state of  the art technology.  Examples include  a new IP
designed to provide high speed reflective memory for networked computer  systems
and  an updated set of  discrete and digital I/O  IPs with increased performance
and functionality. BSI  is continuing  to upgrade its  products' performance  by
increasing  the operating bit rates, a  key performance measure in the telemetry
industry, in its new products. BSI is also continuing to expand its offerings of
high performance,  CCSDS  packet switching  products  for the  satellite  ground
station  market. The  Company is also  extending its  avionics interface product
line. For example,  the Company has  completed development of  a new  ruggedized
avionics  product for the  operational system market.  Additionally, the Company
has recently introduced a PCMCIA version  of its avionics bus analyzer  product.
There  can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in developing and
bringing to market  any products  as a result  of its  research and  development
efforts.   See  "Risk  Factors--Reliance   on  Industry  Standards;  Fundamental
Technology Change."
 
COMPETITION
 
    The standard  bus  embedded  computer industry  is  highly  competitive  and
fragmented,  and  the Company's  competitors differ  depending on  product type,
company  size,  geographic  market  and  application  type.  The  Company  faces
competition  in each of its product lines.  The Company believes that because of
the diverse nature of  the Company's products and  the fragmented nature of  the
embedded  computer  market,  there is  little  overlap of  competitors  for each
product line. Competitive  factors across  the Company's  product lines  include
performance, customer support, product longevity, supplier stability, breadth of
product  offerings and reliability. Many of the Company's existing and potential
competitors have financial, technological and marketing resources  significantly
greater  than those of  the Company and may  have established relationships with
customers or potential customers that afford them a competitive advantage. There
can be no assurance that the Company will be able to compete effectively in  its
current  or  future markets  or that  competitive  pressures will  not adversely
affect its business, financial condition or results of operations.
 
                                       41
<PAGE>
    In the Company's  recently-acquired CPU product  line, the Company  competes
with  a  number of  other  suppliers of  VME  CPU boards.  The  Company's direct
competitors include other  companies that build  VME CPU boards  based on  Intel
microprocessor  technology  such as  Force Computers,  Inc. (which  has recently
agreed to be acquired by Solectron Corporation), Performance Technologies, Inc.,
RadiSys Corporation, VME Microsystems, Inc. and XYCOM, Inc. Indirectly, however,
the Company  also competes  with suppliers  of  VME CPU  boards based  on  other
microcomputer architectures such as Motorola 680x0, Sparc and PowerPC.
 
    In  the generalized computer I/O product  area served by GreenSpring and its
IP product line,  the Company has  two classes of  competition. The first  class
includes  companies that  compete directly  by selling  IP products.  The second
class includes  companies  that compete  with  I/O products  using  a  different
implementation  to  provide  functionally  equivalent  products.  The  Company's
competitors in each of these  classes include Computer Products, Inc.,  Systran,
Inc. and VMIC.
 
    In  the telemetry market, the Company  competes with other suppliers of open
architecture telemetry solutions. It also indirectly competes with suppliers  of
traditional,  closed architecture  telemetry systems.  The Company's competitors
include Aydin Vector  Division, Lockheed Martin  Telemetry and  Instrumentation,
Terametrix, Inc. and Veda, Inc.
 
    In  the avionics  interface market,  the Company  competes with  a number of
other companies that produce similar avionics interface products. The  Company's
competitors  include  Ballard  Technologies,  Inc.,  Data  Devices  Corporation,
Digital Technology,  Inc., DY-4,  Inc., Excalibur  Technologies Corporation  and
Gesellschaft  Fur  Angewandte  Informatik und  Mikroelekernik,  GmbH.  See "Risk
Factors-- Competition."
 
MANUFACTURING
 
    The Company uses contract manufacturing to produce substantially all of  its
board-level  products. The  Company obtains  parts from  large electronics parts
suppliers and printed  circuit boards from  printed circuit board  manufacturers
and  provides these parts and boards as kits to contract manufacturing companies
that fabricate  the Company's  products.  Following manufacturing,  the  Company
performs  test,  packaging and  support  functions for  the  Company's products.
Dependence on a particular  contract manufacturer is  reduced by using  multiple
contract  manufacturers for  each of the  Company's product  lines. However, the
Company may choose in  the future to consolidate  its contract manufacturing  to
gain  economies of  scale and  to shift  its inventory  control to  the contract
manufacturer, in which case the Company would become increasingly dependent on a
smaller  number  of  manufacturers  for  the  continued  timely  and   efficient
production of all of its inventory. See "Risk Factors--Availability of Component
Materials."
 
EMPLOYEES
 
    As of September 30, 1996, the Company had approximately 144 employees at its
four  locations:  Albuquerque,  New Mexico;  Carlsbad,  California;  Menlo Park,
California and Raleigh, North Carolina. Of these employees, 16 were in executive
and  administrative  positions;  19  were  in  sales,  marketing  and   customer
relations;  28 are  in research  and development;  35 were  clerical and  46 are
employed in support  of ongoing production.  As of  October 8, 1996,  Bit 3  had
approximately 50 employees in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
 
FACILITIES
 
    The  Company  leases  office  and manufacturing  space  in  Albuquerque, New
Mexico,  Carlsbad,  California,  Menlo  Park,  California  and  Raleigh,   North
Carolina.  The Company's  standard practice is  to obtain all  of its facilities
through operating leases.  Management maintains an  insurance plan covering  all
its facilities and contents.
 
   
    The  Albuquerque, New Mexico leased facility  consists of 19,225 square feet
located in a multi-floor  office building which  includes adequate assembly  and
test  space for  the Company's  avionics interface  and judgmental  use of force
product lines,  as well  as  serving as  the Company's  corporate  headquarters.
Management  believes expansion  space is  available, if  required. Currently the
assembly and test operations
    
 
                                       42
<PAGE>
utilize approximately 50% of the productive floor space. The lease term for  the
Albuquerque,  New Mexico location is five years commencing July 1, 1995 with one
additional five year option.
 
   
    The Carlsbad,  California  leased facility  is  a one  story,  approximately
12,000  square  foot  building,  located  in  a  business  park,  consisting  of
approximately 2,000  square feet  of  office space  and  10,000 square  feet  of
assembly  and  test  areas  for  the  Company's  telemetry  products. Management
believes that  this  facility is  capable  of handling  projected  increases  in
production for the foreseeable future as the current capacity utilization of the
manufacturing  area  is  approximately 35%.  The  lease term  for  the Carlsbad,
California location runs  through July 1997,  and has  a one year  option for  a
subsequent year.
    
 
    The  Company's  general  purpose  I/O business  is  located  in  Menlo Park,
California. The 16,394  square foot facility,  which is leased  for a four  year
term  expiring May 2000,  is a one  story multi-tenanted building  in a business
park which consists of 6,000 square feet of office space and 10,394 square  feet
of  assembly  and test  areas.  Management believes  that  the facility  will be
sufficient to serve the general purpose I/O business' needs through the term  of
the lease.
 
    The  Company's  newly acquired  CPU products  business, located  in Raleigh,
North Carolina,  leases  a  one  story  multi-tenanted  facility  consisting  of
approximately  4,000 square feet of office  space and approximately 7,000 square
feet of  assembly  and test  areas.  The lease  expires  on November  30,  2002.
Management believes that the facility is adequate at the Company's current level
of business and that expansion space is available if required.
 
    Bit  3's  operations  are located  in  an approximately  13,647  square foot
facility in  Minneapolis, Minnesota  leased on  a one  year lease  that  expires
October  1997. The Company intends  that within the next  18 months it will move
this business  to a  different location  in the  Minneapolis metropolitan  area.
Management believes that adequate, alternative space is available.
 
                                       43
<PAGE>
                                   MANAGEMENT
 
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
 
    The Executive Officers and Directors of the Company are as follows:
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NAME                                               AGE      POSITION
- ---------------------------------------------      ---      ------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                            <C>          <C>
Andrew C. Cruce, Ph.D........................          53   Chairman of the Board of Directors
Christopher J. Amenson.......................          46   Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Operating Officer
                                                             and Director
James E. Dixon, Jr...........................          51   Vice President of Finance and Administration, Treasurer and
                                                             Chief Financial Officer
Scott A. Alexander...........................          46   Vice President, Secretary and Director
William J. Becker, Brigadier General,
 retired(1)(2)...............................          70   Director
Lawrence A. Bennigson, Ph.D.(1)(2)...........          58   Director
A. Wade Black(1).............................          31   Director
Warren Andrews...............................          53   Director Nominee
</TABLE>
    
 
- ---------------
 
(1) Member of the Audit Committee
 
   
(2) Member of the Compensation Committee
    
 
    Andrew  C. Cruce,  Ph.D., is a  founder of the  Company and has  served as a
Director since the commencement of its  business activity in September 1987,  as
President  and  Chief Operating  Officer from  November 1987  to April  1992, as
Treasurer from late 1991 to November  1995, and as Chief Executive Officer  from
early  1992 to October 1996. From April 1985  to September 1987, Dr. Cruce was a
Senior Principal Staff Member of the BDM Corporation. Before 1985, Dr. Cruce was
the technical director for simulation at  the Naval Air Test Center, the  Navy's
primary  facility for  Development, Test and  Evaluation of  Naval aircraft. Dr.
Cruce holds a  Master's Degree  in Business  Management from  the Sloan  Fellows
Program  at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as well as a Doctorate in
Aeronautical Engineering and a Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering.
 
    Christopher J. Amenson became the  Chief Executive Officer in October  1996,
President  and  Chief Operating  Officer of  the  Company in  April 1992,  and a
Director in August 1992. For five years before joining the Company, Mr.  Amenson
was  President of  Industrial Analytics,  Inc., a  Boston-based firm  engaged in
consulting in support of operations, mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Amenson holds
a Bachelor's  Degree in  Government from  the  University of  Notre Dame  and  a
Master's  Degree in  Business Management from  the Sloan Fellows  Program at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
 
    James  E.  Dixon,  Jr.   was  appointed  Vice   President  of  Finance   and
Administration,  Treasurer  and  Chief  Financial  Officer  of  the  Company  in
September 1995. For eight years before  joining the Company, Mr. Dixon held  the
position  of Director  of Finance,  Howden Group  America, Inc.,  a wholly owned
subsidiary of  Howden  Group PLC.  Howden  Group America's  subsidiaries,  whose
combined  annual  revenue exceeds  $200 million,  specialize  in the  design and
manufacture of air and gas handling equipment, defense-related products and food
processing  equipment.   Mr.  Dixon   held  various   controller  positions   at
Westinghouse  Electric from 1971 to 1985. Mr. Dixon holds a Bachelor's Degree in
Business Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
 
    Scott A. Alexander is a  founder of the Company  and has served as  Director
since  the  commencement of  its  business activity  in  September 1987,  and as
Secretary since November  1987. Mr.  Alexander was appointed  Vice President  in
August  1991. Mr. Alexander served as the Company's Treasurer from November 1987
to late 1991.  As Chief  Engineer for the  Company, Mr.  Alexander supports  the
design,  development and  implementation of  critical architectural requirements
for the Company's computer interface  products. From November 1985 to  September
1987,  Mr. Alexander was a Senior Principal Staff Member of the BDM Corporation.
During this time he participated in the  design of a complete flight test  range
for  the Republic of China,  including the design of  the Mission Command Center
(including  control  consoles),  computer  architecture,  display  and   control
software. Before November 1985, Mr. Alexander was employed at the Naval Air Test
Center,  where  he  was  responsible  for  the  continuing  development  and use
 
                                       44
<PAGE>
of the Tactical Avionics  Software Test and Evaluation  Facility and the  Manned
Flight  Simulator Facility. Mr. Alexander holds  a Master's Degree in Electrical
Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and a Bachelor of Science Degree
in Physics from Old Dominion University.
 
   
    Warren  Andrews  became  a  Director  in  November  1996.  Mr.  Andrews   is
editor-in-chief  of RTC MAGAZINE,  the leading publication  in the open-systems,
board-level industry. From 1987 to 1994,  Mr. Andrews served as a senior  editor
for  COMPUTER  DESIGN  MAGAZINE while,  at  the  same time,  publishing  his own
newsletter, EMBEDDED COMPUTER TRENDS. From 1985  to 1987, he served as  managing
editor of ELECTRONIC DESIGN MAGAZINE. Before 1985, Mr. Andrews was semiconductor
editor  for ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING TIMES and owned and operated his own business
providing electronic design services  and developing, manufacturing and  selling
microprocessor-based  switching  systems  for  a  variety  of  audio  and  video
applications in the retail and host  industries. In addition, he holds one  U.S.
patent and has designed other products for the cable TV, burglar and fire alarm,
and  educational communications markets. Mr. Andrews holds a Bachelor of Science
Degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
    
 
    William J. Becker, Brigadier General,  retired, became a Director in  August
1992.  Since 1981 he has been  self-employed as a senior independent consultant,
advising on international technology, to such organizations as the United States
Department  of  Energy,  EG&G  Inc.,   Mactec,  Inc.,  Raytheon  Services   Co.,
Westinghouse  Electric Corporation and International Technology, Inc. During his
long career in the United States Air  Force, General Becker oversaw a number  of
logistics  and mobility operations  and in his last  assignment was commander of
the Defense Property Disposal Services.  General Becker attended the  University
of  Southern  California  and holds  a  Bachelor's  Degree in  Management  and a
Master's Degree  in  Logistics from  the  Air Force  Institute  of  Technology's
Graduate  School of Systems  & Logistics at  Wright Patterson Air  Force Base in
Ohio.
 
    Lawrence A.  Bennigson,  Ph.D., became  a  Director in  November  1995.  Dr.
Bennigson   has  provided   consulting  services  on   corporate,  business  and
manufacturing strategy and related  organizational issues to major  corporations
and  to governments  for over  30 years. Dr.  Bennigson has  been an independent
management consultant  since January  1994. He  worked extensively  in  European
countries,  as well as on  business matters in Russia  and China. As Senior Vice
President of  the former  MAC Group,  Inc.,  Dr. Bennigson  helped to  lead  the
strategic  development of the firm resulting  in its 1991 acquisition and merger
to become Gemini Consulting. Dr. Bennigson taught executives, graduate students,
and undergraduates as a  faculty member of the  School of Engineering,  Stanford
University, The Harvard University Graduate School of Business and as a visiting
faculty  member  at  the  London  Business School  and  the  Graduate  School of
Business, Lund University,  Sweden. Before his  academic and consulting  career,
Dr.  Bennigson served for six years as a U.S. Naval Officer. Dr. Bennigson holds
a Bachelor's Degree in  General Engineering from UCLA,  as well as Master's  and
Doctorate  Degrees  in  Industrial  Engineering  (with  specialization  in Human
Factors Engineering and Industrial Organization) from Stanford University.
 
