HNC SOFTWARE INC/DE
S-3/A, 1998-02-26
PREPACKAGED SOFTWARE
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<PAGE>   1
 
   
   AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON FEBRUARY 26, 1998
    
 
   
                                                      REGISTRATION NO. 333-46419
    
================================================================================
 
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
 
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                            ------------------------
 
   
                                AMENDMENT NO. 1
    
   
                                       TO
    
                                    FORM S-3
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                            ------------------------
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                       <C>                                       <C>
                 DELAWARE                                  0-26146                                  33-0248788
     (STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF               (COMMISSION FILE NUMBER)            (I.R.S. EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NO.)
               INCORPORATION)
</TABLE>
 
                            ------------------------
 
                          5930 CORNERSTONE COURT WEST
                          SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92121
                                 (619) 546-8877
              (ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER,
       INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF REGISTRANT'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)
 
                                ROBERT L. NORTH
                     PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
                          5930 CORNERSTONE COURT WEST
                          SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92121
                                 (619) 546-8877
           (NAME, ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER,
                   INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)
                            ------------------------
 
                                   COPIES TO:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                     <C>
               LAIRD H. SIMONS, III, ESQ.                                  JOHN A. FORE, ESQ.
               KENNETH A. LINHARES, ESQ.                                KATHLEEN B. BLOCH, ESQ.
             KATHERINE TALLMAN SCHUDA, ESQ.                                STEPHEN KIM, ESQ.
                   FENWICK & WEST LLP                               WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI
                  TWO PALO ALTO SQUARE                                  PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION
              PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA 94306                                  650 PAGE MILL ROAD
                     (650) 494-0600                                   PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA 94304
                                                                             (650) 493-9300
</TABLE>
 
                            ------------------------
 
   APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC: As soon as
practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
 
   If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered
pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following
box. [ ]
 
   If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a
delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest
reinvestment plans, check the following box. [ ]
 
   If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box
and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering. [ ]  _________
 
   If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c)
under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement
for the same offering. [ ]  _________
 
    If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box.  [ ]
                            ------------------------
 
                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
 
   
<TABLE>
<S>                                   <C>                 <C>                 <C>                   <C>
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         TITLE OF EACH CLASS                               PROPOSED MAXIMUM     PROPOSED MAXIMUM
            OF SECURITIES                AMOUNT TO BE       OFFERING PRICE     AGGREGATE OFFERING        AMOUNT OF
          TO BE REGISTERED                REGISTERED           PER SHARE              PRICE          REGISTRATION FEE
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    % Convertible Subordinated
 Notes due 2003......................   $100,000,000(1)         100%(2)          $100,000,000(2)        $29,500.00
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Common Stock, par value $0.001......         (3)                 N/A                  N/A                  N/A
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Common Stock, par value $0.001......    2,415,000(4)             (5)                  (5)              $24,127.04
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                               Total Registration
                                                                                       Fee             $53,627.04(6)
                                                                              -----------------------------------------
</TABLE>
    
 
   
(1) Includes $10,000,000 in principal amount of Notes that the Underwriters have
    the option to purchase to cover over-allotments, if any.
    
 
(2) Estimated solely for the purposes of calculating the amount of the
    registration fee, pursuant to Rule 457 under the Securities Act.
 
(3) Such indeterminate number of shares of Common Stock as are issuable upon
    conversion of the Notes.
 
   
(4) Includes 315,000 shares of Common Stock that the Underwriters have the
    option to purchase to cover over-allotments, if any.
    
 
   
(5) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the amount of the
    registration fee, pursuant to Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act, based on
    the average price of the Common Stock on the Nasdaq National Market on
    February 9, 1998 for the 1,725,000 shares covered by the filing on February
    17, 1998 and the closing price of February 25, 1998 for the incremental
    690,000 shares covered by this Amendment.
    
 
   
(6) Of the total fee, $42,917.25 has been paid and $10,709.79 is paid herewith.
    
 
   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 THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL BECOME
EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE COMMISSION, ACTING PURSUANT TO SAID SECTION 8(a),
MAY DETERMINE.
================================================================================
<PAGE>   2
 
                                EXPLANATORY NOTE
 
   
     This Registration Statement consists of two separate prospectuses. There is
a prospectus relating to Convertible Subordinated Notes to be issued and sold by
the Registrant. There is also a prospectus relating to Common Stock to be sold
by the Registrant and certain stockholders of the Registrant.
    
<PAGE>   3
 
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 jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful
prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such
jurisdiction.
 
   
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED FEBRUARY 26, 1998
    
 
LOGO
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
   
U.S. $90,000,000
    
    % CONVERTIBLE SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2003
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Interest on the Notes is payable on March 1 and September 1 of each year,
commencing September 1, 1998. The Notes will mature on March 1, 2003.
 
The Notes will be convertible into Common Stock, par value $.001 per share (the
"Common Stock"), of HNC Software Inc., a Delaware corporation ("HNC" or the
"Company"), at any time prior to the close of business on the maturity date,
unless previously redeemed or repurchased, at a conversion price of $    share
(equivalent to a conversion rate of approximately          shares per $1,000
principal amount of Notes), subject to adjustment in certain circumstances. See
"Description of Notes -- Conversion."
 
   
The Common Stock is listed on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol
"HNCS." The last reported sale price of the Common Stock on the Nasdaq National
Market on February 25, 1998 was $32 11/16 per share. See "Price Range of Common
Stock."
    
 
The Notes are not redeemable prior to March 6, 2001. On or after March 6, 2001,
the Notes may be redeemed at the option of the Company, in whole or from time to
time in part, at the redemption prices set forth herein plus accrued interest.
See "Description of Notes -- Optional Redemption." In the event of a Fundamental
Change (as defined), each Holder of Notes may require the Company to repurchase
its Notes, in whole or in part, for cash, at the repurchase prices set forth
herein plus accrued interest. See "Description of Notes -- Repurchase at Option
of Holders Upon a Fundamental Change."
 
The Notes are general unsecured obligations of the Company and are subordinated
in right of payment to all existing and future Senior Indebtedness (as defined)
of the Company and effectively subordinated to all indebtedness and other
liabilities of the Company's subsidiaries. As of December 31, 1997, the Company
had no indebtedness outstanding that would have constituted Senior Indebtedness,
and the Company's subsidiaries had indebtedness and other liabilities
outstanding aggregating approximately $254,000 (excluding intercompany
liabilities and liabilities of a type not required to be reflected as
liabilities on the balance sheets of such subsidiaries in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles). The Indenture will not restrict the
incurrence of additional Senior Indebtedness by the Company or the incurrence of
other indebtedness and liabilities by the Company or its subsidiaries.
 
FOR INFORMATION CONCERNING CERTAIN RISK FACTORS THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY
PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS, SEE "RISK FACTORS" COMMENCING ON PAGE 5.
 
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>
                                                PRICE TO            UNDERWRITING          PROCEEDS TO
                                               PUBLIC(1)            DISCOUNT(2)            COMPANY(3)
<S>                                           <C>                   <C>                   <C>
Per Note                                      100%                  $                     $
Total(3)                                      $90,000,000           $                     $
</TABLE>
    
 
(1) Plus accrued interest, if any, from             , 1998.
(2) The Company has agreed to indemnify the Underwriters against certain
    liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as
    amended. See "Underwriting."
   
(3) Before deducting expenses estimated at $100,000, payable by the Company.
    
   
(4) The Company has granted to the Underwriters an option for 30 days to
    purchase up to an additional $10,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Notes
    solely to cover over-allotments, if any. If such option is exercised in
    full, the total Price to Public, Underwriting Discount and Proceeds to
    Company will be $        , $        and $        , respectively. See
    "Underwriting."
    
 
The Notes offered hereby are offered by the Underwriters subject to prior sale,
when, as and if delivered to and accepted by them, and subject to approval of
certain legal matters by counsel and certain other conditions. The Underwriters
reserve the right to withdraw, cancel or modify such offer and to reject orders
in whole or in part. Delivery of the Notes offered hereby to the Underwriters is
expected to be made in New York, New York on or about            , 1998.
 
DEUTSCHE MORGAN GRENFELL
                         BANCAMERICA ROBERTSON STEPHENS
                                              SALOMON SMITH BARNEY
The date of this Prospectus is             , 1998.
<PAGE>   4
 
                             AVAILABLE INFORMATION
 
   
    HNC is subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and, in accordance therewith, files
reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission"). Such reports, proxy statements and other
information can be inspected and copied at the public reference facilities
maintained by the Commission at Room 1024, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Judiciary
Plaza, Washington, D.C. 20549, and at the Commission's following Regional
Offices: 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661 and Seven
World Trade Center, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10048. Copies of such
material can be obtained at prescribed rates from the Public Reference Section
of the Commission at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Judiciary Plaza, Washington, D.C.
20549. The Commission maintains a World Wide Web site that contains reports,
proxy statements and other information regarding registrants that file
electronically with the Commission. The address of the site is
http://www.sec.gov. The Company's Common Stock is quoted on the Nasdaq National
Market and reports, proxy statements and other information concerning the
Company also may be inspected at the offices of Nasdaq Operations, 1735 K
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006.
    
 
   
    The Company has filed with the Commission a Registration Statement on Form
S-3 (the "Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the "Securities Act"), with respect to the securities offered by this
Prospectus. This Prospectus, which forms a part of the Registration Statement,
does not contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement,
certain parts of which have been omitted in accordance with the rules and
regulations of the Commission. For further information with respect to the
Company and the securities offered hereby, reference is made to the Registration
Statement, including the exhibits filed or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement. Statements made in this Prospectus about any contract or
other document are not necessarily complete and in each instance in which a copy
of such contract is filed with, or incorporated by reference in, the
Registration Statement as an exhibit, reference is made to such copy, and each
such statement shall be deemed qualified in all respects by such reference.
Copies of the Registration Statement may be inspected, without charge, at the
offices of the Commission, or obtained at prescribed rates from the Public
Reference Section of the Commission at the address set forth above.
    
 
   
                INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
    
 
   
    The following documents that HNC has previously filed with the Commission
are hereby incorporated herein by reference:
    
 
   
        (a) The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
    31, 1997, as amended; and
    
 
   
        (b) The description of the Company's Common Stock contained in the
    Company's registration statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission on
    May 26, 1995.
    
 
   
    All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or
15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Prospectus and prior to the
termination of the offering covered by this Prospectus shall be deemed to be
incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and to be a part hereof from the
date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained in any document
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
or in any other subsequently filed document that also is or is deemed to be
incorporated by reference 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, upon written or oral request of any
person to whom this Prospectus is delivered, a copy of any or all of the
documents that have been or may be incorporated by reference in this Prospectus
(other than exhibits to such documents that are not specifically incorporated by
reference into such documents). Requests for such copies should be directed to
HNC at 5930 Cornerstone Court West, San Diego, California 92121-3728, Attention:
Raymond V. Thomas (telephone number (619) 546-8877).
    
                            ------------------------
 
   
    CERTAIN PERSONS PARTICIPATING IN THIS OFFERING MAY ENGAGE IN TRANSACTIONS
THAT STABILIZE, MAINTAIN OR OTHERWISE AFFECT THE PRICE OF THE NOTES OR COMMON
STOCK, INCLUDING BY ENTERING STABILIZING BIDS, IMPOSING PENALTY BIDS OR
OTHERWISE. SUCH ACTIVITIES, IF COMMENCED, MAY BE DISCONTINUED AT ANY TIME. FOR A
DISCUSSION OF THESE ACTIVITIES, SEE "UNDERWRITING."
    
 
   
    IN CONNECTION WITH THIS OFFERING, CERTAIN UNDERWRITERS (AND SELLING GROUP
MEMBERS, IF ANY) MAY ENGAGE IN PASSIVE MARKET MAKING TRANSACTIONS IN THE COMMON
STOCK ON THE NASDAQ NATIONAL MARKET IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 103 OF REGULATION M.
SEE "UNDERWRITING."
    
 
                                        2
<PAGE>   5
 
                               PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
 
    The following summary should be read in conjunction with and is qualified in
its entirety by the more detailed information, including "Risk Factors" and the
consolidated financial statements and notes thereto, appearing elsewhere in this
Prospectus or incorporated by reference in this Prospectus.
                                  THE COMPANY
 
    HNC develops, markets and supports predictive software solutions for leading
service industries. These predictive software solutions employ proprietary
neural-network predictive decision engines, profiles, traditional statistical
modeling, business models, expert rules and context vectors to convert existing
data and business experiences into meaningful recommendations and actions. Just
as manufacturing organizations have implemented manufacturing resource planning
software to automate routine transactions, leading service industries such as
the healthcare/insurance, financial services and retail industries are using
predictive software solutions to improve profitability, competitiveness and
customer satisfaction.
 
    The Company's objective is to be the leading supplier of predictive software
solutions by leveraging its core computational intelligence technology across a
series of product lines targeted at specific service industries. In the
healthcare/insurance industry, the Company's products are used to automate
workers' compensation bill review and loss reserving, detect and prevent
workers' compensation fraud and increase workers' compensation payor and
provider effectiveness. In the financial services industry, the Company's
products are used to detect and prevent credit card fraud, manage the
profitability of credit card portfolios and automate lending decisions and
residential property valuations. In the retail industry, the Company's products
address inventory control, merchandise management, demand forecasting and
private label credit card fraud. The Company markets most of its predictive
software solutions as an ongoing service that includes software licenses,
decision model updates, application consulting and on-line or on-site support
and maintenance. The Company's customers include many of the leading companies
in each of its target markets, including Concentra Managed Care Inc., CIGNA
Corp. and CNA Financial Corporation in the healthcare/insurance industry, First
Data Resources, Inc., Household International Inc. and MBNA Corp. in the
financial services industry, and the Computer City division of Tandy Corp.,
Caldor Corp. and Hills Department Stores Inc. in the retail industry.
 
    The Company was founded in 1986 under the laws of California and was
reincorporated in June 1995 under the laws of Delaware. The Company's principal
executive offices are located at 5930 Cornerstone Court West, San Diego,
California 92121-3728, and its telephone number is (619) 546-8877. In this
Prospectus, the terms "HNC" and the "Company" each refer to HNC Software Inc., a
Delaware corporation, and its consolidated subsidiaries unless the context
otherwise requires.
                   SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
                (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT RATIO AND PER SHARE DATA)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                                ------------------------------------------------
                                                                 1993      1994      1995      1996       1997
                                                                -------   -------   -------   -------   --------
<S>                                                             <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>
STATEMENT OF INCOME DATA:(1)
Total revenues................................................  $16,167   $29,838   $43,704   $71,439   $113,735
Operating income..............................................    1,034     2,881     5,082     9,659     23,040
Net income....................................................      875     3,142     6,077    11,893     17,565
Basic net income per common share(2)..........................     0.02      0.28      0.38      0.50       0.72
Diluted net income per common share(2)........................     0.02      0.17      0.28      0.47       0.68
Pro forma net income(3).......................................      641     2,137     4,534     9,731     15,417
Basic pro forma net income per common share(3)................                                              0.64
Diluted pro forma net income per common share(3)..............                                              0.60
Shares used in computing basic net income per common share and
  basic pro forma net income per common share.................    8,591     8,642    15,195    23,552     24,275
Shares used in computing diluted net income per common share
  and diluted pro forma net income per common share...........    9,289    18,142    21,510    25,363     25,681
OTHER DATA:
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges(4).........................     3.00x     4.87x     6.99x    12.15x     26.51x
</TABLE>
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                            DECEMBER 31, 1997
                                                                                       ---------------------------
                                                                                        ACTUAL      AS ADJUSTED(5)
                                                                                       --------     --------------
<S>                                                                                    <C>          <C>
BALANCE SHEET DATA:
Cash, cash equivalents and investments available for sale............................  $ 42,946        $130,146
Working capital......................................................................    74,303         161,503
Total assets.........................................................................   119,877         207,077
Total stockholders' equity...........................................................   103,860         103,860
</TABLE>
    
 
- ---------------
 
(1) The summary consolidated financial information gives retroactive effect to
    the acquisitions of Risk Data Corporation ("Risk Data"), Retek Distribution
    Corporation, now known as Retek Information Systems("Retek") and CompReview,
    Inc. ("CompReview") for all periods presented, accounted for as poolings of
    interests.
 
(2) The computations of basic net income per common share for 1993, 1994 and
    1995 include reductions of consolidated net income in the amounts of
    $717,000, $717,000 and $348,000, respectively, related to the accretion of
    dividends on mandatorily redeemable convertible Preferred Stock, which
    converted into Common Stock upon the closing of the Company's initial public
    offering on June 26, 1995. The computation of diluted net income per common
    share for 1993 does not include the assumed conversion of all outstanding
    shares of mandatorily redeemable convertible Preferred Stock into 7,675,000
    shares of Common Stock or an increase to net income per common share related
    to the elimination of dividend accretion on such Preferred Stock as the
    impact would be antidilutive.
 
(3) Pro forma net income and net income per common share reflect a provision for
    taxes on the income of CompReview, which was a subchapter S corporation
    prior to its acquisition by HNC, as if CompReview had been subject to
    corporate income taxes as a C corporation for all periods presented.
 
(4) The ratio of earnings to fixed charges has been computed by dividing
    earnings available for fixed charges (earnings before income taxes plus
    fixed charges less capitalized interest) by fixed charges (interest expense
    plus capitalized interest and the portion of rental expense which represents
    interest).
 
(5) Adjusted to reflect the sale of the Notes offered hereby and the receipt of
    the net proceeds therefrom.
 
                                        3
<PAGE>   6
 
                                  THE OFFERING
 
   
Securities Offered.........  $90,000,000 principal amount of   % Convertible
                             Subordinated Notes due 2003 (the "Notes")
                             ($100,000,000 principal amount of Notes if the
                             over-allotment option is exercised in full).
    
 
Interest Payment Dates.....  March 1 and September 1, commencing September 1,
                             1998.
 
Conversion.................  The Notes will be convertible into Common Stock at
                             any time prior to the close of business on the
                             maturity date, unless previously redeemed or
                             repurchased, at a conversion price of $     share
                             (equivalent to a conversion rate of approximately
                                       shares per $1,000 principal amount of
                             Notes), subject to adjustment.
 
Subordination..............  The Notes are subordinated in right of payment to
                             all existing and future Senior Indebtedness (as
                             defined) of the Company and effectively
                             subordinated to all indebtedness and other
                             liabilities of the Company's subsidiaries. As of
                             December 31, 1997, the Company had no indebtedness
                             outstanding that would have constituted Senior
                             Indebtedness and the Company's subsidiaries had
                             outstanding indebtedness and other liabilities
                             outstanding aggregating approximately $254,000
                             (excluding intercompany liabilities and liabilities
                             of a type not required to be reflected as
                             liabilities on the balance sheets of such
                             subsidiaries in accordance with generally accepted
                             accounting principles). The Indenture will not
                             restrict the incurrence of additional Senior
                             Indebtedness by the Company or the incurrence of
                             other indebtedness and liabilities by the Company
                             or its subsidiaries.
 
Optional Redemption........  The Notes are not redeemable by the Company prior
                             to March 6, 2001. On or after March 6, 2001, the
                             Notes may be redeemed at the option of the Company,
                             in whole or from time to time in part, at the
                             redemption prices set forth herein plus accrued
                             interest.
 
Repurchase at Option of
Holders Upon a Fundamental
Change.....................  In the event of a Fundamental Change (as defined),
                             each Holder of Notes may require the Company to
                             repurchase its Notes, in whole or in part, for cash
                             at the repurchase prices set forth herein, subject
                             to adjustment in certain events as described
                             herein, plus accrued interest.
 
Use of Proceeds............  The proceeds of the Notes will be used for general
                             corporate purposes, including working capital, and
                             potentially to repurchase outstanding shares of the
                             Company's Common Stock or to acquire complementary
                             businesses, products or technologies. See "Use of
                             Proceeds."
                            ------------------------
 
ProfitMax(R) is a registered trademark of the Company. CRLink(TM),
CompCompare(TM), ProviderCompare(TM), PMA Advisor(TM), VeriComp(TM), MIRA(TM),
Falcon(TM), Falcon Export(TM), Falcon Select(TM), Falcon Debit(TM), Falcon
Retail(TM), Falcon Sentry(TM), Eagle(TM), Capstone(TM), Capstone for Payment
Cards(TM), Capstone for Consumer Lending(TM), Capstone for Mortgage Lending(TM),
ProfitMax Bankruptcy(TM), AREAS(TM), Retek Merchandising System(TM), Retek Data
Warehouse(TM), Active Retail Intelligence(TM), Retek Demand Forecasting(TM),
Falcon Retail(TM), MatchPlus(TM), SelectCast(TM), SelectResponse(TM) and
SelectResource(TM) are trademarks of the Company. All other trademarks or trade
names referred to in this Prospectus are the property of their respective
owners.
 
                                        4
<PAGE>   7
 
                                  RISK FACTORS
 
     This Prospectus (including without limitation the following Risk Factors)
contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the
Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) regarding the Company and
its business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Words
such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks,"
"estimates" and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to
identify forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of
identifying forward-looking statements in this Prospectus. Additionally,
statements concerning future matters such as the development of new products,
enhancements or technologies, possible changes in legislation and other
statements regarding matters that are not historical are forward-looking
statements.
 
   
     Although forward-looking statements in this Prospectus reflect the good
faith judgment of the Company's management, such statements can only be based on
facts and factors currently known by the Company. Consequently, forward-looking
statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results
and outcomes may differ materially from the results and outcomes discussed in
the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such
differences in results and outcomes include without limitation those discussed
below as well as those discussed elsewhere in this Prospectus and in any
documents that are incorporated into this Prospectus by reference. Readers are
urged not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which
speak only as of the date of this Prospectus. The Company undertakes no
obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to
reflect any event or circumstance that may arise after the date of this
Prospectus. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various
disclosures made by the Company in this Prospectus and in the Company's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1997, as amended, filed with
the Commission, which attempts to advise interested parties of the risks and
factors that may affect the Company's business, financial condition and results
of operations and prospects.
    
 
   
     POTENTIAL FLUCTUATIONS IN OPERATING RESULTS. The Company's revenues and
operating results have varied significantly in the past and may do so in the
future. Because the Company's expense levels are based in part on its
expectations regarding future revenues and in the short term are fixed to a
large extent, the Company may be unable to adjust its spending in time to
compensate for any unexpected revenue shortfall. Factors affecting operating
results include market acceptance of the Company's products; the relatively
large size and small number of customer orders that may be received during a
given period; customer cancellation of long-term contracts yielding recurring
revenues or customers' ceasing their use of Company products for which the
Company's fees are usage based; the length of the Company's sales cycle; the
Company's ability to develop, introduce and market new products and product
enhancements; the timing of new product announcements and introductions by the
Company and its competitors; changes in the mix of distribution channels;
changes in the level of operating expenses; the Company's ability to achieve
progress on percentage-of-completion contracts; the Company's success in
completing certain pilot installations for contracted fees; competitive
conditions in the industry; domestic and international economic conditions; and
market conditions in the Company's targeted markets. In addition, as a result of
recently issued guidance on software revenue recognition, license agreements
entered into during a quarter may not meet the Company's revenue recognition
criteria. Therefore, even if the Company meets or exceeds its forecast of
aggregate licensing and other contracting activity, it is possible that the
Company's revenues would not meet expectations. Furthermore, the Company's
operating results may be affected by factors unique to certain of its product
lines. For example, the Company derives a substantial and increasing portion of
its revenues from its retail products, which are generally priced as "perpetual"
license transactions in which the Company receives a one-time license fee. The
Company recognizes these fees as revenue upon delivery of the software and
acceptance by the customer. Thus, failure to complete a perpetual license
transaction during a fiscal quarter would have a disproportionate adverse impact
on the Company's operating results for that quarter.
    
 
                                        5
<PAGE>   8
 
     The Company expects fluctuations in its operating results to continue for
the foreseeable future. Accordingly, the Company believes that period-to-period
comparisons of its financial results should not be relied upon as an indication
of future performance. The Company may not be able to maintain profitability on
a quarterly or annual basis in the future. Due to all of the foregoing factors,
it is possible that in some future quarter the Company's operating results will
be below the expectations of public market analysts and investors. In that
event, the price of the Company's Common Stock and, in turn, the market price of
the Notes, would likely be materially adversely affected. See "Management's
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."
 
     LENGTHY AND UNPREDICTABLE SALES CYCLE. Due in part to the mission-critical
nature of certain of the Company's applications, potential customers perceive
high risk in connection with adoption of the Company's products. As a result,
customers have been cautious in making decisions to acquire the Company's
products. In addition, because the purchase of the Company's products typically
involves a significant commitment of capital and may involve shifts by the
customer to a new software and/or hardware platform, delays in completing sales
can arise while customers complete their internal procedures to approve large
capital expenditures and test and accept new technologies that affect key
operations. For these and other reasons, the sales cycle associated with the
purchase of the Company's products is typically lengthy, unpredictable and
subject to a number of significant risks over which the Company has little or no
control, including customers' budgetary constraints and internal acceptance
reviews. The sales cycle associated with the licensing of the Company's products
can typically range from 60 days to 18 months. As a result of the length of the
sales cycle and the typical size of customers' orders, the Company's ability to
forecast the timing and amount of specific sales is limited. A lost or delayed
sale could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial
condition and results of operations. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis
of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Business -- Sales and
Marketing."
 
   
     ACQUISITIONS. Between August 1996 and November 1997, the Company acquired
three businesses. In August 1996, the Company acquired Risk Data, a company that
develops, markets and supports proprietary software decision products for use in
the insurance industry. In November 1996, the Company acquired Retek, a company
that develops, markets and supports management decision software products for
retailers and their vendors. In November 1997, the Company acquired CompReview,
a company that develops, markets and supports a software product and related
services designed to assist in the management and containment of the medical
costs of workers' compensation and automobile accident medical claims. The
Company believes that its future growth depends, in part, upon the success of
these and possible future acquisitions. There can be no assurance that the
Company will successfully identify, acquire on favorable terms or integrate such
businesses, products, services or technologies. The Company may in the future
face increased competition for acquisition opportunities, which may inhibit the
Company's ability to consummate suitable acquisitions and increase the costs of
completing such acquisitions. The acquisitions of Risk Data, Retek and
CompReview, as well as other potential future acquisitions, will require the
Company to successfully manage and integrate such acquired businesses, which may
be located in diverse geographic locations. Acquiring other businesses also
requires the Company to successfully develop and market products to new
industries and markets with which the Company may not be familiar. It also
requires the Company to coordinate (and possibly change) the diverse operating
structures, policies and practices of the acquired companies and to integrate
the employees of the acquired companies into the Company's organization and
culture. Failure of the Company to successfully integrate and manage acquired
businesses, to retain their employees, and to successfully address new
industries and markets associated with such acquired businesses, would have a
material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and
results of operations. In addition, although the acquisitions of Risk Data,
Retek and CompReview have been accounted for as poolings of interests, future
acquisitions may be accounted for as purchases, resulting in potential charges
that may adversely affect the Company's earnings.
    
 
                                        6
<PAGE>   9
 
Additional acquisitions may also involve the issuance of shares of the Company's
stock to owners of acquired businesses, resulting in dilution in the percentage
of the Company's stock owned by other stockholders. See "Business -- HNC's
Strategy."
 
     RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH MANAGING GROWTH. In recent years, the Company has
experienced changes in its operations that have placed significant demands on
the Company's administrative, operational and financial resources. The growth in
the Company's customer base and expansion of its product functionality, together
with its acquisition of other businesses and their employees, have challenged
and are expected to continue to challenge the Company's management and
operations, including its sales, marketing, customer support, research and
development and finance and administrative operations. The Company's future
performance will depend in part on its ability to successfully manage change,
both in its domestic and international operations, and to adapt its operational
and financial control systems, if necessary, to respond to changes in its
business and to facilitate the integration of acquired businesses with the
Company's operations. The failure of the Company's management to effectively
respond to and manage growth could have a material adverse effect on the
Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
     DEPENDENCE ON EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND MARKETS. The market for predictive
software solutions is still emerging. The rate at which businesses have adopted
the Company's products has varied significantly by market and by product within
each market, and the Company expects to continue to experience such variations
with respect to its target markets and products in the future. The Company has
introduced products for the healthcare/insurance, financial services and retail
markets. The Company has recently announced several new products, including
PMAdvisor, VeriComp, SelectCast, SelectResponse and SelectResource. To date,
none of these products has achieved any significant degree of market acceptance,
and there can be no assurance that such products will ever be widely accepted.
Although businesses in the Company's target markets have recognized the
advantages of using predictive software solutions to automate the
decision-making process, many have developed decision automation systems
internally rather than licensing them from outside vendors. There can be no
assurance that the markets for the Company's products will continue to develop
or that the Company's products will be widely accepted, if at all. If the
markets for the Company's new or existing products fail to develop, or develop
more slowly than anticipated, the Company's sales would be negatively impacted,
which would have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial
condition and results of operations. See "Business -- Emerging Market
Opportunities."
 
     RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE AND DELAYS IN DEVELOPING NEW
PRODUCTS. The market for the Company's predictive software solutions for service
industries is characterized by rapidly changing technology and improvements in
computer hardware, network operating systems, programming tools, programming
languages, operating systems and database technology. The Company's success will
depend upon its ability to continue to develop and maintain competitive
technologies, enhance its current products and develop, in a timely and
cost-effective manner, new products that meet changing market conditions,
including evolving customer needs, new competitive product offerings, emerging
industry standards and changing technology. For example, the rapid growth of the
Internet environment creates new opportunities, risks and uncertainties for
businesses, such as the Company, which develop software solutions that now may
have to be designed to operate in Internet, intranet and other on-line
environments. The Company may not be able to develop and market, on a timely
basis, or at all, product enhancements or new products that respond to changing
technologies. The Company has previously experienced significant delays in the
development and introduction of new products and product enhancements, primarily
due to difficulties with model development, which has in the past required
multiple iterations, as well as difficulties with acquiring data and adapting to
particular operating environments. The length of these delays has varied
depending upon the size and scope of the project and the nature of the problems
encountered. Any significant delay in the completion of new
 
                                        7
<PAGE>   10
 
products, or the failure of such products, if and when installed, to achieve any
significant degree of market acceptance, would have a material adverse effect on
the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations. Any
failure by the Company to anticipate or to respond adequately to changing
technologies, or any significant delays in product development or introduction,
could cause customers to delay or decide against purchases of the Company's
products and would have a material adverse effect on the Company's business,
financial condition and results of operations. See "Business -- Technology" and
"-- Research and Development."
 
     PRODUCT CONCENTRATION. The Company currently has one product or product
line in each of its three target markets that accounts for a majority of the
Company's total revenues from that market. These products in the aggregate
accounted for 60.0%, 59.1% and 57.9% of the Company's total revenues in 1995,
1996 and 1997, respectively. In the healthcare/insurance market, the Company's
revenues from its CRLink product accounted for 29.8%, 24.6% and 23.0% of the
Company's total revenues in 1995, 1996 and 1997, respectively, and are expected
to account for a substantial portion of the Company's total revenues for the
foreseeable future. Continued market acceptance of CRLink will be affected by
future product enhancements and competition. Decline in demand for, or use of,
CRLink, whether as a result of competition, simplification of state workers'
compensation fee schedules, changes in the overall payment system or regulatory
structure for workers' compensation claims, technological change, an inability
to obtain or use state fee schedule or claims data, saturation of market demand,
industry consolidation or otherwise, could result in decreased revenues from
CRLink, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business,
financial condition and results of operations. Further, revenues from the Retek
Merchandising System ("RMS"), a retail management product, accounted for 2.2%,
13.6% and 18.9% of the Company's total revenues in 1995, 1996 and 1997,
respectively, and are expected to continue to account for a substantial portion
of the Company's revenues in the foreseeable future. Continued market acceptance
of RMS will be affected by the quality and timely introduction of future product
enhancements and competition. Decline in demand for, or use of, RMS as a result
of continued entry into the retail inventory management market by vendors that
may have significantly greater resources and a broader customer base than the
Company could result in decreased revenues from RMS, which could have a material
adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of
operations. In addition, decline in demand for RMS, as a result of technological
change, saturation of market demand, industry consolidation or otherwise would
have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition
and results of operations. Revenues from the Company's Falcon product line for
credit card fraud detection for financial institutions accounted for 28.0%,
20.9% and 16.0% of the Company's total revenues in 1995, 1996 and 1997,
respectively, and are expected to continue to account for a substantial portion
of the Company's total revenues in the foreseeable future. Continued market
acceptance of the Falcon product line will be affected by the quality and timely
introduction of future product enhancements and competition. In addition, it is
possible that patterns of credit card fraud may change in a manner that the
Falcon product line would not detect and that other methods of credit card fraud
prevention may reduce customers' needs for the Falcon product line. As a result
of increasing saturation of market demand for the Falcon product line, the
Company may also need to rely increasingly on international sales to maintain or
increase Falcon revenue levels. Furthermore, Falcon customers are banks and
related financial institutions. Accordingly, the Company's future success
depends upon the capital expenditure budgets of such customers and the continued
demand by such customers for Falcon products. The financial services industry
tends to be cyclical in nature, which may result in variations in demand for the
Company's products. In addition, there has been and continues to be
consolidation in the financial services industry, which in some cases has
lengthened the sales cycle and may lead to reduced demand for the Company's
products. Decline in demand for, or use of, Falcon, whether as a result of
competition, technological change, change in fraud patterns, the cyclical nature
of the financial services industry, saturation of market demand, fluctuations in
interest rates, industry consolidation, reduction in capital spending or
otherwise, could have a
 
                                        8
<PAGE>   11
 
material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and
results of operations. See "Business -- Markets and Products."
 
   
     DEPENDENCE ON DATA. The development, installation and support of the
Company's credit card fraud control and profitability management, loan
underwriting, home valuation and certain healthcare/insurance products require
periodic model updates. The Company must develop or obtain a reliable source of
sufficient amounts of current and statistically relevant data to analyze
transactions and update its models. For example, in the electronic payments
market, the data required by the Company are collected privately and maintained
in proprietary databases. As a result, the Company and its Falcon and ProfitMax
customers enter into agreements pursuant to which customers agree to provide the
data the Company requires to analyze transactions, report results and build new
fraud detection and profitability models. For its AREAS home valuation product,
the Company obtains data from commercial databases on available terms and
conditions. Many of the Company's healthcare/insurance products use historical
workers' compensation claims data obtained from customers. CRLink also uses data
from state workers' compensation fee schedules adopted by state regulatory
agencies, and certain third parties have asserted copyright interests in such
data. In most cases, such data must be periodically updated and refreshed to
enable the Company's predictive software products to continue to work
effectively. In addition, the development of new and enhanced products also
depends to a significant extent on the availability of sufficient amounts of
statistically relevant data to enable the Company to develop models. For
example, to expand the geographic coverage of its AREAS product, the Company
would be required to develop or obtain data on home sales in each county for
which AREAS is marketed. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able
to continue to obtain adequate amounts of statistically relevant data on a
timely basis, in the required formats or on reasonable terms and conditions,
whether from customers or commercial suppliers. Any such failure by the Company
to obtain required data when it is needed, for a reasonable price and on
reasonable terms, could have a significant negative impact on existing product
performance, new product development and product pricing which could in turn
have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition
and results of operations. See "Business -- Customer Service and Support."
    
 
     COMPETITION. The market for predictive software solutions for service
industries is intensely competitive and subject to rapid change. Competitors,
many of which have substantially greater financial resources than the Company,
vary in size and in the scope of the products and services they offer. The
Company encounters competition from a number of sources, including (i) other
application software companies, (ii) management information systems departments
of customers and potential customers, including banks, insurance companies and
retailers, (iii) third-party professional services organizations, including
without limitation, consulting divisions of public accounting firms, (iv)
hardware suppliers that bundle or develop complementary software, (v) network
and service providers that seek to enhance their value-added services, (vi)
neural-network tool suppliers and (vii) managed care organizations. In the
healthcare/insurance market, the Company has experienced competition primarily
from National Council on Compensation Insurance ("NCCI"), Corporate Systems and
CSC Incorporated. In the workers' compensation and medical cost administration
market, the Company has experienced competition from MediCode, Inc.
("MediCode"), Medata, Inc. and Embassy Software with regard to software
licensing, and Intracorp and Corvel Corporation in the service bureau operations
market. Additionally, the Company has faced competition from Automatic Data
Processing, Inc. ("ADP") in the automobile accident medical claims market. In
the financial services market, the Company has experienced competition from
Fair, Isaac & Co., Inc., Cogensys (a subsidiary of Policy Management Systems
Corporation), Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae"), Federal Home
Loan Mortgage Corporation ("Freddie Mac"), International Business Machines
Corporation ("IBM"), Nestor, Inc., NeuralTech Inc., Neuralware Inc., PMI
Mortgage Services Co., VISA International and others. In the retail market, the
Company has experienced competition from JDA Software Group, Inc., SAP AG,
PeopleSoft, Inc., IBM, Manugistics Group, Inc. and others. The
 
                                        9
<PAGE>   12
 
Company expects to experience additional competition from other established and
emerging companies, as well as other technologies. For example, the Company's
Falcon product competes against other methods of preventing credit card fraud,
such as card activation programs, credit cards that contain the cardholder's
photograph, smart cards and other card authorization techniques. Increased
competition, whether from other products or new technologies, could result in
price reductions, fewer customer orders, reduced gross margins and loss of
market share, any of which could materially adversely affect the Company's
business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
     The Company believes that most of its products are currently priced at a
premium when compared to its competitors' products. The market for the Company's
products is highly competitive, and the Company expects that it will face
increasing pricing pressures from its current competitors and new market
entrants. In particular, increased competition could reduce or eliminate such
premiums and cause further price reductions. In addition, such competition could
adversely affect the Company's ability to obtain new long-term contracts and
renewals of existing long-term contracts on terms favorable to the Company. Any
reduction in the price of the Company's products could materially adversely
affect the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
     Some of the Company's current, and many of the Company's potential,
competitors have significantly greater financial, technical, marketing and other
resources than the Company. As a result, they may be able to respond more
quickly to new or emerging technologies and changes in customer requirements or
to devote greater resources to the development, promotion and sale of their
products than the Company. In addition, current and potential competitors have
established or may establish cooperative relationships among themselves or with
third parties to increase the ability of their products to address the needs of
the Company's prospective customers. Accordingly, it is possible that new
competitors or alliances among competitors may emerge and rapidly gain
significant market share. Also, the Company relies upon its customers to provide
data, expertise and other support for the ongoing updating of the Company's
models. The Company's customers, most of which have significantly greater
financial and marketing resources than the Company, may compete with the Company
in the future or otherwise discontinue their relationships with or support of
the Company. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to compete
successfully against current and future competitors or that competitive
pressures faced by the Company will not materially adversely affect its
business, financial condition and results of operations. See
"Business -- Competition."
 
   
     RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH RECRUITING AND RETAINING QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. The
Company's success depends to a significant degree upon the continued service of
members of the Company's senior management and other key research, development,
sales and marketing personnel. Accordingly, the loss of any of the Company's
senior management or key research, development, sales or marketing personnel
could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial
condition and results of operations. Only a small number of employees have
employment agreements with the Company, and there can be no assurance that such
agreements will result in the retention of these employees for any significant
period of time. In addition, the untimely loss of a member of the management
team or a key employee of a business acquired by the Company could have a
material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and
results of operations, particularly if such loss occurred before the Company has
had adequate time to familiarize itself with the operating details of that
business. In the past, the Company has experienced difficulty in recruiting a
sufficient number of qualified sales and technical employees. In addition,
competitors may attempt to recruit the Company's key employees. There can be no
assurance that the Company will be successful in attracting, assimilating and
retaining such personnel. The failure to attract, assimilate and retain key
personnel could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business,
financial condition and results of operations. See "Business -- Employees" and
"Management."
    
 
                                       10
<PAGE>   13
 
   
     CUSTOMER CONCENTRATION. Product licenses to First Data Resources, Inc.
("First Data"), the largest provider of credit card charge receipt processing
services to banks, accounted for 8.7%, 8.6% and 7.6% of the Company's total
revenues in 1995, 1996 and 1997, respectively. The Company has licensed First
Data to provide its customers with access to the Company's ProfitMax product
pursuant to a license agreement entered into in January 1996 (the "ProfitMax
Contract"). The Company's revenues under the ProfitMax Contract represented
approximately one-quarter of the Company's revenues from First Data in 1997. In
late January 1998, First Data asserted that certain restrictive covenants under
the ProfitMax Contract violated certain intellectual property laws. First Data
also asserted that the existence of such restrictions made the ProfitMax
Contract at least temporarily unenforceable and that First Data is therefore not
obligated to pay the Company license fees due under the ProfitMax Contract. The
Company disputed First Data's claim, released and waived the above-mentioned
restrictive covenants in the ProfitMax Contract and gave First Data written
notice that the Company intended to terminate the ProfitMax Contract pursuant to
its terms unless First Data cured its failure to pay the delinquent license fees
in a timely manner. Currently, First Data and the Company are working to resolve
their dispute regarding the ProfitMax Contract by negotiating a new agreement;
however, there can be no assurance that such an agreement will be reached or
that the terms of such an agreement would be as favorable to HNC as its existing
contractual arrangements with First Data. If no such agreement can be reached
and First Data maintains its current position, it is possible that litigation or
arbitration could ensue, which would likely result in a loss of anticipated
revenue to the Company under the ProfitMax Contract and possibly other
agreements between the Company and First Data, which could have a material
adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of
operation. See "Business -- Sales and Marketing."
    
 
     RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH INTERNATIONAL SALES. In 1995, 1996 and 1997,
international operations and export sales (including sales in Canada)
represented 12.6%, 17.7% and 16.8% of the Company's total revenues,
respectively. The Company intends to continue to expand its operations outside
the United States and to enter additional international markets, including by
adding sales and support offices in Europe and Japan, which will require
significant management attention and financial resources. For certain more
mature products, such as Falcon, the Company may need to increase international
sales in order to continue to expand the product's customer base. The Company
has committed and continues to commit significant time and development resources
to customizing certain of its products for selected international markets and to
developing international sales and support channels. There can be no assurance
that the Company's efforts to develop products, databases and models for
targeted international markets or to develop additional international sales and
support channels will be successful. The failure of such efforts, which can
entail considerable expense, could have a material adverse effect on the
Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
     International sales are subject to additional inherent risks, including
longer payment cycles, unexpected changes in regulatory requirements, import and
export restrictions and tariffs, difficulties in staffing and managing foreign
operations, the burdens of complying with a variety of foreign laws, greater
difficulty or delay in accounts receivable collection, potentially adverse tax
consequences and political and economic instability. The Company's international
sales are currently denominated predominantly in United States dollars and a
small portion are denominated in British pounds sterling. An increase in the
value of the United States dollar relative to foreign currencies could make the
Company's products more expensive, and therefore potentially less competitive,
in foreign markets. In the future, to the extent the Company's international
sales are denominated in local currencies, foreign currency translations may
contribute to significant fluctuations in the Company's business, financial
condition and results of operations. If for any reason exchange or price
controls or other restrictions on foreign currencies are imposed, the Company's
business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially
adversely affected. See "Business -- Sales and Marketing."
 