   
    A. Wade Black became a Director in November 1995. Mr. Black is president and
CEO of Seven Bar Enterprises, Inc., a privately owned holding company. Seven Bar
Enterprises is one of  the founding stockholders of  SBS Technologies, Inc.  Mr.
Black has been president, CEO and a director of Seven Bar Enterprises since 1990
and  oversees the company's operations and subsidiaries within the aviation, air
medical, real estate development, and  investment businesses. Mr. Black holds  a
Bachelor's  Degree  in Petroleum  Engineering from  Texas  A&M University  and a
Master's Degree in Business Administration from Southern Methodist University.
    
 
                                       45
<PAGE>
                       PRINCIPAL AND SELLING SHAREHOLDERS
 
   
    The  following table sets forth certain information regarding the beneficial
ownership, as of November 14, 1996, and  as adjusted to reflect the sale of  the
Common  Stock  offered  hereby (i)  each  person  known to  the  Company  to own
beneficially more  than  5% of  the  Common Stock,  (ii)  each Director  of  the
Company,  (iii)  each of  the Company's  Executive  Officers, (iv)  each Selling
Shareholder and (v) all Officers and  Directors as a group. Except as  otherwise
noted,  the Company believes that the  persons listed below have sole investment
and voting power with respect to the Common Stock owned by them.
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                           SHARES BENEFICIALLY                    SHARES BENEFICIALLY
                                                                  OWNED                                  OWNED
                                                          PRIOR TO OFFERING(1)                     AFTER OFFERING(1)
                                                         -----------------------  SHARES BEING  -----------------------
                                                           NUMBER      PERCENT     OFFERED(2)     NUMBER      PERCENT
                                                         ----------  -----------  ------------  ----------  -----------
<S>                                                      <C>         <C>          <C>           <C>         <C>
Andrew C. Cruce, Ph.D.(3)(4)(5)........................     516,543        14.2%           --      516,543        10.1%
Christopher J. Amenson(3)(5)(6)........................     267,392         7.1            --      267,392         5.1
Scott A. Alexander(3)(4)(5)(7).........................     452,958        12.5            --      452,958         8.8
Warren Andrews(3)......................................          --           *            --           --           *
James E. Dixon, Jr.(3)(5)..............................         178           *            --          178           *
William J. Becker(3)(8)................................      16,000           *            --       16,000           *
Martin Bell(10)........................................       1,000           *         1,000           --          --
Lawrence Bennigson(3)..................................          --          --            --           --          --
A. Wade Black(3)(9)....................................     440,117        12.5            --      240,117         4.8
Alison Brown(10).......................................         300           *           300           --          --
Sylvia Coakley(10).....................................         500           *           500           --          --
D.H. Blair Investment Banking Corporation(10)..........       9,000           *         9,000           --          --
J. Morton Davis(10)....................................      20,000           *        20,000           --          --
Richard Maio(10).......................................       1,000           *         1,000           --          --
Stephens Monte(10).....................................         200           *           200           --          --
David Nachamie(10).....................................         500           *           500           --          --
Kalman Renov(11).......................................      20,000           *        20,000           --          --
Lindsay Rosenwald(10)..................................      25,000           *        25,000           --          --
Seven Bar Enterprises, Inc.............................     437,117        12.4       200,000      237,117         4.7
  3860 West Northwest Highway, Suite 406
  Dallas, TX 75220
Michael Siciliano(10)..................................         500           *           500           --          --
Alan Stahler(10).......................................      20,000           *        20,000           --          --
Kenton Wood(10)........................................       2,000           *         2,000           --          --
All directors and officers as a group (8                  1,693,188        42.5%      200,000    1,493,188        27.2%
  persons)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)...........................
</TABLE>
    
 
- ------------
 
*   Less than 1%.
 
(1) A person  is deemed to  be the beneficial  owner of securities  that can  be
    acquired by such person within 60 days from the date of this Prospectus upon
    exercise   of  options  or  warrants.  Each  beneficial  owner's  percentage
    ownership is determined by assuming that  options or warrants that are  held
    by such person and that are exercisable within 60 days from the date of this
    Prospectus have been exercised.
 
(2)  Assumes  no exercise  of the  Underwriter's  over-allotment option.  If the
    over-allotment option  is exercised  in  full, the  number of  shares  being
    offered, the number of shares owned after the offering and the percentage of
    shares  owned  after  this  offering for  the  following  Additional Selling
    Shareholders  would   be:  Scott   A.  Alexander--70,000;   382,958;   7.5%;
    Christopher  J. Amenson--33,000; 234,392;  4.3%; J. Kenneth Boyette--27,000;
    100,047; 2.0%; Andrew C. Cruce, Ph.D.--140,000; 376,543; 7.3%.
 
                                       46
<PAGE>
(3) The address for the shareholder is in care of the Company at 2400  Louisiana
    Blvd, NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110.
 
(4)  Includes  options  to purchase  100,000  shares of  Common  Stock currently
    exercisable under the Company's stock option plans.
 
(5) Includes Common Stock owned through the SBS Technologies, Inc. 401(k) Profit
    Sharing Plan.
 
(6) Includes options  to purchase  253,116 shares  of Common  Stock; options  to
    purchase  119,783 shares of Common Stock are currently exercisable under the
    Company's stock  option plans  and  options to  purchase 133,333  shares  of
    Common  Stock are currently exercisable  under option agreements between Mr.
    Amenson and certain other shareholders of the Company.
 
(7) Includes 27,000 shares of Common Stock held by Mr. Alexander as trustee  for
    the benefit of his minor children.
 
(8)  Includes  options  to  purchase  5,000  shares  of  Common  Stock currently
    exercisable under the Company's stock option plans.
 
   
(9) Includes 437,117 shares owned of  record by Seven Bar Enterprises, Inc.,  of
    which  Mr. Black is  president and a  director, 200,000 shares  of which are
    being sold in this offering by Seven Bar Enterprises, Inc.
    
 
   
(10) Represent  shares which  will be  issued upon  exercise of  warrants at  an
    exercise price of $4.80 per share.
    
 
                                       47
<PAGE>
                          DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
 
COMMON STOCK
 
    The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 30,000,000 shares of
Common  Stock, each without  par value. The following  description of the Common
Stock is  qualified  in  all  respects  by the  reference  to  the  Articles  of
Incorporation,  as amended, and the  Bylaws of the Company,  copies of which are
filed as exhibits to  the Registration Statement of  which this Prospectus is  a
part.
 
    The  holders of the Common Stock elect all Directors and are entitled to one
vote per share. All shares of Common Stock participate equally in dividends  if,
when  and as declared by  the Board of Directors  (See "Dividend Policy") and in
net assets on liquidation. All outstanding shares are, and the shares to be sold
by the Company and the Selling  Shareholders pursuant to this offering will  be,
duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. Shares of Common
Stock  have no preemptive rights, are not redeemable, are not liable for further
calls and assessments, and do not have cumulative voting rights.
 
WARRANTS
 
   
    The Company,  in connection  with its  acquisition of  GreenSpring in  April
1995,  issued warrants to purchase 400,000 shares of Common Stock at an exercise
price of  $4.50 per  share  (the "GreenSpring  Warrants").  The holders  of  the
GreenSpring  Warrants were  also granted the  right to sell  alongside a Company
registration. The  Company is  obligated to  register the  GreenSpring  Warrants
under  the Securities  Act of  1933 (the "Securities  Act"). In  April 1996, the
Company registered under the Securities Act 150,001 GreenSpring Warrants as well
as certain options held by the Company's Chief Executive Officer, President  and
Chief  Operating  Officer, Mr.  Amenson. As  of  June 30,  1996, 360,000  of the
GreenSpring Warrants remained, of which 193,334 were exercisable and warrants to
purchase 166,666 shares  of Common Stock  become exercisable over  the next  two
years.  The holders of  the GreenSpring Warrants also  possess until August 2000
the right to  sell shares of  Common Stock underlying  the GreenSpring  Warrants
alongside  the Company should  the Company file  a registration statement during
this period.
    
 
SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
 
    Future sales by existing shareholders could adversely affect the  prevailing
market  price of the Common  Stock. Upon completion of  the offering the Company
will have  5,030,657  shares  of  Common Stock  outstanding.  Of  these  shares,
1,800,000   shares  offered  hereby  (2,070,000   shares  if  the  Underwriters'
over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be eligible for immediate  sale
in  the public market without  restriction under the Securities  Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Securities Act"), unless such shares are held by Affiliates of the
Company, as that term is  defined in the Rule 144  under the Securities Act.  In
addition,  approximately 186,700 shares will be  eligible for sale in the public
market without  restriction pursuant  to  Rule 144(k)  and  Rule 701  under  the
Securities  Act.  Approximately  1,573,200  additional  shares  outstanding upon
completion of  the offering  will be  eligible for  sale pursuant  to Rule  144,
assuming no exercise of the over-allotment option.
 
    The  holders  of  approximately  1,418,188 of  the  shares  of  Common Stock
outstanding after  the offering  and  the holders  of  warrants and  options  to
purchase  approximately 374,783 shares  of Common Stock  have agreed, subject to
certain exceptions, not to sell or otherwise dispose of any of their shares  for
a  period of 120  days after the  effective date of  the Registration Statement.
Cowen & Company may, in its sole discretion, at any time without notice, release
all or a  portion of  the shares subject  to lock-up  agreements. Following  the
closing  of the offering, the holders  of approximately 449,999 shares of Common
Stock will be entitled to certain demand and piggyback registration rights  with
respect to such shares.
 
TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR
 
    The  transfer agent  for the  Common Stock is  First Security  Bank of Utah,
Corporate Trust Department, 79 South Main Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111.
 
                                       48
<PAGE>
                                  UNDERWRITING
 
    Subject to  the terms  and  conditions of  the Underwriting  Agreement,  the
Company  and  the  Selling Shareholders  have  agreed  to sell  to  each  of the
Underwriters named  below, for  whom  Cowen &  Company and  SoundView  Financial
Group,  Inc. are  acting as  Representatives, and  each of  the Underwriters has
severally agreed to purchase from the Company and the Selling Shareholders,  the
respective number of shares of Common Stock set forth opposite its name below.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                 NUMBER OF SHARES
UNDERWRITER                                                                                       OF COMMON STOCK
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----------------
 
<S>                                                                                              <C>
Cowen & Company................................................................................
 
SoundView Financial Group, Inc.................................................................
 
                                                                                                 -----------------
 
        Total..................................................................................       1,800,000
                                                                                                 -----------------
                                                                                                 -----------------
</TABLE>
 
    The Underwriting Agreement provides that the obligations of the Underwriters
are  subject  to  certain conditions  precedent,  including the  absence  of any
material adverse change  in the Company's  business and the  receipt of  certain
closing  certificates, opinions and  letters from the  Company, its counsel, the
Selling Shareholders and independent auditors.  The nature of the  Underwriter's
obligations  is that they are committed to purchase all the shares of the Common
Stock being offered hereby if any such shares are purchased.
 
    The Underwriters propose to offer the share of Common Stock in part directly
to the  public at  the public  offering price  set forth  on the  cover of  this
Prospectus and in part to certain dealers at such price less a concession not in
excess  of $       per share. The  Underwriters may allow,  and such dealers may
reallow, a concession not in excess  of $      per share to certain brokers  and
dealers.  After the shares of Common Stock  are released for sale to the public,
the offering prices and other selling terms  may from time to time be varied  by
the Representatives.
 
    The  Additional Selling Shareholders have granted the Underwriters an option
exercisable for 30 days after the date  of this Prospectus to purchase up to  an
aggregate of 270,000 shares of Common Stock to cover over-allotments, if any. If
the  Underwriters exercise  their over-allotment  option, the  Underwriters have
severally agreed, subject to certain  conditions, to purchase approximately  the
same  percentage thereof that  the number of  shares to be  purchased by each of
them as shown in the foregoing table, bears to 1,800,000 shares of Common  Stock
offered  hereby.  The  Underwriters  may exercise  such  options  only  to cover
over-allotments made in  connection with  the sale  of the  1,800,000 shares  of
Common Stock offered hereby.
 
                                       49
<PAGE>
    The   Company,  the   Selling  Shareholders   and  the   Additional  Selling
Shareholders have agreed to indemnify  the several Underwriters against  certain
liabilities,  including liabilities under the  Securities Act, and contribute to
payments the Underwriters may be required to make in respect thereof.
 
    D.H. Blair Investment Banking Corporation,  ("D.H. Blair"), a member of  the
National  Association  of  Securities  Dealers,  who  served  as  the  Company's
underwriter in the Company's  initial public offering  (the "IPO"), and  certain
other  persons associated with D.H. Blair  (the "Warrantholders") at the time of
the IPO received 100,000 warrants to  purchase the Company's Common Stock at  an
exercise  price  of  $4.80 per  share  (the  "Warrants"). The  Warrants  will be
exercised in connection with the offering and the 100,000 shares of Common Stock
underlying the Warrants will be sold in the offering (the "Warrant Shares"). The
Company is paying, on behalf of the  Warrantholders a fee which is equal to  the
underwriting discounts and commissions covering the Warrant Shares.
 
    The  Company and the Company's Officers and  Directors who own shares of the
Common Stock, certain  of the  Selling Shareholders and  the Additional  Selling
Shareholders,  and certain other shareholders and  option holders of the Company
have entered into  agreements providing  that, from  the date  of the  agreement
through  120 days following the date of  this Prospectus, they will not, without
the prior written  consent of  Cowen &  Company, directly  or indirectly  offer,
sell,  assign, transfer, encumber,  pledge contract to sell,  grant an option to
purchase or otherwise dispose of any shares of Common Stock of the Company,  any
options or warrants to purchase any shares of Common Stock of the Company or any
securities  convertible into, or exchangeable for,  Common Stock of the Company.
See "Description of Capital Stock--Shares Eligible for Future Sale."
 
    The Representatives have advised the  Company, the Selling Shareholders  and
the  Additional  Selling Shareholders  that the  Underwriters  do not  intend to
confirm sales in excess of 5% of  the shares offered hereby to any account  over
which they exercise discretionary authority.
 
    In  conjunction with this  offering, certain Underwriters  and selling group
members may engage in passive market making transactions in the Common Stock  of
the  Company or  Nasdaq immediately  prior to the  commencement of  sales in the
offering, in accordance with Rule 10b-6A under the Exchange Act. Passive  market
making  consists  of displaying  bids on  Nasdaq  limited by  the bid  prices of
independent market makers and purchases limited  by such prices and effected  in
response  to order flow. Net purchases by a passive market maker on each day are
limited by such prices and effected in response to order flow. Net purchases  by
a  passive market maker on each day are limited to a specified percentage of the
passive market  maker's average  daily trading  volume in  the Company's  Common
Stock  during a specified prior period and  must be discontinued when such limit
is reached. Passive market making may  stabilize the market price of the  Common
Stock of the Company at a level above that which might otherwise prevail and, if
commenced, may be discontinued at any time.
 