                                       11
<PAGE>   14
 
     RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH CHANGING REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT. The Company's
customers are subject to a number of government regulations and certain other
industry standards with which the Company's products must comply. For example,
the Company's financial services products are affected by Regulation B
promulgated under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, by regulations governing the
extension of credit to consumers and by Regulation E promulgated under the
Electronic Fund Transfers Act governing the transfer of funds from and to
consumer deposit accounts, as well as VISA and MasterCard electronic payment
standards. In the mortgage services market, the Company's products are affected
by regulations such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac regulations for conforming
loans, Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice and appraisal
standards for federally insured institutions under the Financial Institutions
Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act. In addition, recent regulatory initiatives
have restricted the availability of bank and credit bureau data, reflecting a
consumer privacy trend that could limit the Company's ability to obtain or use
certain credit-related information. It is also possible that insurance-related
regulations may in the future apply to the Company's healthcare/insurance
products. In many states, including California, there have been periodic
legislative efforts to reform workers' compensation laws in order to reduce the
cost of workers' compensation insurance and to curb abuses of the workers'
compensation system, and such changes, if adopted, might adversely affect the
Company's healthcare/insurance business. In addition, if state-mandated workers'
compensation laws or regulations or state workers' compensation fee schedules
are simplified, such changes would diminish the need for, and the benefit
provided by, the CRLink product. Changes in workers' compensation laws or
regulations could also adversely affect the Company's healthcare/insurance
products by making them obsolete, or by requiring extensive changes in these
products to reflect new workers' compensation rules. To the extent that the
Company sells new products targeted to markets that include regulated industries
and businesses, the Company's products will need to comply with these additional
regulations. Any failure of the Company's products to comply with existing or
new regulations and standards could result in legal action against the Company
or its customers by regulatory authorities or by third parties, including
actions seeking civil or criminal penalties, injunctions against the Company's
use of data or civil damages, any of which could have a material adverse effect
on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations. The
Company may also be liable to its customers for failure of its products to
comply with such regulatory requirements. Furthermore, changes to these
regulations and standards or the adoption of new regulations or standards that
affect the Company's products could affect the performance of such products and
have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition
and results of operations.
 
   
     PROTECTION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. The Company relies on a combination of
patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret laws and confidentiality
procedures to protect its proprietary rights. The Company currently owns seven
issued United States patents and has four United States patent applications
pending. The Company has applied for additional patents for its Falcon
technology in Canada, Europe and Japan and for its MIRA product in Australia,
Canada and Europe. There can be no assurance that patents will be issued with
respect to pending or future patent applications or that the Company's patents
will be upheld as valid or will prevent the development of competitive products.
The Company seeks to protect its software, documentation and other written
materials under trade secret and copyright laws, which afford only limited
protection. As part of its confidentiality procedures, the Company generally
enters into invention assignment and proprietary information agreements with its
employees and independent contractors and nondisclosure agreements with its
distributors, corporate partners and licensees, and limits access to and
distribution of its software, documentation and other proprietary information.
Despite these precautions, it may be possible for a third party to copy or
otherwise to obtain and use the Company's products or technology without
authorization, or to develop similar technology independently. In addition, to
ensure that customers will not be adversely affected by an interruption in the
Company's business, the Company places source code for certain of its products
into escrow, which may increase the likelihood of misappropriation or other
misuse of the
    
 
                                       12
<PAGE>   15
 
Company's intellectual property. Moreover, effective protection of intellectual
property rights may be unavailable or limited in certain foreign countries in
which the Company has done and may do business. Also, the Company has developed
technologies under research projects conducted under agreements with various
United States Government agencies or subcontractors to such agencies. Although
the Company has acquired certain commercial rights to such technologies, the
United States Government typically retains ownership of certain intellectual
property rights and licenses in the technologies developed by the Company under
such contracts, and in some cases can terminate the Company's rights in such
technologies if the Company fails to commercialize them on a timely basis. In
addition, under certain United States Government contracts, the results of the
Company's research may be made public by the government, which could limit the
Company's competitive advantage with respect to future products based on such
research. See "Business -- Intellectual Property and Other Proprietary Rights."
 
   
     INFRINGEMENT OF PROPRIETARY RIGHTS. In the past, the Company has received
communications from third parties asserting that Company trademarks infringed
such other parties' trademarks, none of which has resulted in litigation or
losses to the Company. Given the Company's ongoing efforts to develop and market
new technologies and products, the Company may receive communications from third
parties asserting that the Company's products infringe, or may infringe, their
intellectual property rights. If as a result of any such claims the Company were
precluded from using certain technologies or intellectual property rights,
licenses to such disputed third-party technology or intellectual property rights
might not be available on reasonable commercial terms, if at all. Furthermore,
the Company may initiate claims or litigation against third parties for
infringement of the Company's proprietary rights or to establish the validity of
the Company's proprietary rights. Litigation, either as plaintiff or defendant,
could result in significant expense to the Company and divert the efforts of the
Company's technical and management personnel from productive tasks, whether or
not such litigation is resolved in favor of the Company. In the event of an
adverse ruling in any such litigation, the Company might be required to pay
substantial damages, discontinue the use and sale of infringing products, expend
significant resources to develop non-infringing technology or obtain licenses to
infringing technology, and the court might invalidate the Company's patents,
trademarks or other proprietary rights. In the event of a successful claim
against the Company and the failure of the Company to develop or license a
substitute technology, the Company's business, financial condition and results
of operations would be materially and adversely affected. As the number of
software products increases and the functionality of these products further
overlaps, the Company believes that software developers may become increasingly
subject to infringement claims. Any such claims, with or without merit, can be
time consuming and expensive to defend and could materially and adversely affect
the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations. See
"Business -- Intellectual Property and Other Proprietary Rights."
    
 
     RISK OF PRODUCT DEFECTS AND PRODUCT LIABILITY. Software products as complex
as those offered by the Company often contain undetected errors or failures when
first introduced or as new versions are released. In addition, to the extent
that the Company may have to develop new products that operate in new
environments, such as the Internet, the possibility for program errors and
failures may increase due to factors such as the use of new technologies or the
need for more rapid product development that is characteristic of the Internet
market. Despite pre-release testing by the Company and by current and potential
customers, there still may be errors in new products, even after commencement of
commercial shipments. The occurrence of such errors could result in delay in, or
failure to achieve, market acceptance of the Company's products, which could
have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition
and results of operations.
 
     Although the Company's license agreements with its customers typically
contain provisions designed to limit the Company's exposure to potential product
liability claims, it is possible that such limitation of liability provisions
may not be effective as a result of existing or future laws or unfavorable
judicial decisions. Because the Company's products are used in business-critical
 
                                       13
<PAGE>   16
 
applications, any errors or failures in such products may give rise to
substantial product liability claims, which could have a material adverse effect
on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
     VOLATILITY OF PRICE OF NOTES AND COMMON STOCK. The Company's Common Stock
has experienced significant price volatility and such volatility may recur in
the future. Factors such as announcements of the introduction of new products by
the Company or its competitors, acquisitions of businesses or products by the
Company, quarter-to-quarter variations in the Company's operating results and
the gain or loss of significant orders, as well as market conditions in the
technology and emerging growth company sectors, may have a significant impact on
the market price of the Company's Common Stock and, in turn, the market price of
the Notes. Further, the stock market has experienced extreme volatility that has
particularly affected the market prices of securities of many technology
companies and that often has been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating
performance of such companies. These market fluctuations may adversely affect
the price of the Notes and the Common Stock. The trading prices of many
technology companies' stocks, including the Company's Common Stock, reflect
price/earnings ratios substantially above historical norms. The trading price of
the Company's Common Stock may not remain at or near its current level, which,
in turn, would materially and adversely affect the market price of the Notes.
See "Price Range of Common Stock."
 
     YEAR 2000 COMPLIANCE. Many currently installed computer systems and
software products are coded to accept only two digit entries in the date code
field. These date code fields will need to accept four digit entries to
distinguish 21st century dates from 20th century dates. As a result, in less
than two years, computer systems and/or software used by many companies may need
to be upgraded to comply with such "Year 2000" requirements. Significant
uncertainty exists in the software industry concerning the potential effects
associated with such compliance. The Company anticipates that it will need to
devote resources in the next two years to modify its CRLink product to properly
process dates beyond December 31, 1999. The Company expects that the cost of
making these modifications and distributing the modified product to existing
customers will be approximately $500,000. These modifications and the resources
that the Company expects to devote to such modifications may divert management
and engineering attention from, or delay the development and introduction of,
new products and enhancements to existing products. The inability of the Company
to complete such modifications successfully and on a timely basis, or the
inability of the Company to devote sufficient resources to continuing updates
and enhancements to the CRLink product, could have a material adverse effect on
the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations. In
addition, the Company believes that the purchasing patterns of customers and
potential customers may be affected by Year 2000 issues as companies expend
significant resources to correct or patch their current software systems for
Year 2000 compliance. These expenditures may result in reduced funds available
to purchase software products such as those offered by the Company, which could
result in a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial
condition and results of operations.
 
     FACTORS INHIBITING TAKEOVER. The Board of Directors is authorized to issue
up to 4,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock and to determine the price, rights,
preferences, privileges and restrictions, including voting rights, of those
shares without any further vote or action by the stockholders. The rights of the
holders of Common Stock will be subject to, and may be adversely affected by,
the rights of the holders of any Preferred Stock that may be issued in the
future. The issuance of Preferred Stock, while providing desirable flexibility
in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could
have the effect of making it more difficult for a third party to acquire a
majority of the outstanding voting stock of the Company. The Company has no
current plans to issue shares of Preferred Stock. In addition, Section 203 of
the Delaware General Corporation Law restricts certain business combinations
with any "interested stockholder" as defined by such statute. The statute may
have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of the
Company. The repurchase option upon a "fundamental change" feature of
 
                                       14
<PAGE>   17
 
the Notes may in certain circumstances make more difficult or discourage a
takeover of the Company and, thus, the removal of incumbent management. See
"Description of the Notes -- Repurchase at Option of Holders Upon a Fundamental
Change."
 
   
     LEVERAGE; SUBORDINATION AND ABSENCE OF FINANCIAL COVENANTS. In connection
with the sale of the Notes, the Company will incur $90.0 million in indebtedness
($100.0 million if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) which will
result in a ratio of long-term debt to total capitalization at December 31, 1997
of approximately 46.4% on an as adjusted basis (49.1% if the over-allotment
option is exercised in full). As a result of this indebtedness, the Company will
have substantial principal and interest obligations. The degree to which the
Company will be leveraged could materially and adversely affect the Company's
ability to obtain financing for working capital, acquisitions or other purposes
and could make the Company more vulnerable to industry downturns and competitive
pressures. The Company's ability to meet its debt service obligations will be
dependent upon the Company's future performance, which will be subject to
financial, business and other factors affecting the operation of the Company,
many of which are beyond its control.
    
 
     The Notes will be unsecured and subordinated in right of payment in full to
all Senior Indebtedness of the Company. As a result of such subordination, in
the event of bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization of the Company or certain
other events, the assets of the Company will be available to pay obligations on
the Notes only after all Senior Indebtedness has been paid in full in cash, and
there may not be sufficient assets remaining to pay amounts due on any or all of
the Notes then outstanding. As a significant portion of the Company's
consolidated operations is conducted through subsidiaries, the cash flow and the
consequent ability to service debt of the Company, including the Notes, is
partially dependent upon the earnings of such subsidiaries and the distribution
of those earnings, or upon loans or other payments of funds by those
subsidiaries, to the Company. Such subsidiaries are separate and distinct legal
entities, and have no obligation, contingent or otherwise, to pay any amounts
due pursuant to the Notes or to make any funds available therefor, whether by
dividends, distributions, loans or other payments. In addition, the payment of
dividends or distributions and the making of loans and advances to the Company
by any such subsidiaries may be subject to statutory or contractual
restrictions, and may be contingent upon the earnings of those subsidiaries and
subject to various business considerations. Any right of the Company to receive
assets of subsidiaries upon their liquidation or reorganization (and the
consequent right of the Holders of the Notes to participate in these assets)
would be effectively subordinated to the claims of that subsidiary's creditors
(including trade creditors), except to the extent that the Company is itself
recognized as a creditor of such subsidiary, in which case the claims of the
Company would still be subordinate to any security interests in the assets of
such subsidiary and any indebtedness of such subsidiary senior to that held by
the Company.
 
   
     As of December 31, 1997, the Company had no indebtedness outstanding that
would have constituted Senior Indebtedness and the Company's subsidiaries had
indebtedness and other liabilities outstanding aggregating approximately
$254,000 (excluding intercompany liabilities and liabilities of a type not
required to be reflected as liabilities on the balance sheets of such
subsidiaries in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) to
which the Notes would have been effectively subordinated. The Indenture will not
limit the amount of additional indebtedness, including Senior Indebtedness,
which the Company can create, incur, assume or guarantee, nor will the Indenture
limit the amount of indebtedness which any subsidiary of the Company can create,
incur, assume or guarantee. The Company anticipates that from time to time it
and its subsidiaries will incur additional indebtedness, including Senior
Indebtedness. In addition, the Indenture does not contain any financial
covenants or restrictions on the payment of dividends by the Company or the
issuance or repurchase of securities by the Company, and contains no covenants
or other provisions to afford protection to holders of the Notes in the event of
a highly leveraged transaction or a change in control of the Company except to
the extent described under
    
 
                                       15
<PAGE>   18
 
"Description of Notes -- Subordination" and "-- Repurchase at Option of Holders
Upon a Fundamental Change."
 
   
     DISCRETIONARY USE OF PROCEEDS OF OFFERING. The principal purpose of this
offering is to increase the Company's capital base and financial flexibility.
The Company expects to use the net proceeds principally for general corporate
purposes, including working capital, potentially to repurchase outstanding
shares of the Company's stock or to acquire complementary businesses, products
or technologies. As a consequence, the Company's management will have the
ability to allocate the net proceeds of this offering at its discretion. There
can be no assurance that the proceeds will be utilized in a manner that the
Holders of Notes deem optimal or that the proceeds can or will be invested to
yield a significant return upon the completion of this offering. Upon completion
of this offering, the Company will have more than $130.1 million of cash, cash
equivalents and short-term investments (based on balances at December 31, 1997,
and assuming no exercise of the Underwriters' over-allotment option and after
deducting the estimated underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses
payable by the Company), substantially all of which will be invested in
short-term, interest-bearing, investment-grade obligations for an indefinite
period of time. See "Use of Proceeds."
    
 
     LIMITATIONS ON REPURCHASE OF NOTES. Upon a Fundamental Change (as defined),
each Holder of Notes will have certain rights, at the Holder's option, to
require the Company to repurchase all or a portion of such Holder's Notes. If a
Fundamental Change were to occur, there can be no assurance that the Company
would have or be able to obtain sufficient funds to pay the repurchase price for
all Notes tendered by the Holders thereof. The Company's existing credit
agreement contains, and any future credit agreements or other agreements
relating to other indebtedness (including Senior Indebtedness) to which the
Company becomes a party may contain, restrictions and provisions that prohibit
the Company from repurchasing or redeeming any Notes or provide that a
Fundamental Change would constitute an event of default thereunder. In the event
that a Fundamental Change occurs at a time when the Company is prohibited from
repurchasing or redeeming Notes, the Company could seek the consent of its
lenders to the repurchase of Notes or could attempt to refinance the borrowings
that contain such prohibition. If the Company does not obtain such a consent or
repay such borrowings, the Company would remain prohibited from repurchasing or
redeeming Notes. In such case, the Company's failure to repurchase tendered
Notes would constitute an Event of Default under the Indenture, which may, in
turn, constitute a further default under the terms of other indebtedness that
the Company may enter into from time to time, including under any Senior
Indebtedness. In such circumstances, the subordination provisions in the
Indenture would likely prohibit the repurchase of the Notes. See "Description of
Notes -- Repurchase at Option of Holders upon a Fundamental Change."
 
     ABSENCE OF PUBLIC MARKET FOR THE NOTES. The Notes are a new issue of
securities for which there is currently no public market. There can be no
assurance that an active trading market will develop or be maintained for the
Notes. If a market for the Notes does develop, the Notes may trade at a discount
from their initial offering price, depending upon prevailing interest rates, the
market for similar securities, the performance of the Company, the market price
for the Company's Common Stock and other factors.
 
                                       16
<PAGE>   19
 
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
 
   
     The net proceeds to the Company from the issuance and sale of the Notes
offered hereby are estimated to be $87.2 million ($96.9 million if the
Underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full), after deducting the
estimated underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses. The Company
expects to use the net proceeds for working capital and other general corporate
purposes. The Company has not allocated any specific portion of the net proceeds
to such purposes and management will have the ability to allocate such proceeds
at its discretion. A portion of the net proceeds may be used to repurchase
shares of the Company's Common Stock from time to time in the open market. A
portion of the net proceeds may also be used to acquire or invest in
complementary businesses or products or otherwise to obtain the right to use
complementary technologies or data. From time to time, in the ordinary course of
business, the Company evaluates potential acquisitions of such businesses,
products, technologies or data. The Company has no present understandings,
commitments or agreements with respect to any material acquisition of
businesses, products, technologies or data. Pending use of the net proceeds, the
Company intends to invest such funds in short-term, interest-bearing,
investment-grade securities. See "Risk Factors -- Discretionary Use of Proceeds
of Offering."
    
 
                          PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK
 
     The Company's Common Stock has been traded on the Nasdaq National Market
since June 1995 under the symbol "HNCS." The following table sets forth for the
periods indicated the high and low sales prices of the Common Stock. Prior to
June 1995, there was no established public trading market for the Common Stock.
All prices have been adjusted to give effect to a two-for-one stock split
effected in the form of a stock dividend paid in April 1996.
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                 HIGH       LOW
                                                                 ----       ----
            <S>                                                  <C>        <C>
            1996:
              First Quarter....................................  $38  3/4   $18  1/4
              Second Quarter...................................   51         31  1/4
              Third Quarter....................................   47  1/2    20  3/4
              Fourth Quarter...................................   45  1/4    26  1/4
 
            1997:
              First Quarter....................................  $36  3/4   $23  1/4
              Second Quarter...................................   42  3/8    18  1/4
              Third Quarter....................................   43  5/8    33  3/4
              Fourth Quarter...................................   43  1/2    30
 
            1998:
              First Quarter (through February 25, 1998)........  $43        $32 9/16
</TABLE>
    
 
   
     On February 25, 1998, the last reported sale price of the Common Stock on
the Nasdaq National Market was $32 11/16 per share. As of February 13, 1998,
there were approximately 186 holders of record of the Common Stock.
    
 
                                DIVIDEND POLICY
 
     The Company has never declared or paid any cash dividends on its capital
stock. The Company currently anticipates that it will retain all future earnings
for use in its business and does not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the
foreseeable future. The Company's bank credit agreement prohibits the Company
from declaring or paying any cash dividends without the bank's consent.
 
                                       17
<PAGE>   20
 
                                 CAPITALIZATION
 
   
     The following table sets forth the capitalization of HNC at December 31,
1997 and as adjusted to give effect to the sale by the Company of the Notes
offered hereby.
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                        DECEMBER 31, 1997
                                                                     ------------------------
                                                                      ACTUAL      AS ADJUSTED
                                                                     --------     -----------
                                                                          (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                                  <C>          <C>
  % Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2003.......................   $     --      $  90,000
                                                                     --------       --------
Stockholders' equity:
  Preferred stock, $0.001 par value -- 4,000,000 shares
     authorized: no shares issued or outstanding..................         --             --
  Common stock, $0.001 par value -- 50,000,000 shares authorized:
     24,537,550 shares issued and outstanding(1)..................         25             25
  Paid-in capital.................................................     95,919         95,919
  Unrealized loss on investments available for sale...............         (2)            (2)
  Foreign currency translation adjustment.........................       (111)          (111)
  Retained earnings...............................................      8,029          8,029
                                                                     --------       --------
     Total stockholders' equity...................................    103,860        103,860
                                                                     --------       --------
          Total capitalization....................................   $103,860      $ 193,860
                                                                     ========       ========
</TABLE>
    
 
- ---------------
   
(1) Excludes the       shares reserved for issuance upon conversion of the
    Notes, 4,591,133 shares of Common Stock subject to stock options outstanding
    at December 31, 1997 at a weighted average exercise price of $23.92 per
    share and an additional 393,075 shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance
    under the Company's stock option and stock purchase plans at such date. In
    February 1998, the Company adopted a nonqualified stock option plan and
    reserved 1,000,000 shares of Common Stock for issuance thereunder. The
    Underwriters are concurrently offering 2,100,000 shares of the Company's
    Common Stock, of which 20,000 shares will be issued and sold by the Company.
    The net proceeds from such sale will not be material.
    
 
                                       18
<PAGE>   21
 
                      SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA
 
     The selected consolidated financial data as of December 31, 1996 and 1997
and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 1997 have
been derived from HNC's Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in
this Prospectus, which have been audited by Price Waterhouse LLP, independent
accountants, as indicated in their report thereon appearing elsewhere herein.
The selected consolidated financial data as of December 31, 1994 and 1995 and
for the year ended December 31, 1994 have been derived from separate audited
financial statements for HNC and CompReview not included herein. The selected
consolidated financial data as of and for the year ended December 31, 1993 have
been derived from separate financial data for HNC and CompReview not included
herein. The data set forth below are qualified in their entirety by reference
to, and should be read in conjunction with, "Management's Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and the Consolidated
Financial Statements and related notes thereto included elsewhere in this
Prospectus.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                    YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                                                -------------------------------
                                                                                 1995        1996        1997
                                                                                -------     -------     -------
                                                                                     (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT
                                                                                        PER SHARE DATA)
<S>                                                                             <C>         <C>         <C>
STATEMENT OF INCOME DATA(1):
Revenues:
  License and maintenance.....................................................  $24,561     $48,890     $89,643
  Installation and implementation.............................................    4,648       6,691      10,702
  Contracts and other.........................................................    9,146      11,128       7,772
  Service bureau..............................................................    5,349       4,730       5,618
                                                                                --------    -------     -------
         Total revenues.......................................................   43,704      71,439     113,735
                                                                                --------    -------     -------
Operating expenses:
  License and maintenance.....................................................    7,903      13,725      19,937
  Installation and implementation.............................................    1,425       2,714       5,174
  Contracts and other.........................................................    6,894       7,694       5,438
  Service bureau..............................................................    3,025       3,365       4,320
  Research and development....................................................    6,998      13,808      21,151
  Sales and marketing.........................................................    7,276      11,923      22,049
  General and administrative..................................................    5,101       8,551      12,626
                                                                                --------    -------     -------
         Total operating expenses.............................................   38,622      61,780      90,695
                                                                                --------    -------     -------
Operating income..............................................................    5,082       9,659      23,040
Interest and other income.....................................................      912       2,178       2,003
Interest expense..............................................................     (428)       (478)        (81)
Minority interest in income of consolidated subsidiary........................       --          --         (43)
                                                                                --------    -------     -------
         Income before income tax (benefit) provision.........................    5,566      11,359      24,919
Income tax (benefit) provision................................................     (511)       (534)      7,354
                                                                                --------    -------     -------
         Net income...........................................................  $ 6,077     $11,893     $17,565
                                                                                ========    =======     =======
Earnings per share:
  Basic net income per common share(2)........................................  $  0.38     $  0.50     $  0.72
                                                                                ========    =======     =======
  Diluted net income per common share(2)......................................  $  0.28     $  0.47     $  0.68
                                                                                ========    =======     =======
Unaudited pro forma data(3):
  Income before income tax provision..........................................  $ 5,566     $11,359     $24,919
  Income tax provision........................................................    1,032       1,628       9,502
                                                                                --------    -------     -------
         Net income...........................................................  $ 4,534     $ 9,731     $15,417
                                                                                ========    =======     =======
  Basic pro forma net income per common share(3)..............................                          $  0.64
                                                                                                        =======
  Diluted pro forma net income per common share(3)............................                          $  0.60
                                                                                                        =======
Shares used in computing basic net income per common share and unaudited basic
  pro forma net income per common share.......................................   15,195      23,552      24,275
                                                                                ========    =======     =======
Shares used in computing diluted net income per common share and unaudited
  diluted pro forma net income per common share...............................   21,510      25,363      25,681
                                                                                ========    =======     =======
</TABLE>
 
                                       19
<PAGE>   22
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                               YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                   ------------------------------------------------
                                                    1993      1994      1995      1996       1997
                                                   -------   -------   -------   -------   --------
                                                   (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT RATIO AND PER SHARE DATA)
<S>                                                <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>
ADDITIONAL STATEMENT OF INCOME DATA:(1)
    Total revenues...............................  $16,167   $29,838   $43,704   $71,439   $113,735
    Operating income.............................    1,034     2,881     5,082     9,659     23,040
    Net income...................................      875     3,142     6,077    11,893     17,565
    Basic net income per common share(2).........     0.02      0.28      0.38      0.50       0.72
    Diluted net income per common share(2).......     0.02      0.17      0.28      0.47       0.68
    Pro forma net income(3)......................      641     2,137     4,534     9,731     15,417
    Basic pro forma net income per common
      share(3)...................................                                              0.64
    Diluted pro forma net income per common
      share(3)...................................                                              0.60
    Shares used in computing unaudited basic net
      income per common share and basic pro forma
      net income per common share................    8,591     8,642    15,195    23,552     24,275
    Shares used in computing unaudited diluted
      net income per common share and diluted pro
      forma net income per common share..........    9,289    18,142    21,510    25,363     25,681
 
OTHER DATA:
    Ratio of earnings to fixed charges(4)........     3.00x     4.87x     6.99x    12.15x     26.51x
</TABLE>
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     DECEMBER 31,
                                                   ------------------------------------------------
                                                    1993      1994      1995      1996       1997
                                                   -------   -------   -------   -------   --------
                                                   (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>
BALANCE SHEET DATA:
    Cash, cash equivalents and investments
      available for sale.........................  $ 4,679   $ 7,827   $44,975   $34,849   $ 42,946
    Total assets.................................   10,944    20,663    63,113    98,293    119,877
    Long-term obligations, less current
      portion....................................      367       917     1,373       264         63
    Mandatorily redeemable convertible preferred
      stock......................................   12,452    13,169        --        --         --
</TABLE>
    
 
- ---------------
 
(1) The selected consolidated financial data gives retroactive effect to the
    acquisitions of Risk Data, Retek and CompReview for all periods presented,
    accounted for as poolings of interests.
 
(2) The computations of basic net income per common share for 1993, 1994 and
    1995 include reductions of consolidated net income in the amounts of
    $717,000, $717,000 and $348,000, respectively, related to the accretion of
    dividends on mandatorily redeemable convertible Preferred Stock, which
    converted into Common Stock upon the closing of the Company's initial public
    offering on June 26, 1995. The computation of diluted net income per common
    share for 1993 does not include the assumed conversion of all outstanding
    shares of mandatorily redeemable convertible Preferred Stock into 7,675,000
    shares of Common Stock or an increase to net income per common share related
    to the elimination of dividend accretion on such Preferred Stock as the
    impact would be antidilutive.
 
(3) Pro forma net income and net income per common share reflect a provision for
    taxes on the income of CompReview, which was a subchapter S corporation
    prior to its acquisition by HNC, as if CompReview had been subject to
    corporate income taxes as a C corporation for all periods presented.
 
(4) The ratio of earnings to fixed charges has been computed by dividing
    earnings available for fixed charges (earnings before income taxes plus
    fixed charges less capitalized interest) by fixed charges (interest expense
    plus capitalized interest and the portion of rental expense that represents
    interest).
 
                                       20
<PAGE>   23
 
          MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
                           AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
     This Prospectus (including without limitation the following section
regarding Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations) contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning
of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act)
regarding the Company and its business, financial condition, results of
operations and prospects. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends,"
"plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates" and similar expressions or variations
of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements, but are not
the exclusive means of identifying forward-looking statements in this
Prospectus. Additionally, statements concerning future matters such as the
development of new products, enhancements or technologies, possible changes in
legislation and other statements regarding matters that are not historical are
forward-looking statements.
 
   
     Although forward-looking statements in this Prospectus reflect the good
faith judgment of the Company's management, such statements can only be based on
facts and factors currently known by the Company. Consequently, forward-looking
statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties and actual results
and outcomes may differ materially from the results and outcomes discussed in
the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such
differences in results and outcomes include without limitation those discussed
in "Risk Factors" as well as those discussed elsewhere in this Prospectus and in
any documents that are incorporated into this Prospectus by reference. Readers
are urged not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which
speak only as of the date of this Prospectus. The Company undertakes no
obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to
reflect any event or circumstance that may arise after the date of this
Prospectus. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various
disclosures made by the Company in this Prospectus and in the Company's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1997, as amended, filed with
the Commission, which attempts to advise interested parties of the risks and
factors that may affect the Company's business, financial condition, results of
operations and prospects.
    
 
OVERVIEW
 
     HNC develops, markets and supports predictive software solutions for
leading service industries. These predictive software solutions employ
proprietary neural-network predictive decision engines, profiles, traditional
statistical modeling, business models, expert rules and context vectors to
convert existing data and business experiences into meaningful recommendations
and actions. HNC was founded in 1986 to provide software tools and contracted
technology services using neural-network technology.
 
     In August 1996, HNC completed its acquisition of Risk Data in a transaction
accounted for as a pooling of interests. Risk Data is based in Irvine,
California and develops, markets and supports proprietary software decision
products for use in the insurance industry. In 1996, HNC formed Aptex Software
Inc. ("Aptex"), a majority-owned subsidiary located in San Diego, California
that develops, markets and supports electronic text analysis technology in
products designed for the Internet and other environments. In November 1996, HNC
completed its acquisition of Retek in a transaction accounted for as a pooling
of interests. Retek is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota and develops, markets and
supports software products that provide merchandise management and other
management tools to retailers and their vendors. In November 1997, the Company
completed its acquisition of CompReview, in a transaction accounted for as a
pooling of interests. CompReview is located in Costa Mesa, California and
develops, markets and supports a software product and related services designed
to assist in the management and containment of the medical costs of workers'
compensation and automobile accident medical claims. CompReview provides its
product and services primarily to insurance companies, managed care
organizations, third party administrators and large self-insured employers. The
Company anticipates that from time to time it
 
                                       21
<PAGE>   24
 
will consider acquisitions of other businesses in order to expand the markets
served by the Company and to acquire complementary technologies, products and
personnel. See "Risk Factors -- Acquisitions" and "Business -- HNC's Strategy."
 
     After giving retroactive effect to the Company's acquisitions of Risk Data,
Retek and CompReview, HNC experienced compound annual growth in total revenues
of 63% from 1993 through 1997. See "Risk Factors -- Risks Associated with
Managing Growth." This revenue growth resulted primarily from increased license
fees for the Retek Merchandising System, CRLink, Falcon, MIRA and ProfitMax
products and, to a lesser extent, from increased license fees for the Active
Retail Intelligence, Retek Data Warehouse, PMAdvisor, CompCompare, Capstone and
AREAS products. Because of the long sales and development cycle associated with
the Company's products, the Company has not received significant revenues to
date from the SelectCast, SelectResponse, SelectResource, VeriComp or PMAdvisor
products. See "Risk Factors -- Lengthy and Unpredictable Sales Cycle."
 
   
     The Company markets most of its predictive software solutions as an ongoing
service that includes software licenses, decision model updates, application
consulting and on-line or on-site support and maintenance. The Company's pricing
for the CRLink, Falcon, MIRA, ProfitMax, AREAS, PMAdvisor, CompCompare and
ProviderCompare products typically includes an annual or monthly usage fee and a
one to seven year contract commitment. In 1995, 1996 and 1997, annual license
and maintenance revenues from these contracts represented 61.2%, 56.1% and 55.2%
of the Company's total revenues, respectively.
    
 
   
     The Company's revenues and operating results have varied significantly in
the past and may do so in the future. Because the Company's expense levels are
based in part on its expectations regarding future revenues and in the short
term are fixed to a large extent, the Company may be unable to adjust its
spending in time to compensate for any unexpected revenue shortfall. Factors
affecting operating results include market acceptance of the Company's products;
the relatively large size and small number of customer orders that may be
received during a given period; customer cancellation of long-term contracts
yielding recurring revenues or customers' ceasing their use of Company products
for which the Company's fees are usage based; the length of the Company's sales
cycle; the Company's ability to develop, introduce and market new products and
product enhancements; the timing of new product announcements and introductions
by the Company and its competitors; changes in the mix of distribution channels;
changes in the level of operating expenses; the Company's ability to achieve
progress on percentage-of-completion contracts; the Company's success in
completing certain pilot installations for contracted fees; competitive
conditions in the industry; domestic and international economic conditions; and
market conditions in the Company's targeted markets. In addition, as a result of
recently issued guidance on software revenue recognition, license agreements
entered into during a quarter may not meet the Company's revenue recognition
criteria. Therefore, even if the Company meets or exceeds its forecast of
aggregate licensing and other contracting activity, it is possible that the
Company's revenues would not meet expectations. Furthermore, the Company's
operating results may be affected by factors unique to certain of its product
lines. For example, the Company derives a substantial and increasing portion of
its revenues from its retail products, which are generally priced as "perpetual"
license transactions in which the Company receives a one-time license fee. The
Company recognizes these fees as revenue upon delivery of the software and
acceptance by the customer. Thus, failure to complete a perpetual license
transaction during a fiscal quarter could have a disproportionate adverse impact
on the Company's operating results for that quarter.
    
 
     The Company expects fluctuations in its operating results to continue for
the foreseeable future. Accordingly, the Company believes that period-to-period
comparisons of its financial results should not be relied upon as an indication
of future performance. The Company may not be able to maintain profitability on
a quarterly or annual basis in the future. Due to all of the foregoing factors,
it is possible that in some future quarter the Company's operating results will
be below the expectations of public market analysts and investors. In that
event, the price of the Company's
 
                                       22
<PAGE>   25
 
Common Stock and, in turn, the market price of the Notes, would likely be
materially adversely affected.
 
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
     The Company's statements of income for all periods presented give
retroactive effect to the acquisitions of Risk Data, Retek and CompReview in
August 1996, November 1996 and November 1997, respectively, each of which was
accounted for as a pooling of interests.
 
  Total Revenues
 
   
     The Company's revenues are comprised of license and maintenance revenues,
installation and implementation revenues, contracts and other revenues and
service bureau revenues. Total revenues increased by 63.5% to $71.4 million in
1996 and by 59.2% to $113.7 million in 1997. International operations and export
sales represented 12.6%, 17.7% and 16.8% of total revenues in 1995, 1996 and
1997, respectively. The retail product line currently has more sales in
international markets than the healthcare/insurance and financial services
product lines combined. The Company believes that international sales represent
a significant opportunity for revenue growth and expects international sales to
increase as a percent of total revenue.
    
 
   
          License and Maintenance Revenues. The Company's license and
     maintenance revenues are derived from annual license fees, monthly license
     fees, perpetual license fees and annual maintenance fees. The Company
     typically licenses many of its products for an annual or monthly usage fee
     under long-term contracts that include software licenses, decision model
     updates, application consulting, and on-line or on-site support and
     maintenance. The Company's revenue from periodic software license and
     maintenance agreements is generally recognized ratably over the respective
     license or agreement periods. Revenue from certain short-term periodic
     software license and maintenance agreements with guaranteed minimum license
     fees is recognized as related services are performed. Transactional fees
     are recognized as revenue based on system usage or when fees based on
     system usage exceed the monthly minimum license fees. Revenue from
     perpetual licenses of the Company's software for which there are no
     significant continuing obligations and collection of the related
     receivables is probable is recognized on delivery of the software and
     acceptance by the customer. Recently issued guidance on software revenue
     recognition could lead to unanticipated changes in the Company's revenue
     recognition practices. See "Risk Factors -- Potential Fluctuations in
     Operating Results" and "-- New Accounting Pronouncements."
    
 
   
          License and maintenance revenues increased by 99.1% to $48.9 million
     in 1996 and by 83.4% to $89.6 million in 1997. The increase from 1995 to
     1996 was due primarily to the growth of license fees in all markets,
     particularly from the Retek Merchandising System, CRLink and Falcon, and,
     to a lesser extent, MIRA and CompCompare. The increase from 1996 to 1997
     was due primarily to the growth of license fee revenues from the Retek
     Merchandising System and CRLink. Also contributing to the increase were
     increased license fees from other retail products, such as ARI and Retek
     Data Warehouse, financial services products such as Falcon, ProfitMax and
     Capstone, and other healthcare/insurance products, such as PMAdvisor and
     MIRA.
    
 
          Installation and Implementation Revenues. Revenues from software
     installations and implementations are generally recognized as the services
     are performed using the percentage of completion method based on costs
     incurred to date compared to total estimated costs at completion. Amounts
     received in advance of performance under the contracts are recorded as
     deferred revenue and are generally recognized within one year from receipt.
 
          Installation and implementation revenues increased by 44.0% to $6.7
     million in 1996 and by 59.9% to $10.7 million in 1997. Substantially all of
     the increase from 1995 to 1996 was due primarily to growth in the
     installations of Retek Data Forecasting as this product moved
 
                                       23
<PAGE>   26
 
     from development into production. The increase from 1996 to 1997 was due
     primarily to growth in the installations of Capstone and ProfitMax.
 
          Contracts and Other Revenues. Contracts and other revenues are derived
     primarily from new product development contracts with commercial customers
     and research contracts with the United States Government. The Company
     typically contracts with one or two commercial partners for pilot
     development and installation of its new products and with the United States
     Government for additional research funds. Revenues from contract services
     are generally recognized as the services are performed using the percentage
     of completion method based on costs incurred to date compared to total
     estimated costs at completion. Revenue from hardware product sales, which
     is included in contracts and other revenue, is recognized upon shipment to
     the customer.
 
          Contracts and other revenues increased by 21.7% to $11.1 million in
     1996 and decreased by 30.2% to $7.8 million in 1997. The increase in 1996
     was primarily the result of greater revenues from commercial new product
     pilot installation contracts with customers in support of the Company's
     development of ProfitMax, SelectCast, Falcon Sentry and Capstone. The
     decrease in 1997 was primarily the result of products such as ProfitMax,
     Retek Data Forecasting and Capstone moving from development into
     production.
 
          During 1997, the Company had fewer new product development projects
     and new product pilot installations than during 1996. There can be no
     assurance that any of these product development projects or pilot
     installations will be successful or be completed within anticipated time
     schedules or that the customers who serve as pilot installation sites will
     be satisfied with these products or agree to license them. If the Company's
     new product development efforts are unsuccessful, are not completed on a
     timely basis or are not well received by pilot customers, the Company may
     be compelled to delay or discontinue the release of production versions of
     these products or bear increased expense to bring these pilot products to
     market, either of which would have a material adverse effect on the
     Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
          Service Bureau Revenues. Service bureau revenues are derived from the
     Company's service bureau operations, which provide CRLink's functionality
     to customers that do not wish to obtain a license, that use this service
     until they can implement their own internal CRLink operation or that use
     this service when their volumes peak to high levels. Service bureau
     customers typically subscribe for services under month-to-month agreements.
     Service bureau fees are recognized as revenue when the processing services
     are performed.
 
          Service bureau revenues decreased by 11.6% to $4.7 million in 1996 and
     increased by 18.8% to $5.6 million in 1997. The decrease in 1996 was
     primarily a result of the significant increase in license revenues as the
     Company's sales efforts were focused on licensing CRLink to customers
     rather than marketing service bureau services. The increase in 1997 was
     primarily due to an increase in the number of customers utilizing service
     bureau operations.
 
  Gross Margin
 
     The following table sets forth the gross margin for each of the Company's
revenue categories for each of the comparison periods.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                            ------------------------
                                                            1995      1996      1997
                                                            ----      ----      ----
        <S>                                                 <C>       <C>       <C>
        License and maintenance...........................  67.8%     71.9%     77.8%
        Installation and implementation...................  69.3      59.4      51.7
        Contracts and other...............................  24.6      30.9      30.0
        Service bureau....................................  43.4      28.9      23.1
</TABLE>
 
                                       24
<PAGE>   27
 
   
          License and Maintenance Gross Margin. License and maintenance costs
     primarily represent the Company's expenses for personnel engaged in
     customer support, travel to customer sites and documentation materials. The
     Company's gross margin on license and maintenance revenues was 67.8%, 71.9%
     and 77.8% in 1995, 1996 and 1997, respectively. In 1996, the improvement in
     gross margin was the result of the Company's ability to move from price
     discounts for early adopters of its products to full pricing for products
     sold to subsequent customers as well as a higher volume of international
     licenses, which generate relatively higher margins than domestic operations
     due, in part, to lower overhead expenses as a result of less corporate
     infrastructure. Gross margin improved in 1997 due primarily to license fees
     increasing at a higher rate than the costs associated with providing these
     licenses. This increase was primarily attributable to increased pricing
     producing higher margins in the retail and healthcare/insurance markets.
    
 
   
          Installation and Implementation Gross Margin. Installation and
     implementation costs consist primarily of personnel-related costs, travel
     and equipment. The Company's gross margin on installation and
     implementation revenues was 69.3%, 59.4% and 51.7% in 1995, 1996 and 1997,
     respectively. In 1996, the decrease in the gross margin was due primarily
     to new installations of Retek Data Forecasting, which have substantially
     lower margins than installations of Falcon products, which represented a
     majority of installations in 1995. Gross margin decreased in 1997 due
     primarily to an increase in Capstone implementations, which have
     substantially lower margins than implementations of Falcon products.
    
 
          Contracts and Other Gross Margin. Contracts and other costs consist
     primarily of personnel-related costs. The Company's gross margin on
     contracts and other revenues was 24.6%, 30.9% and 30.0% in 1995, 1996 and
     1997, respectively. The improvement in gross margin during 1996 was due
     primarily to the Company's increased ability to better price its new pilot
     projects. The slight decrease in gross margin for 1997 was due to the
     decrease in new product development contracts, while government projects
     with substantially lower margins remained relatively constant in absolute
     dollars.
 
   
          Service Bureau Gross Margin. Service bureau costs consist primarily of
     the personnel and facilities costs of operating the service bureaus. The
     Company's gross margin on service bureau revenues was 43.4%, 28.9% and
     23.1% in 1995, 1996 and 1997, respectively. The decrease in 1996 was a
     result of the loss of a customer in early 1996 for which the Company was
     able to recognize higher than usual margins during 1995. The decrease in
     1997 was attributable to an increase in fixed costs and in labor costs
     required to support the service bureau business that outpaced the increase
     in revenue. This was the result of a more static customer base and higher
     fixed costs associated with the infrastructure necessary to run the service
     bureau operation.
    
 
       Other Operating Expenses
 
          Research and Development Expenses. Research and development expenses
     consist primarily of salaries and other personnel-related expenses,
     subcontracted development services, depreciation for development equipment
     and supplies. Research and development expenses increased from $7.0 million
     in 1995 to $13.8 million in 1996 and to $21.2 million in 1997, representing
     16.0%, 19.3% and 18.6% of total revenues in 1995, 1996 and 1997,
     respectively. Research and development expenses increased in absolute
     dollars due to the development costs associated with new releases of
     several products in the retail and financial services product lines. The
     increased research and development expenses in absolute dollars and as a
     percentage of revenues in 1996 was primarily the result of greater staffing
     to support more new product development programs, primarily for ProfitMax,
     Capstone, CompCompare, ProviderCompare and the Retek Merchandising System.
     The 1996 costs also included the initial product development costs of the
     Company's Aptex business unit, which did not have a significant impact on
     revenues. Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 86, "Ac-
 
                                       25
<PAGE>   28
 
     counting for the Costs of Computer Software to be Sold, Leased or Otherwise
     Marketed," requires capitalization of certain software development costs
     subsequent to the establishment of technological feasibility. Based on the
     Company's product development process, technological feasibility is not
     established until completion of a working model. Costs incurred by the
     Company between completion of the working model and the point at which a
     product is ready for general release have been insignificant. As a result,
     no significant software development costs were capitalized through December
     31, 1997. The Company anticipates that research and development expenses
     will increase in dollar amount and could increase as a percentage of total
     revenues for the foreseeable future.
 