                                 LEGAL MATTERS
 
    The  validity of  the issuance  of the Common  Stock offered  hereby will be
passed upon for the Company by Schuler, Messersmith & McNeill, Albuquerque,  New
Mexico.  Certain legal matters relating to this offering will be passed upon for
the Underwriters by Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP, Palo Alto, California.
 
                                    EXPERTS
 
    The Consolidated Financial Statements of  SBS Technologies, Inc. as of  June
30,  1996 and 1995 and for each of the years in the three-year period ended June
30, 1996,  have  been included  herein  and  in the  registration  statement  in
reliance  upon the report of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, independent certified public
accountants, appearing elsewhere herein, and upon the authority of said firm  as
experts in accounting and auditing.
 
                                       50
<PAGE>
    The  Financial Statements of  Bit 3 Computer Corporation  as of December 31,
1994 and 1995  and June 30,  1996 and for  each of the  years in the  three-year
period ended December 31, 1995 and for the six month period ended June 30, 1996,
have been included herein and in the registration statement in reliance upon the
report  of  KPMG Peat  Marwick  LLP, independent  certified  public accountants,
appearing elsewhere herein, and  upon the authority of  said firm as experts  in
accounting and auditing.
 
                             ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
 
    A Registration Statement on Form S-2, including amendments thereto, relating
to  the  Common Stock  offered hereby  has been  filed by  the Company  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission  (the "Commission"), Washington, D.C.  20549.
This  Prospectus  does not  contain  all of  the  information set  forth  in the
Registration Statement  and  the exhibits  and  schedules thereto.  For  further
information  with respect to the Company and the Common Stock, reference is made
to such Registration Statement, and  exhibits and schedules thereto.  Statements
contained  in  this Prospectus  as  to the  contents  of any  contract  or other
document referred  to  are  not  necessarily  complete,  and  in  each  instance
reference  is made to  the copy of such  contract or other  document filed as an
exhibit to the Registration  Statement, each such  statement being qualified  in
all  respects  by  such reference.  SBS  Technologies,  Inc. is  subject  to the
informational requirements of the  Securities Exchange Act  of 1934, as  amended
(the  "Exchange Act"), and  in accordance with  those requirements files reports
and other information  with the Commission.  Information, including reports  and
proxy  and information  statements, filed by  SBS Technologies, Inc.  (and by it
under its previous name of SBS Engineering, Inc.) with the Commission and a copy
of the Registration Statement, including exhibits thereto, can be inspected  and
copied  at  the public  reference  facilities of  the  Commission at  Room 1024,
Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street N. W.,  in Washington, D.C., 20459, or at  its
Regional Office located at 1801 California Street, Suite 4800, Denver, Colorado,
80202-2648.  Copies of this  material can be obtained  from the Public Reference
Section of the Commission, 450 Fifth Street N.W., in Washington, D.C., 20549  at
prescribed  rates. SBS Technologies, Inc. Common Stock is listed on the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.  National Market System. Reports,  Proxy
and  information statements, and other information concerning the Company can be
inspected at the  National Association  of Securities  Dealers, Inc.  at 1735  K
Street,  N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006. The  Commission maintains a web site that
contains proxy  and  information  statements  and  other  information  regarding
registrants,  such as the Company, that  file electronically with the Commission
and the address of such site is www.sec.gov.
 
                INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
 
   
    The following  documents,  filed by  the  Company with  the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission (File  No. 1-10981), under  the Securities Act  of 1934, as
amended (the "Exchange Act")  are incorporated in  this Prospectus by  reference
and  made a part hereof:  The Company's Annual Report on  Form 10-K for the year
ended June 30,  1996; Amendment on  Form 10-K/A, amending  the Company's  Annual
Report  on  Form  10-K for  the  year ended  June  30, 1996;  and  the Company's
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1996.
    
 
    The document incorporated into this Prospectus by reference shall be  deemed
to  be a part  of this Prospectus from  the date of the  filing of such document
with the Commission.  Any statement  contained in the  document incorporated  by
reference,  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 this Prospectus.
 
    The  Company will provide  without charge to  each person to  whom a copy of
this Prospectus  has been  delivered,  upon request,  a  copy of  any  documents
incorporated  by reference. Requests  for such copies should  be directed to the
Company's principal executive  offices: SBS Technologies,  Inc., 2400  Louisiana
Boulevard  NE,  AFC  Building  5,  Suite  600,  Albuquerque,  New  Mexico 87110,
Attention: Chief Financial Officer.
 
                                       51
<PAGE>
                   INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                               PAGE
                                                                                                             ---------
<S>                                                                                                          <C>
SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
  Independent Auditors' Report.............................................................................        F-2
  Consolidated Balance Sheets, June 30, 1995 and 1996 and the unaudited September 30, 1996.................        F-3
  Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Years Ended June 30, 1994, 1995 and 1996 and the unaudited
    Three Month Periods Ended September 30, 1995 and 1996..................................................        F-4
  Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity for the Years Ended June 30, 1994, 1995 and
    1996 and the unaudited Three Month Periods Ended September 30, 1995 and 1996...........................        F-5
  Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended June 30, 1994, 1995 and 1996 and the unaudited
    Three Month Periods Ended September 30, 1995 and 1996..................................................        F-6
  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements...............................................................        F-7
 
BIT 3 COMPUTER CORPORATION
  Independent Auditors' Report.............................................................................       F-19
  Balance Sheets, December 31, 1994 and 1995, June 30, 1996 and the unaudited September 30, 1996...........       F-20
  Statements of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 1993, 1994 and 1995, for the Six Months Ended
    June 30, 1996 and for the unaudited Nine Months Ended September 30, 1995 and 1996......................       F-21
  Statements of Stockholders' Equity for the Years Ended December 31, 1993, 1994 and 1995, for the Six
    Months Ended June 30, 1996 and for the unaudited Nine Months Ended September 30, 1995 and 1996.........       F-22
  Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 1993, 1994 and 1995, for the Six Months Ended
    June 30, 1996 and for the unaudited Nine Months Ended September 30, 1995 and 1996......................       F-23
  Notes to Financial Statements............................................................................       F-24
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-1
<PAGE>
KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
6565 Americas Parkway, NE #700
Post Office Box 3939
Albuquerque, NM 87190
 
                          INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT
 
The Board of Directors and Stockholders
SBS Technologies, Inc.:
 
    We  have  audited  the  accompanying  consolidated  balance  sheets  of  SBS
Technologies, Inc.  and subsidiaries  as of  June  30, 1995  and 1996,  and  the
related  consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders' equity,
and cash flows for  each of the  years in the three-year  period ended June  30,
1996.  These  consolidated financial  statements are  the responsibility  of the
Company's management.  Our responsibility  is  to express  an opinion  on  these
consolidated financial statements based on our audits.
 
    We  conducted  our audits  in  accordance with  generally  accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to  obtain
reasonable  assurance about  whether the  consolidated financial  statements are
free of material  misstatement. An audit  includes examining, on  a test  basis,
evidence  supporting the amounts  and disclosures in  the consolidated financial
statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used  and
significant  estimates made  by management,  as well  as evaluating  the overall
financial  statement  presentation.  We  believe  that  our  audits  provide   a
reasonable basis for our opinion.
 
    In  our  opinion, the  consolidated financial  statements referred  to above
present fairly,  in  all  material  respects,  the  financial  position  of  SBS
Technologies,  Inc.  and subsidiaries  as of  June  30, 1995  and 1996,  and the
results of their operations and  their cash flows for each  of the years in  the
three-year  period ended  June 30,  1996 in  conformity with  generally accepted
accounting principles.
 
                                          KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
 
Albuquerque, New Mexico
 
July 30, 1996
 
                                      F-2
<PAGE>
                    SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                          CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                JUNE 30,
                                                                      ----------------------------  SEPTEMBER 30,
                                                                          1995           1996           1996
                                                                      -------------  -------------  -------------
<S>                                                                   <C>            <C>            <C>
                                                                                                     (UNAUDITED)
                                                     ASSETS
Current assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents.........................................  $     883,804  $   1,130,030  $   2,101,573
  Receivables, net (notes 4, 5 and 6)...............................      7,151,563      6,421,224      7,716,642
  Inventories (notes 5 and 6).......................................      3,903,957      5,160,962      6,425,247
  Deferred income taxes (note 7)....................................        360,000        317,100        343,600
  Prepaid expenses..................................................        359,083        303,846        223,970
  Other current assets..............................................        175,649        104,249        138,768
                                                                      -------------  -------------  -------------
    Total current assets............................................     12,834,056     13,437,411     16,949,800
                                                                      -------------  -------------  -------------
Property and equipment, at cost (notes 5 and 6).....................      1,728,764      2,389,289      3,532,581
  Less accumulated depreciation.....................................        784,673      1,041,719      1,768,649
                                                                      -------------  -------------  -------------
    Net property and equipment......................................        944,091      1,347,570      1,763,932
                                                                      -------------  -------------  -------------
Intangible assets, net..............................................      6,076,894      5,571,135      5,351,764
Deferred income taxes (note 7)......................................             --         55,900         55,900
Other assets........................................................         49,881         31,656         31,656
                                                                      -------------  -------------  -------------
    Total assets....................................................  $  19,904,922  $  20,443,672  $  24,153,052
                                                                      -------------  -------------  -------------
                                                                      -------------  -------------  -------------
                                      LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities:
  Current portion of long-term debt (note 6)........................  $   1,751,392  $   1,458,976  $   1,477,112
  Notes payable to bank (note 5)....................................      2,959,920             --             --
  Accounts payable..................................................      1,878,797      1,243,748      1,995,098
  Accrued representative commissions................................        325,468        353,278        503,614
  Accrued salaries..................................................        514,518      1,077,121        931,188
  Accrued compensated absences......................................        282,072        340,342        438,203
  Accrued software license fees.....................................        313,000         33,000         48,000
  Income taxes (note 7).............................................        350,913        223,381        790,960
  Other current liabilities.........................................        353,877        425,033        556,593
  Reserve for discontinued operations (note 3)......................        784,068         49,553         62,910
                                                                      -------------  -------------  -------------
    Total current liabilities.......................................      9,514,025      5,204,432      6,803,678
Long-term liabilities:
  Long-term debt, excluding current portion (note 6)................      5,341,649      5,188,320      4,914,949
                                                                      -------------  -------------  -------------
    Total long-term liabilities.....................................      5,341,649      5,188,320      4,914,949
                                                                      -------------  -------------  -------------
    Total liabilities...............................................     14,855,674     10,392,752     11,718,627
                                                                      -------------  -------------  -------------
Stockholders' equity:
  Common stock, no par value; 30,000,000 shares authorized,
    2,893,654 and 3,178,133 issued and outstanding at June 30, 1995
    and 1996, respectively..........................................      3,375,021      4,690,786      4,998,049
  Common stock warrants (note 2)....................................         75,000        180,000        180,000
  Retained earnings.................................................      1,599,227      5,180,134      7,256,376
                                                                      -------------  -------------  -------------
    Total stockholders' equity......................................      5,049,248     10,050,920     12,434,425
                                                                      -------------  -------------  -------------
    Total liabilities and stockholders' equity......................  $  19,904,922  $  20,443,672  $  24,153,052
                                                                      -------------  -------------  -------------
                                                                      -------------  -------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
          See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
 
                                      F-3
<PAGE>
                    SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                     CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                      THREE MONTH PERIOD ENDED
                                                    YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,                     SEPTEMBER 30,
                                        -------------------------------------------  ---------------------------
                                            1994           1995           1996           1995          1996
                                        -------------  -------------  -------------  ------------  -------------
                                                                                             (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                     <C>            <C>            <C>            <C>           <C>
Sales.................................  $  10,196,568  $  16,217,648  $  31,331,793  $  7,574,885  $  11,263,466
Cost of sales.........................      4,881,851      6,756,560     14,510,106     3,580,472      5,245,753
                                        -------------  -------------  -------------  ------------  -------------
  Gross profit........................      5,314,717      9,461,088     16,821,687     3,994,413      6,017,713
Selling, general and administrative
 expense..............................      2,221,431      3,891,408      6,292,954     1,549,477      2,673,646
Research and development expense......      1,186,817      1,686,590      2,846,300       684,724        654,946
Amortization of intangible assets.....        383,085        493,409        884,438       233,376        219,372
                                        -------------  -------------  -------------  ------------  -------------
  Operating income from continuing
    operations........................      1,523,384      3,389,681      6,797,995     1,526,836      2,469,749
                                        -------------  -------------  -------------  ------------  -------------
Interest income.......................          1,761          3,315          9,210           959         14,844
Interest expense......................        (16,395)      (191,120)      (839,028)     (281,360)      (163,980)
                                        -------------  -------------  -------------  ------------  -------------
                                              (14,634)      (187,805)      (829,818)     (280,401)      (149,136)
                                        -------------  -------------  -------------  ------------  -------------
  Income from continuing operations
    before income taxes...............      1,508,750      3,201,876      5,968,177     1,246,435      2,320,613
Income taxes (note 7).................        638,000      1,357,000      2,387,270       524,000        928,200
                                        -------------  -------------  -------------  ------------  -------------
  Income from continuing operations...        870,750      1,844,876      3,580,907       722,435      1,392,413
                                        -------------  -------------  -------------  ------------  -------------
Discontinued operations (net of tax
 benefits (expense) of ($627,000) and
 $1,160,000 for 1994 and 1995,
 respectively)........................        855,555     (1,781,235)            --            --             --
Loss on disposal of discontinued
 operations (net of tax benefits of
 $896,000)............................             --     (1,354,000)            --            --             --
                                        -------------  -------------  -------------  ------------  -------------
Income (loss) from discontinued
 operations...........................        855,555     (3,135,235)            --            --             --
                                        -------------  -------------  -------------  ------------  -------------
Net income (loss).....................  $   1,726,305  $  (1,290,359) $   3,580,907  $    722,435  $   1,392,413
                                        -------------  -------------  -------------  ------------  -------------
                                        -------------  -------------  -------------  ------------  -------------
Income (loss) per common and common
 equivalent share:
  Continuing operations...............  $        0.30  $        0.65  $        0.97  $       0.23  $        0.33
  Discontinued operations.............           0.29          (1.10)            --            --             --
                                        -------------  -------------  -------------  ------------  -------------
Net income (loss) per common and
 common equivalent share..............  $        0.59  $       (0.45) $        0.97  $       0.23  $        0.33
                                        -------------  -------------  -------------  ------------  -------------
                                        -------------  -------------  -------------  ------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
          See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
 
                                      F-4
<PAGE>
                    SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
           CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                          COMMON STOCK                                         TOTAL
                                                   --------------------------  COMMON STOCK    RETAINED    STOCKHOLDERS'
                                                      SHARES        AMOUNT       WARRANTS      EARNINGS       EQUITY
                                                   ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  -------------
<S>                                                <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>
Balances at June 30, 1993........................     2,964,957  $  3,683,074  $         --  $  1,163,281  $   4,846,355
Common stock repurchased.........................      (154,531)     (707,323)           --            --       (707,323)
Net income.......................................            --            --            --     1,726,305      1,726,305
                                                   ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  -------------
Balances at June 30, 1994........................     2,810,426     2,975,751            --     2,889,586      5,865,337
Exercise of stock options........................         8,228        18,020            --            --         18,020
Common stock issued under employee stock bonus
 plan............................................        75,000       381,250            --            --        381,250
Warrants issued for business acquisition (note
 2)..............................................            --            --        75,000            --         75,000
Net loss.........................................            --            --            --    (1,290,359)    (1,290,359)
                                                   ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  -------------
Balance at June 30, 1995.........................     2,893,654     3,375,021        75,000     1,599,227      5,049,248
Exercise of stock options........................       257,618     1,295,765            --            --      1,295,765
Warrants issued for business acquisition (note
 2)..............................................            --            --       125,000            --        125,000
Exercise of warrants.............................        26,861        20,000       (20,000)           --             --
Net income.......................................            --            --            --     3,580,907      3,580,907
                                                   ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  -------------
Balance at June 30, 1996.........................     3,178,133     4,690,786       180,000     5,180,134     10,050,920
                                                   ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  -------------
                                                   ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  -------------
Balance of June 30, 1995.........................     2,893,654     3,375,021        75,000     1,599,227      5,049,248
Exercise of stock options (unaudited)............        36,456       362,990            --            --        362,990
Net income (unaudited)...........................            --            --            --       722,435        722,435
                                                   ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  -------------
Balance at September 30, 1995 (unaudited)........     2,930,110     3,738,011        75,000     2,321,662      6,134,673
                                                   ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  -------------
                                                   ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  -------------
Balance at June 30, 1995.........................     3,178,133     4,690,786       180,000     5,180,134     10,050,920
Exercise of stock options (unaudited)............        52,524       239,263            --            --        239,263
Acquisition of Logical Design Group Inc.
 (unaudited).....................................       200,000        68,000            --       683,829        751,829
Net income (unaudited)...........................            --            --            --     1,392,413      1,392,413
                                                   ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  -------------
Balance at September 30, 1996 (unaudited)........     3,430,657  $  4,998,049  $    180,000  $  7,256,376  $  12,434,425
                                                   ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  -------------
                                                   ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
          See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
 
                                      F-5
<PAGE>
                    SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                     CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                              THREE MONTHS ENDED
                                                                 YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,            SEPTEMBER 30,
                                                           --------------------------------  --------------------
                                                              1994       1995       1996       1995       1996
                                                           ----------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                                                                 (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                                        <C>         <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
Cash flows from operating activities:
  Net income (loss)......................................  $1,726,305  $(1,290,359) $3,580,907 $ 722,435 $1,392,413
                                                           ----------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash
  provided by operating activities:
    Depreciation.........................................     340,344    384,057    316,494     67,192    117,608
    Amortization of intangible assets....................     459,467    536,328    884,438    233,378    219,372
    Bad debt expense.....................................          --         --     56,933     25,000    167,501
    Loss on disposition of assets........................          --         --     44,218     (6,203)        --
    Loss from sale of discontinued operations............          --  2,250,000         --         --         --
    Stock issued under employee stock bonus plan.........          --    399,270         --         --         --
    Changes in assets and liabilities:
      Receivables........................................  (1,459,380) 3,314,458    673,406    (15,656) (1,021,640)
      Inventories........................................    (539,916) (1,101,607) (1,192,938)  (162,566)  (443,144)
      Deferred income taxes..............................          --   (360,000)   (13,000)        --         --
      Prepaids and other assets..........................     (54,780)  (476,828)   144,862    189,576     51,386
      Accounts payable...................................    (809,055) 1,172,798   (635,049)    88,338    494,366
      Accrued representative commissions.................      54,770    218,669     27,810    134,352    133,096
      Accrued salaries...................................     372,972    277,433    562,603     55,707   (165,933)
      Accrued compensated absences.......................      85,055   (155,833)    58,270     27,899     31,426
      Accrued software license fees......................      41,000     21,000   (280,000)     3,000     15,000
      Income taxes.......................................     615,000  (1,500,209)  (127,532)   243,783   569,131
      Other current liabilities..........................    (120,213) (2,580,768)  (663,359)  (491,900)   108,542
                                                           ----------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
         Net adjustments.................................  (1,014,736) 2,398,768   (142,844)   391,900    276,711
                                                           ----------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
         Net cash provided by operating activities.......     711,569  1,108,409  3,438,063  1,114,335  1,669,124
Cash flow from investing activities:
  Business acquisition (note 2)..........................     (95,000) (5,196,815)  (317,746)        --     1,351
  Refund of down payment on contracts....................     500,000         --         --         --         --
  Acquisition of property and equipment..................    (854,671)  (426,769)  (764,191)   (88,143)  (207,949)
  Cash received from sale of discontinued operations
    (note 3).............................................          --    400,300         --         --         --
                                                           ----------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
         Net cash used by investing activities...........    (449,671) (5,223,284) (1,081,937)   (88,143)  (206,598)
                                                           ----------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Cash flows from financing activities:
  Proceeds from notes payable to bank....................  13,501,622  6,950,437  4,095,000  1,395,000         --
  Payments on notes payable to bank......................  (12,913,622) (7,690,517) (4,717,383) (1,845,782)        --
  Payments on liability to stockholder...................    (204,166)  (116,666)  (100,000)   (25,000)   (25,000)
  Proceeds from long-term borrowings.....................          --  7,000,000         --         --         --
  Payments on long-term borrowings.......................     (55,442) (1,227,901) (3,232,390) (1,471,804)  (705,246)
  Net proceeds from refinancing long-term borrowings.....          --         --    549,108         --         --
  Proceeds from exercise of stock options................          --         --  1,295,765    362,990    239,263
  Repurchase of common stock.............................    (707,323)        --         --         --         --
                                                           ----------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
         Net cash provided (used) by financing
           activities....................................    (378,931) 4,915,353  (2,109,900) (1,584,596)  (490,983)
                                                           ----------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents.....    (117,033)   800,478    246,226   (558,404)   971,543
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period.........     200,359     83,326    883,804    883,804  1,130,030
                                                           ----------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period...............  $   83,326  $ 883,804  $1,130,030 $ 325,400  $2,101,573
                                                           ----------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
  Interest paid..........................................  $ (163,953) $(497,002) $(875,736) $ 274,682  $ 165,738
  Income taxes paid......................................  $ (700,000) $(700,000) $(2,431,749) $ 280,217 $ 352,624
  Noncash financing and investing activities:
    Acquisition of GreenSpring Computers, Inc. (note 2):
      Common stock warrants issued.......................  $       --  $  75,000  $ 125,000  $      --  $      --
      Long term debt issued..............................          --  1,000,000         --         --         --
                                                           ----------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                           $       --  $1,075,000 $ 125,000  $      --  $      --
                                                           ----------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
    Assets acquired through capital leases...............  $  145,238  $      --  $      --  $      --  $  70,733
                                                           ----------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                           ----------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
    Summary of assets, liabilities, and equity acquired
      through acquisition (note 14):
      Cash and cash equivalents.......................................................................  $   1,351
      Receivables.....................................................................................    441,279
      Inventories.....................................................................................    821,141
      Deferred income tax.............................................................................     26,500
      Prepaid expenses................................................................................      6,029
      Net property and equipment......................................................................    255,288
      Accounts payable................................................................................   (256,984)
      Accrued representative commissions..............................................................    (17,240)
      Accrued salaries................................................................................    (20,000)
      Accrued compensated absences....................................................................    (66,435)
      Debt............................................................................................   (404,277)
      Income taxes....................................................................................      1,552
      Other current liabilities.......................................................................    (36,375)
      Common stock....................................................................................    (68,000)
      Retained Earnings...............................................................................  $(683,829)
</TABLE>
 
          See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
 
                                      F-6
<PAGE>
                    SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
(1) SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
    (A) GENERAL
 
    The   consolidated  financial   statements  include  the   accounts  of  SBS
Technologies,  Inc.  and   its  wholly  owned   subsidiaries.  All   significant
intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.
 
    SBS  Technologies, Inc. and subsidiaries (the  Company) is a manufacturer of
standard bus embedded computer components that perform a broad range of  central
processing  unit, general purpose input/output  and special purpose input/output
interface applications.
 
    (B) SALES RECOGNITION
 
    Sales are recognized when goods are delivered to the customer.
 
    (C) CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
 
    Temporary investments with original  maturities of ninety  days or less  are
classified as cash and cash equivalents.
 
    (D) INVENTORIES
 
    Inventories are valued at average cost which does not exceed market:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                       JUNE 30,
                                                                              --------------------------
                                                                                  1995          1996
                                                                              ------------  ------------
<S>                                                                           <C>           <C>
Raw materials...............................................................  $  1,724,307  $  2,254,788
Work in process.............................................................       757,682     1,546,800
Finished goods..............................................................     1,421,968     1,359,374
                                                                              ------------  ------------
                                                                              $  3,903,957  $  5,160,962
                                                                              ------------  ------------
                                                                              ------------  ------------
</TABLE>
 
    (E) PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT
 
    Property and equipment consisted of the following:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                       JUNE 30,
                                                                              --------------------------
                                                                                  1995          1996
                                                                              ------------  ------------
<S>                                                                           <C>           <C>
Computers...................................................................  $    836,593  $  1,194,888
Software....................................................................       226,659       411,839
Furniture and equipment.....................................................       665,512       782,562
                                                                              ------------  ------------
                                                                              $  1,728,764  $  2,389,289
                                                                              ------------  ------------
                                                                              ------------  ------------
</TABLE>
 
    Depreciation of property and equipment is provided over the estimated useful
lives  (three to seven  years) of the respective  assets using straight-line and
accelerated methods.
 
                                      F-7
<PAGE>
                    SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
(1) SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
    (F) INTANGIBLE ASSETS
 
    Intangible assets are stated at cost and consisted of the following:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                      JUNE 30,
                                                                            ----------------------------
                                                                                1995           1996
                                                                            -------------  -------------
<S>                                                                         <C>            <C>
Noncompete covenants......................................................  $   1,540,000  $   1,540,000
Goodwill..................................................................      6,172,992      6,551,671
                                                                            -------------  -------------
                                                                                7,712,992      8,091,671
Less accumulated amortization.............................................     (1,636,098)    (2,520,536)
                                                                            -------------  -------------
                                                                            $   6,076,894  $   5,571,135
                                                                            -------------  -------------
                                                                            -------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
    Noncompete covenants are amortized over the life of the covenants using  the
straight-line  method.  Goodwill is  amortized over  the estimated  useful lives
(three to ten years)  of the respective assets  using the straight-line  method.
The  Company assesses the recoverability of  goodwill by determining whether the
amortization of the goodwill  balance over its remaining  life can be  recovered
through projected undiscounted future results. Impairment would be recognized in
operating results if a permanent diminution in value were to occur.
 
    (G) INCOME TAXES
 
    The  Company accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method.
Deferred income taxes  are recognized  for the tax  consequences of  differences
between  the financial statement carrying amounts  and the tax bases of existing
assets and liabilities  by applying  enacted statutory tax  rates applicable  to
future  years.  The  effect  on deferred  taxes  of  a change  in  tax  rates is
recognized in income in the period that includes the change.
 
    (H) EARNINGS PER COMMON AND COMMON EQUIVALENT SHARE
 
    Earnings per common and  common equivalent share are  based on the  weighted
average  shares  of  common stock  and,  if dilutive,  common  equivalent shares
(options and warrants) outstanding during the period.
 
    The numbers of  shares used in  the earnings per  share computations are  as
follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                          YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,
                                                                ----------------------------------------
                                                                    1994          1995          1996
                                                                ------------  ------------  ------------
<S>                                                             <C>           <C>           <C>
Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding during the
 year.........................................................     2,874,058     2,810,426     3,017,575
Common equivalent shares--assumed exercise of options and
 warrants.....................................................        74,110        48,514     1,377,923
Shares assumed to be repurchased with proceeds from exercise
 subject to 20% of average shares outstanding maximum.........            --            --      (603,515)
                                                                ------------  ------------  ------------
    Total common and common equivalent shares.................     2,948,168     2,858,940     3,791,983
                                                                ------------  ------------  ------------
                                                                ------------  ------------  ------------
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-8
<PAGE>
                    SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
(1) SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
    (I) FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
 
    STATEMENT  OF FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS NO. 107, Disclosures about Fair
Values  of  Financial  Instruments,  requires   the  fair  value  of   financial
instruments  be  disclosed.  The Company's  financial  instruments  are accounts
receivable, accounts payable,  and long-term  variable rate  debt. The  carrying
amounts  of accounts receivable,  accounts payable, and  long-term variable rate
debt, because of their nature, approximate fair value.
 
    (J) RECLASSIFICATIONS
 
    Certain amounts in the fiscal 1994  and 1995 financial statements have  been
reclassified to conform with the fiscal 1996 presentation.
 
    (K) USE OF ESTIMATES
 
    The  preparation  of  financial  statements  in  conformity  with  generally
accepted  accounting  principles  requires  management  to  make  estimates  and
assumptions  that  affect the  reported amounts  of  assets and  liabilities and
disclosure of contingent  assets and liabilities  at the date  of the  financial
statements  and  the  reported  amounts  of  revenues  and  expenses  during the
reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
 
    (L) NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARDS
 
    In October 1995, the FASB issued Financial Accounting Standard No. 123 ("FAS
123"), "Accounting for  Stock-Based Compensation". Under  the provisions of  FAS
123,  companies may elect to account  for stock-based compensation plans using a
fair-value-based method or may continue measuring compensation expense for those
plans using  the intrinsic-value-based  method. Companies  electing to  continue
using the intrinsic-value-based method must provide pro forma disclosures of net
income  and  earnings  per share  as  if  the fair-value-based  method  had been
applied. Management intends to continue to account for stock-based  compensation
using  the intrinsic-value-based method and,  as such, FAS 123  will not have an
impact on the  company's results of  operations or financial  position. FAS  123
becomes effective in fiscal 1997.
 