          Sales and Marketing Expenses. Sales and marketing expenses consist
     primarily of salaries and benefits, commissions, travel, entertainment and
     promotional expenses. Sales and marketing expenses increased from $7.3
     million in 1995 to $11.9 million in 1996 and to $22.0 million in 1997,
     representing 16.6%, 16.7% and 19.4% of total revenues in 1995, 1996 and
     1997, respectively. The increases were primarily a result of increased
     staffing as the Company built its direct sales and marketing staff, opened
     sales offices in Japan and in several locations in Europe, and increased
     expenses for trade shows, advertising and other marketing programs. The
     Company expects sales and marketing expenses to continue to increase for
     the foreseeable future. Such expenses could also increase as a percentage
     of total revenues as the Company continues to develop a direct sales force
     in Europe and other international markets, expand its domestic sales and
     marketing organization and increase the breadth of its product lines.
 
   
          General and Administrative Expenses. General and administrative
     expenses consist primarily of personnel costs for finance, contract
     administration, human resources and general management, as well as
     acquisition, insurance and professional services expenses. General and
     administrative expenses increased from $5.1 million in 1995 to $8.6 million
     in 1996 and to $12.6 million in 1997, representing 11.7%, 10.3% and 9.8% of
     total revenues, respectively. General and administrative expenses included
     $1.2 million of acquisition expenses related to the acquisitions of Risk
     Data and Retek in 1996 and $1.4 million of acquisition expenses primarily
     related to the acquisition of CompReview in 1997. Excluding acquisition
     expenses, general and administrative expenses were $5.1 million, $7.4
     million and $11.2 million in 1995, 1996 and 1997, respectively. The primary
     reason for these increases in absolute dollars was increased staffing to
     support the Company's growth and additional expenses associated with being
     a public company.
    
 
  Operating Income
 
     The above factors resulted in operating income of $5.1 million,
constituting 11.6% of total revenues in 1995, $9.7 million, constituting 13.5%
of total revenues in 1996, and $23.0 million, constituting 20.3% of total
revenues in 1997. The Company does not expect that operating income will
continue to increase significantly as a percentage of total revenues.
 
  Other Income (Expense) Net
 
     Interest and other income, net of interest expense, increased from $484,000
in 1995 to $1.7 million in 1996 and to $1.9 million in 1997. The increase in
1996 was primarily attributable to increased interest income in 1996 from higher
cash and investment balances, which consisted primarily of the proceeds from the
Company's initial public offering in June 1995 and secondary public offering in
December 1995. The increase in 1997 was primarily due to a decrease in interest
expense of approximately $397,000 primarily related to the repayment of Risk
Data's bank notes payable during the third quarter of 1996, offset by a decrease
in interest income of approximately $165,000.
 
                                       26
<PAGE>   29
 
  Income Tax (Benefit) Provision
 
     The income tax benefit of $511,000 in 1995 was primarily attributable to
the recognition of a $2.2 million deferred tax asset based on anticipated future
utilization of all of the Company's remaining net operating loss carryforwards
and research and development credit carryforwards. The income tax benefit of
$534,000 in 1996 was primarily attributable to the recognition of a $2.7 million
deferred tax asset based on anticipated future utilization of all of the
remaining net operating loss carryforwards and research and development credit
carryforwards relating to Risk Data and Retek. That deferred tax asset had
previously been offset by a valuation allowance. The Company released the
valuation allowance during the fourth quarter of 1996, based upon management's
assessment that it was more likely than not that the Company would realize the
asset in future periods.
 
   
     The 1997 income tax provision of $7.4 million, or 29.5% of pre-tax income,
was lower than 1997 taxes at statutory rates primarily as a result of
CompReview's subchapter S corporation status prior to the acquisition, which
resulted in most of CompReview's tax liability being borne by its former
stockholders. As of the date of the acquisition, CompReview's tax status was
changed to C corporation. In the future, the Company expects that the effective
tax rate will be reflective of the tax rate of other California-based companies.
    
 
                                       27
<PAGE>   30
 
SELECTED PRO FORMA QUARTERLY OPERATING RESULTS
 
     The following table presents unaudited pro forma quarterly financial
information for each of the eight quarters in the period ended December 31,
1997. This information has been derived from the Company's unaudited financial
statements. Pro forma net (loss) income reflects a provision for taxes on the
income of CompReview, which was a subchapter S corporation prior to its
acquisition by HNC, as if CompReview had been subject to corporate income taxes
as a C corporation for all periods presented. In the opinion of management, all
adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, have been included
to present fairly the quarterly results. See "Risk Factors -- Potential
Fluctuations in Operating Results" and "-- Lengthy and Unpredictable Sales
Cycle."
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            THREE MONTHS ENDED
                                             --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              1996                                      1997
                                             ---------------------------------------   --------------------------------------
                                             MAR. 31    JUN. 30   SEPT. 30   DEC. 31   MAR. 31   JUN. 30   SEPT. 30   DEC. 31
                                             -------    -------   --------   -------   -------   -------   --------   -------
                                                                  (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
<S>                                          <C>        <C>       <C>        <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>        <C>
STATEMENT OF INCOME DATA:(1)
Revenues:
  License and maintenance................... $ 8,479    $11,163   $ 13,831   $15,417   $18,331   $22,311   $ 23,705   $25,296
  Installation and implementation...........   1,200      1,214      1,399     2,878     1,946     2,188      3,069     3,499
  Contracts and other.......................   2,979      3,051      2,784     2,314     2,726     1,805      1,671     1,570
  Service bureau............................   1,219      1,269      1,101     1,141     1,069     1,289      1,544     1,716
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
        Total revenues......................  13,877     16,697     19,115    21,750    24,072    27,593     29,989    32,081
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
Operating expenses:
  License and maintenance...................   3,180      3,120      3,689     3,736     3,994     5,036      4,957     5,950
  Installation and implementation...........     589        597        560       968       801     1,251      1,499     1,623
  Contracts and other.......................   2,071      1,938      1,860     1,825     1,850     1,454      1,111     1,023
  Service bureau............................     932        947        749       737       864       919      1,203     1,334
  Research and development..................   2,440      3,352      3,748     4,268     4,431     4,930      6,015     5,775
  Sales and marketing.......................   2,485      2,981      3,041     3,416     4,553     5,233      5,691     6,572
  General and administrative................   1,829      1,961      2,351     2,410     2,459     2,768      3,142     4,257
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
        Total operating expense.............  13,526     14,896     15,998    17,360    18,952    21,591     23,618    26,534
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
Operating income............................     351      1,801      3,117     4,390     5,120     6,002      6,371     5,547
Interest income, net........................     452        406        384       458       429       481        538       431
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
  Income before pro forma income tax
    provision (benefit).....................     803      2,207      3,501     4,848     5,549     6,483      6,909     5,978
Pro forma income tax provision (benefit)....     934      1,119      1,138    (1,563)    2,115     2,475      2,623     2,289
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
  Pro forma net (loss) income............... $  (131)   $ 1,088   $  2,363   $ 6,411   $ 3,434   $ 4,008   $  4,286   $ 3,689
                                             =======    =======    =======   =======   =======   =======    =======   =======
AS A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL REVENUES:
Revenues:
  License and maintenance...................    61.1%      66.8%      72.3%     70.9%     76.2%     80.9%      79.1%     78.9%
  Installation and implementation...........     8.6        7.3        7.3      13.2       8.1       7.9       10.2      10.9
  Contracts and other.......................    21.5       18.3       14.6      10.6      11.3       6.5        5.6       4.9
  Service bureau............................     8.8        7.6        5.8       5.3       4.4       4.7        5.1       5.3
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
        Total revenues......................   100.0      100.0      100.0     100.0     100.0     100.0      100.0     100.0
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
Operating expenses:
  License and maintenance...................    22.9       18.7       19.3      17.2      16.6      18.2       16.5      18.5
  Installation and implementation...........     4.3        3.6        3.0       4.4       3.3       4.5        5.0       5.0
  Contracts and other.......................    14.9       11.6        9.7       8.4       7.7       5.3        3.7       3.2
  Service bureau............................     6.7        5.7        3.9       3.4       3.6       3.3        4.0       4.2
  Research and development..................    17.6       20.1       19.6      19.6      18.4      17.9       20.1      18.0
  Sales and marketing.......................    17.9       17.8       15.9      15.7      18.9      19.0       19.0      20.5
  General and administrative................    13.2       11.7       12.3      11.1      10.2      10.0       10.5      13.3
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
        Total operating expense.............    97.5       89.2       83.7      79.8      78.7      78.2       78.8      82.7
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
Operating income............................     2.5       10.8       16.3      20.2      21.3      21.8       21.2      17.3
Interest income, net........................     3.3        2.4        2.0       2.1       1.8       1.7        1.8       1.3
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
  Income before pro forma income tax
    provision (benefit).....................     5.8       13.2       18.3      22.3      23.1      23.5       23.0      18.6
Pro forma income tax provision (benefit)....     6.7        6.7        5.9      (7.2)      8.8       9.0        8.7       7.1
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
  Pro forma net (loss) income...............    (0.9)%      6.5%      12.4%     29.5%     14.3%     14.5%      14.3%     11.5%
                                             =======    =======    =======   =======   =======   =======    =======   =======
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
 
(1) The above table gives retroactive effect to the acquisitions of Risk Data,
    Retek and CompReview for all periods presented, accounted for as poolings of
    interests.
 
                                       28
<PAGE>   31
 
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
 
   
     The $21.0 million of net cash provided by operating activities in 1997
represented net income before depreciation and amortization of approximately
$22.4 million, further increased by a decrease in deferred income taxes of $6.9
million and offset by an increase in accounts receivable of $11.1 million. Net
cash used in investing activities was $7.7 million in 1997 primarily due to $9.6
million expended for property and equipment during 1997, including $6.0 million
for computer equipment to support the increased staffing across the Company, and
$1.9 million for furniture and fixtures primarily related to the relocation of
the Company's Minneapolis facility, offset by approximately $1.9 million of
proceeds from sales and maturities of investments available for sale net of
purchases of such investments. Net cash used in financing activities was $3.2
million in 1997 primarily due to $6.8 million in distributions to the former
CompReview stockholders offset by $4.0 million in net proceeds from issuances of
common stock.
    
 
   
     As of December 31, 1997, the Company had $42.9 million in cash, cash
equivalents and investments. The Company believes that its current cash, cash
equivalents and investments available for sale balances, together with the net
proceeds from the sale of the Notes, borrowings under its credit facility and
net cash provided by operating activities, will be sufficient to meet its
working capital and capital expenditure requirements for at least the next 12
months. The credit facility will not be available following issuance of the
Notes unless the Company obtains an appropriate consent or amendment from the
bank. A portion of the Company's cash could be used to repurchase shares of the
Company's Common Stock from time to time in the open market. Management intends
to invest the Company's cash in excess of current operating requirements in
short-term, interest-bearing, investment-grade securities. A portion of the
Company's cash could also be used to acquire or invest in complementary
businesses or products or otherwise to obtain the right to use complementary
technologies or data. From time to time, in the ordinary course of business, the
Company evaluates potential acquisitions of such businesses, products,
technologies or data. The Company has no present understandings, commitments or
agreements with respect to any material acquisition of businesses, products,
technologies or data.
    
 
YEAR 2000 COMPLIANCE
 
     The Company anticipates that it will need to devote resources in the next
two years to modify its CRLink product to properly process dates beyond December
31, 1999. The Company expects that the cost of making these modifications and
distributing the modified product to existing customers will be approximately
$500,000. These modifications and the resources that the Company expects to
devote to such modifications may divert management and engineering attention
from, or delay the development and introduction of, new products and
enhancements to existing products. The inability of the Company to complete such
modifications successfully and on a timely basis, or the inability of the
Company to devote sufficient resources to continuing updates and enhancements to
the CRLink product, could have a material adverse effect on the Company's
business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, the
Company believes that the purchasing patterns of customers and potential
customers may be affected by Year 2000 issues as companies expend significant
resources to correct or patch their current software systems for Year 2000
compliance. These expenditures may result in reduced funds available to purchase
software products such as those offered by the Company, which could result in a
material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and
results of operations.
 
NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
 
     In June 1997, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 130 ("FAS 130"), "Reporting
Comprehensive Income," which the Company is required to adopt for 1998. This
statement will require the Company to report in the financial statements, in
addition to net income, comprehensive income and its
 
                                       29
<PAGE>   32
 
components including foreign currency items and unrealized gains and losses on
certain investments in debt and equity securities. Upon adoption of FAS 130, the
Company is also required to reclassify financial statements for earlier periods
provided for comparative purposes. The adoption of FAS 130 will not have a
significant impact on the Company's consolidated financial statement
disclosures.
 
     In June 1997, the FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
No. 131 ("FAS 131"), "Disclosures about Segments of an Enterprise and Related
Information," which the Company is required to adopt for its 1998 annual
financial statements. This statement establishes standards for reporting
information about operating segments in annual financial statements and requires
selected information about operating segments in interim financial reports
issued to stockholders. It also establishes standards for related disclosures
about products and services, geographic areas and major customers. Under FAS
131, operating segments are to be determined consistent with the way that
management organizes and evaluates financial information internally for making
operating decisions and assessing performance. The Company has not determined
the impact of the adoption of this new accounting standard on its consolidated
financial statement disclosures.
 
   
     In October 1997, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
issued Statement of Position No. 97-2 ("SOP 97-2"), "Software Revenue
Recognition," which the Company is required to adopt for agreements entered into
with customers beginning in 1998. This statement provides guidance for software
revenue recognition matters primarily from a conceptual level and does not
include specific implementation guidance. Based on its reading and
interpretation of SOP 97-2, the Company believes that the adoption of SOP 97-2
will not have a significant impact on its financial statements; however,
detailed implementation guidelines for this standard have not yet been issued.
Once issued, such detailed implementation guidelines could lead to unanticipated
changes in the Company's current revenue recognition practices, and such changes
could be material to the Company's financial statements.
    
 
                                       30
<PAGE>   33
 
                                    BUSINESS
 
     HNC develops, markets and supports predictive software solutions for
leading service industries. These predictive software solutions employ
proprietary neural-network predictive decision engines, profiles, traditional
statistical modeling, business models, expert rules and context vectors to
convert existing data and business experiences into meaningful recommendations
and actions. Just as manufacturing organizations have implemented manufacturing
resource planning ("MRP") software to automate routine transactions, leading
service industries such as the health-care/insurance, financial services and
retail industries are using predictive software solutions to improve
profitability, competitiveness and customer satisfaction.
 
INDUSTRY BACKGROUND
 
     Today's competitive business environment has forced many service companies
to increase business efficiency while improving their flexibility and
responsiveness to changing market conditions. Businesses continually seek new
ways to make better decisions by collecting and analyzing data. Consequently,
service companies have made, and continue to make, significant investments in
computer systems designed to gather and electronically store ever increasing
amounts of data. In most cases, these computerized systems automate manual tasks
and activities, resulting in the conversion of significant amounts of corporate
data from paper to electronic form. However, these systems generally do not
synthesize data in ways that help businesses make better real-time decisions.
 
     Historically, the development of predictive software solutions was
inhibited by the lack of computing standards and effective computational
intelligence techniques. The emergence of client-server standards, including
relational database management systems, the Windows operating system and network
communications protocols, has fostered the increased transmission and
dissemination of electronically stored data within and among businesses. MRP
software systems were developed to automate production, accounting, human
resources and distribution transactions for primarily manufacturing
organizations. These systems manage and store large amounts of diverse business
information, providing continuous and simultaneous availability of information
to geographically dispersed employees, customers and suppliers. However, MRP
systems generally do not provide businesses with the functionality and
flexibility needed to utilize this data to simulate operations and make
real-time decisions and recommendations in diverse and rapidly changing business
environments.
 
     Several service industries have a particular need to leverage large volumes
of real-time transactional and operational data in order to address systemic
issues that have historically affected profitability, competitiveness and
customer satisfaction. These industries and issues include:
 
     - HEALTHCARE/INSURANCE INDUSTRY. Workers' compensation fraud and abuse is
       currently receiving widespread attention in the healthcare/insurance
       industry. Conning & Co. recently estimated that 10%-25% of the dollar
       amount of filed workers' compensation claims in the United States are
       fraudulent. This translates to more than $5 billion lost each year to
       workers' compensation fraud.
 
     - FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY. Based on reports from Visa and Mastercard,
       Faulkner & Gray estimates that United States credit card credit losses
       and chargeoffs were $18 billion in 1996.
 
     - RETAIL INDUSTRY. Rapid changes in consumer buying patterns have caused
       merchants to place increased emphasis on predicting consumer demand and
       managing retail inventories. The change from mass to individual retail
       marketing has multiplied the number of promotional offers and
       stock-keeping units ("SKUs") required to address market opportunities.
 
                                       31
<PAGE>   34
 
       The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that the inventory carrying
       costs for retail inventories nationwide were $316 billion at the end of
       March 1997.
 
     Historically, many companies in the healthcare/insurance, financial
services and retail industries have developed specialized in-house applications
to address these issues. Such applications are generally designed to access
large volumes of operational and transactional data stored on mainframe
computers. However, such systems are expensive, costly to support and maintain,
and do not offer flexible and enterprise-wide access to data. Furthermore, most
of these systems are not designed to meet the need for real-time recommendations
and actions. The widespread adoption of distributed client-server computing has
provided organizations with a much greater ability to access and manipulate
stored information but also has created the need for third-party vendors of
packaged applications software solutions that provide the same degree of
functionality and reliability as traditional in-house applications. These
vendors are able to provide a higher degree of functionality and reliability
than traditional in-house applications by combining the domain knowledge from
their customers and partners with expertise in computational intelligence and
client-server technologies.
 
THE HNC SOLUTION
 
     HNC's predictive software solutions enable leading service industries, such
as the healthcare/insurance, financial services and retail industries, to
analyze and act upon operational and transactional data in real time. The
Company's products provide the following benefits:
 
   
     Core predictive software technology. The Company's software includes a
variety of computational intelligence technologies such as proprietary
neural-network predictive decision engines, profiles, traditional statistical
modeling, business models, expert rules and context vectors that can be
customized to specific business applications. Neural networks can be adapted to
changing environments and applications quickly and have proven to be accurate
and effective in real-time operating environments. The Company's decision engine
also includes a user-defined rule-based technology. The neural networks and
rulebases are delivered through software that allows the Company's products to
adapt to many customer-specific business needs without extensive custom
programming. Adaptable functions include workflow queuing management, policy and
procedure guidelines, input data modification, flexible graphical user interface
("GUI") display, decision criteria and report formats.
    
 
     Quick payback for customers. The Company's software solutions are designed
for quick customer payback. The Company typically installs its products in two
to six months, and customer payback periods for installation and first year
usage fees are typically less than one year. Payback is rapid because the
software products address applications that have a significant profit impact.
HNC personnel focus not only on the technical integration, but also on
delivering direct benefits to the customer throughout the service contract
period.
 
   
     Transaction-based, real-time decision capability. HNC's software can
operate in real time, providing an immediate, situation-specific response to
each customer transaction. For example, the Falcon system for credit/debit card
fraud detection can monitor millions of transactions each day, identify
fraudulent transactions in progress and permit the card issuing bank to withhold
an authorization before the perpetrator completes a purchase. The Falcon system
differs from traditional modeling implementations, which operate in a batch or
off-line mode on a collection of historical transactions.
    
 
     Flexible client-server solutions. HNC's solutions can be integrated into a
customer's existing environment or architecture. The Company's products are
available on industry-standard, client-server platforms, including Windows and
UNIX clients, NetWare, Windows NT, UNIX and CICS servers and IBM, Oracle, Sybase
and Informix databases. HNC's application products represent a complete software
solution, including decision models, deployment software, communications
interfaces and GUIs. The Company also supplies systems integration, ongoing
performance
 
                                       32
<PAGE>   35
 
analysis, model rebuilding and application consulting services to help ensure
ongoing success for the customer. The Company believes that this flexible
combination of products, services and deployment platforms represents an advance
that enables successful predictive software system deployment in many
mission-critical applications.
 
     Turnkey, customized and user-developed model options. The choice of data
source is important to customers because data are the fundamental building
blocks used to create accurate predictive models. HNC provides various models
built on industry-specific or customer-specific data to meet individual
application requirements. Customers and data suppliers provide the Company with
historical transaction data for turnkey models, trend analyses and product
updates. This combination of proprietary turnkey (from data and individual
consumer profiles), customized and user-developed models allows the Company to
offer products that solve a broad range of predictive application problems.
 
HNC'S STRATEGY
 
     HNC's objective is to be the leading supplier of predictive software
solutions by leveraging its core computational intelligence technology across a
series of product families targeted at specific service industries. The
Company's strategy for achieving this objective contains the following key
elements:
 
   
     Maintain and strengthen HNC's position at the core of its customers'
applications infrastructure. Customers rely heavily on HNC's predictive software
solutions to anticipate and react to rapidly changing business conditions. The
Company's core computational intelligence technology serves as a platform upon
which service businesses can deploy and combine the Company's products to manage
and respond to operational and transactional data in real time. Therefore, HNC
attempts to establish a strong position within the applications infrastructure
of its customers. For example, the Company's first predictive solution product,
Falcon, is a credit/debit card fraud detection system for monitoring individual
credit card accounts. By adapting the core technology developed for Falcon, the
Company later introduced ProfitMax, a transaction-based, real-time credit
authorization system that manages the profitability of credit card portfolios.
The Company believes that the opportunity exists for similar penetration within
each of its core vertical markets, including opportunities such as retail
banking within the financial services industry. As another example, the
Company's context vectoring technology could profile visitors to a financial
institution's Web site and send proactive direct e-mails regarding financial
products.
    
 
     Leverage core predictive technologies to enter new market segments.
Historically, the Company has applied its core predictive technology to the
domain knowledge of companies it has acquired to introduce new products. For
example, in August 1996, HNC acquired Risk Data, a developer of decision systems
in the workers' compensation industry. By combining Risk Data's industry
expertise with HNC's fraud detection technology, HNC is developing a VeriComp
module that applies predictive technology to employer fraud in the workers'
compensation industry. In addition, the Company is evaluating opportunities in
other data-intensive industries, such as telecommunications, where predictive
software may have the ability to improve business performance and profitability.
 
     Earn recurring revenues through long-term contracts. The Company markets
most of its predictive software solutions as an ongoing service that includes
software licenses, decision model updates, application consulting and on-line or
on-site support and maintenance. Since many of the Company's applications are
enhanced by periodic model updates, customers derive significant value from the
Company's ongoing services. In addition, the mission-critical nature of many of
HNC's predictive software solutions creates customer demand for long-term
support commitments. Accordingly, the Company's customers typically pay for this
package of software and service with a monthly usage fee and a three to seven
year contract commitment.
 
                                       33
<PAGE>   36
 
     Use strategic relationships to support direct distribution. In each of its
primary markets, the Company uses strategic relationships with system
integrators and third-party service providers to support its direct distribution
efforts. These partners provide varying levels of distribution support, from
lead generation to resale of the Company's products. The Company maintains such
strategic relation\ships with Electronic Data Systems ("EDS"), Intracorp and
Marsh McLennan, Inc. in healthcare/insurance, First Data and EDS in financial
services, and Andersen Consulting and KPMG Peat Marwick LLP in retail.
 
   
     Growth through acquisitions. The Company acquired Risk Data, Retek and
CompReview in 1996 and 1997, thereby significantly expanding its product
offerings in its target markets. On January 30, 1998, the Company signed a
definitive agreement to acquire Practical Control Systems Technologies, Inc.
("PCS"), a distribution center management software vendor based in Cincinnati,
Ohio, subject to the satisfaction of certain closing conditions and the approval
of PCS' shareholders. The Company expects to continue to review acquisitions of
businesses, products and technologies as a means to expand its product offerings
for existing and new target markets.
    
 
                                       34
<PAGE>   37
 
MARKETS AND PRODUCTS
 
   
     HNC has a broad family of predictive software products that provide
specific solutions for each of the healthcare/insurance, financial services and
retail markets. Revenues from each of the Company's three target markets
accounted for more than one-quarter of the Company's total revenues in 1997.
Revenues from three products, CRLink, Retek Merchandising System and Falcon,
accounted for 57.9% of the Company's total revenues in 1997. See "Risk
Factors -- Product Concentration."
    
 
  Healthcare/Insurance
 
   
     HNC offers and is developing products in the healthcare/insurance market.
These products are targeted to insurance carriers, insurance providers, managed
care organizations, state insurance funds, third-party administrators and large,
self-insured employers. HNC has developed predictive software solutions that
address the containment of the medical costs of workers' compensation and
automobile accident insurance claims, workers' compensation loss reserving,
workers' compensation fraud, managed care effectiveness and provider
effectiveness. These solutions, CRLink, MIRA, CompCompare, ProviderCompare,
PMAdvisor and VeriComp, allow users the ability to reduce fraud losses and
streamline operations.
    
 
                   HNC HEALTHCARE/INSURANCE INDUSTRY PRODUCTS
================================================================================
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
      PRODUCT                                   PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
<S>                 <C>                                                                            <C>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  CRLink            CRLink operates as the bill review engine that links all of the critical
                    components of an effective cost containment program to help clients control
                    the cost of workers' compensation, personal injury and other casualty risks.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  MIRA              MIRA uses statistical predictive methods to automatically determine workers'
                    compensation loss reserves based on historical data gathered from insurance
                    carriers, third-party administrators and state insurance funds throughout
                    the United States.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  CompCompare       CompCompare enables clients to compare claims costs or the effectiveness of
                    managed care programs by using benchmarking data from HNC's proprietary
                    workers' compensation database.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  ProviderCompare   ProviderCompare is a physician profiling product that provides on-line
                    access to HNC's proprietary workers' compensation database. ProviderCompare
                    enables clients to generate a detailed comparative analysis, such as
                    treatment costs, among providers within the same specialty.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  PMAdvisor         PMAdvisor enables claim payors to verify that the number of visits and type
                    of treatment for claims involving physical medicine (primarily chiropractic
                    and physical therapy) are appropriate for the diagnosis and severity of the
                    injury and to identify chiropractic and physical therapy claims that exceed
                    appropriate treatment guidelines.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  VeriComp          VeriComp is a workers' compensation claimant system designed to assist in
                    identifying claimant behavior that is likely to indicate the presence of
                    fraud or abuse.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
 
  Financial Services
 
     The increasing volume of electronic financial transactions requires
mission-critical decision-making in real time for applications such as credit
card charge authorization, that carry a substantial risk of consumer and
merchant fraud. HNC's Falcon and ProfitMax product lines are targeted at bank
and private label card issuers and payment processors. Falcon employs a
client/server architecture that consists of an interface into the customer's
legacy system, a decision engine, a cardholder profile database, a case
management database and a fraud workstation.
 
                                       35
<PAGE>   38
 
     HNC estimates that loan underwriting costs in the United States currently
exceed $2.5 billion each year. Competitive pressures including cost reduction,
rapid loan approval and the growth of on-line banking have compelled lenders to
turn to software solutions that can automate loan origination in order to lower
costs, improve customer service and provide remote access to lending services.
HNC's predictive software solutions for the loan origination markets, Capstone
and AREAS, allow lenders such as banks and private label card issuers, home
equity lenders, auto lenders and mortgage lenders to automate the loan approval
decision process.
 
                    HNC FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY PRODUCTS
================================================================================
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
         PRODUCT                                   PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
<S>                       <C>                                                                      <C>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Falcon Product Line
- ------------------------
  Falcon                  Falcon products are neural network-based solutions that examine
  Falcon Expert           transaction, cardholder and merchant data to detect a wide range of
  Falcon Select           credit and debit card fraud. Using predictive software techniques,
  Falcon Debit            Falcon captures relationships and patterns that often are missed by
  Falcon Retail           traditional methods of detecting suspicious transactions.
  Falcon Sentry
  Eagle
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Capstone Product Line
- ------------------------
  Capstone for Payment    Capstone is an intelligent, high-performance new account decision
    Cards                 processing solution. Based on expert rules, Capstone allows users to
  Capstone for            automate lending decisions and design, test, implement and track
    Consumer Lending      lending policies.
  Capstone for Mortgage
    Lending
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  ProfitMax Product Line
- ------------------------
  ProfitMax               ProfitMax provides transaction-based, real-time authorization and
  ProfitMax Bankruptcy    action decisions from within a complete infrastructure for managing
                          the profitability of credit card portfolios. ProfitMax uses neural
                          networks, expert rules and HNC's cardholder behavior profiling
                          technology to analyze the expected profitability of each account in an
                          issuer's portfolio using the issuer's definition of financial profit.
                          ProfitMax Bankruptcy uses the basic ProfitMax structure to predict the
                          likelihood of cardholder bankruptcy even before the cardholder is
                          delinquent.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  AREAS                   AREAS automated property valuation software uses neural networks and
                          other computational intelligence to provide an objective prediction of
                          the current market value of residential property.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
 
  Retail
 
     Although retailers have made significant investments in customer
information, point-of-sale and quick-response ordering systems, these
applications often do not include the forecasting ability required to maximize
profitability and respond to competition through timely "in-store"
replenishment, electronic networking and quick response initiatives. HNC has
developed a group of products that effectively addresses inventory control,
merchandise management and financial control management. These software
solutions allow retailers to build forecasting and marketing models to carry out
day-to-day buying and selling activities, thereby reducing carrying costs for
inventories and improving purchasing, promotion and logistics efficiencies. The
target markets for the Company's retail products are department stores, mass
merchandisers and specialty retail chains in multi-store and multi-warehouse
environments with gross sales in excess of $200 million.
 
                                       36
<PAGE>   39
 
                          HNC RETAIL INDUSTRY PRODUCTS
================================================================================
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
         PRODUCT                                   PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
<S>                       <C>                                                                      <C>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Retek Merchandising      The Retek Merchandising System provides inventory control, merchandise
   System                 management and financial control and addresses the definition and
                          management of merchandise at the SKU level and reporting and financial
                          control through stock ledgers.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Retek Data Warehouse     Retek Data Warehouse provides the transaction infrastructure needed
                          for retailers to plan, buy, move, sell and pay for their merchandise.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Active Retail            Active Retail Intelligence identifies performance exceptions and
   Intelligence           recommends the appropriate corrective action.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Retek Demand             Retek Demand Forecasting provides forecasts to retailers' supply chain
   Forecasting            planning allocation and replenishment functions and uses predictive
                          causal techniques with automated forecasting and multi-dimensional
                          on-line analysis.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Falcon Retail            Falcon Retail provides proactive detection of private label card
                          application and transaction fraud.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
 
EMERGING MARKET OPPORTUNITIES
 
     The Company's experience and technology capabilities in the
healthcare/insurance, financial services and retail markets often lead to new
product ideas and concepts. The Company also evaluates new market opportunities
that arise through its commercial and government contract work. As contracts are
completed, the end products are evaluated for commercialization. For example,
contracts for the Advanced Research Projects Agency, United States Army Research
Laboratory, United States Air Force, Office of Naval Research, DataTimes
Corporation and Tracor Applied Sciences, Inc. generated a context-based text
analysis technology called MatchPlus. This core text analysis technology has
been under development at HNC for the last four years for Department of Defense
applications. During 1996, the Company formed Aptex to commercialize HNC's
MatchPlus text analysis technology for emerging markets. Aptex has developed a
strategic partnership with InfoSeek Corporation, an Internet search and
navigation service, to deliver products using this text analysis technology to
the Internet market. To date, three new Internet products have been launched:
SelectCast, SelectResponse and SelectResource.
 
     Substantially all of the Company's revenues in recent years have been
attributable to sales of predictive software solutions and services, and these
products and services are currently expected to continue to account for a
substantial amount of the Company's future revenues. The market for predictive
software solutions is still emerging. The rate at which businesses have adopted
the Company's products has varied significantly by market and by product within
each market, and the Company expects to continue to experience such variations
with respect to its target markets and products in the future. The Company has
introduced products for the healthcare/insurance, financial services and retail
markets. The Company has recently announced several new products, including
PMAdvisor, VeriComp, SelectCast, SelectResponse and SelectResource. To date,
none of these products has achieved any significant degree of market acceptance,
and there can be no assurance that such products will ever be widely accepted.
Although businesses in the Company's target markets have recognized the
advantages of using predictive software solutions to automate the
decision-making process, many have developed decision automation systems
internally rather than licensing them from outside vendors. There can be no
assurance that the markets for the Company's products will continue to develop
or that the Company's products will be widely accepted, if at all. If the
markets for the Company's new or existing products fail to develop, or develop
more slowly than anticipated, the Company's sales would be negatively impacted,
which would have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial
condition and results of operations.
 
                                       37
<PAGE>   40
 
CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SUPPORT
 
     A high level of continuing maintenance, service and support is critical to
maintaining the performance of the Company's predictive software solutions.
Service and support are also essential to the Company's objective of developing
long-term relationships with, and obtaining recurring revenues from, customers.
The Company's service and support activities are related to system installation,
performance validation and ongoing consultation on the optimal use of HNC
products.
 
     Model and Rule Updates. Most HNC product license agreements include
periodic data, model and/or rule updates to maintain system performance. HNC
technical personnel generally assist the customer with installation of updates.
The Company makes commitments to update models and rules at varying intervals,
from fixed times (such as quarterly and annually) to unscheduled times, provided
the customer has met its commitments to provide data to HNC.
 
     Education. The Company offers comprehensive education and training programs
to its customers. The Company provides on-site training services associated with
many of its products. Fees for education and training services are generally
included in usage-priced products, but may be charged separately in other cases.
 
     Consulting. The Company's consultants are available to work with customers'
user application groups and information systems organizations. Customers that
buy consulting services are usually planning large implementations or want to
optimize performance of the Company's products in their operating environments.
Fees for consulting are generally included in usage-priced products, but may be
charged separately in other cases.
 
PRICING
 
   
     The Company generally establishes prices in one of two ways: usage-based
fees and fixed-fee licenses with maintenance. The Company generally employs
usage-based pricing for its healthcare/insurance products, Falcon, ProfitMax and
AREAS. Under the usage-based pricing structure, HNC generally provides a
fixed-term software license, software maintenance, model updates (in the case of
HNC-supplied models) and ongoing consulting services in exchange for recurring
revenue based on usage. Usage-based term contracts typically include annual
price index adjustments. In 1995, 1996 and 1997, annual license and maintenance
revenues from these contracts represented 61.2%, 56.1% and 55.2% of the
Company's total revenues, respectively. The Company generally employs fixed-fee
license pricing for Capstone and all of the Company's retail products except
Falcon Retail. Under the fixed-fee license pricing structure, the Company
generally licenses the product for the customer's internal use on a perpetual
basis. In most cases, the user can separately contract for maintenance services
on an annual basis. The Company typically offers early adopter pricing for its
usage-based products to customers that agree to be part of pilot or other early
product life cycle installations. Early adopter pricing might include
reduced-fee perpetual licenses, reduced-fee services or both.
    
 
     The Company often contracts for installation services associated with its
predictive software solutions. The Company provides user-specific proposals
priced at either fixed-fee levels or on a time and materials basis. In nearly
all cases, travel expenses are billed separately at cost.
 
     The Company offers contract consulting services. Because of the complexity
associated with predictive software solutions, users often request that HNC help
them to develop models or analyze problems. Also, the Company from time to time
accepts engagements not associated with current product offerings in order to
become more familiar with a new application area and determine the potential for
new product development. Although consulting services are included with many of
the Company's usage-based products, customers may request additional consulting,
often associated with custom modeling.
 
                                       38
<PAGE>   41
 
SALES AND MARKETING
 
     The Company sells and markets its software and services in North America
and internationally through its direct sales organization, joint marketing and
distribution agreements. The Company's worldwide sales and marketing
organization consisted of 125 employees as of December 31, 1997. The domestic
sales staff is based at the Company's corporate headquarters in San Diego and in
United States field offices in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia,
Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia. Internationally, the
Company has field sales offices in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan,
Singapore, South Africa and the United Kingdom. To support its sales force, the
Company conducts comprehensive marketing programs, which include direct mail,
public relations, advertising, seminars, trade shows and ongoing customer
communication programs. The sales staff is generally product-based, and each
representative is assigned a geographic territory.
 
   
     The Company has licensed First Data and EDS to act as service bureaus to
provide an alternate channel of distribution for end-users to utilize the Falcon
product to process credit card receipts for banks and other credit card issuers.
The Company generally assists its service bureau partners in the sales effort,
often employing the Company's direct sales force in the process. Company sales
representatives earn a commission for service bureau sales in their territory.
These service bureaus pay the Company monthly usage fees based on the volume of
transactions processed for such credit card issuers. Product licenses to First
Data, the largest provider of credit card charge receipt processing services to
banks, accounted for 8.7%, 8.6% and 7.6% of the Company's total revenues in
1995, 1996 and 1997, respectively. The Company has licensed First Data to
provide its customers with access to the Company's ProfitMax product pursuant to
the ProfitMax Contract entered into in January 1996. The Company's revenues
under the ProfitMax Contract represented approximately one-quarter of the
Company's revenues from First Data in 1997. In late January 1998, First Data
asserted that certain restrictive covenants under the ProfitMax Contract
violated certain intellectual property laws. First Data also asserted that the
existence of such restrictions made the ProfitMax Contract at least temporarily
unenforceable and that First Data is therefore not obligated to pay the Company
license fees due under the ProfitMax Contract. The Company disputed First Data's
claim, released and waived the above-mentioned restrictive covenants in the
ProfitMax Contract and gave First Data written notice that the Company intended
to terminate the ProfitMax Contract pursuant to its terms unless First Data
cured its failure to pay the delinquent license fees in a timely manner.
Currently, First Data and the Company are working to resolve their dispute
regarding the ProfitMax Contract by negotiating a new agreement. First Data has
resumed making license fee payments on a delayed basis, and HNC has agreed to
extend the date for First Data to pay past due license fees until mid-April
1998. Although HNC expects to reach a new agreement with First Data that will
resolve the pending dispute, there can be no assurance that such an agreement
will be reached or that the terms of such an agreement would be as favorable to
HNC as its existing contractual arrangements with First Data. If no such
agreement can be reached and First Data maintains its current position, it is
possible that litigation or arbitration could ensue, which would likely result
in a loss of anticipated revenue to the Company under the ProfitMax Contract and
possibly other agreements between the Company and First Data, which could have a
material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and
results of operation.
    
 
     The Company also uses representative agents for certain products in certain
territories outside of North America. The Company has agents covering Australia,
Austria, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and Switzerland. In 1995,
1996 and 1997, international operations and export sales (includes sales in
Canada) represented 12.6%, 17.7% and 16.8% of the Company's total revenues,
respectively. International sales result primarily from Falcon product sales and
sales of retail products. The Company intends to continue to expand its
operations outside the United States and to enter additional international
markets, including by adding sales and support offices in Europe and Japan,
which will require significant management attention and financial resources. The
Company has committed and continues to commit significant time and development
resources
 
                                       39
<PAGE>   42
 
to customizing certain of its products for selected international markets and to
developing international sales and support channels. There can be no assurance
that the Company's efforts to develop products, databases and models for
targeted international markets or to develop additional international sales and
support channels will be successful. The failure of such efforts, which can
entail considerable expense, could have a material adverse effect on the
Company's business, financial condition and results of operations. See "Risk
Factors -- Risks Associated with International Sales."
 
     International sales are subject to additional inherent risks, including
longer payment cycles, unexpected changes in regulatory requirements, import and
export restrictions and tariffs, difficulties in staffing and managing foreign
operations, the burdens of complying with a variety of foreign laws, greater
difficulty or delay in accounts receivable collection, potentially adverse tax
consequences and political and economic instability. The Company's international
sales are currently denominated predominantly in United States dollars and a
small portion are denominated in British pounds sterling. An increase in the
value of the United States dollar relative to foreign currencies could make the
Company's products more expensive, and therefore potentially less competitive,
in foreign markets. In the future, to the extent the Company's international
sales are denominated in local currencies, foreign currency translations may
contribute to significant fluctuations in the Company's business, financial
condition and results of operations. If for any reason exchange or price
controls or other restrictions on foreign currencies are imposed, the Company's
business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially
adversely affected.
 
     Due in part to the mission-critical nature of certain of the Company's
applications, potential customers perceive high risk in connection with adoption
of the Company's products. As a result, customers have been cautious in making
decisions to acquire the Company's products. In addition, because the purchase
of the Company's products typically involves a significant commitment of capital
and may involve shifts by the customer to a new software and/or hardware
platform, delays in completing sales can arise while customers complete their
internal procedures to approve large capital expenditures and test and accept
new technologies that affect key operations. For these and other reasons, the
sales cycle associated with the purchase of the Company's products is typically
lengthy, unpredictable and subject to a number of significant risks over which
the Company has little or no control, including customers' budgetary constraints
and internal acceptance reviews. The sales cycle associated with the licensing
of the Company's products can typically range from 60 days to 18 months. As a
result of the length of the sales cycle and the typical size of customers'
orders, the Company's ability to forecast the timing and amount of specific
sales is limited. A lost or delayed sale could have a material adverse effect on
the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
TECHNOLOGY
 
     The Company seeks to develop innovative products by combining industry and
application knowledge with its core neural-network technology to address
specific market needs. The Company's systems also employ rule-based technology
to implement customer strategy, policy and procedures. These technologies are
incorporated in computer software and hardware architectures, including
client-server hardware, relational databases and object-oriented programming.
The Company intends to continue to develop state-of-the-art technologies to
enhance its current products and broaden development opportunities.
 
     Neural-Network Technology. Neural networks have predictive power that can
be improved with experience as the historical database increases in size. The
term "neural network" refers to a family of nonlinear, statistical modeling
techniques, sometimes called "computational intelligence." These techniques
distinguish themselves through a process of automated "learning" or "training"
that replaces the time-consuming manual techniques of traditional nonlinear,
statistical modeling. The neural-network architecture itself consists of groups
of "processing elements," or equations with several inputs and a single output.
The output of each element becomes either the
 
                                       40
<PAGE>   43
 
input to another element or part of the dependent output. Each input receives a
"weight" or value, in the equation, which is adjusted during the training
process. The actual result from each training record is compared with the answer
from the neural network, and the weights are adjusted to reduce the error
between the two. This process can become computationally intensive, as millions
of training data records must be processed hundreds or thousands of times. HNC
has developed proprietary high-speed and parallel-processor boards to accelerate
training and execution of its neural-network software. The Company believes that
the rapid model development afforded by its technology provides a competitive
advantage in the development of predictive software solutions.
 
     Rule-Based Technology. The Company's systems also employ rule-based
technology to implement customer strategy, policy and procedures. The rules are
implemented as part of predictive processes. The Company believes that its
combination of neural networks and rule bases in a single decision engine
represents a significant competitive advantage over more traditional approaches
to decision automation.
 
     Context Vector Technology. Context vector technology that originated at HNC
and is being commercialized at Aptex is a way to explore, analyze and model
unstructured textual data. Context vector technology automatically discovers the
underlying structure of free form symbolic data. This structure enables modeling
from data elements previously considered impossible to include in predictive
software applications. Context vector technology also models behavior. Just as
relationships are discovered in unstructured data, observing electronic
transaction behavior identifies patterns. Compatibility predictions can be made
between information, behavior, people and products. When combined with other HNC
technologies, such as neural networks and rule-based systems, the Company
believes that context vectors can improve the performance of existing
applications while opening new market opportunities. Context vector technology
has been demonstrated to increase banner advertising click rates on the
Internet, automate e-mail responses and discover unknown relationships in credit
card transaction data.
 