(2) BUSINESS ACQUISITIONS
 
    On  January  10, 1996,  the Company's  wholly owned  subsidiary, GreenSpring
Computers, Inc., completed an asset purchase of the
IndustryPack-Registered  Trademark--compatible   product  line   from   Wavetron
Microsystems,  Inc. The  purchase price,  including capitalizable  expenses, was
$236,626. In conjunction with the acquisition, goodwill of $172,559 was recorded
and is being amortized over five years.  The reported net income and net  income
per  common and common equivalent shares for the reported periods would not have
been materially different from that reported had the acquisition taken place  at
the beginning of the respective fiscal year.
 
    On  April  28,  1995,  the  Company  acquired  GreenSpring  Computers,  Inc.
("GreenSpring"), a corporation based in California, for $7,450,000.  GreenSpring
is engaged in the design, development, marketing and manufacturing of industrial
circuit  boards  and  computers. The  acquisition  was accounted  for  using the
purchase method of accounting, and goodwill is being amortized over 10 years.
 
                                      F-9
<PAGE>
                    SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
(2) BUSINESS ACQUISITIONS (CONTINUED)
    Assets acquired and liabilities assumed in the acquisition are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                       <C>
Cash and equivalents....................................................  $1,053,185
Accounts receivable.....................................................   1,725,641
Inventory...............................................................   1,216,904
Other assets............................................................      39,908
Property and equipment..................................................     129,695
Goodwill and other intangible assets....................................   5,752,440
Accounts payable........................................................  (2,467,773)
                                                                          ----------
                                                                          $7,450,000
                                                                          ----------
                                                                          ----------
</TABLE>
 
    The purchase price was paid as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                       <C>
Notes payable issued....................................................  $1,000,000
Warrants issued.........................................................     200,000
Cash....................................................................   6,250,000
                                                                          ----------
                                                                          $7,450,000
                                                                          ----------
                                                                          ----------
</TABLE>
 
    Warrants to  purchase 400,000  shares of  common stock  were issued  to  the
former  shareholders and  option holders of  GreenSpring, of  which 150,000 were
exercisable immediately upon closing and  the remaining 250,000 warrants  vested
during  fiscal 1996. At June 30, 1996,  40,000 warrants were exercised under the
net issuance  method with  the balance  exercisable ratably  over the  next  two
fiscal years.
 
    Net  income and net  income per common  and common equivalent  share for the
year ended June 30,  1994, would have been  approximately $1,655,000 and  $0.56,
respectively,  had  the  acquisition  taken  place  on  July  1,  1993.  Had the
acquisition taken place on July 1, 1994, the reported net loss and net loss  per
common  and common equivalent share for the  year ended June 30, 1995 would have
been decreased by approximately $804,000 and $0.28, respectively.
 
(3) SIGNIFICANT CUSTOMERS
 
    Sales to  significant  customers as  a  percentage  of total  sales  are  as
follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                              YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,
                                                                                     -------------------------------------
CUSTOMERS                                                                               1994         1995         1996
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------     -----        -----        -----
<S>                                                                                  <C>          <C>          <C>
A..................................................................................          14       --           --
B..................................................................................          20       --           --
</TABLE>
 
    Sales  to  significant  customers in  1994  were related  to  the simulation
division which  was  sold during  1995.  All  of the  Company's  operations  are
conducted  in the  United States.  International sales  are denominated  in U.S.
dollars. During the years ended June 30, 1994, 1995 and 1996, export sales  from
continuing  operations,  all  of  which  were  to  unaffiliated  customers, were
approximately $1.2 million, $1.6 million and $5.1 million, respectively.  Export
sales from discontinued operations in 1994 and 1995
 
                                      F-10
<PAGE>
                    SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
(3) SIGNIFICANT CUSTOMERS (CONTINUED)
were  $6.8 million and $2.4 million,  respectively. Export sales from continuing
operations were made primarily in the following foreign markets:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                           1994                  1995                  1996
                                                   --------------------  --------------------  --------------------
                                                     SALES                 SALES                 SALES
FOREIGN MARKET                                      (000'S)       %       (000'S)       %       (000'S)       %
- -------------------------------------------------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
<S>                                                <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
United Kingdom...................................                                              $   1,000       19.6%
Germany..........................................                                                    800       15.7
Korea............................................                                                    500        9.8
France...........................................                        $     600       37.5%       400        7.8
Japan............................................                                                    400        7.8
Canada...........................................  $     800       66.7%       600       37.5        600       11.8
Belgium..........................................                                                    300        5.9
All Others.......................................        400       33.3        400       25.0      1,100       21.6
                                                   ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Total............................................  $   1,200      100.0% $   1,600      100.0% $   5,100      100.0%
                                                   ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                   ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Sales from continuing operations.................  $  10,200       11.8% $  16,200        9.9% $  31,300       16.3%
                                                   ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                   ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
</TABLE>
 
(4) RECEIVABLES
 
    Receivables, net consisted of the following:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                       JUNE 30,
                                                                              --------------------------
                                                                                  1995          1996
                                                                              ------------  ------------
<S>                                                                           <C>           <C>
Accounts receivable.........................................................  $  3,276,762  $  5,527,620
Contract receivables:
  Amounts billed............................................................     2,216,673       721,803
  Recoverable costs and accrued profit on progress completed--
    not billed..............................................................     1,665,799       242,038
                                                                              ------------  ------------
                                                                                 3,882,472       963,841
                                                                              ------------  ------------
                                                                                 7,159,234     6,491,461
Less: allowance for doubtful accounts.......................................        (7,671)      (70,237)
                                                                              ------------  ------------
                                                                              ------------  ------------
                                                                              $  7,151,563  $  6,421,224
                                                                              ------------  ------------
                                                                              ------------  ------------
</TABLE>
 
    Recoverable costs and accrued profit not billed are comprised principally of
amounts of  revenue recognized  on contracts  for which  billings had  not  been
presented  to the  contract owners  since the amounts  were not  billable at the
balance sheet  date, because  contract  specified milestones  had not  yet  been
reached  or  because  progress billings  are  restricted  by the  contract  to a
percentage of costs incurred.
 
(5) FINANCING
 
    The Company  has an  available  bank line  of  credit of  $2,500,000,  which
matures  October 1997. Interest is payable monthly at LIBOR plus 2.25 percent or
the bank's prime lending rate.  The bank's prime lending  rate at June 30,  1996
was  8.25 percent. During fiscal 1996,  the Company refinanced through long-term
borrowings $2,337,537 previously outstanding on the line of credit. The  Company
had no amounts drawn on this line of credit at June 30, 1996. The line of credit
provides for security interests in the Company's
 
                                      F-11
<PAGE>
                    SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
(5) FINANCING (CONTINUED)
receivables,  inventories and equipment. Management anticipates that the line of
credit will be renewed at maturity in the normal course of business.
 
(6) LONG TERM DEBT
 
    Long term debt consisted of the following:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                      JUNE 30,
                                                                            ----------------------------
                                                                                1995           1996
                                                                            -------------  -------------
<S>                                                                         <C>            <C>
Note payable to bank, $5,000,000 at LIBOR plus 2.5% (8.0% at June 30,
 1996), $1,525,000 at prime plus 0.25% (8.5% at June 30, 1996), secured by
 receivables, inventories and equipment, due in monthly installments of
 $112,500.................................................................             --  $   6,525,000
 
Note payable to bank at prime plus 1.5% (10.5% at June 30, 1995), secured
 by receivables, inventories and equipment, due in monthly installments of
 $116,667.................................................................  $   5,819,469             --
 
16% notes payable to former shareholders and option holders of GreenSpring
 common stock, secured by receivables but subordinate to the above
 described note, due in quarterly installments commencing when the
 principal balance of the aforementioned note is less than $3,000,000.....      1,000,000             --
 
Note payable, non-interest-bearing, payable in monthly installments
 through August 1997......................................................        213,316        113,316
 
8.24% note due in monthly installments of $2,215 including interest
 through August 1996......................................................         31,470          4,385
 
8.14% note due in monthly installments of $2,321 including interest
 through August 1996......................................................         28,786          4,595
                                                                            -------------  -------------
 
                                                                                7,093,041      6,647,296
 
Less current portion......................................................     (1,751,392)    (1,458,976)
                                                                            -------------  -------------
 
                                                                            $   5,341,649  $   5,188,320
                                                                            -------------  -------------
                                                                            -------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
    Principal maturities of long term debt as of June 30, 1996 are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                       <C>
1997....................................................................  $1,458,976
1998....................................................................  1,363,320
1999....................................................................  3,825,000
                                                                          ---------
                                                                          $6,647,296
                                                                          ---------
                                                                          ---------
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-12
<PAGE>
                    SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
(7) INCOME TAXES
 
    Income tax expense (benefit) is comprised of the following:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                          YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,
                                                               -----------------------------------------
                                                                   1994          1995           1996
                                                               ------------  -------------  ------------
<S>                                                            <C>           <C>            <C>
Current:
  U.S. Federal...............................................  $    716,000  $   1,211,000  $  1,916,770
  State......................................................       208,000        352,000       483,500
 
Deferred:
  U.S. Federal...............................................      (209,000)      (145,000)      (11,000)
  State......................................................       (77,000)       (61,000)       (2,000)
                                                               ------------  -------------  ------------
 
Income tax before discontinued operations....................       638,000      1,357,000     2,387,270
Income tax expense (benefit) from
  Discontinued operations....................................       627,000     (1,160,000)           --
  Loss on disposal...........................................            --       (896,000)           --
                                                               ------------  -------------  ------------
Total income tax expense.....................................  $  1,265,000  $    (699,000) $  2,387,270
                                                               ------------  -------------  ------------
                                                               ------------  -------------  ------------
</TABLE>
 
    Income tax expense was provided for at  an effective rate of 42.2, 42.4  and
40.0 percent in fiscal 1994, 1995 and 1996, respectively. The actual tax expense
differs  from the "expected" tax expense  (computed by applying the U.S. Federal
corporate tax rate of 34 percent to income before income taxes) as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                     YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,
                                                                            --------------------------------------
                                                                               1994         1995          1996
                                                                            ----------  ------------  ------------
<S>                                                                         <C>         <C>           <C>
Computed "expected" tax expense...........................................  $  513,000  $  1,089,000  $  2,029,180
State income tax, net of federal income tax benefit.......................      65,000       212,000       319,112
Goodwill amortization.....................................................      60,000        66,000        21,508
Other.....................................................................          --       (10,000)       17,470
                                                                            ----------  ------------  ------------
                                                                            $  638,000  $  1,357,000  $  2,387,270
                                                                            ----------  ------------  ------------
                                                                            ----------  ------------  ------------
</TABLE>
 
    The significant components of deferred  income tax assets (liabilities)  are
as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                             YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,
                                                                                            ----------------------
                                                                                               1995        1996
                                                                                            ----------  ----------
<S>                                                                                         <C>         <C>
Vacation and severance accruals...........................................................  $  176,274  $  136,136
Reserve for discontinued operations.......................................................     169,435          --
Inventory capitalization..................................................................          --     198,792
Other.....................................................................................      14,291      35,072
                                                                                            ----------  ----------
                                                                                            $  360,000  $  370,000
                                                                                            ----------  ----------
                                                                                            ----------  ----------
</TABLE>
 
    In  assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers
whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred  tax
assets  will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is
dependent upon the  generation of future  taxable income during  the periods  in
which  those temporary  differences become deductible.  Management considers the
scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income,
and tax planning strategies in making this assessment.
 
                                      F-13
<PAGE>
                    SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
(7) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED)
Based on  the  Company's historical  taxable  transactions, the  timing  of  the
reversal  of existing temporary differences, and  the evaluation of tax planning
strategies, management believes it  is more likely than  not that the  Company's
future  taxable income will be sufficient to realize the benefit of the deferred
tax assets existing at June 30,  1996. Accordingly, management has no  allowance
for deferred tax assets at June 30, 1995 or 1996.
 
(8) LEASES
 
    The Company leases its main facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Carlsbad,
California and Menlo Park, California under noncancelable operating leases which
expire  at various dates through 2000. The  Company also leases various items of
equipment under noncancelable  operating leases  which expire  at various  dates
through the year 2001.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                        BUILDINGS       EQUIPMENT
                                                                      MINIMUM LEASE   MINIMUM LEASE
YEAR ENDING JUNE 30,                                                     PAYMENTS        PAYMENTS        TOTAL
- --------------------------------------------------------------------  --------------  --------------  ------------
<S>                                                                   <C>             <C>             <C>
1997................................................................   $    542,831    $     45,710   $    588,541
1998................................................................        450,633          43,179        493,812
1999................................................................        443,932          43,179        487,111
2000................................................................        436,599          43,179        479,778
2001................................................................             --          13,929         13,929
                                                                      --------------  --------------  ------------
                                                                       $  1,873,995    $    189,176   $  2,063,171
                                                                      --------------  --------------  ------------
                                                                      --------------  --------------  ------------
</TABLE>
 
    Total rental expense for operating leases for the years ended June 30, 1994,
1995, 1996 was $569,188, $511,150 and $521,885, respectively.
 
(9) STOCK OPTION PLANS
 
    (A) 1991 KEY EMPLOYEE STOCK OPTION PLAN
 
    The  Company has a 1991  Key Employee Stock Option  Plan (Key Employee Plan)
whereby 42,908  shares  of  its  common stock  are  reserved  for  discretionary
issuance  by the Board to certain key employees to encourage them to continue to
promote the growth of the Company.
 
    The Key Employee Plan is not intended to be tax-qualified under the Internal
Revenue  Code.  Options  granted  under  the  Key  Employee  Plan  must  (i)  be
accompanied  by an agreement signed  by each grantee setting  forth the terms of
the option; (ii)  may not  equal more  than $100,000  aggregate purchase  price;
(iii)  may  be  transferable  by grantees  only  in  accordance  with applicable
securities laws; and  (iv) have a  price per share  that will be  equal to  fair
market  value at the time  of the decision to grant  the option as determined by
the Board of Directors.
 
    (B) 1992, 1993, 1995 AND 1996 INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION PLANS
 
    The Company  has 1992,  1993, 1995  and 1996  Incentive Stock  Option  Plans
(Plans) whereby a total of 1,100,000 shares of its common stock are reserved for
discretionary  grant of options by  the Board to officers  and employees who are
not directors. The Plans all terminate  ten years after inception, from 2001  to
2005.
 
                                      F-14
<PAGE>
                    SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
(9) STOCK OPTION PLANS (CONTINUED)
    The  options are intended to qualify as "incentive stock options" within the
meaning of Section 422A of the Internal Revenue Code (the Code). The option plan
generally permits options to  be granted (i) only  to employees or officers  and
not  to directors as such;  (ii) for a period  of up to ten  years; and (iii) at
prices not less than  fair market value  at the date of  grant. Under the  Code,
holders  of more than 10 percent of the Company's Common stock cannot be granted
options with a duration of more than  five years or exercisable at a price  less
than  110 percent of the fair market value on the date of grant. Options granted
under the plan may  be exercised as provided  by the administering committee  or
Board  of Directors of the  Company. All options granted  prior to the Company's
initial public offering are exercisable at $4.00 per share, the presumed  market
value at that time. All other options are exercisable at the quoted market value
of the Company's stock in effect on the respective dates of the grants.
 
    (C) 1993 DIRECTOR AND OFFICER STOCK OPTION PLAN
 
    The  1993  Director and  Officer  Stock Option  Plan  permits options  to be
granted to all Directors of the Company who are not employees and all  Executive
Officers  of the Company. Directors who are not employees of the Company receive
automatic grants on the anniversary date of  their service as a director of  the
Company.  Executive Officers  receive grants  subject to  the discretion  of the
Board.
 
    (D) 1996 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
 
    The 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan was adopted by the Board of  Directors
on January 21, 1996, but is subject to shareholder approval at the November 1996
annual  meeting.  Those  eligible  to  participate  in  the  plan  are full-time
employees of the Company who are not participants in any Incentive Stock  Option
Plans  provided by the  Company. The plan  provides for the  grant of options to
eligible employees on  January 21, 1996,  1997 and 1998.  Individual grants  are
issued  for a  percentage of the  employee's annual base  salary, (as determined
each year by  the Board of  Directors, up to  10%), divided by  the fair  market
value  of one  share of the  Company's stock on  the date of  grant. Options are
eligible to be  exercised beginning  18 months  after the  date of  grant for  a
period of nine months at which time they will expire.
 
                                      F-15
<PAGE>
                    SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
(9) STOCK OPTION PLANS (CONTINUED)
    Information regarding the Company's stock option plans is summarized below:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                   ALL       1993
                                                     1991 NSOP   ISOP'S      D & O    1996 ESPP
                                                     ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
<S>                                                  <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
OPTIONS OUTSTANDING--JUNE 30, 1993.................     26,512    318,533     20,000         --
 
  Granted..........................................         --    520,000     10,000         --
  Exercised........................................         --         --         --         --
  Canceled.........................................         --     75,725         --         --
                                                     ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
 
OPTIONS OUTSTANDING--JUNE 30, 1994.................     26,512    762,808     30,000         --
 
  Granted..........................................         --    140,000     10,000         --
  Exercised........................................      8,228         --         --         --
  Canceled.........................................         --    236,667         --         --
                                                     ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
 
OPTIONS OUTSTANDING--JUNE 30, 1995.................     18,284    666,141     40,000         --
 
  Granted..........................................         --    360,000    118,500     42,894
  Exercised........................................     18,284    234,334      5,000         --
  Canceled.........................................         --     60,000         --      4,889
                                                     ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
 
OPTIONS OUTSTANDING--JUNE 30, 1996.................         --    731,807    153,500     38,005
                                                     ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                     ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
 
OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO GRANT--JUNE 30, 1996..........         --    133,859    157,833    261,995
 
AVERAGE OPTION PRICE PER SHARE:
  at June 30, 1994.................................  $   2.190     $4.600     $5.375         --
  at June 30, 1995.................................      2.190      5.102      5.438         --
  at June 30, 1996.................................         --      7.047      5.773     $7.750
 
OPTIONS EXERCISABLE:
  at June 30, 1994.................................     26,512    297,546         --         --
  at June 30, 1995.................................     18,284    347,807         --         --
  at June 30, 1996.................................         --    471,807    115,000         --
 
AVERAGE PRICE OF OPTIONS EXERCISED:
  at June 30, 1995.................................     $2.190         --         --         --
  at June 30, 1996.................................      2.190     $4.620     $5.500         --
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-16
<PAGE>
                    SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
(10) RETIREMENT PLAN
 
    The Company maintains a retirement plan under Section 401(k) of the Internal
Revenue  Code for all employees of the  Company. The plan provides for employees
to selectively defer a percentage of their wages, which the Company matches at a
predetermined rate not  to exceed 4  percent of the  employee's wages. The  plan
also  provides for  additional contributions at  the discretion of  the Board of
Directors. Total Company contributions to the  plan during the years ended  June
30, 1994, 1995 and 1996 were $273,373, $251,493 and $185,387, respectively.
 
(11) INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING
 
    In  connection with the Company's initial  public offering in 1992, warrants
to purchase  100,000  common  shares at  $4.80  per  share were  issued  to  the
underwriter.  The warrants are exercisable from  January 9, 1993 through January
8, 1997.
 
(12) DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS
 
    On April  26, 1995,  the company  sold its  flight simulation  business  for
$400,300.  Included in the sale were net assets of approximately $1,225,000. The
purchaser has agreed to complete simulation contracts in progress at the time of
the sale  on  a  time  and  material and  fixed  price  basis.  The  Company  is
responsible  for completion of these contracts,  until novation of the contracts
by the customer, to the purchaser of  the simulation operations. As of June  30,
1996, the majority of these contracts have been substantially completed.
 
    The  disposition of the flight simulation business has been accounted for as
a discontinued operation and prior  years consolidated statements of  operations
have  been  restated accordingly.  Revenue of  the discontinued  operations were
approximately $18,560,00 and $8,700,000 in fiscal 1994 and 1995, respectively.
 
(13) CONTINGENCIES
 
    The New Mexico Department of Taxation and Revenue is currently auditing  the
Company's  compliance with  applicable New  Mexico gross  receipts tax  laws and
regulations. Certain compliance  issues have  been identified  during the  audit
which may result in an assessment of additional tax, penalties and interest. The
Company  intends to contest any proposed adjustments vigorously and expects that
the ultimate resolution of this matter  will not have a material adverse  effect
on the Company's consolidated financial position or results of operations.
 
    Direct  and  allocable indirect  costs charged  to government  contracts are
subject to  audit by  the  Company's customers  or  their principal  agent,  the
Defense  Contract Audit Agency. As of June 30, 1996, as a result of past audits,
no significant adjustments  were required. Disallowed  costs, if any,  resulting
from  future  audits  will be  recognized  in  the period  of  the disallowance.
Management estimates that any such disallowed cost would not be material to  the
consolidated financial statements.
 
    The  Company has been  named as a defendant  in a lawsuit  filed on June 19,
1996. The Company is  vigorously defending the lawsuit  and has filed a  counter
suit. Management does not believe that the outcome of the litigation will have a
material affect on the Company's financial condition or results of operations.
 
                                      F-17
<PAGE>
                    SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
(14) SUBSEQUENT EVENT
 
    On August 19, 1996, the Company acquired Logical Design Group, Inc. ("LDG"),
a  Raleigh, North  Carolina based designer  and manufacturer  of Intel-based VME
central processing  unit  boards. The  acquisition  qualifies as  a  pooling  of
interests  for accounting purposes and will constitute a tax-free reorganization
for federal  income  tax  purposes.  Under  the  terms  of  the  agreement,  LDG
shareholders exchanged all outstanding shares of LDG stock for 200,000 shares of
the Company's stock.
 
    The financial position and results of operations of the Company and LDG will
be  combined in fiscal 1997 on a  prospective basis. LDG's historical results do
not have  a material  affect on  combined results  of operations  or results  of
operations.
 
                EVENT (UNAUDITED) SUBSEQUENT TO THE DATE OF THE
                          INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT
 
    On  October 8, 1996, the Company entered  an agreement to acquire all of the
outstanding shares of Bit 3 Computer Corporation for a total cash purchase price
of $24 million,  subject to the  successful completion of  a public offering  of
1,500,000  shares of the  Company's common stock with  estimated net proceeds to
the Company of approximately  $34 million. In  connection with the  acquisition,
the Company has made an assessment, in conjunction with an independent valuation
firm,  of purchased  assets and technology.  The assessment  determined that $11
million of  the purchase  price represents  technology that  does not  meet  the
accounting  definitions of "completed technology," and thus should be charged to
earnings under generally accepted accounting principles. Had the acquisition and
the offering of  stock occurred at  July 1,  1995, reported net  income and  net
income  per common and common equivalent share  for the year ended June 30, 1996
would have been approximately $503,000 and $0.10, respectively.
 
                                      F-18
<PAGE>
KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
4200 Norwest Center
90 South Seventh Street
Minneapolis, MN 55402
 
                          INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT
 
The Board of Directors
Bit 3 Computer Corporation:
 
    We   have  audited  the  accompanying  balance  sheets  of  Bit  3  Computer
Corporation (the Company) as of  December 31, 1994 and  1995 and June 30,  1996,
and  the related statements of operations,  stockholders' equity, and cash flows
for each of the years in the  three-year period ended December 31, 1995 and  for
the  six-month period  ended June 30,  1996. These financial  statements are the
responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express  an
opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
 
    We  conducted  our audits  in  accordance with  generally  accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to  obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement.  An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also  includes
assessing  the  accounting principles  used  and significant  estimates  made by
management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement  presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
 
    In  our opinion, the financial statements  referred to above present fairly,
in all material respects, the financial  position of Bit 3 Computer  Corporation
as  of December  31, 1994 and  1995 and  June 30, 1996,  and the  results of its
operations and its cash  flows for each  of the years  in the three-year  period
ended  December 31, 1995  and for the  six-month period ended  June 30, 1996, in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
 
                                          KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
 
Minneapolis, Minnesota
 
September 27, 1996
 
                                      F-19
<PAGE>
                           BIT 3 COMPUTER CORPORATION
                                 BALANCE SHEETS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                    DECEMBER 31,
                                               ----------------------   JUNE 30,   SEPTEMBER 30,
                                                  1994        1995        1996         1996
                                               ----------  ----------  ----------  -------------
                                                                                    (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                            <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>
                                             ASSETS
Current assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents..................  $  845,026  $  836,691  $  887,023   $1,209,835
  Accounts receivable, net...................     957,704   1,264,154   1,582,743    1,743,074
  Inventory..................................   1,577,918   1,527,290   1,932,443    1,593,255
  Prepaid expenses...........................      12,854      25,993      21,934       18,231
                                               ----------  ----------  ----------  -------------
    Total current assets.....................   3,393,502   3,654,128   4,424,143    4,564,395
                                               ----------  ----------  ----------  -------------
Property and equipment:
  Equipment..................................     786,641     843,430     884,672      899,701
  Software...................................     143,279     147,666     151,722      152,756
  Furniture and fixtures.....................      22,041      22,041      22,041       22,041
                                               ----------  ----------  ----------  -------------
                                                  951,961   1,013,137   1,058,435    1,074,498
  Less accumulated depreciation..............    (751,856)   (849,602)   (910,354)    (940,730)
                                               ----------  ----------  ----------  -------------
    Total property and equipment.............     200,105     163,535     148,081      133,768
                                               ----------  ----------  ----------  -------------
    Total assets.............................  $3,593,607  $3,817,663  $4,572,224   $4,698,163
                                               ----------  ----------  ----------  -------------
                                               ----------  ----------  ----------  -------------
 
                              LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities:
  Accounts payable...........................  $   43,312  $   45,134  $  191,115   $  115,358
  Accrued payroll and related costs..........     111,555     121,484     158,564      135,378
  Accrued warranty...........................      26,427      50,976      40,000       45,000
  Other accrued liabilities..................      17,502      10,395      23,917       18,598
                                               ----------  ----------  ----------  -------------
    Total current liabilities................     198,796     227,989     413,596      314,334
                                               ----------  ----------  ----------  -------------
Stockholders' equity:
  Common stock, no par value, 2,500 shares
    authorized, 500 issued and outstanding...      20,400      20,400      20,400       20,400
  Retained earnings..........................   3,374,411   3,569,274   4,138,228    4,363,429
                                               ----------  ----------  ----------  -------------
    Total stockholders' equity...............   3,394,811   3,589,674   4,158,628    4,383,829
                                               ----------  ----------  ----------  -------------
    Total liabilities and stockholders'
      equity.................................  $3,593,607  $3,817,663  $4,572,224   $4,698,163
                                               ----------  ----------  ----------  -------------
                                               ----------  ----------  ----------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
                See accompanying notes to financial statements.
 
                                      F-20
<PAGE>
                           BIT 3 COMPUTER CORPORATION
                            STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                    NINE MONTHS
                                          YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31              SIX MONTHS        ENDED SEPTEMBER 30,
                                -------------------------------------------   ENDED JUNE    ----------------------------
                                    1993           1994           1995         30, 1996         1995           1996
                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
                                                                                                    (UNAUDITED)
<S>                             <C>            <C>            <C>            <C>            <C>            <C>
Sales:
  Hardware....................  $  10,516,609  $  11,298,950  $  12,220,614  $   7,460,612  $   8,980,152  $  11,122,133
  Software....................        233,530        299,788        309,138        176,592        229,834        343,982
                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
    Total sales...............     10,750,139     11,598,738     12,529,752      7,637,204      9,209,986     11,466,115
Cost of sales.................      4,151,451      4,218,957      4,437,909      2,392,914      3,309,610      3,791,118
                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
    Gross profit..............      6,598,688      7,379,781      8,091,843      5,244,290      5,900,376      7,674,997
                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
Operating expenses:
  Selling, general and
    administrative
    expense...................      1,472,835      1,660,787      1,856,689        864,507      1,294,425      1,283,812
  Research and development....      1,595,887      1,531,302      1,570,502        992,390      1,117,912      1,479,597
                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
    Total operating
      expenses................      3,068,722      3,192,089      3,427,191      1,856,897      2,412,337      2,763,409
                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
    Income from operations....      3,529,966      4,187,692      4,664,652      3,387,393      3,488,039      4,911,588
                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
  Interest income.............         27,609         58,468         65,727         33,561         37,843         51,679
                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
    Net income................  $   3,557,575  $   4,246,160  $   4,730,379  $   3,420,954  $   3,525,882  $   4,963,267
                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
                                -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------  -------------
</TABLE>
    
 
                See accompanying notes to financial statements.
 