     The Company's success depends upon its ability to enter new markets by
successfully developing new products for such markets on a timely and
cost-effective basis. The Company's products often require customer data for
decision model development and system installation. As a result, completion of
new products (particularly new products for markets not previously served by the
Company) may be delayed while the Company extracts sufficient amounts of
statistically relevant data and develops the models. During this development
process, the Company relies on its potential customers in the new market to
provide data and to help train Company personnel in the use and meaning of the
data in the specific industry. These relationships also assist the Company in
establishing a market presence and credibility in the new market. These
potential customers, most of which have significantly greater financial and
marketing resources than the Company, may compete with the Company in the future
or otherwise discontinue their relationships with or support of the Company,
either during development of the Company's products or thereafter. The failure
by the Company to obtain adequate third-party support for new product
development would have a material adverse effect on the Company's ability to
enter new markets and, consequently, on the Company's business, financial
condition and results of operations. See "Risk Factors -- Risks Associated with
Technological Change and Delays in Developing New Products."
 
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
 
     The Company believes that its future success depends in part on its ability
to maintain and improve its core technologies, enhance its existing products and
develop new products that meet an expanding range of markets and customer
requirements. The Company intends to expand its existing product offerings and
to introduce new predictive software solutions. In the development of new
products and enhancements to existing products, the Company uses its own tools
extensively. Until 1996, the Company relied primarily on internal development of
its products. Based on timing and cost considerations, however, the Company has
acquired, and in the future
 
                                       41
<PAGE>   44
 
may consider acquiring, technology or products from third parties. For example,
the Company acquired technology and products in connection with its acquisitions
of Risk Data and Retek in 1996 and CompReview in 1997.
 
     The Company performs all quality assurance and develops documentation
internally. The Company intends to continue to support industry standard
operating environments, client-server architectures and network protocols. The
Company's specialists in neural network model development, software engineering,
user interface design, product documentation and quality improvement are
responsible for maintaining and enhancing the performance, quality and usability
of all HNC predictive software solutions. The marketing services organization is
responsible for authoring and updating all user documentation and other
publications. See "Risk Factors -- Risks Associated with Technological Change
and Delays in Developing New Products."
 
     The Company strategically targets its long-term research projects. In
addition to funds allocated by the Company for research, HNC receives research
contracts from a range of commercial sources and the United States Government.
Government and commercial contract customers have included the Advanced Research
Projects Agency, United States Air Force, Office of Naval Research and Tracor
Applied Sciences, Inc. The Company believes that these contracts augment its
ability to maintain existing technologies and investigate new technologies that
may or may not become part of its products. The United States Government
typically retains certain intellectual property rights and licenses in the
technologies the Company develops under research contracts directly or
indirectly sponsored by the government, and in some cases can terminate the
Company's rights in such technologies if the Company fails to commercialize them
on a timely basis. Historically, these contracts have not resulted in
development of products contributing to the Company's revenues in the fiscal
year in which the research contract is performed, or in the subsequent fiscal
year.
 
     The market for the Company's predictive software solutions for service
industries is characterized by rapidly changing technology and improvements in
computer hardware, network operating systems, programming tools, programming
languages, operating systems and database technology. The Company's success will
depend upon its ability to continue to develop and maintain competitive
technologies, enhance its current products and develop, in a timely and
cost-effective manner, new products that meet changing market conditions,
including evolving customer needs, new competitive product offerings, emerging
industry standards and changing technology. For example, the rapid growth of the
Internet environment creates new opportunities, risks and uncertainties for
businesses, such as the Company, which develop software solutions that now may
have to be designed to operate in Internet, intranet and other on-line
environments. The Company may not be able to develop and market, on a timely
basis, or at all, product enhancements or new products that respond to changing
technologies. The Company has previously experienced significant delays in the
development and introduction of new products and product enhancements, primarily
due to difficulties with model development, which has in the past required
multiple iterations, as well as difficulties with acquiring data and adapting to
particular operating environments. The length of these delays has varied
depending upon the size and scope of the project and the nature of the problems
encountered. Any significant delay in the completion of new products, or the
failure of such products, if and when installed, to achieve any significant
degree of market acceptance, would have a material adverse effect on the
Company's business, financial condition and results of operations. Any failure
by the Company to anticipate or to respond adequately to changing technologies,
or any significant delays in product development or introduction, could cause
customers to delay or decide against purchases of the Company's products and
would have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial
condition and results of operations.
 
                                       42
<PAGE>   45
 
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND OTHER PROPRIETARY RIGHTS
 
     The Company relies on a combination of patent, copyright, trademark and
trade secret laws and confidentiality procedures to protect its proprietary
rights. The Company currently owns seven issued United States patents and has
four United States patent applications pending. The Company has applied for
additional patents for its Falcon technology in Canada, Europe and Japan and for
its MIRA product in Australia, Canada and Europe. There can be no assurance that
patents will be issued with respect to pending or future patent applications or
that the Company's patents will be upheld as valid or will prevent the
development of competitive products. The Company seeks to protect its software,
documentation and other written materials under trade secret and copyright laws,
which afford only limited protection. As part of its confidentiality procedures,
the Company generally enters into invention assignment and proprietary
information agreements with its employees and independent contractors and
nondisclosure agreements with its distributors, corporate partners and
licensees, and limits access to and distribution of its software, documentation
and other proprietary information. Despite these precautions, it may be possible
for a third party to copy or otherwise to obtain and use the Company's products
or technology without authorization, or to develop similar technology
independently. In addition, to ensure that customers will not be adversely
affected by an interruption in the Company's business, the Company places source
code for certain of its products into escrow, which may increase the likelihood
of misappropriation or other misuse of the Company's intellectual property.
Moreover, effective protection of intellectual property rights may be
unavailable or limited in certain foreign countries in which the Company has
done and may do business. Also, the Company has developed technologies under
research projects conducted under agreements with various United States
Government agencies or subcontractors to such agencies. Although the Company has
acquired certain commercial rights to such technologies, the United States
Government typically retains ownership of certain intellectual property rights
and licenses in the technologies developed by the Company under such contracts,
and in some cases can terminate the Company's rights in such technologies if the
Company fails to commercialize them on a timely basis. In addition, under
certain United States Government contracts, the results of the Company's
research may be made public by the government, which could limit the Company's
competitive advantage with respect to future products based on such research.
 
     In the past, the Company has received communications from third parties
asserting that Company trademarks infringe such other parties' trademarks, none
of which has resulted in litigation or losses to the Company. Given the
Company's ongoing efforts to develop and market new technologies and products,
the Company may receive communications from third parties asserting that the
Company's products infringe, or may infringe, their intellectual property
rights. If as a result of any such claims the Company were precluded from using
certain technologies or intellectual property rights, licenses to such disputed
third-party technology or intellectual property rights might not be available on
reasonable commercial terms, if at all. Furthermore, the Company may initiate
claims or litigation against third parties for infringement of the Company's
proprietary rights or to establish the validity of the Company's proprietary
rights. Litigation, either as plaintiff or defendant, could result in
significant expense to the Company and divert the efforts of the Company's
technical and management personnel from productive tasks, whether or not such
litigation is resolved in favor of the Company. In the event of an adverse
ruling in any such litigation, the Company might be required to pay substantial
damages, discontinue the use and sale of infringing products, expend significant
resources to develop non-infringing technology or obtain licenses to infringing
technology, and the court might invalidate the Company's patents, trademarks or
other proprietary rights. In the event of a successful claim against the Company
and the failure of the Company to develop or license a substitute technology,
the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations would be
materially and adversely affected.
 
     As the number of software products increases and the functionality of these
products further overlaps, the Company believes that software developers may
become increasingly subject to
 
                                       43
<PAGE>   46
 
infringement claims. Any such claims, with or without merit, can be time
consuming and expensive to defend and could materially and adversely affect the
Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
COMPETITION
 
   
     The market for predictive software solutions for service industries is
intensely competitive and subject to rapid change. Competitors, many of which
have substantially greater financial resources than the Company, vary in size
and in the scope of the products and services they offer. The Company encounters
competition from a number of sources, including (i) other application software
companies, (ii) management information systems departments of customers and
potential customers, including banks, insurance companies and retailers, (iii)
third party professional services organizations, including without limitation,
consulting divisions of public accounting firms, (iv) hardware suppliers that
bundle or develop complementary software, (v) network and service providers that
seek to enhance their value-added services, (vi) neural-network tool suppliers
and (vii) managed care organizations. In the healthcare/insurance market, the
Company has experienced competition primarily from NCCI, Corporate Systems and
CSC Incorporated. In the workers' compensation and medical cost administration
market, the Company has experienced competition from MediCode, Medata, Inc. and
Embassy Software with regard to software licensing, and Intracorp and Corvel
Corporation in the service bureau operations market. Additionally, the Company
has faced competition from ADP in the automobile accident medical claims market.
In the financial services market, the Company has experienced competition from
Fair, Isaac & Co., Inc., Cogensys (a subsidiary of Policy Management Systems
Corporation), Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, IBM, Nestor, Inc., NeuralTech Inc.,
Neuralware Inc., PMI Mortgage Services Co., VISA International and others. In
the retail market, the Company has experienced competition from JDA Software
Group, Inc., SAP AG, PeopleSoft, Inc., IBM, Manugistics Group, Inc. and others.
The Company expects to experience additional competition from other established
and emerging companies, as well as other technologies. For example, the
Company's Falcon product competes against other methods of preventing credit
card fraud, such as card activation programs, credit cards that contain the
cardholder's photograph, smart cards and other card authorization techniques.
Increased competition, whether from other products or new technologies, could
result in price reductions, fewer customer orders, reduced gross margins and
loss of market share, any of which could materially adversely affect the
Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
    
 
     The Company believes that most of its products are currently priced at a
premium when compared to its competitors' products. The market for the Company's
products is highly competitive, and the Company expects that it will face
increasing pricing pressures from its current competitors and new market
entrants. In particular, increased competition could reduce or eliminate such
premiums and cause further price reductions. In addition, such competition could
adversely affect the Company's ability to obtain new long-term contracts and
renewals of existing long-term contracts on terms favorable to the Company. Any
reduction in the price of the Company's products could materially adversely
affect the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
     The Company believes that the principal competitive factors affecting its
market include technical performance (for example, accuracy in detecting credit
card fraud or evaluating workers' compensation claims), access to unique
proprietary databases and product attributes such as adaptability, scalability,
ability to integrate with products produced by other vendors, functionality,
ease-of-use, product reputation, quality, performance, price, customer service
and support, the effectiveness of sales and marketing efforts and Company
reputation. Although the Company believes that its products currently compete
favorably with respect to such factors, there can be no assurance that the
Company can maintain its competitive position against current and potential
 
                                       44
<PAGE>   47
 
competitors, especially those with significantly greater financial, marketing,
service, support, technical and other resources.
 
     Some of the Company's current, and many of the Company's potential,
competitors have significantly greater financial, technical, marketing and other
resources than the Company. As a result, they may be able to respond more
quickly to new or emerging technologies and changes in customer requirements or
to devote greater resources to the development, promotion and sale of their
products than the Company. In addition, current and potential competitors have
established or may establish cooperative relationships among themselves or with
third parties to increase the ability of their products to address the needs of
the Company's prospective customers. Accordingly, it is possible that new
competitors or alliances among competitors may emerge and rapidly gain
significant market share. Also, the Company relies upon its customers to provide
data, expertise and other support for the ongoing updating of the Company's
models. The Company's customers, most of which have significantly greater
financial and marketing resources than the Company, may compete with the Company
in the future or otherwise discontinue their relationships with or support of
the Company. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to compete
successfully against current and future competitors or that competitive
pressures faced by the Company will not materially adversely affect its
business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
EMPLOYEES
 
     As of December 31, 1997, the Company had 706 employees, including 316 in
product development and support, 87 in customer service, 125 in sales and
marketing and 178 in finance, administration and MIS. Most of these employees
are located in the United States. None of the Company's employees are
represented by a labor union. The Company has experienced no work stoppages and
believes that its employee relationships are generally good.
 
     The Company's success depends to a significant degree upon the continued
service of members of the Company's senior management and other key research,
development, sales and marketing personnel. Accordingly, the loss of any of the
Company's senior management or key research, development, sales or marketing
personnel could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business,
financial condition and results of operations. Only a small number of employees
have employment agreements with the Company, and there can be no assurance that
such agreements will result in the retention of these employees for any
significant period of time. In addition, the untimely loss of a member of the
management team or a key employee of a business acquired by the Company could
have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition
and results of operations, particularly if such loss occurred before the Company
has had adequate time to familiarize itself with the operating details of that
business. In the past, the Company has experienced difficulty in recruiting a
sufficient number of qualified sales and technical employees. In addition,
competitors may attempt to recruit the Company's key employees. There can be no
assurance that the Company will be successful in attracting, assimilating and
retaining such personnel. The failure to attract, assimilate and retain key
personnel could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business,
financial condition and results of operations. See "Risk Factors -- Risks
Associated with Managing Growth."
 
                                       45
<PAGE>   48
 
FACILITIES
 
     The Company's principal administrative, sales, marketing, support, research
and development facilities are located in approximately 85,000 square feet of
space in San Diego, California. The Company and its subsidiaries also lease an
aggregate of approximately 95,000 square feet of additional office space
elsewhere in San Diego and in Atlanta, Georgia; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Costa
Mesa, California; and Irvine, California. The Company and its subsidiaries also
maintain numerous field offices in the United States and in foreign countries.
The Company believes that its current facilities are adequate to meet its needs
for the foreseeable future. The Company believes that suitable additional or
alternative space will be available in the future on commercially reasonable
terms as needed.
 
                                       46
<PAGE>   49
 
                                   MANAGEMENT
 
DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
 
     The names, ages and positions of the Company's directors and executive
officers as of February 17, 1998 are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                       NAME                     AGE                      POSITION
    ------------------------------------------  ---   -----------------------------------------------
    <S>                                         <C>   <C>
    Robert L. North...........................   62   President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
    Raymond V. Thomas.........................   55   Vice President, Finance and Administration,
                                                      Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
    John Mutch................................   41   Vice President, Marketing
    Todd W. Gutschow..........................   37   Vice President, Technology Development
    Michael A. Thiemann.......................   41   President, Aptex Software Inc.
    Edward K. Chandler(1).....................   39   Director
    Oliver D. Curme(2)........................   44   Director
    Thomas F. Farb(1).........................   41   Director
    Charles H. Gaylord, Jr.(2)................   52   Director
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
 
(1) Member of the Audit Committee
 
(2) Member of the Compensation Committee
 
     Mr. North has been President and Chief Executive Officer and a director of
the Company since June 1987. Mr. North is also a director of Peerless Systems
Corporation. Mr. North holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees
in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University.
 
     Mr. Thomas has been Vice President, Finance and Administration and Chief
Financial Officer of the Company since February 1995 and Secretary of the
Company since May 1995. From May 1993 to February 1995, he served as Executive
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Golden Systems, Inc., a power
supply manufacturer, and from September 1994 to February 1995 he also served as
Chief Operating Officer. From April 1991 to May 1993, Mr. Thomas served as
Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer
of Vitesse Semiconductor Corporation, a semiconductor manufacturer. Mr. Thomas
holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management from Purdue
University and attended the Wharton School of Business at the University of
Pennsylvania.
 
     Mr. Mutch joined the Company in July 1997 as Vice President, Marketing. He
was a founder of MVenture Holdings, Inc., a private equity fund that invests in
start-up technology companies, and served as a General Partner from June 1994 to
July 1997. From December 1986 to June 1994, Mr. Mutch held a variety of
positions with Microsoft Corporation, including Director of Organization
Marketing. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Economics from
Cornell University and a Masters degree in Business Administration from the
University of Chicago.
 
     Mr. Gutschow is a co-founder of the Company and has been Vice President,
Technology Development of the Company since October 1990. He was also Secretary
of the Company from January 1993 to May 1995. Mr. Gutschow holds a Bachelor of
Arts degree in Physics from Harvard University and attended the University of
California at San Diego.
 
     Mr. Thiemann joined the Company in June 1989. He ran the Company's Aptex
text analysis division from January 1996 to September 1996 and in September 1996
was named President and Chief Executive Officer of Aptex Software Inc. From May
1993 to January 1996, he served as Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing
of the Company. He has also served as Executive Vice President and General
Manager, Decision Systems of the Company from January 1993 to May 1993, Vice
President and General Manager, Decision Systems of the Company from February
1990 to January 1993 and Vice President, New Business Development of the Company
from June 1989 to February 1990. Mr. Thiemann holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in
Art, a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and a Masters degree
in Electrical
 
                                       47
<PAGE>   50
 
Engineering from Stanford University and a Masters degree in Business
Administration from Harvard University.
 
     Mr. Chandler has been a director of the Company since August 1991. Since
July 1991, he has been President of Prairie-EKC, Inc., a partner of the general
partner of PCE 1991 Limited Partnership, a venture capital firm. Since November
1996, Mr. Chandler has also been a Managing Director of Graystone Venture
Partners, LLC, a venture capital firm. Mr. Chandler holds a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Economics from Yale University and a Masters degree in Business
Administration from Harvard University.
 
     Mr. Curme has been a director of the Company since June 1987. Since January
1988, he has been a general partner of the general partner of Battery Ventures,
L.P., a national venture capital firm. Mr. Curme also serves as a director of
several privately held technology companies. Mr. Curme is also a director of
InfoSeek Corporation, an Internet search and navigation service company. He
holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from Brown University and a
Masters degree in Business Administration from Harvard University.
 
     Mr. Farb has been a director of the Company since November 1987. Since
April 1994, he has been Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and
Treasurer of Interneuron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a publicly-held diversified
pharmaceutical company, and an officer of several of its subsidiaries. From
October 1992 to March 1994, Mr. Farb served as Vice President of Corporate
Development, Chief Financial Officer and Controller of Cytyc Corporation, a
medical device and diagnostics company. Mr. Farb also serves as a director of
Redwood Trust, Inc., a California-based publicly-held Real Estate Investment
Trust. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Harvard College.
 
     Mr. Gaylord has been a director of the Company since May 1995. He is
currently a private technology investor and a director of Stac Inc., a
publicly-held software company. From December 1993 to September 1994, Mr.
Gaylord served as Executive Vice President of Intuit Inc., a publicly-held
personal and small business finance software company, following Intuit's
acquisition of ChipSoft, Inc., a tax preparation software company. Prior to that
acquisition, from June 1990 to December 1993, he served first as President and
Chief Executive Officer and a director of ChipSoft and then as Chairman of the
Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer. He holds Bachelor of Science and
Master of Science degrees in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Institute of
Technology and a Masters degree in Business Administration from Harvard
University.
 
                                       48
<PAGE>   51
 
                              DESCRIPTION OF NOTES
 
     The Notes will be issued under an indenture to be dated as of March 1, 1998
(the "Indenture"), between the Company and State Street Bank and Trust Company
of California, N.A., as trustee (the "Trustee"), a copy of which has been filed
as an exhibit to the Registration Statement of which this Prospectus forms a
part. The terms of the Notes will include those stated in the Indenture and
those made a part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of
1939, as amended (the "TIA"), as in effect on the date of the Indenture. The
Notes will be subject to all such terms, and Holders of the Notes are referred
to the Indenture and the TIA for a statement of such terms. The following is a
summary of important terms of the Notes and does not purport to be complete and
is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Indenture and the TIA.
Reference should be made to all provisions of the Indenture, including the
definitions therein of certain terms and all terms made a part of the Indenture
by reference to the TIA. Wherever particular provisions or defined terms of the
Indenture (or the form of Note which is a part thereof) are referred to, such
provisions or defined terms are incorporated herein by reference. References in
this section to the "Company" are solely to HNC Software Inc., a Delaware
corporation, and not its subsidiaries.
 
GENERAL
 
   
     The Notes will be general unsecured obligations of the Company, subordinate
in right of payment to certain other obligations of the Company as described
under "-- Subordination," and convertible into Common Stock as described under
"-- Conversion." The Notes will be limited to $90,000,000 aggregate principal
amount ($100,000,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full), will be
issued in fully registered form only in denominations of $1,000 or any integral
multiple thereof and will mature on March 1, 2003, unless earlier redeemed or
repurchased.
    
 
     The Notes will bear interest from March   , 1998 at the annual rate set
forth on the cover page hereof, payable semiannually on March 1 and September 1,
commencing on September 1, 1998, to Holders of record at the close of business
on the preceding February 15 and August 15, respectively (subject to certain
exceptions in the case of conversion, redemption or repurchase of such Notes
prior to the applicable interest payment date). Interest will be computed on the
basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months.
 
     Principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the Notes will be
payable, and the transfer of Notes will be registrable, and the Notes may be
presented for conversion, at the office or agency of the Company maintained for
such purposes in The City of New York, the State of New York, which shall
initially be an office or agency of the Trustee. In addition, payment of
interest may, at the option of the Company, be made by check mailed to the
address of the person entitled thereto as it appears on the Note register,
provided that any Holder of a Note or Notes with an aggregate principal amount
in excess of $1,000,000 shall, at the election of such Holder, be paid by wire
transfer in immediately available funds.
 
     No service charge will be made for any registration or transfer or exchange
of Notes, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any
tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith. The Company is
not required to exchange or register the transfer of (i) any Note for a period
of 15 days next preceding any selection of Notes to be redeemed, (ii) any Note
or portion thereof selected for redemption, (iii) any Note or portion thereof
surrendered for conversion or (iv) any Note or portion thereof surrendered for
repurchase (and not withdrawn) in connection with a Fundamental Change.
 
     The Indenture does not contain any financial covenants or restrictions on
the payment of dividends by the Company, the incurrence of indebtedness,
including Senior Indebtedness (as defined), or the issuance or repurchase of
securities by the Company. The Indenture contains no covenants or other
provisions to afford protection to Holders of the Notes in the event of a highly
 
                                       49
<PAGE>   52
 
leveraged transaction or a change in control of the Company except to the extent
described below under "-- Repurchase at Option of Holders Upon a Fundamental
Change."
 
CONVERSION
 
     The Holder of any Note will be entitled at any time through the close of
business on the final maturity date of the Notes, subject to prior redemption or
repurchase, to convert any Notes or portions thereof (in denominations of $1,000
or multiples thereof) into Common Stock of the Company, at the conversion price
set forth on the cover page of this Prospectus, subject to adjustment as
described below. Except as described below, no adjustment will be made on
conversion of any Notes for interest accrued thereon or for dividends on any
Common Stock issued. If Notes are converted after a record date for the payment
of interest and on or prior to the close of business on the business day prior
to the next succeeding interest payment date, such Notes, other than Notes
called for redemption, when submitted for conversion by the Holder, must be
accompanied by funds equal to the interest payable on such succeeding interest
payment date on the principal amount so converted. No such payment will be
required with respect to interest payable on March 1, 2001. The Company is not
required to issue fractional shares of Common Stock upon conversion of Notes
and, in lieu thereof, will pay a cash adjustment based upon the market price of
the Common Stock on the last business day prior to the date of conversion. In
the case of Notes called for redemption, conversion rights will expire at the
close of business on the business day preceding the date fixed for redemption,
unless the Company defaults in payment of the redemption price, in which case
the conversion right shall terminate on the date such default is cured and such
Note is redeemed. A Note for which a Holder has delivered a Fundamental Change
purchase notice exercising the option of such Holder to require the Company to
repurchase such Note may be converted only if such notice is withdrawn by a
written notice of withdrawal delivered by the Holder to the Company prior to the
close of business on the business day preceding the date fixed for repurchase.
 
     The right of conversion attaching to any Note may be exercised by the
Holder by delivering the Note at the specified office of a conversion agent,
accompanied by a duly signed and completed notice of conversion, together with
any funds that may be required as described in the preceding paragraph. The
conversion date shall be the date on which the Note, the duly signed and
completed notice of conversion and any funds that may be required as described
in the preceding paragraph shall have been so delivered. A Holder delivering a
Note for conversion will not be required to pay any taxes or duties payable in
respect of the issue or delivery of Common Stock on conversion, but will be
required to pay any tax or duty which may be payable in respect of any transfer
involved in the issue or delivery of the Common Stock in a name other than that
of the Holder of the Note. Certificates representing shares of Common Stock will
not be issued or delivered unless all taxes and duties, if any, payable by the
Holder have been paid.
 
     The initial conversion price of $     share of Common Stock (equivalent to
a conversion rate of approximately                shares per $1,000 principal
amount of the Notes) is subject to adjustment (under formulae set forth in the
Indenture) in certain events, including: (i) the issuance of Common Stock as a
dividend or distribution on Common Stock; (ii) certain subdivisions and
combinations of the Common Stock; (iii) the issuance to all Holders of Common
Stock of certain rights or warrants to purchase Common Stock (provided that the
conversion price will be readjusted to the extent that such rights or warrants
are not exercised prior to the expiration thereof); (iv) the distribution to all
Holders of Common Stock of shares of capital stock of the Company (other than
Common Stock) or evidences of indebtedness of the Company or assets (including
securities, but excluding those rights, warrants, dividends and distributions
referred to above or paid in cash); (v) distributions consisting of cash,
excluding any quarterly cash dividend on the Common Stock to the extent that the
aggregate cash dividend per share of Common Stock in any quarterly period does
not exceed the greater of (x) the amount per share of Common Stock of the next
preceding quarterly cash dividend on the Common Stock to the extent that such
 
                                       50
<PAGE>   53
 
preceding quarterly dividend did not require an adjustment of the conversion
price pursuant to this clause (v), and (y) 3.75% of the average of the daily
Closing Prices (as defined) of the Common Stock for the ten consecutive Trading
Days (as defined) immediately prior to the date of declaration of such dividend,
and excluding any dividend or distribution in connection with the liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company; (vi) payment in respect of a tender or
exchange offer by the Company for the Common Stock to the extent that the cash
and value of any other consideration included in such payment per share of
Common Stock exceeds the Current Market Price (as defined) per share of Common
Stock on the Trading Day next succeeding the last date on which tenders or
exchanges may be made pursuant to such tender or exchange offer; and (vii)
payment in respect of a tender offer or exchange offer by a person other than
the Company in which, as of the closing date of the offer, the Board of
Directors is not recommending rejection of the offer. In the event of a
distribution to substantially all Holders of Common Stock of rights to subscribe
for additional shares of the Company's capital stock as provided in clause (iii)
above, the Company may, instead of making any adjustment in the conversion
price, make proper provision so that each Holder of a Note who converts such
Note after the record date for such distribution and prior to the expiration or
redemption of such rights shall be entitled to receive upon such conversion, in
addition to shares of Common Stock, an appropriate number of such rights. If an
adjustment is required to be made as set forth in clause (v) above as a result
of a distribution that is not a quarterly dividend, such adjustment would be
based upon the full amount of the distribution. The adjustment referred to in
clause (vii) above will only be made if the tender offer or exchange offer is
for an amount which increases that person's ownership of Common Stock to more
than 25% of the total shares of Common Stock outstanding and if the cash and
value of any other consideration included in such payment per share of Common
Stock exceeds the Current Market Price per share of Common Stock on the business
day next succeeding the last date on which tenders or exchanges may be made
pursuant to such tender or exchange offer. The adjustment referred to in clause
(vii) above will not be made, however, if, as of the closing of the offer, the
offering documents with respect to such offer disclose a plan or an intention to
cause the Company to engage in a consolidation or merger of the Company or a
sale of all or substantially all of the Company's assets.
 
     The Indenture will provide that if the Company implements a stockholders'
rights plan, such rights plan must provide that, subject to customary
exceptions, upon conversion of the Notes the Holders will receive, in addition
to the Common Stock issuable upon such conversion, such rights whether or not
such rights have separated from the Common Stock at the time of such conversion.
 
   
     In the case of (i) any reclassification of the Common Stock or (ii) a
consolidation, merger or combination involving the Company or a sale or
conveyance to another person of the property and assets of the Company as an
entirety or substantially as an entirety, in each case, as a result of which
holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive stock, other securities,
other property or assets (including cash) with respect to or in exchange for
such Common Stock, the Holders of the Notes then outstanding will generally be
entitled thereafter to convert such Notes for the kind and amount of shares of
stock, other securities, other property or assets (including cash) which they
would have owned or been entitled to receive upon such reclassification,
consolidation, merger, combination, sale or conveyance had such Notes been
converted into Common Stock immediately prior to such reclassification,
consolidation, merger, combination, sale or conveyance, assuming that such
Holder would not have exercised any rights of election as to the stock, other
securities, other property or assets (including cash) receivable in connection
therewith.
    
 
     In the event of a taxable distribution to holders of Common Stock (or other
transaction) which results in any adjustment of the conversion price, the
Holders may, in certain circumstances, be deemed to have received a distribution
subject to the United States income tax as a dividend; in certain other
circumstances, the absence of such an adjustment may result in a taxable
dividend to the Holders of Common Stock. See "Certain United States Federal
Income Tax Considerations."
 
                                       51
<PAGE>   54
 
     The Company from time to time may, to the extent permitted by law, reduce
the conversion price by any amount for any period of at least 20 days, in which
case the Company shall give at least 15 days' notice of such reduction, if the
Board of Directors of the Company has made a determination that such reduction
would be in the best interests of the Company, which determination shall be
conclusive. The Company may, at its option, make such reductions in the
conversion price, in addition to those set forth above, as the Board of
Directors of the Company deems advisable to avoid or diminish any income tax to
holders of Common Stock resulting from any dividend or distribution of stock (or
rights to acquire stock) or from any event treated as such for income tax
purposes.
 
     No adjustment in the conversion price will be required unless such
adjustment would require a change of at least 1% in the conversion price then in
effect; provided that any adjustment that would otherwise be required to be made
shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment.
Except as stated above, the conversion price will not be adjusted for the
issuance of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for
Common Stock or carrying the right to purchase any of the foregoing.
 
SUBORDINATION
 
     The indebtedness evidenced by the Notes is subordinated in right of payment
to the extent provided in the Indenture to the prior payment in full of all
Senior Indebtedness (as defined). Upon any distribution of assets of the Company
upon any dissolution, winding up, liquidation or reorganization (including any
of the foregoing as a result of bankruptcy or moratorium of payment), the
payment on account of the principal of, redemption of, or premium, if any, and
interest on the Notes (including on account of a Fundamental Change) is to be
subordinated to the extent provided in the Indenture in right of payment to the
prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness in cash or other payment
satisfactory to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.
 
     In the event of any acceleration of the Notes because of an Event of
Default (as defined), the holders of any Senior Indebtedness then outstanding
would be entitled to payment in full in cash or other payment satisfactory to
the holders of such Senior Indebtedness of all obligations in respect of such
Senior Indebtedness before the Holders of the Notes are entitled to receive any
payment or other distribution in respect thereof. The Indenture will require
that the Company promptly notify Holders of Senior Indebtedness if payment of
the Notes is accelerated because of an Event of Default.
 
     The Company also may not make any payment upon, redemption of, or purchase
or otherwise acquire the Notes if (i) a default in the payment of the principal
of, premium, if any, interest, rent or other obligations in respect of Senior
Indebtedness occurs and is continuing beyond any applicable period of grace or
(ii) any other default occurs and is continuing with respect to Designated
Senior Indebtedness (as defined) that permits the Holders of the Designated
Senior Indebtedness as to which such default relates to accelerate its maturity
and the Trustee receives a notice of such default (a "Payment Blockage Notice")
from any person permitted to give such notice under the Indenture. Payments on
the Notes may and shall be resumed (a) in case of a payment default, upon the
date on which such default is cured or waived or ceases to exist and (b) in case
of a nonpayment default, the earlier of the date on which such nonpayment
default is cured or waived or ceases to exist or 179 days after the date on
which the applicable Payment Blockage Notice is received if the maturity of the
Designated Senior Indebtedness has not been accelerated. No new period of
payment blockage may be commenced pursuant to a Payment Blockage Notice unless
and until 365 days have elapsed since the effectiveness of the immediately prior
Payment Blockage Notice. No nonpayment default that existed or was continuing on
the date of delivery of any Payment Blockage Notice to the Trustee shall be, or
be made, the basis for a subsequent Payment Blockage Notice.
 
                                       52
<PAGE>   55
 
     By reason of the subordination provisions described above, in the event of
the Company's bankruptcy, dissolution or reorganization, holders of Senior
Indebtedness may receive more, ratably, and Holders of the Notes may receive
less, ratably, than the other creditors of the Company. Such subordination will
not prevent the occurrence of any Event of Default under the Indenture.
 
     In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trustee or any Holder
of Notes receives any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any
kind in contravention of any of the subordination provisions of the Indenture,
whether in cash, property or securities, including, without limitation, by way
of set-off or otherwise, in respect of the Notes before all Senior Indebtedness
is paid in full, then such payment or distribution will be held by the recipient
in trust for the benefit of holders of Senior Indebtedness or their
representative or representatives to the extent necessary to make payment in
full of all Senior Indebtedness of the Company remaining unpaid, after giving
effect to any concurrent payment or distribution, or provision therefor, to or
for the holders of Senior Indebtedness.
 
     The Notes are obligations exclusively of the Company. As a significant
portion of the Company's consolidated operations is conducted through
subsidiaries, the cash flow and the consequent ability to service debt of the
Company, including the Notes, is partially dependent upon the earnings of such
subsidiaries and the distribution of those earnings, or upon loans or other
payments of funds by those subsidiaries, to the Company. Such subsidiaries are
separate and distinct legal entities, and have no obligation, contingent or
otherwise, to pay any amounts due pursuant to the Notes or to make any funds
available therefor, whether by dividends, distributions, loans or other
payments. In addition, the payment of dividends or distributions and the making
of loans and advances to the Company by any such subsidiaries may be subject to
statutory or contractual restrictions, and may be contingent upon the earnings
of those subsidiaries and subject to various business considerations. Any right
of the Company to receive assets of subsidiaries upon their liquidation or
reorganization (and the consequent right of the Holders of the Notes to
participate in these assets) would be effectively subordinated to the claims of
that subsidiary's creditors (including trade creditors), except to the extent
that the Company is itself recognized as a creditor of such subsidiary, in which
case the claims of the Company would still be subordinate to any security
interests in the assets of such subsidiary and any indebtedness of such
subsidiary senior to that held by the Company.
 
     As of December 31, 1997, the Company had no indebtedness outstanding that
would have constituted Senior Indebtedness and the Company's subsidiaries had
indebtedness and other liabilities outstanding aggregating approximately
$254,000 (excluding intercompany liabilities and liabilities of a type not
required to be reflected as liabilities on the balance sheets of such
subsidiaries in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) to
which the Notes would have been effectively subordinated. The Indenture will not
limit the amount of additional indebtedness, including Senior Indebtedness,
which the Company can create, incur, assume or guarantee, nor will the Indenture
limit the amount of indebtedness which any subsidiary of the Company can create,
incur, assume or guarantee.
 
     The Company is obligated to pay reasonable compensation to the Trustee and
to indemnify the Trustee against any losses, liabilities or expenses incurred by
it in connection with its duties relating to the Notes. The Trustee's claims for
such payments will be senior to those of Holders of the Notes in respect of all
funds collected or held by the Trustee.
 
     The term "Senior Indebtedness" means the principal of, premium, if any,
interest (including all interest accruing subsequent to the commencement of any
bankruptcy or similar proceeding, whether or not a claim for post-petition
interest is allowable as a claim in any such proceeding) and rent payable on or
in connection with, and all fees, costs, expenses and other amounts accrued or
due on or in connection with, Indebtedness (as defined) of the Company, whether
outstanding on the date of the Indenture or thereafter created, incurred,
assumed, guaranteed or in
 
                                       53
<PAGE>   56
 
effect guaranteed by the Company (including all deferrals, renewals, extensions
or refundings of, or amendments, modifications or supplements to, the
foregoing), unless in the case of any particular Indebtedness the instrument
creating or evidencing the same or the assumption or guarantee thereof expressly
provides that such Indebtedness shall not be senior in right of payment to the
Notes or expressly provides that such Indebtedness is pari passu or "junior" to
the Notes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Senior Indebtedness shall not include
(i) Indebtedness of the Company to any Subsidiary of the Company or (ii) the
Notes.
 
     The term "Indebtedness" means, with respect to any Person (as defined), and
without duplication, (a) all indebtedness, obligations and other liabilities
(contingent or otherwise) of such Person for borrowed money (including
obligations of the Person in respect of overdrafts, foreign exchange contracts,
currency exchange agreements, interest rate protection agreements, and any loans
or advances from banks, whether or not evidenced by notes or similar
instruments) or evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments
(whether or not the recourse of the lender is to the whole of the assets of such
Person or to only a portion thereof), (b) all reimbursement obligations and
other liabilities (contingent or otherwise) of such Person with respect to
letters of credit, bank guarantees or bankers' acceptances, (c) all obligations
and liabilities (contingent or otherwise) in respect of leases of such Person
required, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, to be
accounted for as capitalized lease obligations on the balance sheet of such
Person and all obligations and other liabilities (contingent or otherwise) under
any lease or related document (including a purchase agreement) in connection
with the lease of real property or improvements thereon which provides that such
Person is contractually obligated to purchase or cause a third party to purchase
the leased property and thereby guarantee a minimum residual value of the leased
property to the lessor and the obligations of such Person under such lease or
related document to purchase or to cause a third party to purchase such leased
property, (d) all obligations of such Person (contingent or otherwise) with
respect to an interest rate or other swap, cap or collar agreement or other
similar instrument or agreement or foreign currency hedge, exchange, purchase or
similar instrument or agreement, (e) all direct or indirect guaranties or
similar agreements by such Person in respect of, and obligations or liabilities
(contingent or otherwise) of such Person to purchase or otherwise acquire or
otherwise assure a creditor against loss in respect of, indebtedness,
obligations or liabilities of another Person of the kind described in clauses
(a) through (d), (f) any indebtedness or other obligations described in clauses
(a) through (d) secured by any mortgage, pledge, lien or other encumbrance
existing on property which is owned or held by such Person, regardless of
whether the indebtedness or other obligation secured thereby shall have been
assumed by such Person, and (g) any and all deferrals, renewals, extensions and
refundings of, or amendments, modifications or supplements to, any indebtedness,
obligation or liability of the kind described in clauses (a) through (f).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, "Indebtedness" shall not include any account
payable or other accrued current liability or obligation incurred in the
ordinary course of business in connection with the obtaining of materials or
services.
 
   
     The term "Designated Senior Indebtedness" means the Company's obligations
under the Credit Agreement and the Company's obligations under any other
particular Senior Indebtedness in which the instrument creating or evidencing
the same or the assumption or guarantee thereof (or related agreements or
documents to which the Company is a party) expressly provides that such Senior
Indebtedness shall be "Designated Senior Indebtedness" for purposes of the
Indenture (provided that such instrument, agreement or other document may place
limitations and conditions on the right of such Senior Indebtedness to exercise
the rights of Designated Senior Indebtedness). The term "Credit Agreement" means
that certain Loan and Security Agreement dated as of July 11, 1997, between the
Company and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as amended through the date
of the Indenture, and as further amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise
modified from time to time.
    
 
                                       54
<PAGE>   57
 
OPTIONAL REDEMPTION
 
     At any time on or after March 6, 2001, the Notes may be redeemed at the
Company's option on at least 20 and not more than 60 days' notice, in whole or
from time to time in part, at the following prices (expressed as percentages of
the principal amount), together with accrued interest to, but excluding, the
Redemption Date.
 
     If redeemed during the 12-month period beginning March 1 (beginning March
6, 2001 and ending February 28, 2002, in the case of the first such period):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                      REDEMPTION
                                      YEAR                              PRICE
            --------------------------------------------------------  ----------
            <S>                                                       <C>
            2001....................................................         %
            2002....................................................
</TABLE>
 
   
and 100% at March 1, 2003; provided that any semi-annual payment of interest
becoming due on the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of record on
the Regular Record Date of the Notes being redeemed.
    
 
     If fewer than all the Notes are to be redeemed, the Trustee will select the
Notes to be redeemed in principal amounts of $1,000 or multiples thereof by lot
or, in its sole discretion, on a pro rata basis. If any Note is to be redeemed
in part only, a new Note or Notes in principal amount equal to the unredeemed
principal portion thereof will be issued. If a portion of a Holder's Notes is
selected for partial redemption and such Holder converts a portion of such
Notes, such converted portion shall be deemed to be taken from the portion
selected for redemption.
 
     There is no sinking fund provided for the Notes.
 
REPURCHASE AT OPTION OF HOLDERS UPON A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE
 
   
     If a Fundamental Change (as defined) occurs, each Holder of Notes shall
have the right, at the Holder's option, to require the Company to repurchase all
of such Holder's Notes, or any portion of a Note that is $1,000 or an integral
multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof, on the date (the "Repurchase Date") that
is 45 days after the date of the Company Notice (as defined), at a price (the
"Repurchase Price") (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount) equal to
(i)      % if the Repurchase Date is during the 12-month period beginning March
1, 1998, (ii)      % if the Repurchase Date is during the 12-month period
beginning March 1, 1999, (iii)      % if the Repurchase Date is during the
12-month period beginning March 1, 2000 and (iv) thereafter at the redemption
price set forth under "-- Optional Redemption" which would be applicable to a
redemption at the option of the Company on the Repurchase Date; provided that,
if the Applicable Price (as defined) is less than the Reference Market Price (as
defined), the Company shall repurchase such Notes at a price equal to the
foregoing Repurchase Price multiplied by the fraction obtained by dividing the
Applicable Price by the Reference Market Price. In each case, the Company shall
also pay accrued interest on the redeemed Notes to, but excluding, the
Repurchase Date. Any Notes repurchased by the Company shall be canceled.
    
 
     Within 30 days after the occurrence of a Fundamental Change, the Company is
obligated to give to all Holders of the Notes notice, as provided in the
Indenture (the "Company Notice"), of the occurrence of such Fundamental Change
and of the repurchase right arising as a result thereof. The Company must also
deliver a copy of the Company Notice to the Trustee. To exercise the repurchase
right, a Holder of Notes must deliver on or before the 30th day after the date
of the Company Notice written notice to the Trustee or any Paying Agent of the
Holder's exercise of such right, together with the Notes with respect to which
the right is being exercised.
 
     The term "Fundamental Change" means the occurrence of any transaction or
event in connection with which all or substantially all of the Common Stock
shall be exchanged for, converted into, acquired for or constitute solely the
right to receive, consideration (whether by
 
                                       55
<PAGE>   58
 
means of an exchange offer, liquidation, tender offer, consolidation, merger,
combination, reclassification, recapitalization or otherwise) which is not all
or substantially all common stock or shares which are (or, upon consummation of
or immediately following such transaction or event, will be) listed on a United
States national securities exchange or approved for quotation on the Nasdaq
National Market or any similar United States system of automated dissemination
of quotations of securities prices. The term "Applicable Price" means (i) in the
event of a Fundamental Change in which the holders of Common Stock receive only
cash, the amount of cash received by the holders of one share of Common Stock
and (ii) in the event of any other Fundamental Change, the average of the last
reported sale price for the Common Stock during the ten Trading Days prior to
the record date for the determination of the holders of Common Stock entitled to
receive cash, securities, property or other assets in connection with such
Fundamental Change or, if no such record date exists, the date upon which the
holders of the Common Stock shall have the right to receive such cash,
securities, property or other assets in connection with the Fundamental Change.
The term "Reference Market Price" shall initially mean $          (which is
equal to 66 2/3% of the last bid price of the Common Stock on             ,
1998, as reflected on the cover page of this Prospectus) and in the event of any
adjustment to the conversion price described above pursuant to the provisions of
the Indenture, the Reference Market Price shall also be adjusted so that the
ratio of the Reference Market Price to the conversion price after giving effect
to any such adjustment shall always be the same as the ratio of $          to
the conversion price specified on the cover page of this Prospectus (without
regard to any adjustment thereto).
 
     Rule 13e-4 under the Exchange Act requires the dissemination of certain
information to security holders in the event of an issuer tender offer and may
apply in the event that the repurchase option becomes available to Holders of
the Notes. The Company will comply with this rule and any other securities laws
to the extent applicable at that time.
 
     The repurchase option upon a Fundamental Change feature of the Notes may in
certain circumstances make more difficult or discourage a takeover of the
Company and, thus, the removal of incumbent management. The Fundamental Change
repurchase feature, however, is not the result of management's knowledge of any
specific effort to accumulate the Company's stock or to obtain control of the
Company by means of a merger, tender offer, solicitation or otherwise, or part
of a plan by management to adopt a series of anti-takeover provisions. Instead,
the Fundamental Change repurchase feature is a result of negotiations between
the Company and the Underwriters. Management has no present intention to engage
in a transaction involving a Fundamental Change, although it is possible that
the Company could decide to do so in the future. Subject to the limitations on
mergers, consolidations and sale of assets described herein, the Company could,
in the future, enter into certain transactions, including acquisitions,
refinancings or other recapitalizations, that would not constitute a Fundamental
Change under the Indenture, but that could increase the amount of indebtedness
(including Senior Indebtedness) outstanding at such time or otherwise affect the
Company's capital structure or credit ratings. The payment of the repurchase
price in the event of a Fundamental Change is subordinated to the prior payment
of Senior Indebtedness as described under "-- Subordination" above.
 
     The term "Fundamental Change" is limited to certain specified transactions
and may not include other events that might adversely affect the financial
condition of the Company nor would the requirement that the Company offer to
repurchase the Notes upon a Fundamental Change necessarily afford Holders of the
Notes protection in the event of a highly leveraged transaction, reorganization,
merger or similar transaction involving the Company.
 
   
     If a Fundamental Change were to occur, there can be no assurance that the
Company would have or be able to obtain sufficient funds to pay the repurchase
price for all Notes tendered by the Holders thereof. The Company's existing
credit agreement contains, and any future credit agreements or other agreements
relating to other indebtedness (including other Senior Indebtedness) to which
the Company becomes a party may contain, restrictions and provisions that
prohibit the Company from repurchasing or redeeming any Notes or provide that a
Fundamental Change would
    
 
                                       56
<PAGE>   59
 
   
constitute an event of default thereunder. In the event a Fundamental Change
occurs at a time when the Company is prohibited from repurchasing or redeeming
Notes, the Company could seek the consent of its lenders to the repurchase of
Notes or could attempt to refinance the borrowings that contain such
prohibition. If the Company does not obtain such a consent or repay such
borrowings, the Company would remain prohibited from repurchasing Notes. In such
case, the Company's failure to repurchase tendered Notes would constitute an
Event of Default under the Indenture, which may, in turn, constitute a further
default under the terms of other Indebtedness that the Company may enter into
from time to time, including Senior Indebtedness. In such circumstances, the
subordination provisions in the Indenture would likely prohibit the repurchase
of the Notes.
    
 
MERGERS AND SALES OF ASSETS BY THE COMPANY
 
   
     The Company may not consolidate with or merge into any other Person (in a
transaction in which the Company is not the surviving entity) or transfer or
lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person
unless (i) the Person formed by such merger or into which the Company is merged
or the Person to which the properties and assets of the Company are so
transferred or leased shall be a corporation, limited liability company,
partnership or trust organized under the laws of the United States of America
and any political subdivision thereof and expressly assume the payment of the
principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes and the performance of
every covenant of the Indenture and the Notes on the part of the Company to be
performed or observed, (ii) no default and no Event of Default shall have
occurred and be continuing as a result of such consolidation, merger, transfer
or lease and (iii) certain other conditions are met.
    
 
EVENTS OF DEFAULT
 
     The following will be Events of Default under the Indenture: (i) failure to
pay principal of or premium, if any, on any Note (including the payment of any
redemption or repurchase price) when due; (ii) failure to pay any interest on
any Note when due continuing for 30 days; (iii) failure to perform any other
covenant of the Company in the Indenture, continuing for 60 days after written
notice as provided in the Indenture; and (iv) certain events of bankruptcy,
insolvency or reorganization.
 
     The Indenture provides that the Trustee shall, within 90 days after the
occurrence of a default, give to the registered Holders of the Notes notice of
all uncured defaults known to it, but the Trustee shall be protected in
withholding such notice if it in good faith determines that the withholding of
such notice is in the best interest of such registered Holders, except in the
case of a default in the payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, or
interest on, any of the Notes when due or in the payment of any redemption or
repurchase obligation.
 
     The Indenture provides that if any Event of Default shall have occurred and
be continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal
amount of the Notes then outstanding by notice to the Company and the Trustee
may declare the principal of and premium, if any, on the Notes to be due and
payable immediately, but if the Company shall cure all defaults (except the
nonpayment of interest on, premium, if any, and principal of any Notes which
shall have become due by acceleration) and certain other conditions are met,
such declaration may be canceled and past defaults may be waived by the Holders
of a majority in principal amount of Notes then outstanding. If any Event of
Default resulting from certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or
reorganization were to occur, all unpaid principal of and accrued interest on
the outstanding Notes will become due and payable immediately without any
declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holders of Notes,
subject to certain limitations.
 
     The Indenture provides that the Holders of a majority in principal amount
of the outstanding Notes may direct the time, method and place of conducting any
proceeding for any remedy
 
                                       57
<PAGE>   60
 
available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the
Trustee, subject to certain limitations specified in the Indenture. Before
proceeding to exercise any right or power under the Indenture at the direction
of such Holders, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive from such Holders
reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities
which might be incurred by it in complying with any such direction. The right of
a Holder to institute a proceeding with respect to the Indenture is subject to
certain conditions precedent, including the written notice by such Holders of an
Event of Default and an offer of indemnity to the Trustee, along with the
written request by the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the
outstanding Notes that such a proceeding be instituted, but the Holder has an
absolute right to institute suit for the enforcement of payment of the principal
of, and premium, if any, and interest on, such Holder's Notes when due and to
enforce such Holder's right to convert such Notes.
 
     The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the
outstanding Notes may on behalf of the Holders of all Notes waive any past
defaults, except (i) a default in payment of the principal of, or premium, if
any, or interest on, any Note (including the payment of any redemption or
repurchase price) when due, (ii) a failure by the Company to convert any Notes
into Common Stock or (iii) in respect of certain provisions of the Indenture
which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each
outstanding Note affected thereby.
 
     The Company is required to furnish to the Trustee annually within 120 days
of the end of the fiscal year a statement of certain officers of the Company
stating whether or not to the best of their knowledge the Company is in default
in the performance and observation of the terms of the Indenture and, if they
have knowledge that the Company is in default, specifying such default and its
status. The Company is also required, upon becoming aware of any default or
Event of Default, to deliver to the Trustee a statement specifying such default
or Event of Default and the action the Company has taken, is taking or proposes
to take with respect thereto.
 
MODIFICATIONS OF THE INDENTURE
 
   
     The Indenture contains provisions permitting the Company and the Trustee,
with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount
of the Notes at the time outstanding, to modify the Indenture or any
supplemental indenture or the rights of the Holders of the Notes, except that no
such modification shall (i) extend the fixed maturity of any Note, reduce the
rate or extend the time for payment of interest thereon, reduce the principal
amount thereof or premium, if any, thereon, reduce any amount payable upon
redemption or repurchase thereof, impair or change in any respect adverse to the
Holders of Notes the obligation of the Company to make an offer to repurchase
Notes, and to repurchase Notes in accordance with such offer, upon the happening
of a Fundamental Change, impair or adversely affect the right of a Holder to
institute suit for the payment thereof, change the currency in which the Notes
are payable, or impair or change in any respect adverse to the Holders of the
Notes the right to convert the Notes into Common Stock subject to the terms set
forth in the Indenture or modify the provisions of the Indenture with respect to
the subordination of the Notes in a manner adverse to the Holders of the Notes,
without the consent of the Holders of each Note so affected, or (ii) reduce the
aforesaid percentage of Notes, without the consent of the Holders of all of the
Notes then outstanding.
    
 
TAXATION OF NOTES
 
     See "Certain United States Federal Income Tax Considerations" for a
discussion of certain federal tax aspects which will apply to Holders of Notes.
 
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
 
   
     The Company may discharge its obligations under the Indenture while Notes
remain outstanding if (i) all outstanding Notes will become due and payable at
their scheduled maturity within one year or (ii) all outstanding Notes are to be
called for redemption within one year and, in either
    
 
                                       58
<PAGE>   61
 
case, the Company has deposited with the Trustee an amount sufficient to pay and
discharge all outstanding Notes on the date of their scheduled maturity or the
scheduled date of redemption.
 
GOVERNING LAW
 
     The Indenture and the Notes will be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of the State of New York.
 
INFORMATION CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE
 
     State Street Bank and Trust Company of California, N.A., is the Trustee
under the Indenture. The Company may maintain deposit accounts and conduct other
banking transactions with the Trustee and its affiliates in the normal course of
business.
 
     During the existence of an Event of Default, the Trustee will exercise such
rights and powers vested in it under the Indenture and use the same degree of
care and skill in its exercise as a prudent person would exercise under the
circumstances in the conduct of such person's own affairs. The Indenture and the
TIA will contain certain limitations on the rights of the Trustee, should it
become a creditor of the Company, to obtain payment of claims in certain cases
or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim as
security or otherwise. Subject to the TIA, the Trustee will be permitted to
engage in other transactions; provided, however, that if it acquires any
conflicting interest (as described in the TIA), it must eliminate such conflict
or resign.
 
                                       59
<PAGE>   62
 
                          DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
 
     The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 50,000,000 shares
of Common Stock and 4,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock. As of December 31,
1997, there were 24,537,550 outstanding shares of Common Stock held of record by
approximately 186 stockholders and options to purchase 4,591,133 shares of
Common Stock.
 
COMMON STOCK
 
     Subject to preferences that may apply to any Preferred Stock outstanding at
the time, the holders of outstanding shares of Common Stock are entitled to
receive dividends out of assets legally available therefor at such times and in
such amounts as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine. Each
stockholder is entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock held on all
matters submitted to a vote of stockholders. Cumulative voting for the election
of directors is not provided for in the Company's Certificate of Incorporation,
which means that the holders of a majority of the shares voted can elect all of
the directors then standing for election. The Common Stock is not entitled to
preemptive rights and is not subject to conversion or redemption. Upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Company, the assets legally
available for distribution to stockholders are distributable ratably among the
holders of the Common Stock and any participating Preferred Stock outstanding at
that time after payment of liquidation preferences, if any, on any outstanding
Preferred Stock and payment of other claims of creditors. Each outstanding share
of Common Stock is fully paid and nonassessable. The Company's Common Stock is
traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol "HNCS."
 
PREFERRED STOCK
 
     The Board of Directors is authorized, subject to any limitations prescribed
by Delaware law, to provide for the issuance of additional shares of Preferred
Stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares
to be included in each such series, to fix the powers, designations, preferences
and rights of the shares of each wholly unissued series and any qualifications,
limitations or restrictions thereon, and to increase or decrease the number of
shares of any such series (but not below the number of shares of such series
then outstanding), without any further vote or action by the stockholders. The
Board of Directors may authorize the issuance of Preferred Stock with voting or
conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting power of other rights
of the holders of Common Stock. Thus, the issuance of Preferred Stock could have
the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of the
Company. The Company has no current plan to issue any shares of Preferred Stock.
 
DELAWARE GENERAL CORPORATION LAW SECTION 203
 
     As a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, the
Company is subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the
"DGCL"), which restricts certain business combinations between the Company and
an "interested stockholder" (in general, a stockholder owning 15% or more of the
Company's outstanding voting stock) or its affiliates or associates for a period
of three years following the date on which the stockholder becomes an
"interested stockholder." The restrictions do not apply if (i) prior to an
interested stockholder becoming such, the Board of Directors approves either the
business combination or the transaction in which the stockholder becomes an
interested stockholder, (ii) upon consummation of the transaction in which the
stockholder becomes an interested stockholder, such interested stockholder owns
at least 85% of the voting stock of the Company outstanding at the time the
transaction commences (excluding shares owned by certain employee stock
ownership plans and persons who are both directors and officers of the Company)
or (iii) on or subsequent to the date an interested stockholder becomes such,
the business combination is both approved by the Board of Directors and
authorized at an annual or special meeting of the Company's stockholders, not by
 
                                       60
<PAGE>   63
 
written consent, but by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of the
outstanding voting stock not owned by the interested stockholder.
 
REGISTRATION RIGHTS; EXISTING SHELF REGISTRATION
 
   
     1994 Registration Rights Agreement. Certain holders of outstanding shares
of Common Stock who are parties to the Company's Third Amended Registration
Rights Agreement dated April 26, 1994 (the "1994 Registration Rights Agreement")
have contractual rights to have certain shares of the Company's Common Stock
registered under the Securities Act. To the Company's best knowledge, based
solely on its review of its current stockholders of record, parties to the 1994
Registration Rights Agreement together own approximately 412,666 shares of
Common Stock that may be registered pursuant to the 1994 Registration Rights
Agreement (the "Registrable Shares"). If requested by holders of at least 50% of
the outstanding Registrable Shares, the Company must file a registration
statement under the Securities Act covering all Registrable Shares requested to
be included by all holders thereof. For purposes of exercising such demand
registration rights, the Registrable Shares do not include any shares of Common
Stock that were issued upon the conversion of formerly outstanding shares of the
Company's Series A Preferred Stock. The Company may be required to effect up to
four such demand registrations of Registrable Shares, plus one additional such
registration for each registration that does not include at least 80% of the
Registrable Shares requested to be included. All expenses incurred in connection
with such registrations (other than underwriters' discounts and commissions)
will be borne by the Company until there have been two such registrations that
include at least 80% of the Registrable Shares requested to be included. In
addition, if the Company proposes to register any of its securities under the
Securities Act (other than in connection with a Company employee benefit plan or
a business combination), the holders of Registrable Shares may require the
Company to include all or a portion of such shares in such registration,
although the managing underwriter of any such offering has certain rights to
limit the number of shares in such registration. All expenses incurred in
connection with such registrations (other than underwriters' discounts and
commissions) will be borne by the Company. If the Company is eligible to use
Form S-3 to register its shares, any holder or holders of Registrable Shares who
hold at least 10% of the Registrable Shares originally issued may request the
Company to register such shares on a Form S-3 registration statement, provided
the reasonably anticipated aggregate offering price of such shares exceeds
$500,000. The Company is not obligated to effect more than two such Form S-3
registrations in any calendar year. All expenses of such Form S-3 registrations
must be borne by the selling stockholders. The registration rights under the
1994 Registration Rights Agreement expire in July 2000.
    
 
   
     Risk Data Registration Rights. Pursuant to a Registration Rights Agreement
dated August 30, 1996, former stockholders of Risk Data who hold at least 30% of
the shares of the Company's Common Stock that were issued in the Risk Data
acquisition and have not been publicly resold ("Risk Data Shares") may request
the Company to register such shares under the Securities Act on a Form S-3
registration statement, provided the aggregate public offering price of such
shares is at least $2,000,000. The Company is not obligated to register any
holder's Risk Data Shares if all such shares may be resold within a three-month
period under Rule 144 or Rule 145(d) under the Securities Act. The Company may
be required to effect up to two such Form S-3 registrations and will bear all
expenses incurred in connection with such registrations. These registration
rights expire on August 31, 1998.
    
 
     CompReview Registration Rights. Pursuant to a Registration Rights Agreement
dated November 28, 1997, the former stockholders of CompReview are entitled to
have the shares of the Company's Common Stock that were issued to them in the
CompReview acquisition ("CompReview Shares") registered, at the Company's
expense, on a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 pursuant to Rule 415
under the Securities Act (the "CompReview Shelf Registration"). The Company
expects to file the CompReview Shelf Registration in the near future. Under
 
                                       61
<PAGE>   64
 
the CompReview Registration Rights Agreement, once the former CompReview
stockholders have together sold an aggregate combined total of 1,250,000
CompReview Shares, sales of CompReview Shares may be made pursuant to the
CompReview Shelf Registration only during certain time periods after advance
notice to the Company. The Company is not obligated to maintain the
effectiveness of the CompReview Shelf Registration after November 28, 1998
unless, pursuant to the CompReview registration rights agreement, the Company
exercises its rights to defer a requested sale of CompReview Shares, in which
case the time period during which the CompReview Shelf Registration must be kept
effective must be extended by a period of time equal to the period of deferral.
 
     Retek Shelf Registration. Pursuant to a Registration Rights Agreement dated
October 25, 1996, as amended, the Company has filed a Form S-3 registration
statement pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act (the "Retek Shelf
Registration"), covering the sale of the shares of the Company's Common Stock
issued in the Retek acquisition (the "Retek Shares"). Sales of Retek Shares may
be made pursuant to the Retek Shelf Registration only during certain time
periods after advance notice to the Company. The Company is not obligated to
maintain the effectiveness of the Retek Shelf Registration after November 29,
1998 unless, pursuant to the Retek registration rights agreement, the Company
exercises its rights to defer a requested sale of Retek Shares, in which case
the time period during which the Retek Shelf Registration must be kept effective
must be extended by a period of time equal to the period of deferral.
 
TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR
 
     The Transfer Agent and Registrar for the Company's Common Stock is
BancBoston, N.A.
 
                                       62
<PAGE>   65
 
            CERTAIN UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
 
     The following is a general discussion of certain U.S. federal income and
related tax considerations relevant to holders of the Notes and Common Stock
into which the Notes may be converted. This discussion is based upon the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), Treasury Regulations,
Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") rulings and judicial decisions now in effect,
all of which are subject to change (possibly with retroactive effect) or
different interpretations. There can be no assurance that the IRS will not
challenge one or more of the tax consequences described herein, and the Company
has not obtained, nor does it intend to obtain, a ruling from the IRS with
respect to the U.S. federal income tax, state tax, local tax, foreign tax or
other tax consequences of acquiring or holding Notes or Common Stock. This
discussion does not purport to deal with all aspects of U.S. federal income
taxation that may be relevant to a particular holder in light of the holder's
particular circumstances (for example, persons subject to the alternative
minimum tax provisions of the Code). Also, it is not intended to be wholly
applicable to all categories of investors, some of which (such as dealers in
securities, banks, insurance companies, tax-exempt (employment, charitable or
other) organizations, and persons holding Notes or Common Stock as part of a
hedging or conversion transaction or straddle or persons deemed to sell Notes or
Common Stock under the constructive sale provisions of the Code) may be subject
to special rules. The discussion also does not discuss any aspect of state,
local or foreign law, or U.S. federal estate and gift tax law as applicable to
U.S. Holders (as defined below). In addition, this discussion is limited to
original purchasers of Notes who acquire the Notes at their original issue price
within the meaning of Section 1273 of the Code, and who will hold the Notes and
Common Stock as "capital assets" within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code.
 
     ALL PROSPECTIVE PURCHASERS OF THE NOTES ARE ADVISED TO CONSULT THEIR OWN
TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND FOREIGN TAX CONSEQUENCES OF
THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF THE NOTES AND THE COMMON STOCK.
 
U.S. HOLDERS
 
     As used herein, the term "U.S. Holder" means the beneficial holder of a
Note or Common Stock that for United States federal income tax purposes is (i) a
citizen or resident (as defined in Section 7701(b) of the Code) of the United
States, (ii) a corporation, partnership or other entity formed under the laws of
the United States or any political subdivision thereof, (iii) an estate the
income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its
source and (iv) in general, a trust subject to the primary supervision of a
court within the United States and the control of a United States person as
described in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code. A "Non-U.S. Holder" is any holder
other than a U.S. Holder.
 
  Interest
 
     Stated interest on the Notes will generally be includable in a U.S.
Holder's gross income and taxable as ordinary income for U.S. federal income tax
purposes at the time it is paid or accrued in accordance with the U.S. Holder's
regular method of accounting. There are several circumstances under which the
Company could make a payment on a Note which would affect the yield to maturity
of a Note, including (as described under "Description of Notes") the redemption
of a Note by the Company, or the repurchase of a Note at the option of a Holder
in the event of a Fundamental Change. According to Treasury Regulations, the
possibility of a change in the timing or amount of a payment on the debt
obligation will not affect the amount of interest income recognized by a holder
(or the timing of such recognition) if the likelihood of the change, as of the
date the debt obligations are issued, is remote. The Company believes that the
likelihood of a change in the timing or amount of a payment on the Notes is
remote and does not intend to treat the possibility of a change in the interest
rate as affecting the yield to maturity of any Note.
 
                                       63
<PAGE>   66
 
  Conversion of Notes Into Common Stock
 
     A U.S. Holder generally will not recognize any income, gain or loss upon
conversion of a Note into Common Stock except to the extent the Common Stock is
considered attributable to accrued interest not previously included in income
(which is taxable as ordinary income). Cash received in lieu of a fractional
share of Common Stock should generally be treated as a payment in exchange for
such fractional share rather than as ordinary dividend income. Gain or loss
recognized on the receipt of cash paid in lieu of such fractional share
generally will equal the difference between the amount of cash received and the
amount of tax basis allocable to the fractional share. The adjusted basis of
shares of Common Stock received on conversion will equal the adjusted basis of
the Note converted (reduced by the portion of adjusted basis allocated to any
fractional share of Common Stock exchanged for cash). The holding period of the
Common Stock received on conversion will generally include the period during
which the converted Notes were held prior to conversion. However, a U.S.
Holder's tax basis in shares of Common Stock considered attributable to accrued
interest as described above, generally will equal the amount of such accrued
interest included in income, and the holding period for such shares shall begin
as of the date of the conversion.
 
     The conversion price of the Notes is subject to adjustment under certain
circumstances. Section 305 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations issued
thereunder may treat the holders of the Notes as having received a constructive
distribution, resulting in ordinary income (subject to a possible dividends
received deduction in the case of corporate holders) to the extent of the
Company's current and/or accumulated earnings and profits, if, and to the extent
that certain adjustments in the conversion price, which may occur in limited
circumstances (particularly an adjustment to reflect a taxable dividend to
holders of Common Stock), increase the proportionate interest of a holder of
Notes in the fully diluted Common Stock, whether or not such holder ever
exercises its conversion privilege. Moreover, if there is not a full adjustment
to the conversion ratio of the Notes to reflect a stock dividend or other event
increasing the proportionate interest of the holders of outstanding Common Stock
in the assets or earnings and profits of the Company, then such increase in the
proportionate interest of the holders of the Common Stock generally will be
treated as a distribution to such holders, taxable as ordinary income (subject
to a possible dividends received deduction in the case of corporate holders) to
the extent of the Company's current and/or accumulated earnings and profits.
Therefore, U.S. Holders may recognize income in the event of a deemed
distribution in such circumstances under Section 305 of the Code even though
they may not receive any cash or property if these type of conversion
adjustments occur.
 
  Sale, Exchange or Retirement of the Notes
 
     Each U.S. Holder generally will recognize gain or loss upon the sale,
exchange, redemption, retirement or other disposition of Notes measured by the
difference (if any) between (i) the amount of cash and the fair market value of
any property received (except to the extent that such cash or other property is
attributable to the payment of accrued interest not previously included in
income, which amount will be taxable as ordinary income) and (ii) such holder's
adjusted tax basis in the Notes. Any such gain or loss recognized on the sale,
exchange, redemption, retirement or other disposition of a Note should be
capital gain or loss and will generally be long-term capital gain or loss if the
Note has been held or deemed held for more than one year at the time of the sale
or exchange. Gain on most capital assets held by an individual more than 18
months is subject to a maximum tax rate of 20%, and gain on most capital assets
held by an individual more than one year and up to 18 months is subject to tax
at a maximum rate of 28%. Deductions for capital losses in excess of capital
gains for individuals may be limited and are not allowed for noncorporate
taxpayers. Carryback and carryover of such excess capital losses may be allowed.
A holder's initial basis in a Note will be the amount paid therefor.
 
                                       64
<PAGE>   67
 
  The Common Stock
 
   
     Distributions, if any, paid on the Common Stock after a conversion, to the
extent made from current and/or accumulated earnings and profits of the Company,
as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes, will be included in a U.S.
Holder's income as ordinary income (subject to a possible dividends received
deduction in the case of corporate holders) as they are properly accrued as
dividend income. Gain or loss realized on the sale or exchange of Common Stock
will equal the difference between the amount realized on such sale or exchange
and the U.S. Holder's adjusted tax basis in such Common Stock. Such gain or loss
will generally be long-term capital gain or loss if the holder has held or is
deemed to have held the Common Stock for more than one year. Long-term capital
gain realized on a sale or exchange of Common Stock by an individual will be
subject to certain maximum tax rates, and losses realized on a sale or exchange
of Common Stock held by any type of taxpayer may be limited. See the discussion
in "-- Sale, Exchange or Retirement of the Notes" above. The adjusted tax basis
and holding period for Common Stock received in a conversion is described above.
    
 
  Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
 
     A U.S. Holder of Notes or Common Stock may be subject to "backup
withholding" at a rate of 31% with respect to certain "reportable payments,"
including interest payments, dividend payments and, under certain circumstances,
principal payments on the Notes. These backup withholding rules apply if the
holder, among other things, (i) fails to furnish a social security number or
other taxpayer identification number ("TIN") certified under penalties of
perjury within a reasonable time after the request therefor, (ii) furnishes a
TIN as to which the IRS provides notification that it is an incorrect TIN, (iii)
fails to report properly interest or dividends, or (iv) under certain
circumstances, fails to provide a certified statement, signed under penalties of
perjury, that the TIN furnished is the correct number and that such holder is
not subject to backup withholding. A holder who does not provide the Company
with its correct TIN also may be subject to penalties imposed by the IRS. Any
amount withheld from a payment to a holder under the backup withholding rules is
creditable against the holder's federal income tax liability, provided that the
required information is furnished to the IRS. Backup withholding will not apply,
however, with respect to payments made to certain holders, including
corporations, tax-exempt organizations and certain foreign persons, provided
their exemptions from backup withholding are properly established.
 
     The Company will report to the U.S. Holders of Notes and Common Stock and
to the IRS the amount of any "reportable payments" for each calendar year and
the amount of tax withheld, if any, with respect to such payments.
 
NON-U.S. HOLDERS
 
     The following discussion is limited to the U.S. federal income tax
consequences relevant to a Non-U.S. Holder. Non-U.S. Holders should consult
their own tax advisors concerning the state, local, foreign and other tax
consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Notes and the
Common Stock.
 
     For purposes of U.S. federal withholding tax on interest and dividends
discussed below, a Non-U.S. Holder (as defined above) includes a non-resident
fiduciary of an estate or trust. For purposes of the following discussion,
interest, dividends and gain on the sale, exchange or other disposition of a
Note or Common Stock will be considered to be "U.S. trade or business income" if
such income or gain is (i) effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or
business within the U.S. of such Non-U.S. Holder or (ii) in the case of a
certain residents of certain countries which have an income tax treaty in force
with the U.S., attributable to a permanent establishment (or, in the case of an
individual, a fixed base) in the United States as such terms are defined in the
applicable treaty.
 
                                       65
<PAGE>   68
 
  Stated Interest
 
     Generally, any interest paid to a Non-U.S. Holder of a Note that is not
U.S. trade or business income will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax if
the interest qualifies as "portfolio interest." Generally, interest on the Notes
will qualify as portfolio interest if (i) the Non-U.S. Holder does not actually
or constructively own 10% or more of the total voting power of all voting stock
of the Company and is not a "controlled foreign corporation" with respect to
which the Company is a "related person" within the meaning of the Code, (ii) the
beneficial owner, under penalty of perjury, certifies that the beneficial owner
is not a U.S. person and such certificate provides the beneficial owner's name
and address, (iii) the Non-U.S. Holder is not a bank receiving interest on an
extension of credit made pursuant to a loan agreement made in the ordinary
course of its trade or business, and (iv) the Notes are in registered form.
 
     The gross amount of payments of interest to a Non-U.S. Holder that do not
qualify for the portfolio interest exemption and that are not U.S. trade or
business income will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the rate of 30%,
unless a U.S. income tax treaty applies to reduce or eliminate such tax. U.S.
trade or business income will be taxed at regular U.S. income tax rates rather
than the 30% gross rate. In the case of a Non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation,
such U.S. trade or business income may also be subject to the branch profits tax
(which is generally imposed on a foreign corporation on the actual or deemed
repatriation from the United States of earnings and profits attributable to U.S.
trade or business income) at a 30% rate. The branch profits tax may not apply
(or may apply at a reduced rate) if a recipient is a qualified resident of
certain countries with which the United States has an income tax treaty in
force. To claim the benefit of an income tax treaty or to claim exemption from
withholding because the income is U.S. trade or business income, the Non-U.S.
Holder must provide a properly executed IRS Form 1001 or IRS Form 4224 (or such
successor forms as the IRS designates), as applicable, prior to the payment of
interest. Under recently issued Treasury Regulations generally under Sections
1441 and 1442 of the Code that will generally be effective on and after January
1, 1999 (the "Withholding Regulations"), the required Forms 1001 and 4224 will
be replaced by a new Form W-8. Under the Withholding Regulations, a Non-U.S.
Holder may under certain circumstances be required to obtain a U.S. taxpayer
identification number and make certain certificates to the Company. Special
procedures are provided in the Withholding Regulations for payments through
qualified intermediaries. Prospective investors should consult their tax
advisors regarding the effect, if any, of the Withholding Regulations.
 
  Dividends
 
     In general, distributions on Common Stock treated as dividend income paid
to a Non-U.S. Holder of Common Stock will be subject to withholding of U.S.
federal income tax at a 30% rate unless such is reduced by an applicable income
tax treaty. Dividends that are connected with such holder's conduct of a trade
or business in the United States (U.S. trade or business income) could be
subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular ordinary income tax rates, but are
not generally subject to the 30% U.S. federal withholding tax if the Non-U.S.
Holder makes the appropriate notification to the payor. To claim the benefit of
an income tax treaty or to claim exemption from withholding because the income
is U.S. trade or business income, the Non-U.S. Holder must provide a properly
executed IRS Form 1001 or IRS Form 4224 (or such successor forms as the IRS
designates), as applicable, prior to the payment of dividend income. Any U.S.
trade or business income received by a Non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation may
also, under certain circumstances, be subject to an additional "branch profits
tax" at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be applicable under an income tax
treaty. Dividends paid to an address in a foreign country generally are presumed
(absent actual knowledge to the contrary) to be paid to a resident of such
country for purposes of the withholding tax discussed above and for purposes of
determining the applicability of a tax treaty rate. Under the Withholding
Regulations, a Non-U.S. Holder claiming the benefits of a treaty generally will
be required to provide a Form W-8 (or suitable substitute form)
 
                                       66
<PAGE>   69
 
to the Company certifying such Non-U.S. Holder's entitlements to treaty
benefits. Other recently adopted Treasury Regulations generally under Section
894 of the Code that are effective with respect to payments made on and after
January 1, 1998, provide special rules to determine whether, for purposes of
determining the applicability of a tax treaty, dividends paid to a Non-U.S.
Holder that is an entity should be treated as paid to the entity or those
holding an interest in that entity. Prospective investors should consult their
tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of the recently adopted regulations.
 
     A Non-U.S. Holder of Common Stock that is eligible for a reduced rate of
U.S. withholding tax pursuant to an income tax treaty may obtain a refund of any
amounts withheld at the 30% statutory rate by filing an appropriate claim for a
refund with the IRS.
 
  Conversion
 
     A Non-U.S. Holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax
on the conversion of Notes into Common Stock, except with respect to cash (if
any) received in lieu of a fractional share, cash received for interest not
previously included in income, or Common Stock received for interest not
previously included in income. Cash received in lieu of a fractional share may
give rise to gain that would be subject to the rules described below for the
sale of Notes. Cash or Common Stock issued for accrued interest would be treated
as interest under the rules described above.
 
  Sale, Exchange or Redemption of Notes or Common Stock
 
     Except as described below and subject to the discussion concerning backup
withholding, any gain realized by a Non-U.S. Holder on the sale, exchange or
redemption of a Note or Common Stock generally will not be subject to U.S.
federal income tax, unless (i) such gain is U.S. trade or business income, (ii)
subject to certain exceptions, the Non-U.S. Holder is an individual who holds
the Note or Common Stock as a capital asset and is present in the United States
for 183 days or more in the taxable year of the disposition, (iii) the Non-U.S.
Holder is subject to tax pursuant to the provisions of U.S. tax law applicable
to certain U.S. expatriates (including certain former citizens or residents of
the United States) or (iv) in the case of the disposition of Common Stock, the
Company is a U.S. real property holding corporation. The Company does not
believe that it is currently a "United States real property holding
corporation," or that it will become one in the future.
 
  Federal Estate Tax
 
     Notes held (or treated as held) by an individual who is not a citizen or
resident of the United States (for federal estate tax purposes) at the time of
his or her death will not be subject to U.S. federal estate tax provided that
the interest thereon qualifies as portfolio interest and was not U.S. trade or
business income. Common Stock owned or treated as owned by an individual who is
not a citizen or resident of the United States (for federal estate tax purposes)
will be included in such individual's estate for U.S. federal income tax
purposes unless an applicable estate tax treaty otherwise provides.
 
  Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
 
     The Company must report annually to the IRS and to each Non-U.S. Holder any
interest or dividend that is subject to withholding, or that is exempt from U.S.
withholding tax pursuant to a tax treaty, or interest that is exempt from U.S.
tax under the portfolio interest exception or because it is U.S. trade or
business income. Copies of these information returns may also be made available
under the provisions of a specific treaty or agreement to the tax authorities of
the country in which the Non-U.S. Holder resides. Under certain circumstances
the Company will have to report to the IRS payments of principal.
 
                                       67
<PAGE>   70
 
   
     Generally, information reporting and backup withholding of United States
federal income tax at a rate of 31% may apply to payments of principal, interest
and premium (if any) to Non-U.S. Holders if the payee fails to certify that the
holder is a non-U.S. person or if the Company or its paying agent has actual
knowledge that the payee is a United States person. The 31% backup withholding
tax generally will not apply to dividends paid to foreign holders outside the
United States that are subject to 30% withholding as discussed above or that are
subject to a tax treaty that reduces such withholding.
    
 
     The payment of the proceeds on the disposition of the Notes or shares of
Common Stock to or through a United States office of a United States or foreign
broker will be subject to information reporting and backup withholding unless
the owner provides certification as to its Non-U.S. Holder status under penalty
of perjury or otherwise establishes an exemption, provided that the broker does
not have actual knowledge that the holder is a U.S. person or that the
conditions of any other exception are not, in fact, satisfied. The proceeds of
the disposition by a Non-U.S. Holder of the Notes or shares of Common Stock to
or through a foreign office of a broker will generally not be subject to backup
withholding. However, if such broker is a U.S. person, a controlled foreign
corporation for United States tax purposes, or a foreign person 50% or more of
whose gross income from all sources for certain periods is effectively connected
with a United States trade or business, information reporting will apply unless
such broker has documentary evidence in its files of the Non-U.S. Holder's
foreign status and has no actual knowledge to the contrary or unless the
Non-U.S. Holder otherwise establishes an exemption. Both backup withholding and
information reporting will apply to the proceeds of such dispositions if the
broker has actual knowledge that the payee is a U.S. Holder.
 
     The Withholding Regulations alter the foregoing rules in certain respects.
The Withholding Regulations provide presumptions under which a Non-U.S. Holder
is subject to information reporting and backup withholding at the rate of 31%
unless the Company receives certification of the holder's non-U.S. status.
Depending on the circumstances, this certification will need to be provided (i)
directly by the Non-U.S. Holder, (ii) in the case of a Non-U.S. Holder that is
treated as a partnership or other fiscally transparent entity, by the partners,
shareholders or other beneficiaries of such entity, or (iii) by certain
qualified financial institutions or other qualified entities on behalf of the
Non-U.S. Holder.
 
     Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules from a payment to a
Non-U.S. Holder will be allowed as a refund or a credit against such Non-U.S.
Holder's U.S. federal income tax liability, provided that the requisite
procedures for claiming such refund or credit are followed.
 
     THE PRECEDING DISCUSSION OF CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME AND ESTATE TAX
CONSEQUENCES IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND IS NOT TAX ADVICE. ACCORDINGLY,
EACH INVESTOR SHOULD CONSULT ITS OWN TAX ADVISER AS TO PARTICULAR U.S. FEDERAL,
STATE, LOCAL, FOREIGN AND OTHER TAX CONSEQUENCES TO IT OF PURCHASING, HOLDING
AND DISPOSING OF THE NOTES AND THE COMMON STOCK OF THE COMPANY, INCLUDING THE
APPLICABILITY AND EFFECT OF ANY STATE, LOCAL OR FOREIGN TAX LAWS, AND OF ANY
PROPOSED CHANGES IN APPLICABLE LAWS.
 
                                       68
<PAGE>   71
 
                                  UNDERWRITING
 
   
     The Underwriters named below have severally agreed, subject to the terms
and conditions contained in the Underwriting Agreement (the form of which is
filed as an exhibit to the Company's Registration Statement, of which this
Prospectus is a part), to purchase from the Company the respective principal
amount of Notes indicated below opposite their respective names. The
Underwriters are committed to purchase all of the Notes (other than those
covered by the Underwriters' over-allotment option described below), if they
purchase any.
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                    PRINCIPAL
                                    NAME                             AMOUNT
            -----------------------------------------------------  -----------
            <S>                                                    <C>
            Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Inc.........................
            BancAmerica Robertson Stephens.......................
            Smith Barney Inc.....................................
                                                                    ----------
                      Total......................................  $90,000,000
                                                                    ==========
</TABLE>
    
 
     The Underwriting Agreement provides that the obligations of the several
Underwriters thereunder are subject to approval of certain legal matters by
counsel and to various other conditions.
 
     The Underwriters have advised the Company that the Underwriters propose
initially to offer the Notes to the public on the terms set forth on the cover
page of this Prospectus. The Underwriters may allow to selected dealers (who may
include the Underwriters) a concession of not more than $     per Note. The
selected dealers may reallow a concession of not more than $     per Note to
certain other dealers. After the initial public offering of the Notes, the price
and concessions and re-allowances to dealers and other selling terms may be
changed by the Underwriters. The Notes are offered subject to receipt and
acceptance by the Underwriters, and to certain other conditions, including the
right to reject orders in whole or in part. The Underwriters do not intend to
sell any of the Notes offered hereby to accounts for which they exercise
discretionary authority.
 
   
     The Company has granted an option to the Underwriters to purchase up to a
maximum of $10,000,000 additional aggregate principal amount of Notes to cover
over-allotments, if any, at the public offering price, less the underwriting
discount set forth on the cover page of this Prospectus. Such option may be
exercised at any time until 30 days after the date of the Underwriting
Agreement. To the extent the Underwriters exercise this option, each of the
Underwriters will be committed, subject to certain conditions, to purchase such
additional shares in approximately the same proportion as set forth in the above
table. The Underwriters may purchase such Notes only to cover over-allotments
made in connection with this offering.
    
 
   
     The Company, certain of its stockholders and each of its directors and
executive officers have agreed that, without the prior written consent of
Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Inc. on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during
the period ending 90 days after the date of this Prospectus (i) offer, pledge,
sell, offer to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any
option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or
otherwise transfer, lend or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of
Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable
for Common Stock or (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers
to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership
of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or
(ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other
securities, in cash or otherwise, except under certain limited circumstances.
    
 
     The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Company will indemnify the
several Underwriters against certain liabilities, including civil liabilities
under the Securities Act, as amended, or will contribute to payments the
Underwriters may be required to make in respect thereof.
 
                                       69
<PAGE>   72
 
   
     The Underwriters are also currently offering 2,100,000 shares of the
Company's Common Stock (of which 2,080,000 shares will be sold by Selling
Stockholders) and intend to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the form of
which is filed as an exhibit to the Company's Registration Statement, of which
this Prospectus is a part) for that purpose. Pursuant to that agreement, the
Underwriters will be entitled to exercise an over-allotment option for 315,000
additional shares of Common Stock, will receive customary underwriters'
compensation for an offering of that size and type and will be indemnified by
the Company and the Selling Stockholders. The completion of this Note offering
is contingent upon completion of such Common Stock offering.
    
 
   
     Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for the Notes. Each
of the Underwriters has informed the Company that it currently intends to make a
market in the Notes subsequent to the effectiveness of this offering; however,
they are not obligated to do so and any market-making activities with respect to
the Notes may be discontinued at any time without notice. There can be no
assurance that an active trading market for the Notes will develop or be
maintained. See "Risk Factors -- Absence of Public Market for the Notes."
    
 
     Certain persons participating in this offering may over-allot or effect
transactions which stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of
the Notes or the Common Stock at levels above those which might otherwise
prevail in the open market, including by entering stabilizing bids, imposing
penalty bids or otherwise. A stabilizing bid means the placing of any bid or
effecting of any purchase for the purpose of pegging, fixing or maintaining the
price of the Notes or the Common Stock. A syndicate covering transaction means
the placing of any bid on behalf of the underwriting syndicate or the effecting
of any purchase to reduce a short position created in connection with this
offering. A penalty bid means an arrangement that permits the Underwriters to
reclaim a selling concession from an Underwriter when Notes sold by the
Underwriter are purchased in stabilization transactions. Such transactions may
be effected on the Nasdaq Stock Market, in the over-the-counter market, or
otherwise. Such stabilizing, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.
 
     The Underwriters and dealers may engage in passive market making
transactions in the Common Stock in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M
promulgated by the Commission. In general, a passive market maker may not bid
for, or purchase, the Common Stock at a price that exceeds the highest
independent bid. In addition, the net daily purchases made by any passive market
maker generally may not exceed 30% of its average daily trading volume in the
Common Stock during a specified two month prior period, or 200 shares, whichever
is greater. A passive market maker must identify passive market making bids as
such on the Nasdaq electronic inter-dealer reporting system. Passive market
making may stabilize or maintain the market price of the Common Stock above
independent market levels. Underwriters and dealers are not required to engage
in passive market making and may end passive market making activities at any
time.
 
                                 LEGAL MATTERS
 
     The validity of the issuance of the Notes and the Common Stock issuable
upon conversion thereof will be passed upon for the Company by Fenwick & West
LLP, Palo Alto, California. Certain legal matters will be passed upon for the
Underwriters by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation, Palo
Alto, California.
 
                                    EXPERTS
 
     The consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 1996 and 1997 and
for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 1997 included in
this Prospectus have been so included in reliance on the report of Price
Waterhouse LLP, independent accountants, given on the authority of said firm as
experts in auditing and accounting.
 
                                       70
<PAGE>   73
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
                   INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                        PAGE
                                                                                        ----
<S>                                                                                     <C>
Report of Independent Accountants.....................................................  F-2
Consolidated Balance Sheet............................................................  F-3
Consolidated Statement of Income......................................................  F-4
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows..................................................  F-5
Consolidated Statement of Changes in Stockholders' Equity.............................  F-6
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements............................................  F-7
</TABLE>
 
                                       F-1
<PAGE>   74
 
                       REPORT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
 
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders
of HNC Software Inc.
 
In our opinion, the accompanying consolidated balance sheet and the related
consolidated statements of income, of cash flows and of changes in stockholders'
equity present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of HNC
Software Inc. and its subsidiaries at December 31, 1996 and 1997, and the
results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in
the period ended December 31, 1997, in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles. 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 of these
statements in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards which
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, assessing the accounting principles
used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall
financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a
reasonable basis for the opinion expressed above.
 
PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP
 
San Diego, California
January 29, 1998,
except as to Note 11
which is as of February 13, 1998
 
                                       F-2
<PAGE>   75
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
                           CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
                     (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
 
                                     ASSETS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                          DECEMBER 31,
                                                                      --------------------
                                                                       1996         1997
                                                                      -------     --------
<S>                                                                   <C>         <C>
Current assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents.........................................  $ 8,121     $ 18,068
  Investments available for sale....................................   26,728       24,878
  Accounts receivable, net..........................................   21,856       32,980
  Current portion of deferred income taxes..........................    6,383       11,310
  Other current assets..............................................    2,553        2,802
                                                                      -------     --------
          Total current assets......................................   65,641       90,038
Deferred income taxes, less current portion.........................   22,966       15,322
Property and equipment, net.........................................    6,339       12,102
Other assets........................................................    3,330        2,415
                                                                      -------     --------
                                                                      $98,276     $119,877
                                                                      =======     ========
 
                           LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
 
Current liabilities:
  Accounts payable..................................................  $ 4,368     $  5,728
  Accrued liabilities...............................................    4,433        5,933
  Deferred revenue..................................................    3,377        3,883
  Other current liabilities.........................................      445          191
                                                                      -------     --------
          Total current liabilities.................................   12,623       15,735
Non-current liabilities.............................................      683          239
 
Minority interest in consolidated subsidiary........................       --           43
 
Commitments and contingencies (Notes 5 and 10)
 
Stockholders' equity:
  Preferred stock, $0.001 par value -- 4,000 shares authorized:
     no shares issued or outstanding................................       --           --
  Common stock, $0.001 par value -- 50,000 shares authorized:
     24,012 and 24,538 shares issued and outstanding,
      respectively..................................................       24           25
  Paid-in capital...................................................   83,991       95,919
  Unrealized loss on investments available for sale.................      (59)          (2)
  Foreign currency translation adjustment...........................       54         (111)
  Retained earnings.................................................      960        8,029
                                                                      -------     --------
          Total stockholders' equity................................   84,970      103,860
                                                                      -------     --------
                                                                      $98,276     $119,877
                                                                      =======     ========
</TABLE>
 
          See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements
 
                                       F-3
<PAGE>   76
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
                        CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME
                     (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                             YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                         --------------------------------
                                                           1995        1996        1997
                                                         --------     -------     -------
<S>                                                      <C>          <C>         <C>
Revenues:
  License and maintenance..............................  $ 24,561     $48,890     $89,643
  Installation and implementation......................     4,648       6,691      10,702
  Contracts and other..................................     9,146      11,128       7,772
  Service bureau.......................................     5,349       4,730       5,618
                                                         --------     -------     -------
          Total revenues...............................    43,704      71,439     113,735
                                                         --------     -------     -------
Operating expenses:
  License and maintenance..............................     7,903      13,725      19,937
  Installation and implementation......................     1,425       2,714       5,174
  Contracts and other..................................     6,894       7,694       5,438
  Service bureau.......................................     3,025       3,365       4,320
  Research and development.............................     6,998      13,808      21,151
  Sales and marketing..................................     7,276      11,923      22,049
  General and administrative...........................     5,101       8,551      12,626
                                                         --------     -------     -------
          Total operating expenses.....................    38,622      61,780      90,695
                                                         --------     -------     -------
Operating income.......................................     5,082       9,659      23,040
Interest and other income..............................       912       2,178       2,003
Interest expense.......................................      (428)       (478)        (81)
Minority interest in income of consolidated
  subsidiary...........................................        --          --         (43)
                                                         --------     -------     -------
          Income before income tax (benefit)
            provision..................................     5,566      11,359      24,919
Income tax (benefit) provision.........................      (511)       (534)      7,354
                                                         --------     -------     -------
          Net income...................................  $  6,077     $11,893     $17,565
                                                         ========     =======     =======
Earnings per share:
  Basic net income per common share....................  $   0.38     $  0.50     $  0.72
                                                         ========     =======     =======
  Diluted net income per common share..................  $   0.28     $  0.47     $  0.68
                                                         ========     =======     =======
Unaudited pro forma data (Note 1):
  Income before income tax provision...................  $  5,566     $11,359     $24,919
  Income tax provision.................................     1,032       1,628       9,502
                                                         --------     -------     -------
          Net income...................................  $  4,534     $ 9,731     $15,417
                                                         ========     =======     =======
  Basic pro forma net income per common share..........                           $  0.64
                                                                                  =======
  Diluted pro forma net income per common share........                           $  0.60
                                                                                  =======
Shares used in computing basic net income per common
  share and unaudited basic pro forma net income per
  common share (Notes 1 and 8).........................    15,195      23,552      24,275
                                                         ========     =======     =======
Shares used in computing diluted net income per common
  share and unaudited diluted pro forma net income per
  common share (Notes 1 and 8).........................    21,510      25,363      25,681
                                                         ========     =======     =======
</TABLE>
 
          See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
 
                                       F-4
<PAGE>   77
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
                      CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
                                 (IN THOUSANDS)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                        YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                                     ------------------------------
                                                                       1995       1996       1997
                                                                     --------   --------   --------
<S>                                                                  <C>        <C>        <C>
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
  Net income.......................................................  $  6,077   $ 11,893   $ 17,565
  Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by
    operating activities:
    Depreciation and amortization..................................     1,874      3,605      4,833
    Tax benefit from stock option transactions.....................       800        896      3,848
    Changes in assets and liabilities:
      Accounts receivable, net.....................................    (1,658)   (10,978)   (11,124)
      Other assets.................................................      (674)    (1,207)      (295)
      Deferred income taxes........................................    (1,551)    (1,324)     6,909
      Accounts payable.............................................     1,172      2,167      1,360
      Accrued liabilities..........................................     1,756        625     (2,348)
      Deferred revenue.............................................     1,337      1,472        375
      Other liabilities............................................        22       (441)      (116)
                                                                     --------   --------   --------
         Net cash provided by operating activities.................     9,155      6,708     21,007
                                                                     --------   --------   --------
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
  Purchase of investments available for sale.......................   (28,666)   (26,113)   (26,517)
  Maturities of investments available for sale.....................     4,182     18,125     24,666
  Proceeds from sales of investments available for sale............     2,467      3,707      3,716
  Acquisitions of property and equipment...........................    (2,246)    (3,978)    (9,593)
                                                                     --------   --------   --------
         Net cash used in investing activities.....................   (24,263)    (8,259)    (7,728)
                                                                     --------   --------   --------
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
  Net proceeds from issuances of common stock......................    33,726      1,935      4,039
  Proceeds from issuances of notes payable to stockholders.........     1,000         --         --
  Repayments of notes payable to stockholders......................        --     (1,000)        --
  Proceeds from bank line of credit................................     1,085        309         --
  Repayments of bank line of credit................................      (265)    (2,504)        --
  Repayments of debt from asset purchases..........................        --     (4,710)        --
  Capital lease payments...........................................      (502)      (553)      (408)
  Proceeds from issuances of bank notes payable....................        --      1,999         --
  Repayments of bank notes payable.................................      (687)    (1,999)        --
  Distributions to CompReview stockholders.........................    (3,845)    (5,908)    (6,798)
                                                                     --------   --------   --------
         Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities.......    30,512    (12,431)    (3,167)
                                                                     --------   --------   --------
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash............................        --         54       (165)
                                                                     --------   --------   --------
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents...............    15,404    (13,928)     9,947
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period...................     6,645     22,049      8,121
                                                                     --------   --------   --------
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period.........................  $ 22,049   $  8,121   $ 18,068
                                                                     ========   ========   ========
SIGNIFICANT NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
  Assets purchased through issuance of debt........................  $     --   $  4,710   $     --
                                                                     ========   ========   ========
  Acquisitions of property and equipment under capital leases......  $    411   $    344   $     --
                                                                     ========   ========   ========
  Conversion of preferred stock....................................  $ 13,518   $     --   $     --
                                                                     ========   ========   ========
  Accretion of dividends on mandatorily redeemable convertible
    preferred stock................................................  $    348   $     --   $     --
                                                                     ========   ========   ========
SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW DISCLOSURE:
  Interest paid....................................................  $    390   $    448   $    101
                                                                     ========   ========   ========
  Income taxes paid................................................  $    190   $    165   $    547
                                                                     ========   ========   ========
</TABLE>
 
          See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements
 
                                       F-5
<PAGE>   78
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
           CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
                                 (IN THOUSANDS)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                         CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK
                                      ---------------------------------
                                         SERIES A          SERIES E        COMMON STOCK
                                      ---------------   ---------------   ---------------
                                      SHARES   AMOUNT   SHARES   AMOUNT   SHARES   AMOUNT
                                      ------   ------   ------   ------   ------   ------
<S>                                   <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 1994.........   380    $  --     1,282    $  1     8,656    $  9
Common stock options exercised.......                                        207
Accretion of dividends...............
Issuance of common stock in initial
 public offering, net of issuance
 costs...............................                                      2,376       2
Conversion of convertible preferred
 stock into common stock.............  (380)      --    (1,282)     (1)    8,956       9
Issuance of common stock in follow-on
 public offering, net of issuance
 costs...............................                                      1,116       2
Issuance of common stock at inception
 of Retek (Note 1)...................                                      1,367       1
Tax benefit from stock option
 transactions........................
Unrealized gain on investments.......
Stock warrant exercised..............                                        100
Distributions to CompReview
 stockholders........................
Net income...........................
                                       ----    -----    ------     ---    ------     ---
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 1995.........    --       --        --      --    22,778      23
Common stock options exercised.......                                      1,140       1
Common stock issued under Employee
 Stock Purchase Plan.................                                         94
Tax benefit from stock option
 transactions........................
Tax benefit from Retek taxable
 pooling (Note 7)....................
Unrealized loss on investments.......
Foreign currency translation
 adjustment..........................
Distributions to CompReview
 stockholders........................
Net income...........................
                                       ----    -----    ------     ---    ------     ---
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 1996.........    --       --        --      --    24,012      24
Common stock options exercised.......                                        475       1
Common stock issued under Employee
 Stock Purchase Plan.................                                         51
Tax benefit from stock option
 transactions........................
Unrealized gain on investments.......
Foreign currency translation
 adjustment..........................
Distributions to CompReview
 stockholders........................
CompReview contribution to capital...
Net income...........................
                                       ----    -----    ------     ---    ------     ---
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 1997.........    --    $  --        --    $ --    24,538    $ 25
                                       ====    =====    ======     ===    ======     ===
 
<CAPTION>
 
                                                  UNREALIZED
                                                GAIN (LOSS) ON     FOREIGN     (ACCUMULATED
                                                 INVESTMENTS      CURRENCY       DEFICIT)         TOTAL
                                      PAID-IN     AVAILABLE      TRANSLATION     RETAINED     STOCKHOLDERS'
                                      CAPITAL      FOR SALE      ADJUSTMENT      EARNINGS        EQUITY
                                     ---------  --------------   -----------   ------------   -------------
<S>                                   <<C>      <C>              <C>           <C>            <C>
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 1994.........$  10,980      $   --          $  --        $(10,149)      $     841
Common stock options exercised.......       85                                                         85
Accretion of dividends...............     (348)                                                      (348)
Issuance of common stock in initial
 public offering, net of issuance
 costs...............................   14,329                                                     14,331
Conversion of convertible preferred
 stock into common stock.............   10,618                                      2,892          13,518
Issuance of common stock in follow-on
 public offering, net of issuance
 costs...............................   19,184                                                     19,186
Issuance of common stock at inception
 of Retek (Note 1)...................       (1)                                                        --
Tax benefit from stock option
 transactions........................      800                                                        800
Unrealized gain on investments.......                   92                                             92
Stock warrant exercised..............      124                                                        124
Distributions to CompReview
 stockholders........................                                              (3,845)         (3,845)
Net income...........................                                               6,077           6,077
                                       -------       -----          -----        --------        --------
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 1995.........   55,771          92             --          (5,025)         50,861
Common stock options exercised.......    1,095                                                      1,096
Common stock issued under Employee
 Stock Purchase Plan.................      839                                                        839
Tax benefit from stock option
 transactions........................    7,889                                                      7,889
Tax benefit from Retek taxable
 pooling (Note 7)....................   18,397                                                     18,397
Unrealized loss on investments.......                 (151)                                          (151)
Foreign currency translation
 adjustment..........................                                  54                              54
Distributions to CompReview
 stockholders........................                                              (5,908)         (5,908)
Net income...........................                                              11,893          11,893
                                       -------       -----          -----        --------        --------
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 1996.........   83,991         (59)            54             960          84,970
Common stock options exercised.......    2,845                                                      2,846
Common stock issued under Employee
 Stock Purchase Plan.................    1,193                                                      1,193
Tax benefit from stock option
 transactions........................    4,192                                                      4,192
Unrealized gain on investments.......                   57                                             57
Foreign currency translation
 adjustment..........................                                (165)                           (165)
Distributions to CompReview
 stockholders........................                                              (6,798)         (6,798)
CompReview contribution to capital...    3,698                                     (3,698)             --
Net income...........................                                              17,565          17,565
                                       -------       -----          -----        --------        --------
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 1997.........$  95,919      $   (2)         $(111)       $  8,029       $ 103,860
                                       =======       =====          =====        ========        ========
</TABLE>
 
          See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements
 
                                       F-6
<PAGE>   79
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
NOTE 1 -- THE COMPANY AND ITS SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
  The Company
 
     Headquartered in San Diego, California, HNC Software Inc. (the "Company" or
"HNC") develops, markets and supports predictive software solutions in
client/server environments. HNC provides innovative predictive software systems
in the healthcare/insurance, financial services and retail markets.
 
  Acquisitions
 
     On August 30, 1996, the Company completed an acquisition of all of the
outstanding shares of Risk Data Corporation ("Risk Data"). Risk Data is an
insurance information technology services firm that develops, markets and
supports analytical benchmarking and risk management software products primarily
for insurance carriers, state insurance funds and third party administrators
primarily in the workers' compensation insurance field. Under the terms of the
acquisition, accounted for as a pooling of interests, the Company exchanged
1,891 shares of common stock for all of the then outstanding shares of Risk Data
preferred and common stock.
 
     On November 29, 1996, the Company completed an acquisition of all of the
outstanding shares of Retek Distribution Corporation ("Retek"). Retek develops,
markets and supports inventory management system software primarily for
customers in the retail industry. Under the terms of the acquisition, accounted
for as a pooling of interests, the Company exchanged 1,367 shares of common
stock for all of the then outstanding shares of Retek common stock.
 
     On November 28, 1997, the Company completed an acquisition of all of the
outstanding shares of CompReview, Inc. ("CompReview"). CompReview develops,
markets and supports cost containment software for workers' compensation
insurance carriers and for insurers that handle automobile accident personal
injury claims. Under the terms of the acquisition, accounted for as a pooling of
interests, the Company exchanged 4,886 shares of common stock for all of the
then outstanding shares of CompReview common stock.
 
     The consolidated financial statements and related notes give retroactive
effect to all three acquisitions for all of the periods presented. The
consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 1996 and 1997 includes the
accounts of Risk Data, Retek and CompReview as of December 31, 1996 and 1997.
The consolidated statements of income, of cash flows and of changes in
stockholders' equity for each of the three years in the period ended December
31, 1997 include the results of Risk Data, Retek and CompReview for each of the
years then ended. The term "Company" as used in these consolidated financial
statements refers to HNC and its subsidiaries, including Risk Data, Retek and
CompReview.
 
                                       F-7
<PAGE>   80
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
     No adjustments to conform the accounting methods of the acquired companies
to the accounting methods of HNC were required. Certain amounts have been
reclassified with regard to presentation of the financial information of the
acquired companies. Revenues and net income (loss) for each of the previously
separate companies for the periods prior to their respective acquisition dates
are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                         NINE MONTHS
                                                                            ENDED
                            YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,      SIX MONTHS     SEPTEMBER 30,
                          ----------------------------     ENDED      -----------------
                           1995      1996       1997      JUNE 30,     1996      1997
                          -------   -------   --------      1996      -------   -------
                                                         ----------
                                                         (UNAUDITED)     (UNAUDITED)
    <S>                   <C>       <C>       <C>        <C>          <C>       <C>
    Revenues:
      HNC...............  $25,174   $53,833   $113,735    $ 16,478    $31,423   $62,683
      Risk Data.........    4,577        --         --       2,600         --        --
      Retek.............      921        --         --       3,377      5,635        --
      CompReview........   13,032    17,606         --       8,119     12,631    18,971
                          -------   -------   --------    --------    -------   -------
                          $43,704   $71,439   $113,735    $ 30,574    $49,689   $81,654
                          =======   =======   ========    ========    =======   =======
    Net income (loss):
      HNC...............  $ 4,457   $ 6,376   $ 17,565    $  1,780    $   975   $ 7,597
      Risk Data.........   (1,952)       --         --      (2,184)        --        --
      Retek.............     (382)       --         --          43         93        --
      CompReview........    3,954     5,517         --       2,123      3,679     6,702
                          -------   -------   --------    --------    -------   -------
                          $ 6,077   $11,893   $ 17,565    $  1,762    $ 4,747   $14,299
                          =======   =======   ========    ========    =======   =======
</TABLE>
 
     Transaction costs of $563, $515 and $1,440 were incurred to complete the
acquisitions of Risk Data, Retek and CompReview, respectively. Transaction costs
were deferred and charged to income when the related transactions were
consummated. Transaction costs consisted primarily of investment banker, legal
and accounting fees, and printing, mailing and registration expenses.
 
  Principles of Consolidation
 
     The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company
and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions and
balances have been eliminated.
 
     During 1996, the Company established Aptex Software Inc. ("Aptex"), a
majority owned subsidiary, in order to develop, market and support certain text
analysis technology that is being used to develop products for the Internet
market. The minority stockholders' interest in Aptex's financial position and
results of operations is presented as a minority interest in the Company's
consolidated financial statements.
 
  Financial Statement Preparation
 
     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 dates of the financial
statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the
reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
 
                                       F-8
<PAGE>   81
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
  Cash Equivalents
 
     Cash equivalents are highly liquid investments and consist of investments
in money market accounts and commercial paper purchased with maturities of three
months or less.
 
  Investments
 
     Management determines the appropriate classification of its investments in
marketable debt and equity securities at the time of purchase and re-evaluates
such designation as of each balance sheet date. The Company classifies all
securities as "available for sale" and carries them at fair value with
unrealized gains or losses related to these securities included in stockholders'
equity in the Company's consolidated balance sheet.
 
  Property and Equipment
 
     Property and equipment are recorded at cost. The Company computes
depreciation and amortization using either the straight-line method over the
estimated useful lives of the assets of three to seven years or an accelerated
method over the estimated useful lives of the assets of five to seven years. The
Company amortizes leasehold improvements over the shorter of their estimated
useful lives or the remaining term of the related lease. Repair and maintenance
costs are charged to expense as incurred.
 
  Software Costs
 
     Software costs are recorded at cost and amortized over their estimated
useful lives of 36 to 42 months. Software costs are comprised of purchased
software and other rights that are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable
value. At December 31, 1996 and 1997, software costs of $2,561 and $2,581,
respectively, were included in other assets in the consolidated balance sheet
net of accumulated amortization of $642 and $1,451, respectively.
 
     Development costs for software to be licensed or sold that are incurred
from the time technological feasibility is established until the product is
available for general release to customers are capitalized and reported at the
lower of cost or net realizable value. Through December 31, 1997, no significant
amounts were expended subsequent to reaching technological feasibility.
 
  Long-Lived Assets
 
     The Company investigates potential impairments of long-lived assets,
certain identifiable intangibles and associated goodwill when events or changes
in circumstances have made recovery of an asset's carrying value unlikely. An
impairment loss would be recognized if the sum of the expected future net cash
flows were less than the carrying amount of the asset. No such impairments of
long-lived assets existed through December 31, 1997.
 
  Stock-Based Compensation
 
     The Company measures compensation expense for its stock-based employee
compensation plans using the intrinsic value method and provides pro forma
disclosures of net income and earnings per share as if the fair value-based
method had been applied in measuring compensation expense.
 
                                       F-9
<PAGE>   82
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
  Revenue Recognition
 
     The Company's revenue from periodic software license and maintenance
agreements is generally recognized ratably over the respective license periods.
Revenue from certain short-term periodic software license and maintenance
agreements with guaranteed minimum license fees is recognized as related
services are performed. Transactional fees are recognized as revenue based on
system usage or when fees based on system usage exceed the monthly minimum
license fees. Revenue from perpetual licenses of the Company's software for
which there are no significant continuing obligations and collection of the
related receivables is probable is recognized on delivery of the software and
acceptance by the customer. Revenue from hardware product sales, which is
included in contracts and other revenue, is recognized upon shipment to the
customer.
 
     The Company's revenue from software installation and implementation and
from contract services is generally recognized as the services are performed
using the percentage of completion method based on costs incurred to date
compared to total estimated costs at completion. Amounts received under
contracts in advance of performance are recorded as deferred revenue and are
generally recognized within one year from receipt. Contract losses are recorded
as a charge to income in the period such losses are first identified. Unbilled
accounts receivable are stated at estimated realizable value.
 
     Service bureau fees are from review and repricing of customers' medical
bills and are assessed to customers on the basis of volume of bills processed
and are recognized as revenue when the processing services are performed.
 
  Income Taxes
 
     The Company's current income tax expense is the amount of income taxes
expected to be payable for the current year. A deferred income tax asset or
liability is computed for the expected future impact of differences between the
financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities as well as the
expected future tax benefit to be derived from tax loss and tax credit
carryforwards. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce
deferred tax assets to the amount "more likely than not" to be realized in
future tax returns. Tax rate changes are reflected in income during the period
such changes are enacted.
 
  Net Income Per Common Share
 
     The Company adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 128
("FAS 128"), "Earnings per Share," for fiscal 1997 and retroactively restated
all prior periods to conform with FAS 128 as required. Basic net income per
common share is computed as net income less accretion of dividends on
mandatorily redeemable convertible preferred stock divided by the weighted
average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net
income per common share is computed as net income divided by the weighted
average number of common shares and potential common shares, using the treasury
stock method, outstanding during the period and assumes conversion into common
stock at the beginning of each period of all outstanding shares of convertible
preferred stock (Note 8).
 
  Unaudited Pro Forma Data
 
     Prior to the acquisition of CompReview by HNC on November 28, 1997,
CompReview had elected subchapter S corporation status for income tax purposes;
therefore, its income was included in the tax returns of its stockholders, and
no income tax provision was recorded for
 
                                      F-10
<PAGE>   83
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
CompReview other than certain minimum state taxes on subchapter S corporations.
As a result of the acquisition, beginning November 29, 1997, CompReview became
subject to corporate income taxes on its taxable income. For comparative
purposes, the consolidated statement of income includes unaudited pro forma
adjusted data with respect to the merged companies' income tax provision as if
CompReview had been subject to corporate income taxes on its taxable income for
all periods presented.
 
  Foreign Currency Translation
 
     The financial statements of the Company's international operations are
translated into U.S. dollars using period-end exchange rates for assets and
liabilities and average exchange rates during the period for revenues and
expenses. Cumulative translation gains and losses are excluded from results of
operations and recorded as a separate component of stockholders' equity. Gains
and losses resulting from foreign currency transactions (transactions
denominated in a currency other than the entity's local currency) are included
in the consolidated statement of income and are not material.
 
  Diversification of Credit Risk
 
     The Company's financial instruments that are subject to concentrations of
credit risk consist primarily of cash equivalents, investments available for
sale and accounts receivable, which are generally not collateralized. The
Company's policy is to place its cash, cash equivalents and investments
available for sale with high credit quality financial institutions and
commercial companies and government agencies in order to limit the amount of its
credit exposure. The Company's software license and installation agreements and
commercial development contracts are primarily with large customers in the
healthcare/insurance, financial services and retail industries. The Company
maintains reserves for potential credit losses.
 
     The Company has one major product or product line in each of its three
target markets. In the healthcare/insurance market, revenues from one product
accounted for 29.8%, 24.6% and 23.0% of the Company's total revenues for 1995,
1996 and 1997, respectively. During those same periods, one product in the
retail market accounted for 2.2%, 13.6% and 18.9%, respectively, of the
Company's total revenues, and one product line in the financial services market
accounted for 28.0%, 20.9% and 16.0%, respectively, of the Company's total
revenues. Revenues from international operations and export sales, primarily to
Western Europe and Canada, represented approximately 12.6%, 17.7% and 16.8% of
total revenues in 1995, 1996 and 1997, respectively. Export sales were $4,595,
$7,310 and $7,896 in 1995, 1996 and 1997, respectively.
 
  Disclosures About Fair Value of Financial Instruments
 
     The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents and accrued liabilities
approximate fair value because of the short-term maturities of these financial
instruments. The carrying amounts of capital lease obligations approximate their
fair values based on interest rates currently available to the Company for
borrowings with similar terms and maturities.
 
  Reincorporation and Stock Split
 
     In May 1995, the Company's stockholders approved an Agreement and Plan of
Merger whereby the Company merged with and into a newly incorporated Delaware
corporation ("HNC Delaware"), which is the surviving corporation. In conjunction
with the merger, each share of the
 
                                      F-11
<PAGE>   84
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
Company's common stock, preferred stock and options and warrants to purchase the
Company's common stock was exchanged for one-half share of HNC Delaware's common
stock, preferred stock and options and warrants to purchase HNC Delaware's
common stock, at twice the exercise price for options and warrants. In April
1996, the Company consummated a two-for-one stock split effected in the form of
a common stock dividend. All references to share and per share amounts of common
and preferred stock and other data in these financial statements have been
retroactively restated to reflect the reincorporation and stock split.
 
  New Accounting Pronouncements
 
     In June 1997, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 130 ("FAS 130"), "Reporting
Comprehensive Income," which the Company is required to adopt for 1998. This
statement will require the Company to report in the financial statements, in
addition to net income, comprehensive income and its components including
foreign currency items and unrealized gains and losses on certain investments in
debt and equity securities. Upon adoption of FAS 130, the Company is also
required to reclassify financial statements for earlier periods provided for
comparative purposes. The adoption of FAS 130 will not have a significant impact
on the Company's consolidated financial statement disclosures.
 
     In June 1997, the FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
No. 131 ("FAS 131"), "Disclosures about Segments of an Enterprise and Related
Information," which the Company is required to adopt for its 1998 annual
financial statements. This statement establishes standards for reporting
information about operating segments in annual financial statements and requires
selected information about operating segments in interim financial reports
issued to stockholders. It also establishes standards for related disclosures
about products and services, geographic areas and major customers. Under FAS
131, operating segments are to be determined consistent with the way that
management organizes and evaluates financial information internally for making
operating decisions and assessing performance. The Company has not determined
the impact of the adoption of this new accounting standard on its consolidated
financial statement disclosures.
 
   
     In October 1997, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
issued Statement of Position No. 97-2 ("SOP 97-2"), "Software Revenue
Recognition," which the Company is required to adopt for agreements entered into
with customers beginning in 1998. This statement provides guidance for software
revenue recognition matters primarily from a conceptual level and does not
include specific implementation guidance. Based on its reading and
interpretation of SOP 97-2, the Company believes that the adoption of SOP 97-2
will not have a significant impact on its financial statements; however,
detailed implementation guidelines for this standard have not yet been issued.
Once issued, such detailed implementation guidelines could lead to unanticipated
changes in the Company's current revenue recognition practices, and such changes
could be material to the Company's financial statements.
    
 
                                      F-12
<PAGE>   85
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
  Reclassifications
 
     Certain prior year balances have been reclassified to conform to the
current year presentation.
 
NOTE 2 -- COMPOSITION OF CERTAIN FINANCIAL STATEMENT CAPTIONS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                  DECEMBER 31,
                                                               -------------------
                                                                1996        1997
                                                               -------     -------
        <S>                                                    <C>         <C>
        Accounts receivable, net:
          Billed.............................................  $13,266     $27,812
          Unbilled...........................................    9,299       8,368
                                                               -------     -------
                                                                22,565      36,180
        Less allowance for doubtful accounts.................     (709)     (3,200)
                                                               -------     -------
                                                               $21,856     $32,980
                                                               =======     =======
</TABLE>
 
     Unbilled accounts receivable represent revenue recorded in excess of
amounts billable pursuant to contract provisions and generally become billable
at contractually specified dates or upon the attainment of milestones. Unbilled
amounts are expected to be realized within one year.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                  DECEMBER 31,
                                                               -------------------
                                                                1996        1997
                                                               -------     -------
        <S>                                                    <C>         <C>
        Property and equipment, net:
          Computer equipment.................................  $ 9,302     $15,611
          Furniture and fixtures.............................    2,210       4,632
          Leasehold improvements.............................      273       1,012
                                                               -------     -------
                                                                11,785      21,255
        Less accumulated depreciation and amortization.......   (5,446)     (9,153)
                                                               -------     -------
                                                               $ 6,339     $12,102
                                                               =======     =======
</TABLE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                  DECEMBER 31,
                                                               -------------------
                                                                1996        1997
                                                               -------     -------
        <S>                                                    <C>         <C>
        Accrued liabilities:
          Payroll and related benefits.......................  $ 1,645     $ 3,456
          Vacation...........................................      860         927
          Other..............................................    1,928       1,550
                                                               -------     -------
                                                               $ 4,433     $ 5,933
                                                               =======     =======
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-13
<PAGE>   86
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
NOTE 3 -- INVESTMENTS
 
     At December 31, 1996 and 1997, the amortized cost and estimated fair value
of investments available for sale were as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                          DECEMBER 31, 1996
                                            ---------------------------------------------
                                            AMORTIZED   UNREALIZED   UNREALIZED    FAIR
                                              COST        GAINS        LOSSES      VALUE
                                            ---------   ----------   ----------   -------
        <S>                                 <C>         <C>          <C>          <C>
        U.S. government and federal
          agencies........................   $ 18,212    $     --     $    (38)   $18,174
        Foreign government debt...........      1,006          --           (2)     1,004
        U.S. corporate debt...............      4,851          --          (14)     4,837
        Foreign corporate debt............      2,718          --           (5)     2,713
                                              -------     -------      -------    -------
                                             $ 26,787    $     --     $    (59)   $26,728
                                              =======     =======      =======    =======
</TABLE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                          DECEMBER 31, 1997
                                            ---------------------------------------------
                                            AMORTIZED   UNREALIZED   UNREALIZED    FAIR
                                              COST        GAINS        LOSSES      VALUE
                                            ---------   ----------   ----------   -------
        <S>                                 <C>         <C>          <C>          <C>
        U.S. government and federal
          agencies........................   $ 20,682    $     --     $     (1)   $20,681
        U.S. corporate debt...............      1,894          --           (1)     1,893
        Foreign corporate debt............      2,304          --           --      2,304
                                              -------     -------      -------    -------
                                             $ 24,880    $     --     $     (2)   $24,878
                                              =======     =======      =======    =======
</TABLE>
 
     No significant gains or losses were realized during the years ended
December 31, 1996 and 1997. The cost of securities sold is determined by the
specific identification method.
 
NOTE 4 -- NOTES PAYABLE
 
     The Company has a Credit Agreement with a bank which provides for a $15,000
revolving line of credit through July 11, 1999. The agreement requires that the
Company maintain certain financial ratios and levels of working capital,
tangible net worth and profitability, and also restricts the Company's ability
to pay cash dividends and make loans, advances or investments without the bank's
consent. At December 31, 1997, the Company had no amounts outstanding under the
revolving line of credit. Interest is payable monthly at the bank's prime rate
or LIBOR rate plus 1.5%. The applicable interest rate was 7.22% at December 31,
1997.
 
     The Risk Data credit facilities were comprised of a revolving line of
credit secured by eligible accounts receivable, as well as a bridge loan that
was secured by the guarantees of certain stockholders. The revolving line of
credit matured on January 5, 1997. The bridge loan matured on September 5, 1996.
All outstanding amounts were repaid during 1996, and neither credit facility was
renewed.
 
     During 1995, the preferred stockholders of Risk Data loaned the Company
$1,000 under subordinated note agreements (secured by the assets of Risk Data
but subordinated to borrowings under the Risk Data line of credit) bearing
interest at 9%. All outstanding amounts were repaid during 1996.
 
                                      F-14
<PAGE>   87
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
NOTE 5 -- LEASES
 
     At December 31, 1997, the Company was obligated through 2004 under
noncancelable operating leases for its facilities and certain equipment as
follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                             NET FUTURE
                                           FUTURE MINIMUM   LESS SUBLEASE   MINIMUM LEASE
                                           LEASE PAYMENTS      INCOME         PAYMENTS
                                           --------------   -------------   -------------
        <S>                                <C>              <C>             <C>
        1998.............................      $2,984           $ 127          $ 2,857
        1999.............................       3,047              --            3,047
        2000.............................       3,043              --            3,043
        2001.............................       2,994              --            2,994
        2002.............................       2,884              --            2,884
        thereafter.......................       1,535              --            1,535
</TABLE>
 
     The lease for the Company's corporate headquarters provides for scheduled
rent increases and an option to extend the lease for five years with certain
changes to the terms of the lease agreement and a refurbishment allowance. Rent
expense under operating leases for the years ended December 31, 1995, 1996 and
1997 was approximately $1,503, $1,623 and $2,687, respectively, net of sublease
income of $83, $125 and $477, respectively.
 
     Risk Data maintains a lease line of credit with a leasing company for the
acquisition of equipment under capital lease arrangements. Future minimum
payments are $222 for 1998 and $66 for 1999 with a total of $34 of such amounts
representing interest.
 
     The gross value of assets under capital leases at December 31, 1996 and
1997 was $1,481 and $714, and accumulated amortization was $599 and $556,
respectively. Amortization expense for assets acquired under capital leases is
included in depreciation expense.
 
NOTE 6 -- CAPITAL STOCK
 
     During June 1995, the Company completed its initial public offering of
5,176 shares of common stock (of which 2,376 shares were sold by the Company and
2,800 shares were sold by certain selling stockholders) at a price to the public
of $7.00 per share, which resulted in net proceeds to the Company of $15,461
after the payment of underwriters' commissions but before the deduction of
offering expenses. Upon the closing of the Company's initial public offering,
all outstanding shares of Series A, B, C, D and E convertible preferred stock
were automatically converted into shares of common stock at their then effective
conversion prices. Upon conversion, the preferred stockholders were no longer
entitled to any undeclared cumulative dividends and all class voting rights
terminated.
 
     During December 1995, the Company completed a follow-on public offering of
3,000 shares of common stock (of which 1,116 shares were sold by the Company and
1,884 shares were sold by certain selling stockholders) at a price to the public
of $18.50 per share, which resulted in net proceeds to the Company of $19,606
after the payment of underwriters' commissions but before the deduction of
offering expenses.
 
     The Company's Board of Directors is authorized to issue up to 4,000 shares
of preferred stock and to determine the price, rights, preferences, privileges
and restrictions, including voting rights, of those shares without any further
vote or action by the stockholders. The rights of the holders of common stock
will be subject to the rights of the holders of any preferred stock that may be
issued in the future.
 
                                      F-15
<PAGE>   88
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
NOTE 7 -- INCOME TAXES
 
     Income (loss) before income tax (benefit) provision was taxed under the
following jurisdictions:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                    ------------------------------
                                                     1995       1996        1997
                                                    ------     -------     -------
        <S>                                         <C>        <C>         <C>
        Domestic..................................  $5,764     $ 8,599     $23,907
        Foreign...................................    (198)      2,760       1,012
                                                    ------     -------     -------
                                                    $5,566     $11,359     $24,919
                                                    ======     =======     =======
</TABLE>
 
     The income tax (benefit) provision is summarized as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                    ------------------------------
                                                     1995       1996        1997
                                                    ------     -------     -------
        <S>                                         <C>        <C>         <C>
        CURRENT:
          Federal.................................  $   97     $ 1,132     $ 2,257
          State...................................     143         204         537
          Foreign.................................      --          51         233
 
        DEFERRED:
          Federal.................................    (521)     (1,569)      3,197
          State...................................    (186)        (56)        985
          Foreign.................................     (44)       (296)        145
                                                    ------     -------       -----
                                                    $ (511)    $  (534)    $ 7,354
                                                    ======     =======       =====
</TABLE>
 
     Deferred tax assets are summarized as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                   YEAR ENDED
                                                                  DECEMBER 31,
                                                               -------------------
                                                                1996        1997
                                                               -------     -------
        <S>                                                    <C>         <C>
        Taxable pooling basis difference.....................  $18,397     $16,955
        Net operating loss carryforwards.....................    8,587       7,404
        Tax credit carryforwards.............................    1,878       2,059
        Other................................................      487         214
                                                               -------     -------
        Gross deferred tax assets............................   29,349      26,632
        Deferred tax asset valuation allowance...............       --          --
                                                               -------     -------
                  Net deferred tax asset.....................  $29,349     $26,632
                                                               =======     =======
</TABLE>
 
     During 1995, the Company released the valuation allowance related to its
deferred tax assets based on management's assessment that it was more likely
than not that the Company would realize a portion of those assets in future
periods due to improvements in the Company's operating results. During 1996, the
Company released the valuation allowances related to Risk Data's and Retek's
deferred tax assets based on management's assessment that it was more likely
than not that the Company would realize those assets in future periods due to
improvements in the operating results of those subsidiaries.
 
     During 1995, 1996 and 1997, the Company realized certain tax benefits
related to stock option transactions in the amount of $800, $7,889 and $4,192,
respectively. The benefit from the stock option tax deduction is credited
directly to paid-in capital.
 
                                      F-16
<PAGE>   89
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
     During 1996, in connection with the acquisition of Retek, the Company made
an Internal Revenue Code Section 338 election for federal and state tax
purposes, resulting in the treatment of the acquisition as a taxable
transaction, whereby the tax bases of the acquired assets and liabilities were
adjusted to their fair values as of the date of the acquisition. As the purchase
price exceeded the carrying value of the net assets acquired by approximately
$46,000, the Company recorded a deferred tax asset in the amount of $18,397.
 
     A reconciliation of the income tax (benefit) provision to the amount
computed by applying the statutory federal income tax rate to income before
income tax provision is summarized as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                   -------------------------------
                                                    1995        1996        1997
                                                   -------     -------     -------
        <S>                                        <C>         <C>         <C>
        Amounts computed at statutory federal
          rate...................................  $ 1,892     $ 3,862     $ 8,472
             State income taxes..................      465         554       1,407
             Subchapter S corporation earnings...   (1,366)     (1,901)     (2,888)
             Change in tax status of S
               corporation.......................       --          --         869
             Tax credit carryforwards
               generated.........................      (68)       (334)       (284)
             Release of valuation allowance......   (2,223)     (2,717)         --
             Foreign income taxes................      (44)       (296)         27
             Losses without tax benefit..........      794          --          --
             Other...............................       39         298        (249)
                                                   -------     -------     -------
        Income tax (benefit) provision...........  $  (511)    $  (534)    $ 7,354
                                                   =======     =======     =======
</TABLE>
 
     Prior to the acquisition of CompReview by the Company on November 28, 1997,
CompReview had elected subchapter S corporation status and the cash basis of
accounting for income tax purposes; therefore, its cash basis income was
included in the tax returns of its stockholders, and no income tax provision was
recorded for CompReview other than certain minimum state taxes on subchapter S
corporations. As of the date of CompReview's acquisition, its tax status was
changed to C corporation status with the accrual basis of accounting. As a
result of this change in tax status, the Company recorded a deferred tax
liability in the amount of $869 based on the cumulative income recognition
differences as of the date of acquisition between CompReview's former and
prospective tax accounting methods.
 
     At December 31, 1997, the Company had federal, state and foreign net
operating loss carryforwards of approximately $19,992, $7,785 and $352,
respectively. The net operating loss carryforwards expire as follows:
 
<TABLE>
                    <S>                                         <C>
                    2001......................................  $ 6,982
                    2003......................................       84
                    2005......................................      123
                    2006......................................    1,670
                    2007......................................       17
                    2008......................................    1,692
                    2009......................................    1,370
                    2010......................................    1,840
                    2011......................................   14,086
</TABLE>
 
     The Company also has approximately $1,295 of federal research and
development credit carryforwards, which expire from 2000 to 2012, $711 of state
research and development credit
 
                                      F-17
<PAGE>   90
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
carryforwards, which have no expiration date, and $53 of foreign tax credit
carryforwards, which expire from 1999 to 2002. Certain of these net operating
loss and research and development credit carryforwards generated by Risk Data,
Retek and CompReview prior to their acquisitions by HNC are subject to annual
limitations on their utilization and also are limited to utilization solely by
the company that generated them. Should a substantial change in HNC's ownership
occur, as defined by the Tax Reform Act of 1986, there will be an annual
limitation on its utilization of net operating loss and research and development
credit carryforwards.
 
NOTE 8 -- RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME AND SHARES USED IN PER SHARE COMPUTATIONS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                         YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                                     -------------------------------
                                                                      1995        1996        1997
                                                                     -------     -------     -------
<S>                                                                  <C>         <C>         <C>
NET INCOME USED:
Net income used in computing basic net income per common share.....  $ 5,729     $11,893     $17,565
Add back accretion of dividends on mandatorily redeemable
  convertible preferred stock......................................      348          --          --
                                                                     -------     -------     -------
Net income used in computing diluted net income per common share...  $ 6,077     $11,893     $17,565
                                                                     =======     =======     =======
SHARES USED:
Weighted average common shares outstanding used in computing basic
  net income per common share......................................   15,195      23,552      24,275
  Weighted average options and warrants to purchase common stock as
    determined by application of the treasury stock method.........    1,995       1,796       1,383
  Incremental shares for assumed conversion of convertible
    preferred stock................................................    4,265          --          --
  Purchase Plan common stock equivalents...........................       55          15          23
                                                                     -------     -------     -------
Shares used in computing diluted net income per common share.......   21,510      25,363      25,681
                                                                     =======     =======     =======
</TABLE>
 
     All outstanding shares of the Company's preferred stock automatically
converted into shares of common stock upon the closing of the Company's initial
public offering on June 26, 1995. Shares used in computing diluted net income
per common share for 1995 assume conversion of all outstanding shares of
convertible preferred stock were converted at the beginning of that year.
 
NOTE 9 -- EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
 
     During 1987, the Company adopted the 1987 Stock Option Plan and reserved
2,500 shares of the Company's common stock for issuance pursuant to nonqualified
and incentive stock options to its officers, directors, key employees and
consultants. The plan, as amended, is administered by the Board of Directors or
its designees and provides generally that, for incentive stock options and
nonqualified stock options, the exercise price must not be less than the fair
market value of the shares as determined by the Board of Directors at the date
of grant. The options expire no later than ten years from the date of grant and
may be exercised in installments based upon stipulated timetables (not in excess
of seven years). At December 31, 1997, options to purchase 490 shares were
exercisable.
 
     During 1995, the Company adopted the 1995 Directors Stock Option Plan (the
"Directors Plan"), the 1995 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Incentive Plan") and the
1995 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "Purchase Plan"). For purposes of the
discussion contained in the three paragraphs below, "fair market value" means
the closing price of the Company's common stock on the Nasdaq National Market on
the grant date.
 
                                      F-18
<PAGE>   91
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
     The Directors Plan provides for the issuance of up to 300 nonqualified
stock options to the Company's outside directors. Under the provisions of the
Directors Plan, options to purchase 25 shares of the Company's common stock are
granted to outside directors upon their respective dates of becoming members of
the Board of Directors and options to purchase ten shares of such stock will be
granted on each anniversary of such dates. Options under the Directors Plan are
granted at the fair market value of the stock at the grant date and vest at
specific times over a four-year period. At December 31, 1997, options to
purchase 72 shares were exercisable.
 