                                      F-21
<PAGE>
                           BIT 3 COMPUTER CORPORATION
                       STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            COMMON      RETAINED
                                                                             STOCK      EARNINGS         TOTAL
                                                                           ---------  -------------  -------------
<S>                                                                        <C>        <C>            <C>
Balance, December 31, 1992...............................................  $  20,400  $   3,474,676  $   3,495,076
Net income for the year..................................................         --      3,557,575      3,557,575
Distributions to stockholders............................................         --     (3,500,000)    (3,500,000)
                                                                           ---------  -------------  -------------
Balance, December 31, 1993...............................................     20,400      3,532,251      3,552,651
Net income for the year..................................................         --      4,246,160      4,246,160
Distributions to stockholders............................................         --     (4,404,000)    (4,404,000)
                                                                           ---------  -------------  -------------
Balance, December 31, 1994...............................................     20,400      3,374,411      3,394,811
Net income for the year..................................................         --      4,730,379      4,730,379
Distributions to stockholders............................................         --     (4,535,516)    (4,535,516)
                                                                           ---------  -------------  -------------
Balance, December 31, 1995...............................................     20,400      3,569,274      3,589,674
Net income for the six month period......................................         --      3,420,954      3,420,954
Distributions to stockholders............................................         --     (2,852,000)    (2,852,000)
                                                                           ---------  -------------  -------------
Balance, June 30, 1996...................................................  $  20,400  $   4,138,228  $   4,158,628
                                                                           ---------  -------------  -------------
                                                                           ---------  -------------  -------------
Balance, December 31, 1994...............................................     20,400      3,374,411      3,394,811
Net income for the nine month period (unaudited).........................         --      3,525,882      3,525,882
Distributions to stockholders (unaudited)................................         --     (3,226,000)    (3,226,000)
                                                                           ---------  -------------  -------------
Balance, September 30, 1995 (unaudited)..................................     20,400      3,674,293      3,364,693
                                                                           ---------  -------------  -------------
                                                                           ---------  -------------  -------------
Balance, December 31, 1995...............................................  $  20,400  $   3,569,274  $   3,589,674
Net income for the nine month period (unaudited).........................         --      4,963,267      4,963,267
Distribution to stockholders (unaudited).................................         --     (4,169,112)    (4,169,112)
                                                                           ---------  -------------  -------------
Balance, September 30, 1996 (unaudited)..................................  $  20,400  $   4,363,429  $   4,383,829
                                                                           ---------  -------------  -------------
                                                                           ---------  -------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
                See accompanying notes to financial statements.
 
                                      F-22
<PAGE>
                           BIT 3 COMPUTER CORPORATION
                            STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                             NINE MONTHS
                                                      YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,         SIX MONTHS         ENDED SEPTEMBER 30,
                                               -------------------------------------  ENDED JUNE   -------------------------------
                                                  1993         1994         1995       30, 1996         1995             1996
                                               -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  --------------   --------------
                                                                                                             (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                            <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>              <C>
Cash flow from operating activities:
  Net income.................................  $ 3,557,575  $ 4,246,160  $ 4,730,379  $ 3,420,954   $   3,525,882    $   4,963,267
  Adjustments to reconcile net income to net
    cash provided by operating activities:
      Depreciation...........................      134,854      128,390       97,746       60,752          69,288           91,128
      Increase in receivables................      (28,205)     (71,661)    (306,450)    (318,589)       (198,077)        (478,920)
      (Increase) decrease in inventory.......     (162,368)     (95,185)      50,628     (405,153)        112,178          (65,965)
      (Increase) decrease in prepaid
        expenses.............................       (3,381)       7,247      (13,139)       4,059          (1,490)           7,762
      Increase (decrease) in accounts
        payable..............................       (3,179)      (7,970)       1,822      145,981         113,936           70,224
      Increase in accrued liabilities........       32,512        4,835       27,371       39,626          21,359           16,121
                                               -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  --------------   --------------
        Net cash provided by operating
          activities.........................    3,527,808    4,211,816    4,588,357    2,947,630       3,643,076        4,603,617
Cash flow from investing activities--purchase
  of equipment, software, and furniture......     (140,340)     (83,692)     (61,176)     (45,298)        (27,575)         (61,361)
Cash flow from financing
  activities--distributions to
  stockholders...............................   (3,500,000)  (4,404,000)  (4,535,516)  (2,852,000)     (3,226,000)      (4,169,112)
                                               -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  --------------   --------------
        Net increase (decrease) in cash......     (112,532)    (275,876)      (8,335)      50,332         389,501          373,144
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of
  period.....................................    1,233,434    1,120,902      845,026      836,691         845,026          836,691
                                               -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  --------------   --------------
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of
  period.....................................  $ 1,120,902  $   845,026  $   836,691  $   887,023   $   1,234,527    $   1,209,835
                                               -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  --------------   --------------
                                               -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  --------------   --------------
</TABLE>
 
                See accompanying notes to financial statements.
 
                                      F-23
<PAGE>
                           BIT 3 COMPUTER CORPORATION
                         NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
(1) NATURE OF BUSINESS
 
    Bit 3 Computer Corporation (a Minnesota  corporation) is in the business  of
designing   and  selling  computer   connectivity  equipment.  Products  consist
primarily of  printed circuit  card hardware  and software  designed to  support
hardware  products. Product  users are primarily  large manufacturing companies,
the aerospace  industry,  defense agencies  and  their subcontractors,  and  the
automaker industry.
 
(2) SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
    USE OF ESTIMATES
 
    The  preparation  of  financial  statements  in  conformity  with  generally
accepted  accounting  principles  requires  management  to  make  estimates  and
assumptions  that  affect the  reported amounts  of  assets and  liabilities and
disclosure of contingent  assets and liabilities  at the date  of the  financial
statements  and  the  reported  amounts  of  revenues  and  expenses  during the
reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
 
    REVENUE RECOGNITION
 
    Revenue on hardware sales and  software licenses is recognized upon  product
shipment.
 
    INVENTORIES
 
    Inventories are carried at the lower of cost or market.
 
    CAPITALIZED SOFTWARE COSTS
 
    Software development costs are accounted for in accordance with Statement of
Financial  Accounting Standards  No. 86,  ACCOUNTING FOR  THE COSTS  OF COMPUTER
SOFTWARE TO BE SOLD,  LEASED, OR OTHERWISE MARKETED.  Costs associated with  the
planning  and  designing phase  of  software development,  including  coding and
testing  activities  necessary  to  establish  technological  feasibility,   are
classified   as  research  and  development   and  expensed  as  incurred.  Once
technological feasibility  has been  determined,  additional costs  incurred  in
development,  including  coding,  testing, and  product  quality  assurance, are
capitalized when material. During the years  ended December 31, 1993, 1994,  and
1995  and the six-month  period ended June 30,  1996, software development costs
subject  to  capitalization  were  not  material  and,  accordingly,  were   not
capitalized.
 
    PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT
 
    Property  and  equipment  are  stated  at  cost.  Depreciation  is  provided
utilizing the accelerated and straight line methods.
 
    Estimated useful lives are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                 <C>
Equipment.........................................................  3-7 years
Software..........................................................  5 years
Furniture and fixtures............................................  5-7 years
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-24
<PAGE>
                           BIT 3 COMPUTER CORPORATION
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
(2) SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
    INCOME TAXES
 
    The Company has elected to be taxed under the provisions of Subchapter S  of
the  Internal Revenue Code. As a result,  no provision has been made for federal
or state income  taxes, since  the applicable tax  liability or  benefit is  the
responsibility of the Company's stockholders.
 
    CASH EQUIVALENTS
 
    For  purposes  of the  statement of  cash flows,  the Company  considers all
highly liquid debt instruments purchased with a maturity of three months or less
to be cash equivalents.
 
    WARRANTY COSTS
 
    Estimated product warranty costs are accrued at date of shipment.
 
    FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
 
    Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 107, DISCLOSURES ABOUT  FAIR
VALUE  OF FINANCIAL  INSTRUMENTS, requires disclosure  of the fair  value of all
financial instruments to which the Company is a party. All financial instruments
are carried at amounts that approximate estimated fair value.
 
(3) INVENTORIES
 
    Inventories consist of the following:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                             DECEMBER 31,
                                                      --------------------------    JUNE 30,
                                                          1994          1995          1996
                                                      ------------  ------------  ------------
<S>                                                   <C>           <C>           <C>
Raw materials.......................................  $    458,848  $    455,504  $    770,081
Work-in-process.....................................       442,260       309,079       282,697
Finished goods......................................       676,810       762,707       879,665
                                                      ------------  ------------  ------------
                                                      $  1,577,918  $  1,527,290  $  1,932,443
                                                      ------------  ------------  ------------
                                                      ------------  ------------  ------------
</TABLE>
 
(4) EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
 
    The Company has adopted a savings plan (the Plan) in compliance with Section
401(k) of the Internal  Revenue Code. Employees are  eligible to participate  in
the  Plan the day subsequent to the first  day of service. The Plan is primarily
funded  by  employee  contributions  but  the  Company  is  permitted  to   make
discretionary contributions to the Plan. The Company did not make a contribution
to  the  Plan  during the  three-year  period  ended December  31,  1995  or the
six-month period ended June 30, 1996.
 
(5) OPERATING LEASE
 
    The Company conducts its operations from facilities that are leased under  a
month-to-month  operating lease. Rent expense  was $157,000, $175,000, $167,000,
and $91,000  for the  years ended  December 31,  1993, 1994,  and 1995  and  the
six-month period ended June 30, 1996, respectively.
 
(6) SIGNIFICANT CUSTOMERS
 
    The  Company had sales to  one customer that represented  17%, 14%, 16%, and
22% of the Company's net sales for the years ended December 31, 1993, 1994,  and
1995 and the six-month period
 
                                      F-25
<PAGE>
                           BIT 3 COMPUTER CORPORATION
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
(6) SIGNIFICANT CUSTOMERS (CONTINUED)
ended  June 30, 1996, respectively,  and had sales to  a different customer that
represented 10% and 12% of the Company's  net sales for the year ended  December
31, 1994 and the six-month period ended June 30, 1996, respectively.
 
(7) SUBSEQUENT EVENT
 
    The Company is currently negotiating an agreement with a third party to sell
all  the stock of the Company. The sale is contingent upon the acquiring company
successfully completing a public offering.
 
                                      F-26
<PAGE>
 
[Picture of an AMI, an ABI-V5 and a PCMCIA board arranged from left to right on
                                   the page.]
 
Many  of  SBS'  products have  a  substantial software  component.  SBS provides
real-time  data  analysis  and  display  software  to  accompany  its  telemetry
products.  The software  SBS supplies  provides graphical  display of  real time
data. Displays like those shown above allow engineers to monitor a test while it
is in progress, decreasing total test  costs and enhancing test efficiency.  The
telemetry  interface  board  products  shown above  install  in  a  standard bus
embedded computer and transform  it into a  self-contained PCM telemetry  ground
station.
 
SBS'  IndustryPack  I/O products  can be
installed either on CPU boards, such  as
the Motorola MVME162, or on
GreenSpring-designed  carrier  cards for
use on  non-VME  systems.  IndustryPacks     [Picture of a monitor displaying
such as those shown include standard I/O  real-time T-mate displays with several
products    and   communications-related     BSI boards beside the monitor.]
products such as the T1/E1 interface and
the Comm 360
IndustryPacks.
 
<PAGE>
- ------------------------------------------------
                                ------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------
                                ------------------------------------------------
 
    No dealer,  salesperson or  other person  has been  authorized to  give  any
information or to make any representations not contained in this Prospectus and,
if  given or made, such information or representations not contained herein must
not be  relied  upon as  having  been authorized  by  the Company,  the  Selling
Shareholders,  any of the  Underwriters or by any  other person. This Prospectus
does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy,  any
securities  other than the  shares of Common  Stock offered hereby,  nor does it
constitute an offer  to sell or  a solicitation of  an offer to  buy any of  the
securities  offered hereby,  to any  person in any  jurisdiction in  which it is
unlawful to make such offer or solicitation to such person. Neither the delivery
of this Prospectus nor any sale  made hereunder shall, under any  circumstances,
create  any implication that  the information contained herein  is correct as of
any date subsequent to the date hereof.
 
                           --------------------------
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                          Page
                                                           ---
<S>                                                     <C>
Prospectus Summary....................................          3
Acquisition of Bit 3..................................          6
Risk Factors..........................................          8
Use of Proceeds.......................................         16
Dividend Policy.......................................         16
Price Range of Common Stock...........................         16
Capitalization........................................         17
Selected Consolidated Financial Information of
 SBS Technologies, Inc................................         18
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
 Condition and Results of Operations of
 SBS Technologies, Inc................................         19
Selected Financial Information of Bit 3 Computer
 Corporation..........................................         26
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
 Condition and Results of Operations of Bit 3 Computer
 Corporation..........................................         27
Pro Forma Combined Consolidated Financial
 Statements...........................................         30
Business..............................................         34
Management............................................         44
Principal and Selling Shareholders....................         46
Description of Capital Stock..........................         48
Underwriting..........................................         49
Legal Matters.........................................         50
Experts...............................................         50
Additional Information................................         51
Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference.......         51
Consolidated Financial Statements.....................        F-1
</TABLE>
 
                                1,800,000 Shares
 
                                     [LOGO]
 
                                  Common Stock
 
                               ------------------
 
                                   PROSPECTUS
 
                            ------------------------
 
                                COWEN & COMPANY
 
                              SOUNDVIEW FINANCIAL
                                  GROUP, INC.
 
                                           , 1996
 
- ------------------------------------------------
                                ------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------
                                ------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
                                    PART II
 
                   INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS
 
ITEM 14.  OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION
 
    The  following table sets forth  the expenses incurred or  to be incurred by
the Registrant. Underwriting commissions payable by the Registrant, the  Selling
Shareholders  and the Additional  Selling Shareholders are  not reflected in the
listed expenses. The Registrant will pay  all expenses on behalf of the  Selling
Shareholders  and the  Additional Selling  Shareholders except  for underwriting
commissions, if any,  which will  be paid by  the Selling  Shareholders and  the
Additional  Selling  Shareholders.  D.H. Blair  Investment  Banking Corporation,
("D.H. Blair"),  a member  of the  National Association  of Securities  Dealers,
served  as the  Company's underwriter in  the Company's  initial public offering
(the  "IPO")  and  certain  other  persons  associated  with  D.H.  Blair   (the
"Warrantholders")  at the time of the  IPO received 100,000 warrants to purchase
the Company's  Common  Stock  at an  exercise  price  of $4.80  per  share  (the
"Warrants").  The Warrants will be exercised in connection with the offering and
the 100,000 shares of Common Stock underlying  the Warrants will be sold in  the
offering  (the  "Warrant  Shares"). The  Company  is  paying, on  behalf  of the
Warrantholders,  a  fee  which  is  equal  to  the  underwriting  discounts  and
commissions  covering the Warrant  Shares. All amounts  are estimated except the
Registration Fee, the NASD Filing Fee and the Nasdaq Listing Fee.
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
ITEM                                                                          AMOUNT OF MONEY
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------  ----------------
<S>                                                                           <C>
Registration Fee............................................................     $   12,703
NASD Filing Fee.............................................................          4,692
Nasdaq Listing Fee..........................................................         17,500
Blue Sky Fees and Expenses..................................................          7,000
Printing Expenses...........................................................         85,000
Legal Fees and Expenses.....................................................        100,000
Accountants Fees and Expenses...............................................         40,000
Transfer Agent and Registrar Fees...........................................          4,000
Miscellaneous...............................................................          9,270
                                                                                   --------
    Total...................................................................     $  280,165
                                                                                   --------
                                                                                   --------
</TABLE>
    
 
ITEM 15.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
 
    The Company's Amended Articles of  Incorporation provide that the  directors
of  the Company will not be personally liable to the Company or its shareholders
for monetary  damages  for  any breach  of  a  director's fiduciary  duty  as  a
director,  except for liability for breach or  for failure to perform the duties
of the office of director in compliance with the New Mexico Business Corporation
Act, as  amended, ("Corporation  Act")  if that  breach or  failure  constitutes
wilful  misconduct or recklessness (or, in the  case of an ownership interest in
the Company, if the breach or failure constitutes negligence, willful misconduct
or recklessness).
 