     The Incentive Plan provides for the issuance of up to 3,550 shares of the
Company's common stock in the form of nonqualified or incentive stock options,
restricted stock or stock bonuses. In addition, all shares that remained
unissued under the 1987 Stock Option Plan on the effective date of the Incentive
Plan, and all shares issuable upon exercise of options granted pursuant to the
1987 Stock Option Plan that expire or become unexercisable for any reason
without having been exercised in full are available for issuance under the
Incentive Plan. Nonqualified stock options and restricted stock may be awarded
at a price not less than 85% of the fair market value of the stock at the date
of the award. Incentive stock options must be awarded at a price not less than
100% of the fair market value of the stock at the date of the award. Options
granted under the Incentive Plan may have a term of up to ten years. The Company
has the discretion to provide for restrictions and the lapse thereof in respect
of restricted stock awards. Options typically vest at the rate of 25% of the
total grant per year over a four-year period; however, the Company may, at its
discretion, implement a different vesting schedule with respect to any new stock
option grant. At December 31, 1997, 316 shares were exercisable.
 
     The Purchase Plan provides for the issuance of a maximum of 400 shares of
common stock. Each purchase period, eligible employees may designate between 2%
and 10% of their cash compensation, subject to certain limitations, to be
deducted from their compensation for the purchase of common stock under the
Purchase Plan. The purchase price of the shares under the Purchase Plan is equal
to 85% of the lesser of the fair market value per share on the first day of the
twelve-month offering period or the last day of each six-month purchase period.
Approximately 60% of eligible employees have participated in the Purchase Plan
in the last two years.
 
     Risk Data's stock option plan is administered by HNC's Board of Directors.
All outstanding Risk Data options were converted into options to purchase HNC
common stock and adjusted to give effect to the acquisition exchange ratio in
the Risk Data acquisition. No changes were made to the terms of the Risk Data
options in connection with the exchange. Options granted under the Risk Data
stock option plan generally vest at the rate of 25% of the total grant per year
and expire ten years after the date of grant. At December 31, 1997, 30 shares
were exercisable under the Risk Data plan.
 
     Retek's stock options are administered by HNC's Board of Directors. All
outstanding Retek options were converted into options to purchase the Company's
common stock and adjusted to give effect to the acquisition exchange ratio in
the Retek acquisition. No changes were made to the terms of the Retek options in
connection with the exchange. Options granted vest ratably over periods from one
to four years and have a term of up to ten years. At December 31, 1997, options
to purchase 32 shares were exercisable.
 
     The CompReview 1995 Stock Option Plan is administered by HNC's Board of
Directors. All outstanding CompReview stock options were converted into options
to purchase HNC common stock in the CompReview acquisition and adjusted to give
effect to the acquisition exchange ratio. No changes were made to the terms of
the CompReview options in connection with the exchange. Options granted under
the CompReview Stock Option Plan generally vest ratably over periods from
 
                                      F-19
<PAGE>   92
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
two to four years and expire ten years after the date of grant. At December 31,
1997, options to purchase 156 shares were exercisable.
 
     Transactions under the Company's stock option and purchase plans during the
years ended December 31, 1995, 1996 and 1997, including options under the Risk
Data stock option plan, options under the Retek stock option plan and options
under the CompReview Stock Option Plan, but excluding options to purchase stock
of Aptex, a subsidiary of the Company, are summarized as follows.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                    YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                         ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   1995                       1996                       1997
                         ------------------------   ------------------------   ------------------------
                                 WEIGHTED AVERAGE           WEIGHTED AVERAGE           WEIGHTED AVERAGE
                         SHARES   EXERCISE PRICE    SHARES   EXERCISE PRICE    SHARES   EXERCISE PRICE
                         ------  ----------------   ------  ----------------   ------  ----------------
<S>                      <C>     <C>                <C>     <C>                <C>     <C>
Outstanding at
  beginning of year....   2,080       $ 0.49         2,868       $ 2.84         3,215       $15.65
  Options granted......   1,272         6.08         1,645        27.98         2,177        32.61
  Options exercised....    (207)        0.52        (1,140)        0.96          (475)        6.16
  Options canceled.....    (277)        1.80          (158)       17.62          (326)       26.33
                         ------                     ------
Outstanding at end of
  year.................   2,868         2.84         3,215        15.65         4,591        23.92
                         ======                     ======
Options exercisable at
  end of year..........   1,437                        841                      1,096
Weighted average fair
  value of options
  granted during the
  year.................  $ 3.10                     $14.50                     $19.79
</TABLE>
 
     The following table summarizes information about employee stock options
outstanding at December 31, 1997:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                        OPTIONS OUTSTANDING
                            -------------------------------------------      OPTIONS EXERCISABLE
                                                WEIGHTED                  -------------------------
                                NUMBER           AVERAGE       WEIGHTED       NUMBER       WEIGHTED
                            OUTSTANDING AT      REMAINING      AVERAGE    OUTSTANDING AT   AVERAGE
           RANGE OF          DECEMBER 31,      CONTRACTUAL     EXERCISE    DECEMBER 31,    EXERCISE
       EXERCISE PRICES           1997        LIFE (IN YEARS)    PRICE          1997         PRICE
    ----------------------  --------------   ---------------   --------   --------------   --------
    <S>                     <C>              <C>               <C>        <C>              <C>
    $ 0.02 to $ 3.00......       1,002             5.90         $ 1.90           702        $ 1.60
      4.50     25.38......         793             8.21          19.22           188         15.69
     25.60     30.75......         791             8.86          29.39           147         30.33
     30.81     31.50......         944             9.57          31.40             1         30.94
     31.88     39.00......         774             9.42          36.03            32         34.24
     39.09     49.50......         287             9.27          41.42            26         42.64
                                 -----                                         -----
      0.02     49.50......       4,591             8.37          23.92         1,096          9.82
                                 =====                                         =====
</TABLE>
 
     During 1996, Aptex adopted the 1996 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Aptex
Plan") whereby 2,000 shares of Aptex common stock were reserved for issuance
pursuant to nonqualified and incentive stock options and restricted stock
awards. The plan is administered by the Board of Directors of Aptex or its
designees and provides generally that nonqualified stock options and restricted
stock may be awarded at a price not less than 85% of the fair market value, as
determined by the Board of Directors, of the stock at the date of the award.
Incentive stock options must be awarded at a price not less than 100% of the
fair market value of the stock at the date of the award, or 110% of fair market
value for awards to more than 10% stockholders. Options granted under the
Incentive Plan may have a term of up to ten years. The Company has the
 
                                      F-20
<PAGE>   93
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
discretion to provide for restrictions and the lapse thereof in respect of
restricted stock awards, and options typically vest at the rate of 25% of the
total grant per year. However, the Company may, at its discretion, implement a
different vesting schedule with respect to any new stock option grant. During
1996, Aptex issued 1,000 shares of common stock at fair market value under the
Aptex Plan for cash consideration of $0.03 per share. At December 31, 1997,
options to purchase 79 shares were exercisable under the Aptex Plan.
 
     The Company applies Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25 and related
Interpretations in accounting for its stock-based compensation. No compensation
expense has been recognized for its employee stock option grants, which are
fixed in nature, as the options have been granted at fair market value. No
compensation expense has been recognized for the Purchase Plan. Had compensation
cost for the Company's stock-based compensation awards issued during 1997 and
1996 been determined based on the fair value at the grant dates of awards
consistent with the method of Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement No.
123 ("FAS 123"), the Company's net income and basic and diluted pro forma net
income per common share would have been reduced to the pro forma amounts
indicated below:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                         YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                        --------------------------
                                                         1995     1996      1997
                                                        ------   -------   -------
        <S>                                             <C>      <C>       <C>
        Net income:
          As reported.................................  $6,077   $11,893   $17,565
          Pro forma...................................   5,126     6,122     2,232
        Basic net income per common share:
          As reported.................................    0.38      0.50      0.72
          Pro forma...................................    0.31      0.26      0.09
        Diluted net income per common share:
          As reported.................................    0.28      0.47      0.68
          Pro forma...................................    0.24      0.24      0.09
</TABLE>
 
     The fair value of each option grant is estimated on the date of grant using
the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following weighted average
assumptions used for grants during the years ended December 31, 1995, 1996 and
1997, respectively: dividend yield of 0.0% for all three years, risk-free
interest rates of 6.29%, 6.03% and 6.10%, expected volatilities of 75%, 70% and
65% (0% for 1995 and 1996 options granted by Risk Data, Retek and CompReview
prior to their acquisition by HNC), and expected lives of 3.5, 3.5 and 3.0
years. The fair value of the employees' purchase rights pursuant to the Purchase
Plan is estimated using the Black-Scholes model with the following assumptions:
dividend yield of 0.0% for all three years, risk-free interest rates of 5.66%,
5.36% and 5.32%, expected volatilities of 75%, 70% and 65%, and an expected life
of 6 months for all three years. The weighted average fair value of those
purchase rights granted in 1995, 1996 and 1997 was $2.75, $9.61 and $14.10,
respectively.
 
     The fair value of each option granted under the Aptex Plan is estimated on
the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the
following weighted average assumptions used for grants during the years ended
December 31, 1996 and 1997: dividend yield of 0.0% for both years, risk-free
interest rates of 6.42% and 6.33%, expected volatility of 90% for both years,
and expected lives of 9.25 and 8.0 years. Options to purchase 704 shares and 214
shares were granted during 1996 and 1997, with weighted average exercise prices
per share of $0.03 and $0.08, respectively. During 1997, options to purchase 173
shares with a weighted average exercise price of $0.03 per share were exercised.
During 1997, options to purchase 58 shares
 
                                      F-21
<PAGE>   94
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
with a weighted average exercise price of $0.03 per share were cancelled. The
weighted average fair value per share of options granted during 1996 and 1997
was $0.03 and $0.07, respectively.
 
     The following table summarizes information about Aptex employee stock
options outstanding at December 31, 1997:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                       OPTIONS OUTSTANDING
                           -------------------------------------------        OPTIONS EXERCISABLE
                                               WEIGHTED                    -------------------------
                               NUMBER           AVERAGE       WEIGHTED         NUMBER       WEIGHTED
                           OUTSTANDING AT      REMAINING      AVERAGE      OUTSTANDING AT   AVERAGE
         RANGE OF           DECEMBER 31,      CONTRACTUAL     EXERCISE      DECEMBER 31,    EXERCISE
      EXERCISE PRICES           1997        LIFE (IN YEARS)    PRICE            1997         PRICE
    -------------------    --------------   ---------------   --------     --------------   --------
    <S>                    <C>              <C>               <C>          <C>              <C>
    $0.03 to $0.03               497              8.75         $ 0.03            79          $ 0.03
     0.05      0.05               39              9.40           0.05            --              --
     0.10      0.10              151              9.82           0.10            --              --
                               -----                                            ---
     0.03      0.10              687              9.03           0.05            79            0.03
                           ==========                                      ==========
</TABLE>
 
NOTE 10 -- CONTINGENCIES
 
     Various claims arising in the course of business, seeking monetary damages
and other relief, are pending. The amount of the liability, if any, from such
claims cannot be determined with certainty; however, in the opinion of
management, the ultimate liability for such claims will not have a material
adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial position, results of
operations or cash flows.
 
NOTE 11 -- SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
 
     On January 30, 1998, the Company signed a definitive agreement to acquire
Practical Control Systems Technologies, Inc. ("PCS"), a distribution center
management software vendor based in Cincinnati, Ohio, subject to the
satisfaction of certain closing conditions and the approval of PCS'
shareholders. If consummated, the acquisition of PCS will be accounted for under
the purchase method and will not be considered a "significant" acquisition
pursuant to regulations set forth by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
 
     On February 13, 1998, the Company adopted the 1998 Stock Option Plan (the
"1998 Plan"), under which 1,000,000 shares of HNC Common Stock were reserved for
issuance pursuant to nonqualified stock options. The 1998 Plan is administered
by the Board of Directors of HNC or a committee appointed by the Board and
provides that nonqualified stock options granted under the plan must be awarded
at an exercise price of not less than 100% of the fair market value of the stock
at the date of grant. Options granted under the 1998 Plan may have a term of up
to ten years. No options have been granted under the 1998 Plan to date.
 
                                      F-22
<PAGE>   95
 
  NO DEALER, SALESPERSON OR OTHER PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY
INFORMATION OR TO MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS OTHER THAN THOSE CONTAINED IN OR
INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THIS PROSPECTUS. IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH INFORMATION
OR REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE
COMPANY OR BY ANY OF THE UNDERWRITERS. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN
OFFER TO SELL, OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY, SUCH SECURITIES BY ANYONE
IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE, OR TO ANY PERSON TO WHOM, IT IS UNLAWFUL TO MAKE SUCH
OFFER OR SOLICITATION. NEITHER THE DELIVERY OF THIS PROSPECTUS NOR ANY SALE MADE
HEREUNDER SHALL, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, CREATE ANY IMPLICATION THAT THERE HAS
BEEN NO CHANGE IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE COMPANY SINCE THE DATES AS OF WHICH
INFORMATION IS GIVEN IN THIS PROSPECTUS.
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                         PAGE
                                         ----
<S>                                      <C>
Available Information..................    2
Incorporation of Certain Documents by
  Reference............................    2
Prospectus Summary.....................    3
Risk Factors...........................    5
Use of Proceeds........................   17
Price Range of Common Stock............   17
Dividend Policy........................   17
Capitalization.........................   18
Selected Consolidated Financial Data...   19
Management's Discussion and Analysis of
  Financial Condition and Results of
  Operations...........................   21
Business...............................   31
Management.............................   47
Description of Notes...................   49
Description of Capital Stock...........   60
Certain United States Federal Income
  Tax Considerations...................   63
Underwriting...........................   69
Legal Matters..........................   70
Experts................................   70
Index to Consolidated Financial
  Statements...........................  F-1
</TABLE>
    
 
- ------------------------------------------------------------
 
   LOGO
 
   
   U.S. $90,000,000
    
 
          % CONVERTIBLE
   SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2003
 
   DEUTSCHE MORGAN GRENFELL
 
   BANCAMERICA
   ROBERTSON STEPHENS
 
   SALOMON SMITH BARNEY
   PROSPECTUS
 
               , 1998
<PAGE>   96
 
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 jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful
prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such
jurisdiction.
 
   
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED FEBRUARY 26, 1998
    
 
LOGO
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
   
2,100,000 SHARES
    
COMMON STOCK
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
   
Of the 2,100,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share ("Common
Stock") offered hereby, 2,080,000 are being sold by certain stockholders (the
"Selling Stockholders") of HNC Software Inc. ("HNC" or the "Company") and 20,000
are being issued and sold by the Company. The Company will not receive any of
the proceeds from the sale of shares by the Selling Stockholders. See "Selling
Stockholders." The Common Stock is listed on the Nasdaq National Market under
the symbol "HNCS." The last reported sale price of the Common Stock on the
Nasdaq National Market on February 25, 1998 was $32 11/16 per share. See "Price
Range of Common Stock."
    
 
FOR INFORMATION CONCERNING CERTAIN RISK FACTORS THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY
PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS, SEE "RISK FACTORS" COMMENCING ON PAGE 4.
 
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>
                                                         PROCEEDS       PROCEEDS TO
                       PRICE TO       UNDERWRITING          TO            SELLING
                        PUBLIC        DISCOUNT(1)       COMPANY(2)      STOCKHOLDERS
<S>                  <C>              <C>              <C>              <C>
Per Share            $                $                $                $
Total(3)             $                $                $                $
</TABLE>
 
(1) The Company and the Selling Stockholders have agreed to indemnify the
    Underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the
    Securities Act of 1933, as amended. See "Underwriting."
(2) Before deducting expenses estimated at $700,000, payable by the Company.
   
(3) Certain of the Selling Stockholders have granted to the Underwriters an
    option for 30 days to purchase up to an additional 315,000 shares of Common
    Stock solely to cover over-allotments, if any. If such option is exercised
    in full, the total Price to Public, Underwriting Discount and Proceeds to
    Selling Stockholders will be $        , $        and $        ,
    respectively. See "Underwriting."
    
 
The shares of Common Stock offered hereby are offered by the Underwriters
subject to prior sale, when, as and if delivered to and accepted by them, and
subject to approval of certain legal matters by counsel and certain other
conditions. The Underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel or modify
such offer and to reject orders in whole or in part. Delivery of the shares of
Common Stock offered hereby to the Underwriters is expected to be made in New
York, New York on or about             , 1998.
 
DEUTSCHE MORGAN GRENFELL
                        BANCAMERICA ROBERTSON STEPHENS
                                             SALOMON SMITH BARNEY
 
The date of this Prospectus is             , 1998.
<PAGE>   97
 
                             AVAILABLE INFORMATION
 
   
    HNC is subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and, in accordance therewith, files
reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission"). Such reports, proxy statements and other
information can be inspected and copied at the public reference facilities
maintained by the Commission at Room 1024, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Judiciary
Plaza, Washington, D.C. 20549, and at the Commission's following Regional
Offices: 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661 and Seven
World Trade Center, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10048. Copies of such
material can be obtained at prescribed rates from the Public Reference Section
of the Commission at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Judiciary Plaza, Washington, D.C.
20549. The Commission maintains a World Wide Web site that contains reports,
proxy statements and other information regarding registrants that file
electronically with the Commission. The address of the site is
http://www.sec.gov. The Company's Common Stock is quoted on the Nasdaq National
Market and reports, proxy statements and other information concerning the
Company also may be inspected at the offices of Nasdaq Operations, 1735 K
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006.
    
 
    The Company has filed with the Commission a Registration Statement on Form
S-3 (the "Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the "Securities Act"), with respect to the securities offered by this
Prospectus. This Prospectus, which forms a part of the Registration Statement,
does not contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement,
certain parts of which have been omitted in accordance with the rules and
regulations of the Commission. For further information with respect to the
Company and the securities offered hereby, reference is made to the Registration
Statement, including the exhibits filed or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement. Statements made in this Prospectus about any contract or
other document are not necessarily complete and in each instance in which a copy
of such contract is filed with, or incorporated by reference in, the
Registration Statement as an exhibit, reference is made to such copy, and each
such statement shall be deemed qualified in all respects by such reference.
Copies of the Registration Statement may be inspected, without charge, at the
offices of the Commission, or obtained at prescribed rates from the Public
Reference Section of the Commission at the address set forth above.
 
                INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
 
    The following documents that HNC has previously filed with the Commission
are hereby incorporated herein by reference:
 
   
        (a) The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
    31, 1997, as amended and
    
 
        (b) The description of the Company's Common Stock contained in the
    Company's registration statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission on
    May 26, 1995.
 
    All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or
15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Prospectus and prior to the
termination of the offering covered by this Prospectus shall be deemed to be
incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and to be a part hereof from the
date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained in any document
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
or in any other subsequently filed document that also is or is deemed to be
incorporated by reference 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, upon written or oral request of any
person to whom this Prospectus is delivered, a copy of any or all of the
documents that have been or may be incorporated by reference in this Prospectus
(other than exhibits to such documents that are not specifically incorporated by
reference into such documents). Requests for such copies should be directed to
HNC at 5930 Cornerstone Court West, San Diego, California 92121-3728, Attention:
Raymond V. Thomas (telephone number (619) 546-8877).
                            ------------------------
 
    CERTAIN PERSONS PARTICIPATING IN THE OFFERING MAY ENGAGE IN TRANSACTIONS
THAT STABILIZE, MAINTAIN OR OTHERWISE AFFECT THE PRICE OF THE COMMON STOCK,
INCLUDING BY ENTERING STABILIZING BIDS, IMPOSING PENALTY BIDS, OR OTHERWISE.
SUCH ACTIVITIES, IF COMMENCED, MAY BE DISCONTINUED AT ANY TIME. FOR A DISCUSSION
OF THESE ACTIVITIES, SEE "UNDERWRITING."
 
     IN CONNECTION WITH THIS OFFERING, CERTAIN UNDERWRITERS (AND SELLING GROUP
MEMBERS, IF ANY) MAY ENGAGE IN PASSIVE MARKET MAKING TRANSACTIONS IN THE COMMON
STOCK ON THE NASDAQ NATIONAL MARKET IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 103 OF REGULATION M.
SEE "UNDERWRITING."
 
                                        2
<PAGE>   98
 
                               PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
 
   The following summary should be read in conjunction with and is qualified in
its entirety by the more detailed information, including "Risk Factors" and the
consolidated financial statements and notes thereto, appearing elsewhere in this
Prospectus or incorporated by reference in this Prospectus.
                                  THE COMPANY
 
   HNC develops, markets and supports predictive software solutions for leading
service industries. These predictive software solutions employ proprietary
neural-network predictive decision engines, profiles, traditional statistical
modeling, business models, expert rules and context vectors to convert existing
data and business experiences into meaningful recommendations and actions. Just
as manufacturing organizations have implemented manufacturing resource planning
software to automate routine transactions, leading service industries such as
the healthcare/insurance, financial services and retail industries are using
predictive software solutions to improve profitability, competitiveness and
customer satisfaction.
 
   The Company's objective is to be the leading supplier of predictive software
solutions by leveraging its core computational intelligence technology across a
series of product lines targeted at specific service industries. In the
healthcare/insurance industry, the Company's products are used to automate
workers' compensation bill review and loss reserving, detect and prevent
workers' compensation fraud and increase workers' compensation payor and
provider effectiveness. In the financial services industry, the Company's
products are used to detect and prevent credit card fraud, manage the
profitability of credit card portfolios and automate lending decisions and
residential property valuations. In the retail industry, the Company's products
address inventory control, merchandise management, demand forecasting and
private label credit card fraud. The Company markets most of its predictive
software solutions as an ongoing service that includes software licenses,
decision model updates, application consulting and on-line or on-site support
and maintenance. The Company's customers include many of the leading companies
in each of its target markets, including Concentra Managed Care Inc., CIGNA
Corp. and CNA Financial Corporation in the healthcare/insurance industry, First
Data Resources, Inc., Household International Inc. and MBNA Corp. in the
financial services industry, and the Computer City division of Tandy Corp.,
Caldor Corp. and Hills Department Stores Inc. in the retail industry.
 
   The Company was founded in 1986 under the laws of California and was
reincorporated in June 1995 under the laws of Delaware. The Company's principal
executive offices are located at 5930 Cornerstone Court West, San Diego,
California 92121-3728, and its telephone number is (619) 546-8877. In this
Prospectus, the terms "HNC" and the "Company" each refer to HNC Software Inc., a
Delaware corporation, and its consolidated subsidiaries unless the context
otherwise requires.
                                  THE OFFERING
 
   
<TABLE>
<S>                                                      <C>
Common Stock offered...................................  2,100,000 shares (including 20,000 shares by the Company
                                                         and 2,080,000 shares by Selling Stockholders)
Common Stock outstanding after this offering...........  24,557,550 shares
NASDAQ National Market Symbol..........................  HNCS
</TABLE>
    
 
                   SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
                     (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                                ------------------------------------------------
                                                                 1993      1994      1995      1996       1997
                                                                -------   -------   -------   -------   --------
<S>                                                             <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>
STATEMENT OF INCOME DATA:(1)
Total revenues................................................  $16,167   $29,838   $43,704   $71,439   $113,735
Operating income..............................................    1,034     2,881     5,082     9,659     23,040
Net income....................................................      875     3,142     6,077    11,893     17,565
Basic net income per common share(2)..........................     0.02      0.28      0.38      0.50       0.72
Diluted net income per common share(2)........................     0.02      0.17      0.28      0.47       0.68
Pro forma net income(3).......................................      641     2,137     4,534     9,731     15,417
Basic pro forma net income per common share(3)................                                              0.64
Diluted pro forma net income per common share(3)..............                                              0.60
Shares used in computing basic net income per common share and
  basic pro forma net income per common share.................    8,591     8,642    15,195    23,552     24,275
Shares used in computing diluted net income per common share
  and diluted pro forma net income per common share...........    9,289    18,142    21,510    25,363     25,681
</TABLE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                        DECEMBER 31, 1997(4)
                                                                                      -------------------------
<S>                                                                                   <C>
BALANCE SHEET DATA:
Cash, cash equivalents and investments available for sale...........................          $  42,946
Working capital.....................................................................             74,303
Total assets........................................................................            119,877
Total stockholders' equity..........................................................            103,860
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
 
(1) The summary consolidated financial information gives retroactive effect to
    the acquisitions of Risk Data Corporation ("Risk Data"), Retek Distribution
    Corporation, now known as Retek Information Systems("Retek") and CompReview,
    Inc. ("CompReview") for all periods presented, accounted for as poolings of
    interests.
 
(2) The computations of basic net income per common share for 1993, 1994 and
    1995 include reductions of consolidated net income in the amounts of
    $717,000, $717,000 and $348,000, respectively, related to the accretion of
    dividends on mandatorily redeemable convertible Preferred Stock, which
    converted into Common Stock upon the closing of the Company's initial public
    offering on June 26, 1995. The computation of diluted net income per common
    share for 1993 does not include the assumed conversion of all outstanding
    shares of mandatorily redeemable convertible Preferred Stock into 7,675,000
    shares of Common Stock or an increase to net income per common share related
    to the elimination of dividend accretion on such Preferred Stock as the
    impact would be antidilutive.
 
(3) Pro forma net income and net income per common share reflect a provision for
    taxes on the income of CompReview, which was a subchapter S corporation
    prior to its acquisition by HNC, as if CompReview had been subject to
    corporate income taxes as a C corporation for all periods presented.
 
   
(4) The net proceeds to the Company from this offering will not result in a
    material change in the December 31, 1997 balance sheet data. The
    Underwriters are concurrently offering $90.0 million of the Company's    %
    Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2003 ("Notes"), which if sold will result
    in an increase of $87.2 million in each of the balance sheet data items,
    except for total stockholders' equity.
    
 
                                        3
<PAGE>   99
 
                                  RISK FACTORS
 
     This Prospectus (including without limitation the following Risk Factors)
contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the
Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) regarding the Company and
its business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Words
such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks,"
"estimates" and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to
identify forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of
identifying forward-looking statements in this Prospectus. Additionally,
statements concerning future matters such as the development of new products,
enhancements or technologies, possible changes in legislation and other
statements regarding matters that are not historical are forward-looking
statements.
 
   
     Although forward-looking statements in this Prospectus reflect the good
faith judgment of the Company's management, such statements can only be based on
facts and factors currently known by the Company. Consequently, forward-looking
statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results
and outcomes may differ materially from the results and outcomes discussed in
the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such
differences in results and outcomes include without limitation those discussed
below as well as those discussed elsewhere in this Prospectus and in any
documents that are incorporated into this Prospectus by reference. Readers are
urged not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which
speak only as of the date of this Prospectus. The Company undertakes no
obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to
reflect any event or circumstance that may arise after the date of this
Prospectus. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various
disclosures made by the Company in this Prospectus and in the Company's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1997, as amended, filed with
the Commission, which attempts to advise interested parties of the risks and
factors that may affect the Company's business, financial condition and results
of operations and prospects.
    
 
   
     POTENTIAL FLUCTUATIONS IN OPERATING RESULTS. The Company's revenues and
operating results have varied significantly in the past and may do so in the
future. Because the Company's expense levels are based in part on its
expectations regarding future revenues and in the short term are fixed to a
large extent, the Company may be unable to adjust its spending in time to
compensate for any unexpected revenue shortfall. Factors affecting operating
results include market acceptance of the Company's products; the relatively
large size and small number of customer orders that may be received during a
given period; customer cancellation of long-term contracts yielding recurring
revenues or customers' ceasing their use of Company products for which the
Company's fees are usage based; the length of the Company's sales cycle; the
Company's ability to develop, introduce and market new products and product
enhancements; the timing of new product announcements and introductions by the
Company and its competitors; changes in the mix of distribution channels;
changes in the level of operating expenses; the Company's ability to achieve
progress on percentage-of-completion contracts; the Company's success in
completing certain pilot installations for contracted fees; competitive
conditions in the industry; domestic and international economic conditions; and
market conditions in the Company's targeted markets. In addition, as a result of
recently issued guidance on software revenue recognition, license agreements
entered into during a quarter may not meet the Company's revenue recognition
criteria. Therefore, even if the Company meets or exceeds its forecast of
aggregate licensing and other contracting activity, it is possible that the
Company's revenues would not meet expectations. Furthermore, the Company's
operating results may be affected by factors unique to certain of its product
lines. For example, the Company derives a substantial and increasing portion of
its revenues from its retail products, which are generally priced as "perpetual"
license transactions in which the Company receives a one-time license fee. The
Company recognizes these fees as revenue upon delivery of the software and
acceptance by the customer. Thus, failure to complete a perpetual license
transaction during a fiscal quarter would have a disproportionate adverse impact
on the Company's operating results for that quarter.
    
 
                                        4
<PAGE>   100
 
     The Company expects fluctuations in its operating results to continue for
the foreseeable future. Accordingly, the Company believes that period-to-period
comparisons of its financial results should not be relied upon as an indication
of future performance. The Company may not be able to maintain profitability on
a quarterly or annual basis in the future. Due to all of the foregoing factors,
it is possible that in some future quarter the Company's operating results will
be below the expectations of public market analysts and investors. In that
event, the price of the Company's Common Stock would likely be materially
adversely affected. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations."
 
     LENGTHY AND UNPREDICTABLE SALES CYCLE. Due in part to the mission-critical
nature of certain of the Company's applications, potential customers perceive
high risk in connection with adoption of the Company's products. As a result,
customers have been cautious in making decisions to acquire the Company's
products. In addition, because the purchase of the Company's products typically
involves a significant commitment of capital and may involve shifts by the
customer to a new software and/or hardware platform, delays in completing sales
can arise while customers complete their internal procedures to approve large
capital expenditures and test and accept new technologies that affect key
operations. For these and other reasons, the sales cycle associated with the
purchase of the Company's products is typically lengthy, unpredictable and
subject to a number of significant risks over which the Company has little or no
control, including customers' budgetary constraints and internal acceptance
reviews. The sales cycle associated with the licensing of the Company's products
can typically range from 60 days to 18 months. As a result of the length of the
sales cycle and the typical size of customers' orders, the Company's ability to
forecast the timing and amount of specific sales is limited. A lost or delayed
sale could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial
condition and results of operations. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis
of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Business -- Sales and
Marketing."
 
     ACQUISITIONS. Between August 1996 and November 1997, the Company acquired
three businesses. In August 1996, the Company acquired Risk Data, a company that
develops, markets and supports proprietary software decision products for use in
the insurance industry. In November 1996, the Company acquired Retek, a company
that develops, markets and supports management decision software products for
retailers and their vendors. In November 1997, the Company acquired CompReview,
a company that develops, markets and supports a software product and related
services designed to assist in the management and containment of the medical
costs of workers' compensation and automobile accident medical claims. The
Company believes that its future growth depends, in part, upon the success of
these and possible future acquisitions. There can be no assurance that the
Company will successfully identify, acquire on favorable terms or integrate such
businesses, products, services or technologies. The Company may in the future
face increased competition for acquisition opportunities, which may inhibit the
Company's ability to consummate suitable acquisitions and increase the costs of
completing such acquisitions. The acquisitions of Risk Data, Retek and
CompReview, as well as other potential future acquisitions, will require the
Company to successfully manage and integrate such acquired businesses, which may
be located in diverse geographic locations. Acquiring other businesses also
requires the Company to successfully develop and market products to new
industries and markets with which the Company may not be familiar. It also
requires the Company to coordinate (and possibly change) the diverse operating
structures, policies and practices of the acquired companies and to integrate
the employees of the acquired companies into the Company's organization and
culture. Failure of the Company to successfully integrate and manage acquired
businesses, to retain their employees, and to successfully address new
industries and markets associated with such acquired businesses, would have a
material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and
results of operations. In addition, although the acquisitions of Risk Data,
Retek and CompReview have been accounted for as poolings of interests, future
acquisitions may be accounted for as purchases, resulting in potential charges
that may adversely affect the Company's earnings. Additional acquisitions may
also involve the issuance of shares of the Company's stock
 
                                        5
<PAGE>   101
 
to owners of acquired businesses, resulting in dilution in the percentage of the
Company's stock owned by other stockholders. See "Business -- HNC's Strategy."
 
     RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH MANAGING GROWTH. In recent years, the Company has
experienced changes in its operations that have placed significant demands on
the Company's administrative, operational and financial resources. The growth in
the Company's customer base and expansion of its product functionality, together
with its acquisition of other businesses and their employees, have challenged
and are expected to continue to challenge the Company's management and
operations, including its sales, marketing, customer support, research and
development and finance and administrative operations. The Company's future
performance will depend in part on its ability to successfully manage change,
both in its domestic and international operations, and to adapt its operational
and financial control systems, if necessary, to respond to changes in its
business and to facilitate the integration of acquired businesses with the
Company's operations. The failure of the Company's management to effectively
respond to and manage growth could have a material adverse effect on the
Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
     DEPENDENCE ON EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND MARKETS. The market for predictive
software solutions is still emerging. The rate at which businesses have adopted
the Company's products has varied significantly by market and by product within
each market, and the Company expects to continue to experience such variations
with respect to its target markets and products in the future. The Company has
introduced products for the healthcare/insurance, financial services and retail
markets. The Company has recently announced several new products, including
PMAdvisor, VeriComp, SelectCast, SelectResponse and SelectResource. To date,
none of these products has achieved any significant degree of market acceptance,
and there can be no assurance that such products will ever be widely accepted.
Although businesses in the Company's target markets have recognized the
advantages of using predictive software solutions to automate the
decision-making process, many have developed decision automation systems
internally rather than licensing them from outside vendors. There can be no
assurance that the markets for the Company's products will continue to develop
or that the Company's products will be widely accepted, if at all. If the
markets for the Company's new or existing products fail to develop, or develop
more slowly than anticipated, the Company's sales would be negatively impacted,
which would have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial
condition and results of operations. See "Business -- Emerging Market
Opportunities."
 
     RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE AND DELAYS IN DEVELOPING NEW
PRODUCTS. The market for the Company's predictive software solutions for service
industries is characterized by rapidly changing technology and improvements in
computer hardware, network operating systems, programming tools, programming
languages, operating systems and database technology. The Company's success will
depend upon its ability to continue to develop and maintain competitive
technologies, enhance its current products and develop, in a timely and
cost-effective manner, new products that meet changing market conditions,
including evolving customer needs, new competitive product offerings, emerging
industry standards and changing technology. For example, the rapid growth of the
Internet environment creates new opportunities, risks and uncertainties for
businesses, such as the Company, which develop software solutions that now may
have to be designed to operate in Internet, intranet and other on-line
environments. The Company may not be able to develop and market, on a timely
basis, or at all, product enhancements or new products that respond to changing
technologies. The Company has previously experienced significant delays in the
development and introduction of new products and product enhancements, primarily
due to difficulties with model development, which has in the past required
multiple iterations, as well as difficulties with acquiring data and adapting to
particular operating environments. The length of these delays has varied
depending upon the size and scope of the project and the nature of the problems
encountered. Any significant delay in the completion of new products, or the
failure of such products, if and when installed, to achieve any significant
degree of
 
                                        6
<PAGE>   102
 
market acceptance, would have a material adverse effect on the Company's
business, financial condition and results of operations. Any failure by the
Company to anticipate or to respond adequately to changing technologies, or any
significant delays in product development or introduction, could cause customers
to delay or decide against purchases of the Company's products and would have a
material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and
results of operations. See "Business -- Technology" and "-- Research and
Development."
 
     PRODUCT CONCENTRATION. The Company currently has one product or product
line in each of its three target markets that accounts for a majority of the
Company's total revenues from that market. These products in the aggregate
accounted for 60.0%, 59.1% and 57.9% of the Company's total revenues in 1995,
1996 and 1997, respectively. In the healthcare/insurance market, the Company's
revenues from its CRLink product accounted for 29.8%, 24.6% and 23.0% of the
Company's total revenues in 1995, 1996 and 1997, respectively, and are expected
to account for a substantial portion of the Company's total revenues for the
foreseeable future. Continued market acceptance of CRLink will be affected by
future product enhancements and competition. Decline in demand for, or use of,
CRLink, whether as a result of competition, simplification of state workers'
compensation fee schedules, changes in the overall payment system or regulatory
structure for workers' compensation claims, technological change, an inability
to obtain or use state fee schedule or claims data, saturation of market demand,
industry consolidation or otherwise, could result in decreased revenues from
CRLink, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business,
financial condition and results of operations. Further, revenues from the Retek
Merchandising System ("RMS"), a retail management product, accounted for 2.2%,
13.6% and 18.9% of the Company's total revenues in 1995, 1996 and 1997,
respectively, and are expected to continue to account for a substantial portion
of the Company's revenues in the foreseeable future. Continued market acceptance
of RMS will be affected by the quality and timely introduction of future product
enhancements and competition. Decline in demand for, or use of, RMS as a result
of continued entry into the retail inventory management market by vendors that
may have significantly greater resources and a broader customer base than the
Company could result in decreased revenues from RMS, which could have a material
adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of
operations. In addition, decline in demand for RMS, as a result of technological
change, saturation of market demand, industry consolidation or otherwise would
have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition
and results of operations. Revenues from the Company's Falcon product line for
credit card fraud detection for financial institutions accounted for 28.0%,
20.9% and 16.0% of the Company's total revenues in 1995, 1996 and 1997,
respectively, and are expected to continue to account for a substantial portion
of the Company's total revenues in the foreseeable future. Continued market
acceptance of the Falcon product line will be affected by the quality and timely
introduction of future product enhancements and competition. In addition, it is
possible that patterns of credit card fraud may change in a manner that the
Falcon product line would not detect and that other methods of credit card fraud
prevention may reduce customers' needs for the Falcon product line. As a result
of increasing saturation of market demand for the Falcon product line, the
Company may also need to rely increasingly on international sales to maintain or
increase Falcon revenue levels. Furthermore, Falcon customers are banks and
related financial institutions. Accordingly, the Company's future success
depends upon the capital expenditure budgets of such customers and the continued
demand by such customers for Falcon products. The financial services industry
tends to be cyclical in nature, which may result in variations in demand for the
Company's products. In addition, there has been and continues to be
consolidation in the financial services industry, which in some cases has
lengthened the sales cycle and may lead to reduced demand for the Company's
products. Decline in demand for, or use of, Falcon, whether as a result of
competition, technological change, change in fraud patterns, the cyclical nature
of the financial services industry, saturation of market demand, fluctuations in
interest rates, industry consolidation, reduction in capital spending or
otherwise, could have a
 
                                        7
<PAGE>   103
 
material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and
results of operations. See "Business -- Markets and Products."
 
   
     DEPENDENCE ON DATA. The development, installation and support of the
Company's credit card fraud control and profitability management, loan
underwriting, home valuation and certain healthcare/insurance products require
periodic model updates. The Company must develop or obtain a reliable source of
sufficient amounts of current and statistically relevant data to analyze
transactions and update its models. For example, in the electronic payments
market, the data required by the Company are collected privately and maintained
in proprietary databases. As a result, the Company and its Falcon and ProfitMax
customers enter into agreements pursuant to which customers agree to provide the
data the Company requires to analyze transactions, report results and build new
fraud detection and profitability models. For its AREAS home valuation product,
the Company obtains data from commercial databases on available terms and
conditions. Many of the Company's healthcare/insurance products use historical
workers' compensation claims data obtained from customers. CRLink also uses data
from state workers' compensation fee schedules adopted by state regulatory
agencies, and certain third parties have asserted copyright interests in such
data. In most cases, such data must be periodically updated and refreshed to
enable the Company's predictive software products to continue to work
effectively. In addition, the development of new and enhanced products also
depends to a significant extent on the availability of sufficient amounts of
statistically relevant data to enable the Company to develop models. For
example, to expand the geographic coverage of its AREAS product, the Company
would be required to develop or obtain data on home sales in each county for
which AREAS is marketed. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able
to continue to obtain adequate amounts of statistically relevant data on a
timely basis, in the required formats or on reasonable terms and conditions,
whether from customers or commercial suppliers. Any such failure by the Company
to obtain required data when it is needed, for a reasonable price and on
reasonable terms, could have a significant negative impact on existing product
performance, new product development and product pricing which could in turn
have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition
and results of operations. See "Business -- Customer Service and Support."
    
 
     COMPETITION. The market for predictive software solutions for service
industries is intensely competitive and subject to rapid change. Competitors,
many of which have substantially greater financial resources than the Company,
vary in size and in the scope of the products and services they offer. The
Company encounters competition from a number of sources, including (i) other
application software companies, (ii) management information systems departments
of customers and potential customers, including banks, insurance companies and
retailers, (iii) third-party professional services organizations, including
without limitation, consulting divisions of public accounting firms, (iv)
hardware suppliers that bundle or develop complementary software, (v) network
and service providers that seek to enhance their value-added services, (vi)
neural-network tool suppliers and (vii) managed care organizations. In the
healthcare/insurance market, the Company has experienced competition primarily
from National Council on Compensation Insurance ("NCCI"), Corporate Systems and
CSC Incorporated. In the workers' compensation and medical cost administration
market, the Company has experienced competition from MediCode, Inc.
("MediCode"), Medata, Inc. and Embassy Software with regard to software
licensing, and Intracorp and Corvel Corporation in the service bureau operations
market. Additionally, the Company has faced competition from Automatic Data
Processing, Inc. ("ADP") in the automobile accident medical claims market. In
the financial services market, the Company has experienced competition from
Fair, Isaac & Co., Inc., Cogensys (a subsidiary of Policy Management Systems
Corporation), Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae"), Federal Home
Loan Mortgage Corporation ("Freddie Mac"), International Business Machines
Corporation ("IBM"), Nestor, Inc., NeuralTech Inc., Neuralware Inc., PMI
Mortgage Services Co., VISA International and others. In the retail market, the
Company has experienced competition from JDA Software Group, Inc., SAP AG,
PeopleSoft, Inc., IBM, Manugistics Group, Inc. and others. The
 
                                        8
<PAGE>   104
 
Company expects to experience additional competition from other established and
emerging companies, as well as other technologies. For example, the Company's
Falcon product competes against other methods of preventing credit card fraud,
such as card activation programs, credit cards that contain the cardholder's
photograph, smart cards and other card authorization techniques. Increased
competition, whether from other products or new technologies, could result in
price reductions, fewer customer orders, reduced gross margins and loss of
market share, any of which could materially adversely affect the Company's
business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
     The Company believes that most of its products are currently priced at a
premium when compared to its competitors' products. The market for the Company's
products is highly competitive, and the Company expects that it will face
increasing pricing pressures from its current competitors and new market
entrants. In particular, increased competition could reduce or eliminate such
premiums and cause further price reductions. In addition, such competition could
adversely affect the Company's ability to obtain new long-term contracts and
renewals of existing long-term contracts on terms favorable to the Company. Any
reduction in the price of the Company's products could materially adversely
affect the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
     Some of the Company's current, and many of the Company's potential,
competitors have significantly greater financial, technical, marketing and other
resources than the Company. As a result, they may be able to respond more
quickly to new or emerging technologies and changes in customer requirements or
to devote greater resources to the development, promotion and sale of their
products than the Company. In addition, current and potential competitors have
established or may establish cooperative relationships among themselves or with
third parties to increase the ability of their products to address the needs of
the Company's prospective customers. Accordingly, it is possible that new
competitors or alliances among competitors may emerge and rapidly gain
significant market share. Also, the Company relies upon its customers to provide
data, expertise and other support for the ongoing updating of the Company's
models. The Company's customers, most of which have significantly greater
financial and marketing resources than the Company, may compete with the Company
in the future or otherwise discontinue their relationships with or support of
the Company. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to compete
successfully against current and future competitors or that competitive
pressures faced by the Company will not materially adversely affect its
business, financial condition and results of operations. See
"Business -- Competition."
 