    The Bylaws of the  Company provide for  indemnification, in accordance  with
the  Corporation  Act  of directors  and  officers  of the  Company  for certain
expenses (including attorney's  fees), judgments, fines  and settlement  amounts
incurred by that person in any action or proceeding, on account of services as a
director  or officer of the Company, as  a director or officer of any subsidiary
of the Company, or as a director  or officer of any other company or  enterprise
for  which  the person  provides services  at  the request  of the  Company. The
Company believes that these provisions  and agreements are necessary to  attract
and  retain qualified  persons as  directors and  officers. The  Corporation Act
currently provides  that  if the  proceeding  was by  or  in the  right  of  the
corporation,  indemnification may be  made only against  reasonable expenses and
may not be made for proceedings in which the person is adjudged to be liable  to
the
 
                                      II-1
<PAGE>
corporation.  No  indemnification  is  permitted  for  any  proceeding  charging
improper personal benefit to the person, whether or not involving action in  the
person's  official capacity, if the person is adjudged to be liable on the basis
that personal benefit was improperly received by the person.
 
    Reference is  made to  Section  6 of  the  Underwriting Agreement  filed  as
Exhibit  1.1  hereto for  certain provisions  as to  the indemnification  of the
Underwriters  by  the   Company  and   the  Selling  Shareholders   and  as   to
indemnification  by the Underwriters of the Company and the Selling Shareholders
against certain liabilities, including liabilities  under the Securities Act  of
1933, as amended.
 
ITEM 16.  EXHIBITS.
 
    The following exhibits are filed with this Registration Statement:
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT NO.  DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT
- -----------  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<C>          <S>
       1     Form of Underwriting Agreement between Cowan & Company and SBS Technologies, Inc.+
 
       4.1   Article  VI  of the  Articles of  Incorporation, as  amended,  as included  in the  Articles of
               Incorporation of SBS Technologies, Inc.  filed as Exhibit 3.1  of the Registrant's Form  10-Q
               for the quarter ended December 31, 1995.*
 
       4.2   Articles  I, II of the Bylaws  of SBS Engineering, Inc., as  amended, as included in the Bylaws
               filed as Exhibit 3.2 of the Registrant's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 1995.*
 
       4.3   Form of  certificate  evidencing  Common  Stock,  filed as  Exhibit  4.3  of  the  Registrant's
               Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-58), effective April 16, 1996.*
 
       5     Opinion of Schuler, Messersmith & McNeill.
 
      10.1   Employment  Agreement between  Registrant and Dr.  Andrew C.  Cruce, dated October  1, 1993, as
               amended, filed as Exhibit 10(a) of the Registrant's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended  June
               30, 1996.*
 
      10.2   Employment  Agreement between  Registrant and  Scott A.  Alexander, dated  October 1,  1993, as
               amended, filed as Exhibit 10(b) of the Registrant's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended  June
               30, 1996.*
 
      10.3   Employment  Agreement between Registrant and Christopher J.  Amenson, dated August 24, 1992, as
               amended, filed as Exhibit 10(d) of the Registrant's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended  June
               30, 1996.*
 
      10.4   1991  Key Employee Stock Option  Plan, filed as Exhibit  10(d) of the Registrant's Registration
               Statement on Form S-18 (No. 33-43256-D), effective January 9, 1992.*
 
      10.5   1992 Incentive  Stock Option  Plan, filed  as Exhibit  10(e) of  the Registrant's  Registration
               Statement on Form S-18 (No. 33-43256-D), effective January 9, 1992.*
 
      10.6   Stock  Bonus Plan, filed  as Exhibit 10(f)  of the Registrant's  Registration Statement on Form
               S-18 (No. 33-43256-D), effective January 9, 1992.*
 
      10.7   1993 Incentive Stock Option Plan,  filed as Exhibit A of  the Registrant's Proxy Statement  for
               its annual meeting held November 10, 1992.*
 
      10.8   1993  Director and  Officer Stock  Option Plan, filed  as Exhibit  B of  the Registrant's Proxy
               Statement for its annual meeting held November 10, 1992.*
</TABLE>
    
 
                                      II-2
<PAGE>
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT NO.  DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT
- -----------  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      10.9   Asset Purchase Agreement dated April 26, 1995 between Registrant and Camber Corporation,  filed
               as  Exhibit 10(q) of  the Registrant's Annual Report  on Form 10-K for  the fiscal year ended
               June 30, 1995.*
<C>          <S>
 
      10.10  Purchase Agreement dated  April 28, 1995  between Registrant and  GreenSpring Computers,  Inc.,
               filed  as Exhibit 10(r)  of the Registrant's Annual  Report on Form 10-K  for the fiscal year
               ended June 30, 1995.*
 
      10.11  Credit Agreement dated April 28, 1995 with  NationsBank of Texas, N.A., filed as Exhibit  10(s)
               of the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1995.*
 
      10.12  Lease  dated May 25,  1995 between the Registrant  and PARS Asset  Management Company, filed as
               Exhibit 10(t) of the Registrant's Annual Report on  Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended  June
               30, 1995.*
 
      10.13  1996  Employee Stock Purchase Plan adopted January 21, 1996, as amended, subject to shareholder
               approval, filed as  Exhibit 10(v)  of the  Registrant's Annual Report  on Form  10-K for  the
               fiscal year ended June 30, 1996.*
 
      10.14  Amended  and Restated Term  Loan and Revolver  Credit Facility from  NationsBank of Texas, N.A.
               dated April 26, 1996, filed  as Exhibit 10.w of the  Registrant's Annual Report on Form  10-K
               for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1996.*
 
      10.15  Lease  dated March 5, 1996, between the Registrant  and Bohannon Trust Partnership II, filed as
               Exhibit 10(x) of the Registrant's Annual Report on  Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended  June
               30, 1996.*
 
      10.16  Pooling  Agreement dated August 19, 1996 between  the Registrant and Logical Design Group, Inc.
               et al, filed as Exhibit 10(y) of the  Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the  fiscal
               year ended June 30, 1996.*
 
      10.17  Management  Incentive Plans, filed  as Exhibit 10.2  of the Registrant's  Annual Report on Form
               10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1996.*
 
      10.18  Stock Purchase Agreement dated October 8, 1996 between the Registrant and Philip M. Vukovic and
               Larry L. Larsen.+
 
      10.19  Amendment to  lease dated  September 21,  1996  between Registrant  and PARS  Asset  Management
               Company,  filed as Exhibit 10.j of the Registrant's Form 10-KA amending the Registrant's Form
               10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1996.*
 
      10.20  Lease dated July 18, 1995 between Logical Design, Inc. and Carolantic Realty, filed as  Exhibit
               10.k  of the Registrant's Form 10-KA amending the  Registrant's Form 10-K for the fiscal year
               ended June 30, 1996.*
 
      10.21  Lease dated January 18, 1994 between the Berg Systems International, Inc., a subsidiary of  the
               Registrant,  and Equity Growth  Investments, filed as  Exhibit 10.1 of  the Registrant's Form
               10-KA amending the Registrant's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1996.*
 
      11     Statement Re Computation of Per-Share Income.*
 
      23.1   Consent of Schuler, Messersmith & McNeill (included in Exhibit 5).
 
      23.2   Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP.
 
      23.3   Consent of Warren Andrews.+
</TABLE>
    
 
   
                                      II-3
    
<PAGE>
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT NO.  DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT
- -----------  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      24     Power of Attorney (included in signature page forming a part hereof).+
<C>          <S>
 
      27     Financial Data Schedule.+
</TABLE>
    
 
- ------------------------
 
   
* Incorporated by reference.
+ Previously filed.
    
 
                                      II-4
<PAGE>
ITEM 17.  UNDERTAKINGS.
 
    (a)  Undertaking  Concerning  Claim  for  Indemnification  Against   Certain
Liabilities
 
    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  against  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.
 
    (b) Undertakings For a Registration Statement Permitted by Rule 430A:
 
    The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:
 
        (1) For purposes of determining  any liability under the Securities  Act
    of  1933, the information omitted from the  form of prospectus filed as part
    of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a
    form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4)
    or 497(h)  under the  Securities Act  shall be  deemed to  be part  of  this
    registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.
 
        (2)  For the purpose  of determining any  liability under the Securities
    Act  of  1933,  each  post-effective  amendment  that  contains  a  form  of
    prospectus  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.
 
                                      II-5
<PAGE>
                                   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-2 and  has  duly caused  this registration
statement to  be  signed  on  its behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized,  in the City  of Albuquerque, State  of New Mexico,  on November 14,
1996.
    
 
                                SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
 
                                By:         /S/  CHRISTOPHER J. AMENSON
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                               Christopher J. Amenson
                                        CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, PRESIDENT,
                                        CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AND DIRECTOR
 
    Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of   the  Securities  Act  of  1933,   this
registration  statement  or  amendment  thereto has  been  signed  below  by the
following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
          SIGNATURE                  CAPACITY              DATE
- ------------------------------  -------------------  ----------------
<C>                             <S>                  <C>
 
     /S/  ANDREW C. CRUCE,
            PH.D.*              Chairman of the      November 14,
- ------------------------------  Board of Directors   1996
    Andrew C. Cruce, Ph.D.
 
                                Vice President of
           /S/  JAMES E.        Finance and
            DIXON               Administration,      November 14,
- ------------------------------  Treasurer and Chief  1996
        James E. Dixon          Financial Officer
 
                                Chief Executive
      /S/  CHRISTOPHER J.       Officer, President,
           AMENSON              Chief Operating      November 14,
- ------------------------------  Officer and          1996
    Christopher J. Amenson      Director
 
         /S/  SCOTT A.
          ALEXANDER*            Vice President,      November 14,
- ------------------------------  Secretary and        1996
      Scott A. Alexander        Director
 
       /S/  WARREN ANDREWS
- ------------------------------       Director        November 14,
        Warren Andrews                               1996
 
         /S/  WILLIAM J.
           BECKER*                                   November 14,
- ------------------------------       Director        1996
      William J. Becker
 
       /S/  LAWRENCE A.
          BENNIGSON*                                 November 14,
- ------------------------------       Director        1996
    Lawrence A. Bennigson
 
       /S/  A. WADE BLACK*
- ------------------------------       Director        November 14,
        A. Wade Black                                1996
 
  *By:  /S/  CHRISTOPHER J.
           AMENSON                                   November 14,
 ----------------------------                        1996
       Attorney-in-fact
</TABLE>
    
 
                                      II-6

<PAGE>

                                                      November 8, 1996

SBS Technologies, Inc.
2400 Louisiana Blvd. NE
AFC Building 5, Suite 600
Albuquerque, New Mexico  07110


Ladies and Gentlemen:

    We are general counsel to SBS Technologies, Inc., a New Mexico 
corporation ("Company"), in connection with the underwritten public offering 
of 2,070,000 shares of the Company's common stock, no par value ("Shares") on 
Form S-2 ( "Registration Statement"). Of the Shares issuable, 1,500,000 
Shares are being offered by the Company, 100,000 are being offered by the 
Company on behalf of holders ("Warrant Holders") of warrants ("Warrants"), 
and 470,000 Shares are being affected by selling shareholders ("Selling 
Shareholders").

    For purposes of this opinion, we have examined such records, certificates 
and documents, and such questions of law, as we have deemed necessary as a 
basis for the opinion expressed. In all such examinations, we have assumed 
the genuineness of all signatures on original or certified copies and the 
conformity to original or certified copies of all copies submitted to us as 
conformed or reproduction copies. As to various questions of fact relevant to 
this opinion, we have relied upon statements and written information of 
representatives of the Company, the Warrant Holders, the Selling Shareholders 
and of others.

    Based upon the foregoing and subject to the limitations set forth above, 
it is our opinion that:

    1.   The Shares to be offered by the Company have been duly authorized 
and, when issued, delivered and paid for in accordance with the terms of the 
Company's Registration Statement and the Underwriting Agreement among the 
Company, the Selling Shareholders, the Warrant Holders and Cowen & Company 
and Soundview Financial Group, Inc. ("Underwriting Agreement") will be duly 
and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable with no personal liability 
attaching, and no shareholder of the Company will have any preemptive rights 
in respect to them.

    2.   The Shares to be offered by the Selling Shareholders have been duly 
authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.

    3.   The Shares issuable pursuant to the Warrants have been 

<PAGE>

duly reserved for issuance, have been duly authorized and when issued, 
delivered and paid for in accordance with the terms of those Warrants and the 
Underwriting Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

    We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the 
Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm under the caption 
"Legal Matters" in the Prospectus forming part of the Registration Statement. 
In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of those 
persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 
1933.

    The opinions expressed herein are solely for your benefit and may not be 
relied upon by any other person or used in any manner or for any purpose 
except as specifically provided for in this opinion.


                                               Very truly yours,

                                              /s/ SCHULER MESSERSMITH & MCNEILL

                                              Schuler, Messersmith & McNeill



<PAGE>

KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
6565 Americas Parkway, NE Suite 700
Post Office Box 3939
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87190




The Board of Directors
SBS Technologies, Inc. and
     Bit 3 Computer Corporation:

We consent to the use of our reports included herein and to the references to
our firm under the headings "Selected Financial Data" and "Experts" in the
prospectus.



                                            KPMG Peat Marwick LLP


Albuquerque, New Mexico
November 5, 1996





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