   
     RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH RECRUITING AND RETAINING QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. The
Company's success depends to a significant degree upon the continued service of
members of the Company's senior management and other key research, development,
sales and marketing personnel. Accordingly, the loss of any of the Company's
senior management or key research, development, sales or marketing personnel
could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial
condition and results of operations. Only a small number of employees have
employment agreements with the Company, and there can be no assurance that such
agreements will result in the retention of these employees for any significant
period of time. In addition, the untimely loss of a member of the management
team or a key employee of a business acquired by the Company could have a
material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and
results of operations, particularly if such loss occurred before the Company has
had adequate time to familiarize itself with the operating details of that
business. In the past, the Company has experienced difficulty in recruiting a
sufficient number of qualified sales and technical employees. In addition,
competitors may attempt to recruit the Company's key employees. There can be no
assurance that the Company will be successful in attracting, assimilating and
retaining such personnel. The failure to attract, assimilate and retain key
personnel could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business,
financial condition and results of operations. See "Business -- Employees" and
"Management."
    
 
                                        9
<PAGE>   105
 
   
     CUSTOMER CONCENTRATION. Product licenses to First Data Resources, Inc.
("First Data"), the largest provider of credit card charge receipt processing
services to banks, accounted for 8.7%, 8.6% and 7.6% of the Company's total
revenues in 1995, 1996 and 1997, respectively. The Company has licensed First
Data to provide its customers with access to the Company's ProfitMax product
pursuant to a license agreement entered into in January 1996 (the "ProfitMax
Contract"). The Company's revenues under the ProfitMax Contract represented
approximately one-quarter of the Company's revenues from First Data in 1997. In
late January 1998, First Data asserted that certain restrictive covenants under
the ProfitMax Contract violated certain intellectual property laws. First Data
also asserted that the existence of such restrictions made the ProfitMax
Contract at least temporarily unenforceable and that First Data is therefore not
obligated to pay the Company license fees due under the ProfitMax Contract. The
Company disputed First Data's claim, released and waived the above-mentioned
restrictive covenants in the ProfitMax Contract and gave First Data written
notice that the Company intended to terminate the ProfitMax Contract pursuant to
its terms unless First Data cured its failure to pay the delinquent license fees
in a timely manner. Currently, First Data and the Company are working to resolve
their dispute regarding the ProfitMax Contract by negotiating a new agreement;
however, there can be no assurance that such an agreement will be reached or
that the terms of such an agreement would be as favorable to HNC as its existing
contractual arrangements with First Data. If no such agreement can be reached
and First Data maintains its current position, it is possible that litigation or
arbitration could ensue, which would likely result in a loss of anticipated
revenue to the Company under the ProfitMax Contract and possibly other
agreements between the Company and First Data, which could have a material
adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of
operation. See "Business -- Sales and Marketing."
    
 
     RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH INTERNATIONAL SALES. In 1995, 1996 and 1997,
international operations and export sales (including sales in Canada)
represented 12.6%, 17.7% and 16.8% of the Company's total revenues,
respectively. The Company intends to continue to expand its operations outside
the United States and to enter additional international markets, including by
adding sales and support offices in Europe and Japan, which will require
significant management attention and financial resources. For certain more
mature products, such as Falcon, the Company may need to increase international
sales in order to continue to expand the product's customer base. The Company
has committed and continues to commit significant time and development resources
to customizing certain of its products for selected international markets and to
developing international sales and support channels. There can be no assurance
that the Company's efforts to develop products, databases and models for
targeted international markets or to develop additional international sales and
support channels will be successful. The failure of such efforts, which can
entail considerable expense, could have a material adverse effect on the
Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
     International sales are subject to additional inherent risks, including
longer payment cycles, unexpected changes in regulatory requirements, import and
export restrictions and tariffs, difficulties in staffing and managing foreign
operations, the burdens of complying with a variety of foreign laws, greater
difficulty or delay in accounts receivable collection, potentially adverse tax
consequences and political and economic instability. The Company's international
sales are currently denominated predominantly in United States dollars and a
small portion are denominated in British pounds sterling. An increase in the
value of the United States dollar relative to foreign currencies could make the
Company's products more expensive, and therefore potentially less competitive,
in foreign markets. In the future, to the extent the Company's international
sales are denominated in local currencies, foreign currency translations may
contribute to significant fluctuations in the Company's business, financial
condition and results of operations. If for any reason exchange or price
controls or other restrictions on foreign currencies are imposed, the Company's
business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially
adversely affected. See "Business -- Sales and Marketing."
 
                                       10
<PAGE>   106
 
     RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH CHANGING REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT. The Company's
customers are subject to a number of government regulations and certain other
industry standards with which the Company's products must comply. For example,
the Company's financial services products are affected by Regulation B
promulgated under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, by regulations governing the
extension of credit to consumers and by Regulation E promulgated under the
Electronic Fund Transfers Act governing the transfer of funds from and to
consumer deposit accounts, as well as VISA and MasterCard electronic payment
standards. In the mortgage services market, the Company's products are affected
by regulations such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac regulations for conforming
loans, Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice and appraisal
standards for federally insured institutions under the Financial Institutions
Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act. In addition, recent regulatory initiatives
have restricted the availability of bank and credit bureau data, reflecting a
consumer privacy trend that could limit the Company's ability to obtain or use
certain credit-related information. It is also possible that insurance-related
regulations may in the future apply to the Company's healthcare/insurance
products. In many states, including California, there have been periodic
legislative efforts to reform workers' compensation laws in order to reduce the
cost of workers' compensation insurance and to curb abuses of the workers'
compensation system, and such changes, if adopted, might adversely affect the
Company's healthcare/insurance business. In addition, if state-mandated workers'
compensation laws or regulations or state workers' compensation fee schedules
are simplified, such changes would diminish the need for, and the benefit
provided by, the CRLink product. Changes in workers' compensation laws or
regulations could also adversely affect the Company's healthcare/insurance
products by making them obsolete, or by requiring extensive changes in these
products to reflect new workers' compensation rules. To the extent that the
Company sells new products targeted to markets that include regulated industries
and businesses, the Company's products will need to comply with these additional
regulations. Any failure of the Company's products to comply with existing or
new regulations and standards could result in legal action against the Company
or its customers by regulatory authorities or by third parties, including
actions seeking civil or criminal penalties, injunctions against the Company's
use of data or civil damages, any of which could have a material adverse effect
on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations. The
Company may also be liable to its customers for failure of its products to
comply with such regulatory requirements. Furthermore, changes to these
regulations and standards or the adoption of new regulations or standards that
affect the Company's products could affect the performance of such products and
have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition
and results of operations.
 
   
     PROTECTION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. The Company relies on a combination of
patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret laws and confidentiality
procedures to protect its proprietary rights. The Company currently owns seven
issued United States patents and has four United States patent applications
pending. The Company has applied for additional patents for its Falcon
technology in Canada, Europe and Japan and for its MIRA product in Australia,
Canada and Europe. There can be no assurance that patents will be issued with
respect to pending or future patent applications or that the Company's patents
will be upheld as valid or will prevent the development of competitive products.
The Company seeks to protect its software, documentation and other written
materials under trade secret and copyright laws, which afford only limited
protection. As part of its confidentiality procedures, the Company generally
enters into invention assignment and proprietary information agreements with its
employees and independent contractors and nondisclosure agreements with its
distributors, corporate partners and licensees, and limits access to and
distribution of its software, documentation and other proprietary information.
Despite these precautions, it may be possible for a third party to copy or
otherwise to obtain and use the Company's products or technology without
authorization, or to develop similar technology independently. In addition, to
ensure that customers will not be adversely affected by an interruption in the
Company's business, the Company places source code for certain of its products
into escrow, which may increase the likelihood of misappropriation or other
misuse of the
    
 
                                       11
<PAGE>   107
 
Company's intellectual property. Moreover, effective protection of intellectual
property rights may be unavailable or limited in certain foreign countries in
which the Company has done and may do business. Also, the Company has developed
technologies under research projects conducted under agreements with various
United States Government agencies or subcontractors to such agencies. Although
the Company has acquired certain commercial rights to such technologies, the
United States Government typically retains ownership of certain intellectual
property rights and licenses in the technologies developed by the Company under
such contracts, and in some cases can terminate the Company's rights in such
technologies if the Company fails to commercialize them on a timely basis. In
addition, under certain United States Government contracts, the results of the
Company's research may be made public by the government, which could limit the
Company's competitive advantage with respect to future products based on such
research. See "Business -- Intellectual Property and Other Proprietary Rights."
 
   
     INFRINGEMENT OF PROPRIETARY RIGHTS. In the past, the Company has received
communications from third parties asserting that Company trademarks infringed
such other parties' trademarks, none of which has resulted in litigation or
losses to the Company. Given the Company's ongoing efforts to develop and market
new technologies and products, the Company may receive communications from third
parties asserting that the Company's products infringe, or may infringe, their
intellectual property rights. If as a result of any such claims the Company were
precluded from using certain technologies or intellectual property rights,
licenses to such disputed third-party technology or intellectual property rights
might not be available on reasonable commercial terms, if at all. Furthermore,
the Company may initiate claims or litigation against third parties for
infringement of the Company's proprietary rights or to establish the validity of
the Company's proprietary rights. Litigation, either as plaintiff or defendant,
could result in significant expense to the Company and divert the efforts of the
Company's technical and management personnel from productive tasks, whether or
not such litigation is resolved in favor of the Company. In the event of an
adverse ruling in any such litigation, the Company might be required to pay
substantial damages, discontinue the use and sale of infringing products, expend
significant resources to develop non-infringing technology or obtain licenses to
infringing technology, and the court might invalidate the Company's patents,
trademarks or other proprietary rights. In the event of a successful claim
against the Company and the failure of the Company to develop or license a
substitute technology, the Company's business, financial condition and results
of operations would be materially and adversely affected. As the number of
software products increases and the functionality of these products further
overlaps, the Company believes that software developers may become increasingly
subject to infringement claims. Any such claims, with or without merit, can be
time consuming and expensive to defend and could materially and adversely affect
the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations. See
"Business -- Intellectual Property and Other Proprietary Rights."
    
 
     RISK OF PRODUCT DEFECTS AND PRODUCT LIABILITY. Software products as complex
as those offered by the Company often contain undetected errors or failures when
first introduced or as new versions are released. In addition, to the extent
that the Company may have to develop new products that operate in new
environments, such as the Internet, the possibility for program errors and
failures may increase due to factors such as the use of new technologies or the
need for more rapid product development that is characteristic of the Internet
market. Despite pre-release testing by the Company and by current and potential
customers, there still may be errors in new products, even after commencement of
commercial shipments. The occurrence of such errors could result in delay in, or
failure to achieve, market acceptance of the Company's products, which could
have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition
and results of operations.
 
     Although the Company's license agreements with its customers typically
contain provisions designed to limit the Company's exposure to potential product
liability claims, it is possible that such limitation of liability provisions
may not be effective as a result of existing or future laws or unfavorable
judicial decisions. Because the Company's products are used in business-critical
 
                                       12
<PAGE>   108
 
applications, any errors or failures in such products may give rise to
substantial product liability claims, which could have a material adverse effect
on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
     VOLATILITY OF COMMON STOCK PRICE. The Company's Common Stock has
experienced significant price volatility and such volatility may recur in the
future. Factors such as announcements of the introduction of new products by the
Company or its competitors, acquisitions of businesses or products by the
Company, quarter-to-quarter variations in the Company's operating results and
the gain or loss of significant orders, as well as market conditions in the
technology and emerging growth company sectors, may have a significant impact on
the market price of the Company's Common Stock. Further, the stock market has
experienced extreme volatility that has particularly affected the market prices
of securities of many technology companies and that often has been unrelated or
disproportionate to the operating performance of such companies. These market
fluctuations may adversely affect the price of the Common Stock. The trading
prices of many technology companies' stocks, including the Company's Common
Stock, reflect price/earnings ratios substantially above historical norms. The
trading price of the Company's Common Stock may not remain at or near its
current level. See "Price Range of Common Stock."
 
     YEAR 2000 COMPLIANCE. Many currently installed computer systems and
software products are coded to accept only two digit entries in the date code
field. These date code fields will need to accept four digit entries to
distinguish 21st century dates from 20th century dates. As a result, in less
than two years, computer systems and/or software used by many companies may need
to be upgraded to comply with such "Year 2000" requirements. Significant
uncertainty exists in the software industry concerning the potential effects
associated with such compliance. The Company anticipates that it will need to
devote resources in the next two years to modify its CRLink product to properly
process dates beyond December 31, 1999. The Company expects that the cost of
making these modifications and distributing the modified product to existing
customers will be approximately $500,000. These modifications and the resources
that the Company expects to devote to such modifications may divert management
and engineering attention from, or delay the development and introduction of,
new products and enhancements to existing products. The inability of the Company
to complete such modifications successfully and on a timely basis, or the
inability of the Company to devote sufficient resources to continuing updates
and enhancements to the CRLink product, could have a material adverse effect on
the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations. In
addition, the Company believes that the purchasing patterns of customers and
potential customers may be affected by Year 2000 issues as companies expend
significant resources to correct or patch their current software systems for
Year 2000 compliance. These expenditures may result in reduced funds available
to purchase software products such as those offered by the Company, which could
result in a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial
condition and results of operations.
 
     FACTORS INHIBITING TAKEOVER. The Board of Directors is authorized to issue
up to 4,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock and to determine the price, rights,
preferences, privileges and restrictions, including voting rights, of those
shares without any further vote or action by the stockholders. The rights of the
holders of Common Stock will be subject to, and may be adversely affected by,
the rights of the holders of any Preferred Stock that may be issued in the
future. The issuance of Preferred Stock, while providing desirable flexibility
in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could
have the effect of making it more difficult for a third party to acquire a
majority of the outstanding voting stock of the Company. The Company has no
current plans to issue shares of Preferred Stock. In addition, Section 203 of
the Delaware General Corporation Law restricts certain business combinations
with any "interested stockholder" as defined by such statute. The statute may
have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of the
Company.
 
                                       13
<PAGE>   109
 
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
 
     The net proceeds to the Company from the sale of the 20,000 shares of
Common Stock offered by the Company hereby will not be material. The Company
will not receive any proceeds from the sale of Common Stock by the Selling
Stockholders.
 
                          PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK
 
     The Company's Common Stock has been traded on the Nasdaq National Market
since June 1995 under the symbol "HNCS." The following table sets forth for the
periods indicated the high and low sales prices of the Common Stock. Prior to
June 1995, there was no established public trading market for the Common Stock.
All prices have been adjusted to give effect to a two-for-one stock split
effected in the form of a stock dividend paid in April 1996.
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                               HIGH        LOW
                                                              ------       ----
        <S>                                                   <C>          <C>
        1996:
          First Quarter.....................................   $ 38 3/4    $18  1/4
          Second Quarter....................................     51         31  1/4
          Third Quarter.....................................     47 1/2     20  3/4
          Fourth Quarter....................................     45 1/4     26  1/4
 
        1997:
          First Quarter.....................................   $ 36 3/4    $23  1/4
          Second Quarter....................................     42 3/8     18  1/4
          Third Quarter.....................................     43 5/8     33  3/4
          Fourth Quarter....................................     43 1/2     30
 
        1998:
          First Quarter (through February 25, 1998).........   $ 43        $32 9/16
</TABLE>
    
 
   
     On February 25, 1998, the last reported sale price of the Common Stock on
the Nasdaq National Market was $32 11/16 per share. As of February 13, 1998,
there were approximately 186 holders of record of the Common Stock.
    
 
                                DIVIDEND POLICY
 
     The Company has never declared or paid any cash dividends on its capital
stock. The Company currently anticipates that it will retain all future earnings
for use in its business and does not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the
foreseeable future. The Company's bank credit agreement prohibits the Company
from declaring or paying any cash dividends without the bank's consent.
 
                                       14
<PAGE>   110
 
                                 CAPITALIZATION
 
     The following table sets forth the capitalization of HNC at December 31,
1997. The net proceeds to the Company from this offering will not result in a
material change to the Company's capitalization as of December 31, 1997.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            DECEMBER 31, 1997
                                                                            -----------------
                                                                             (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                                         <C>
Stockholders' equity:
  Preferred stock, $0.001 par value -- 4,000,000 shares authorized: no
     shares issued or outstanding........................................       $      --
  Common stock, $0.001 par value -- 50,000,000 shares authorized:
     24,537,550 shares issued and outstanding(1).........................              25
  Paid-in capital........................................................          95,919
  Unrealized loss on investments available for sale......................              (2)
  Foreign currency translation adjustment................................            (111)
  Retained earnings......................................................           8,029
                                                                                 --------
     Total stockholders' equity..........................................         103,860
                                                                                 --------
          Total capitalization...........................................       $ 103,860
                                                                                 ========
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
(1) Excludes the       shares reserved for issuance upon conversion of the
    Notes, 4,591,133 shares of Common Stock subject to stock options outstanding
    at December 31, 1997 at a weighted average exercise price of $23.92 per
    share and an additional 393,075 shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance
    under the Company's stock option and stock purchase plans at such date. In
    February 1998, the Company adopted a nonqualified stock option plan and
    reserved 1,000,000 shares of Common Stock for issuance thereunder.
 
   
     The Underwriters are concurrently offering $90.0 million of convertible
subordinated notes, which if sold will result in an increase of $90 million in
the total capitalization of the Company.
    
 
                                       15
<PAGE>   111
 
                      SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA
 
     The selected consolidated financial data as of December 31, 1996 and 1997
and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 1997 have
been derived from HNC's Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in
this Prospectus, which have been audited by Price Waterhouse LLP, independent
accountants, as indicated in their report thereon appearing elsewhere herein.
The selected consolidated financial data as of December 31, 1994 and 1995 and
for the year ended December 31, 1994 have been derived from separate audited
financial statements for HNC and CompReview not included herein. The selected
consolidated financial data as of and for the year ended December 31, 1993 have
been derived from separate financial data for HNC and CompReview not included
herein. The data set forth below are qualified in their entirety by reference
to, and should be read in conjunction with, "Management's Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and the Consolidated
Financial Statements and related notes thereto included elsewhere in this
Prospectus.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                    YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                                                -------------------------------
                                                                                 1995        1996        1997
                                                                                -------     -------     -------
                                                                                     (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT
                                                                                        PER SHARE DATA)
<S>                                                                             <C>         <C>         <C>
STATEMENT OF INCOME DATA(1):
Revenues:
  License and maintenance.....................................................  $24,561     $48,890     $89,643
  Installation and implementation.............................................    4,648       6,691      10,702
  Contracts and other.........................................................    9,146      11,128       7,772
  Service bureau..............................................................    5,349       4,730       5,618
                                                                                --------    -------     -------
         Total revenues.......................................................   43,704      71,439     113,735
                                                                                --------    -------     -------
Operating expenses:
  License and maintenance.....................................................    7,903      13,725      19,937
  Installation and implementation.............................................    1,425       2,714       5,174
  Contracts and other.........................................................    6,894       7,694       5,438
  Service bureau..............................................................    3,025       3,365       4,320
  Research and development....................................................    6,998      13,808      21,151
  Sales and marketing.........................................................    7,276      11,923      22,049
  General and administrative..................................................    5,101       8,551      12,626
                                                                                --------    -------     -------
         Total operating expenses.............................................   38,622      61,780      90,695
                                                                                --------    -------     -------
Operating income..............................................................    5,082       9,659      23,040
Interest and other income.....................................................      912       2,178       2,003
Interest expense..............................................................     (428)       (478)        (81)
Minority interest in income of consolidated subsidiary........................       --          --         (43)
                                                                                --------    -------     -------
         Income before income tax (benefit) provision.........................    5,566      11,359      24,919
Income tax (benefit) provision................................................     (511)       (534)      7,354
                                                                                --------    -------     -------
         Net income...........................................................  $ 6,077     $11,893     $17,565
                                                                                ========    =======     =======
Earnings per share:
  Basic net income per common share(2)........................................  $  0.38     $  0.50     $  0.72
                                                                                ========    =======     =======
  Diluted net income per common share(2)......................................  $  0.28     $  0.47     $  0.68
                                                                                ========    =======     =======
Unaudited pro forma data(3):
  Income before income tax provision..........................................  $ 5,566     $11,359     $24,919
  Income tax provision........................................................    1,032       1,628       9,502
                                                                                --------    -------     -------
         Net income...........................................................  $ 4,534     $ 9,731     $15,417
                                                                                ========    =======     =======
  Basic pro forma net income per common share(3)..............................                          $  0.64
                                                                                                        =======
  Diluted pro forma net income per common share(3)............................                          $  0.60
                                                                                                        =======
Shares used in computing basic net income per common share and unaudited basic
  pro forma net income per common share.......................................   15,195      23,552      24,275
                                                                                ========    =======     =======
Shares used in computing diluted net income per common share and unaudited
  diluted pro forma net income per common share...............................   21,510      25,363      25,681
                                                                                ========    =======     =======
</TABLE>
 
                                       16
<PAGE>   112
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                               YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                   ------------------------------------------------
                                                    1993      1994      1995      1996       1997
                                                   -------   -------   -------   -------   --------
                                                   (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
<S>                                                <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>
ADDITIONAL STATEMENT OF INCOME DATA:(1)
    Total revenues...............................  $16,167   $29,838   $43,704   $71,439   $113,735
    Operating income.............................    1,034     2,881     5,082     9,659     23,040
    Net income...................................      875     3,142     6,077    11,893     17,565
    Basic net income per common share(2).........     0.02      0.28      0.38      0.50       0.72
    Diluted net income per common share(2).......     0.02      0.17      0.28      0.47       0.68
    Pro forma net income(3)......................      641     2,137     4,534     9,731     15,417
    Basic pro forma net income per common
      share(3)...................................                                              0.64
    Diluted pro forma net income per common
      share(3)...................................                                              0.60
    Shares used in computing unaudited basic net
      income per common share and basic pro forma
      net income per common share................    8,591     8,642    15,195    23,552     24,275
    Shares used in computing unaudited diluted
      net income per common share and diluted pro
      forma net income per common share..........    9,289    18,142    21,510    25,363     25,681
</TABLE>
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     DECEMBER 31,
                                                   ------------------------------------------------
                                                    1993      1994      1995      1996       1997
                                                   -------   -------   -------   -------   --------
                                                   (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>
BALANCE SHEET DATA:
    Cash, cash equivalents and investments
      available for sale.........................  $ 4,679   $ 7,827   $44,975   $34,849   $ 42,946
    Total assets.................................   10,944    20,663    63,113    98,293    119,877
    Long-term obligations, less current
      portion....................................      367       917     1,373       264         63
    Mandatorily redeemable convertible preferred
      stock......................................   12,452    13,169        --        --         --
</TABLE>
    
 
- ---------------
 
(1) The selected consolidated financial data gives retroactive effect to the
    acquisitions of Risk Data, Retek and CompReview for all periods presented,
    accounted for as poolings of interests.
 
(2) The computations of basic net income per common share for 1993, 1994 and
    1995 include reductions of consolidated net income in the amounts of
    $717,000, $717,000 and $348,000, respectively, related to the accretion of
    dividends on mandatorily redeemable convertible Preferred Stock, which
    converted into Common Stock upon the closing of the Company's initial public
    offering on June 26, 1995. The computation of diluted net income per common
    share for 1993 does not include the assumed conversion of all outstanding
    shares of mandatorily redeemable convertible Preferred Stock into 7,675,000
    shares of Common Stock or an increase to net income per common share related
    to the elimination of dividend accretion on such Preferred Stock as the
    impact would be antidilutive.
 
(3) Pro forma net income and net income per common share reflect a provision for
    taxes on the income of CompReview, which was a subchapter S corporation
    prior to its acquisition by HNC, as if CompReview had been subject to
    corporate income taxes as a C corporation for all periods presented.
 
                                       17
<PAGE>   113
 
          MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
                           AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
     This Prospectus (including without limitation the following section
regarding Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations) contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning
of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act)
regarding the Company and its business, financial condition, results of
operations and prospects. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends,"
"plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates" and similar expressions or variations
of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements, but are not
the exclusive means of identifying forward-looking statements in this
Prospectus. Additionally, statements concerning future matters such as the
development of new products, enhancements or technologies, possible changes in
legislation and other statements regarding matters that are not historical are
forward-looking statements.
 
   
     Although forward-looking statements in this Prospectus reflect the good
faith judgment of the Company's management, such statements can only be based on
facts and factors currently known by the Company. Consequently, forward-looking
statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties and actual results
and outcomes may differ materially from the results and outcomes discussed in
the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such
differences in results and outcomes include without limitation those discussed
in "Risk Factors" as well as those discussed elsewhere in this Prospectus and in
any documents that are incorporated into this Prospectus by reference. Readers
are urged not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which
speak only as of the date of this Prospectus. The Company undertakes no
obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to
reflect any event or circumstance that may arise after the date of this
Prospectus. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various
disclosures made by the Company in this Prospectus and in the Company's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1997, as amended, filed with
the Commission, which attempts to advise interested parties of the risks and
factors that may affect the Company's business, financial condition, results of
operations and prospects.
    
 
OVERVIEW
 
     HNC develops, markets and supports predictive software solutions for
leading service industries. These predictive software solutions employ
proprietary neural-network predictive decision engines, profiles, traditional
statistical modeling, business models, expert rules and context vectors to
convert existing data and business experiences into meaningful recommendations
and actions. HNC was founded in 1986 to provide software tools and contracted
technology services using neural-network technology.
 
     In August 1996, HNC completed its acquisition of Risk Data in a transaction
accounted for as a pooling of interests. Risk Data is based in Irvine,
California and develops, markets and supports proprietary software decision
products for use in the insurance industry. In 1996, HNC formed Aptex Software
Inc. ("Aptex"), a majority-owned subsidiary located in San Diego, California
that develops, markets and supports electronic text analysis technology in
products designed for the Internet and other environments. In November 1996, HNC
completed its acquisition of Retek in a transaction accounted for as a pooling
of interests. Retek is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota and develops, markets and
supports software products that provide merchandise management and other
management tools to retailers and their vendors. In November 1997, the Company
completed its acquisition of CompReview, in a transaction accounted for as a
pooling of interests. CompReview is located in Costa Mesa, California and
develops, markets and supports a software product and related services designed
to assist in the management and containment of the medical costs of workers'
compensation and automobile accident medical claims. CompReview provides its
product and services primarily to insurance companies, managed care
organizations, third party administrators and large self-insured employers. The
Company anticipates that from time to time it
 
                                       18
<PAGE>   114
 
will consider acquisitions of other businesses in order to expand the markets
served by the Company and to acquire complementary technologies, products and
personnel. See "Risk Factors -- Acquisitions" and "Business -- HNC's Strategy."
 
     After giving retroactive effect to the Company's acquisitions of Risk Data,
Retek and CompReview, HNC experienced compound annual growth in total revenues
of 63% from 1993 through 1997. See "Risk Factors -- Risks Associated with
Managing Growth." This revenue growth resulted primarily from increased license
fees for the Retek Merchandising System, CRLink, Falcon, MIRA and ProfitMax
products and, to a lesser extent, from increased license fees for the Active
Retail Intelligence, Retek Data Warehouse, PMAdvisor, CompCompare, Capstone and
AREAS products. Because of the long sales and development cycle associated with
the Company's products, the Company has not received significant revenues to
date from the SelectCast, SelectResponse, SelectResource, VeriComp or PMAdvisor
products. See "Risk Factors -- Lengthy and Unpredictable Sales Cycle."
 
   
     The Company markets most of its predictive software solutions as an ongoing
service that includes software licenses, decision model updates, application
consulting and on-line or on-site support and maintenance. The Company's pricing
for the CRLink, Falcon, MIRA, ProfitMax, AREAS, PMAdvisor, CompCompare and
ProviderCompare products typically includes an annual or monthly usage fee and a
one to seven year contract commitment. In 1995, 1996 and 1997, annual license
and maintenance revenues from these contracts represented 61.2%, 56.1% and 55.2%
of the Company's total revenues, respectively.
    
 
   
     The Company's revenues and operating results have varied significantly in
the past and may do so in the future. Because the Company's expense levels are
based in part on its expectations regarding future revenues and in the short
term are fixed to a large extent, the Company may be unable to adjust its
spending in time to compensate for any unexpected revenue shortfall. Factors
affecting operating results include market acceptance of the Company's products;
the relatively large size and small number of customer orders that may be
received during a given period; customer cancellation of long-term contracts
yielding recurring revenues or customers' ceasing their use of Company products
for which the Company's fees are usage based; the length of the Company's sales
cycle; the Company's ability to develop, introduce and market new products and
product enhancements; the timing of new product announcements and introductions
by the Company and its competitors; changes in the mix of distribution channels;
changes in the level of operating expenses; the Company's ability to achieve
progress on percentage-of-completion contracts; the Company's success in
completing certain pilot installations for contracted fees; competitive
conditions in the industry; domestic and international economic conditions; and
market conditions in the Company's targeted markets. In addition, as a result of
recently issued guidance on software revenue recognition, license agreements
entered into during a quarter may not meet the Company's revenue recognition
criteria. Therefore, even if the Company meets or exceeds its forecast of
aggregate licensing and other contracting activity, it is possible that the
Company's revenues would not meet expectations. Furthermore, the Company's
operating results may be affected by factors unique to certain of its product
lines. For example, the Company derives a substantial and increasing portion of
its revenues from its retail products, which are generally priced as "perpetual"
license transactions in which the Company receives a one-time license fee. The
Company recognizes these fees as revenue upon delivery of the software and
acceptance by the customer. Thus, failure to complete a perpetual license
transaction during a fiscal quarter could have a disproportionate adverse impact
on the Company's operating results for that quarter.
    
 
     The Company expects fluctuations in its operating results to continue for
the foreseeable future. Accordingly, the Company believes that period-to-period
comparisons of its financial results should not be relied upon as an indication
of future performance. The Company may not be able to maintain profitability on
a quarterly or annual basis in the future. Due to all of the foregoing factors,
it is possible that in some future quarter the Company's operating results will
be below the
 
                                       19
<PAGE>   115
 
   
expectations of public market analysts and investors. In that event, the price
of the Company's Common Stock would likely be materially adversely affected.
    
 
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
     The Company's statements of income for all periods presented give
retroactive effect to the acquisitions of Risk Data, Retek and CompReview in
August 1996, November 1996 and November 1997, respectively, each of which was
accounted for as a pooling of interests.
 
  Total Revenues
 
   
     The Company's revenues are comprised of license and maintenance revenues,
installation and implementation revenues, contracts and other revenues and
service bureau revenues. Total revenues increased by 63.5% to $71.4 million in
1996 and by 59.2% to $113.7 million in 1997. International operations and export
sales represented 12.6%, 17.7% and 16.8% of total revenues in 1995, 1996 and
1997, respectively. The retail product line currently has more sales in
international markets than the healthcare/insurance and financial services
product lines combined. The Company believes that international sales represent
a significant opportunity for revenue growth and expects international sales to
increase as a percent of total revenue.
    
 
   
          License and Maintenance Revenues. The Company's license and
     maintenance revenues are derived from annual license fees, monthly license
     fees, perpetual license fees and annual maintenance fees. The Company
     typically licenses many of its products for an annual or monthly usage fee
     under long-term contracts that include software licenses, decision model
     updates, application consulting, and on-line or on-site support and
     maintenance. The Company's revenue from periodic software license and
     maintenance agreements is generally recognized ratably over the respective
     license or agreement periods. Revenue from certain short-term periodic
     software license and maintenance agreements with guaranteed minimum license
     fees is recognized as related services are performed. Transactional fees
     are recognized as revenue based on system usage or when fees based on
     system usage exceed the monthly minimum license fees. Revenue from
     perpetual licenses of the Company's software for which there are no
     significant continuing obligations and collection of the related
     receivables is probable is recognized on delivery of the software and
     acceptance by the customer. Recently issued guidance on software revenue
     recognition could lead to unanticipated changes in the Company's revenue
     recognition practices. See "Risk Factors -- Potential Fluctuations in
     Operating Results" and "-- New Accounting Pronouncements."
    
 
   
          License and maintenance revenues increased by 99.1% to $48.9 million
     in 1996 and by 83.4% to $89.6 million in 1997. The increase from 1995 to
     1996 was due primarily to the growth of license fees in all markets,
     particularly from the Retek Merchandising System, CRLink and Falcon, and,
     to a lesser extent, MIRA and CompCompare. The increase from 1996 to 1997
     was due primarily to the growth of license fee revenues from the Retek
     Merchandising System and CRLink. Also contributing to the increase were
     increased license fees from other retail products, such as ARI and Retek
     Data Warehouse, financial services products such as Falcon, ProfitMax and
     Capstone, and other healthcare/insurance products, such as PMAdvisor and
     MIRA.
    
 
          Installation and Implementation Revenues. Revenues from software
     installations and implementations are generally recognized as the services
     are performed using the percentage of completion method based on costs
     incurred to date compared to total estimated costs at completion. Amounts
     received in advance of performance under the contracts are recorded as
     deferred revenue and are generally recognized within one year from receipt.
 
          Installation and implementation revenues increased by 44.0% to $6.7
     million in 1996 and by 59.9% to $10.7 million in 1997. Substantially all of
     the increase from 1995 to 1996 was due primarily to growth in the
     installations of Retek Data Forecasting as this product moved
 
                                       20
<PAGE>   116
 
     from development into production. The increase from 1996 to 1997 was due
     primarily to growth in the installations of Capstone and ProfitMax.
 
          Contracts and Other Revenues. Contracts and other revenues are derived
     primarily from new product development contracts with commercial customers
     and research contracts with the United States Government. The Company
     typically contracts with one or two commercial partners for pilot
     development and installation of its new products and with the United States
     Government for additional research funds. Revenues from contract services
     are generally recognized as the services are performed using the percentage
     of completion method based on costs incurred to date compared to total
     estimated costs at completion. Revenue from hardware product sales, which
     is included in contracts and other revenue, is recognized upon shipment to
     the customer.
 
          Contracts and other revenues increased by 21.7% to $11.1 million in
     1996 and decreased by 30.2% to $7.8 million in 1997. The increase in 1996
     was primarily the result of greater revenues from commercial new product
     pilot installation contracts with customers in support of the Company's
     development of ProfitMax, SelectCast, Falcon Sentry and Capstone. The
     decrease in 1997 was primarily the result of products such as ProfitMax,
     Retek Data Forecasting and Capstone moving from development into
     production.
 
          During 1997, the Company had fewer new product development projects
     and new product pilot installations than during 1996. There can be no
     assurance that any of these product development projects or pilot
     installations will be successful or be completed within anticipated time
     schedules or that the customers who serve as pilot installation sites will
     be satisfied with these products or agree to license them. If the Company's
     new product development efforts are unsuccessful, are not completed on a
     timely basis or are not well received by pilot customers, the Company may
     be compelled to delay or discontinue the release of production versions of
     these products or bear increased expense to bring these pilot products to
     market, either of which would have a material adverse effect on the
     Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
          Service Bureau Revenues. Service bureau revenues are derived from the
     Company's service bureau operations, which provide CRLink's functionality
     to customers that do not wish to obtain a license, that use this service
     until they can implement their own internal CRLink operation or that use
     this service when their volumes peak to high levels. Service bureau
     customers typically subscribe for services under month-to-month agreements.
     Service bureau fees are recognized as revenue when the processing services
     are performed.
 
          Service bureau revenues decreased by 11.6% to $4.7 million in 1996 and
     increased by 18.8% to $5.6 million in 1997. The decrease in 1996 was
     primarily a result of the significant increase in license revenues as the
     Company's sales efforts were focused on licensing CRLink to customers
     rather than marketing service bureau services. The increase in 1997 was
     primarily due to an increase in the number of customers utilizing service
     bureau operations.
 
  Gross Margin
 
     The following table sets forth the gross margin for each of the Company's
revenue categories for each of the comparison periods.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                            ------------------------
                                                            1995      1996      1997
                                                            ----      ----      ----
        <S>                                                 <C>       <C>       <C>
        License and maintenance...........................  67.8%     71.9%     77.8%
        Installation and implementation...................  69.3      59.4      51.7
        Contracts and other...............................  24.6      30.9      30.0
        Service bureau....................................  43.4      28.9      23.1
</TABLE>
 
                                       21
<PAGE>   117
 
   
          License and Maintenance Gross Margin. License and maintenance costs
     primarily represent the Company's expenses for personnel engaged in
     customer support, travel to customer sites and documentation materials. The
     Company's gross margin on license and maintenance revenues was 67.8%, 71.9%
     and 77.8% in 1995, 1996 and 1997, respectively. In 1996, the improvement in
     gross margin was the result of the Company's ability to move from price
     discounts for early adopters of its products to full pricing for products
     sold to subsequent customers as well as a higher volume of international
     licenses, which generate relatively higher margins than domestic operations
     due, in part, to lower overhead expenses as a result of less corporate
     infrastructure. Gross margin improved in 1997 due primarily to license fees
     increasing at a higher rate than the costs associated with providing these
     licenses. This increase was primarily attributable to increased pricing
     producing higher margins in the retail and healthcare/insurance markets.
    
 
   
          Installation and Implementation Gross Margin. Installation and
     implementation costs consist primarily of personnel-related costs, travel
     and equipment. The Company's gross margin on installation and
     implementation revenues was 69.3%, 59.4% and 51.7% in 1995, 1996 and 1997,
     respectively. In 1996, the decrease in the gross margin was due primarily
     to new installations of Retek Data Forecasting, which have substantially
     lower margins than installations of Falcon products, which represented a
     majority of installations in 1995. Gross margin decreased in 1997 due
     primarily to an increase in Capstone implementations, which have
     substantially lower margins than implementations of Falcon products.
    
 
          Contracts and Other Gross Margin. Contracts and other costs consist
     primarily of personnel-related costs. The Company's gross margin on
     contracts and other revenues was 24.6%, 30.9% and 30.0% in 1995, 1996 and
     1997, respectively. The improvement in gross margin during 1996 was due
     primarily to the Company's increased ability to better price its new pilot
     projects. The slight decrease in gross margin for 1997 was due to the
     decrease in new product development contracts, while government projects
     with substantially lower margins remained relatively constant in absolute
     dollars.
 
   
          Service Bureau Gross Margin. Service bureau costs consist primarily of
     the personnel and facilities costs of operating the service bureaus. The
     Company's gross margin on service bureau revenues was 43.4%, 28.9% and
     23.1% in 1995, 1996 and 1997, respectively. The decrease in 1996 was a
     result of the loss of a customer in early 1996 for which the Company was
     able to recognize higher than usual margins during 1995. The decrease in
     1997 was attributable to an increase in fixed costs and in labor costs
     required to support the service bureau business that outpaced the increase
     in revenue. This was the result of a more static customer base and higher
     fixed costs associated with the infrastructure necessary to run the service
     bureau operation.
    
 
       Other Operating Expenses
 
          Research and Development Expenses. Research and development expenses
     consist primarily of salaries and other personnel-related expenses,
     subcontracted development services, depreciation for development equipment
     and supplies. Research and development expenses increased from $7.0 million
     in 1995 to $13.8 million in 1996 and to $21.2 million in 1997, representing
     16.0%, 19.3% and 18.6% of total revenues in 1995, 1996 and 1997,
     respectively. Research and development expenses increased in absolute
     dollars due to the development costs associated with new releases of
     several products in the retail and financial services product lines. The
     increased research and development expenses in absolute dollars and as a
     percentage of revenues in 1996 was primarily the result of greater staffing
     to support more new product development programs, primarily for ProfitMax,
     Capstone, CompCompare, ProviderCompare and the Retek Merchandising System.
     The 1996 costs also included the initial product development costs of the
     Company's Aptex business unit, which did not have a significant impact on
     revenues. Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 86, "Ac-
 
                                       22
<PAGE>   118
 
     counting for the Costs of Computer Software to be Sold, Leased or Otherwise
     Marketed," requires capitalization of certain software development costs
     subsequent to the establishment of technological feasibility. Based on the
     Company's product development process, technological feasibility is not
     established until completion of a working model. Costs incurred by the
     Company between completion of the working model and the point at which a
     product is ready for general release have been insignificant. As a result,
     no significant software development costs were capitalized through December
     31, 1997. The Company anticipates that research and development expenses
     will increase in dollar amount and could increase as a percentage of total
     revenues for the foreseeable future.
 
          Sales and Marketing Expenses. Sales and marketing expenses consist
     primarily of salaries and benefits, commissions, travel, entertainment and
     promotional expenses. Sales and marketing expenses increased from $7.3
     million in 1995 to $11.9 million in 1996 and to $22.0 million in 1997,
     representing 16.6%, 16.7% and 19.4% of total revenues in 1995, 1996 and
     1997, respectively. The increases were primarily a result of increased
     staffing as the Company built its direct sales and marketing staff, opened
     sales offices in Japan and in several locations in Europe, and increased
     expenses for trade shows, advertising and other marketing programs. The
     Company expects sales and marketing expenses to continue to increase for
     the foreseeable future. Such expenses could also increase as a percentage
     of total revenues as the Company continues to develop a direct sales force
     in Europe and other international markets, expand its domestic sales and
     marketing organization and increase the breadth of its product lines.
 
   
          General and Administrative Expenses. General and administrative
     expenses consist primarily of personnel costs for finance, contract
     administration, human resources and general management, as well as
     acquisition, insurance and professional services expenses. General and
     administrative expenses increased from $5.1 million in 1995 to $8.6 million
     in 1996 and to $12.6 million in 1997, representing 11.7%, 10.3% and 9.8% of
     total revenues, respectively. General and administrative expenses included
     $1.2 million of acquisition expenses related to the acquisitions of Risk
     Data and Retek in 1996 and $1.4 million of acquisition expenses primarily
     related to the acquisition of CompReview in 1997. Excluding acquisition
     expenses, general and administrative expenses were $5.1 million, $7.4
     million and $11.2 million in 1995, 1996 and 1997, respectively. The primary
     reason for these increases in absolute dollars was increased staffing to
     support the Company's growth and additional expenses associated with being
     a public company.
    
 
  Operating Income
 
     The above factors resulted in operating income of $5.1 million,
constituting 11.6% of total revenues in 1995, $9.7 million, constituting 13.5%
of total revenues in 1996, and $23.0 million, constituting 20.3% of total
revenues in 1997. The Company does not expect that operating income will
continue to increase significantly as a percentage of total revenues.
 
  Other Income (Expense) Net
 
     Interest and other income, net of interest expense, increased from $484,000
in 1995 to $1.7 million in 1996 and to $1.9 million in 1997. The increase in
1996 was primarily attributable to increased interest income in 1996 from higher
cash and investment balances, which consisted primarily of the proceeds from the
Company's initial public offering in June 1995 and secondary public offering in
December 1995. The increase in 1997 was primarily due to a decrease in interest
expense of approximately $397,000 primarily related to the repayment of Risk
Data's bank notes payable during the third quarter of 1996, offset by a decrease
in interest income of approximately $165,000.
 
                                       23
<PAGE>   119
 
  Income Tax (Benefit) Provision
 
     The income tax benefit of $511,000 in 1995 was primarily attributable to
the recognition of a $2.2 million deferred tax asset based on anticipated future
utilization of all of the Company's remaining net operating loss carryforwards
and research and development credit carryforwards. The income tax benefit of
$534,000 in 1996 was primarily attributable to the recognition of a $2.7 million
deferred tax asset based on anticipated future utilization of all of the
remaining net operating loss carryforwards and research and development credit
carryforwards relating to Risk Data and Retek. That deferred tax asset had
previously been offset by a valuation allowance. The Company released the
valuation allowance during the fourth quarter of 1996, based upon management's
assessment that it was more likely than not that the Company would realize the
asset in future periods.
 
   
     The 1997 income tax provision of $7.4 million, or 29.5% of pre-tax income,
was lower than 1997 taxes at statutory rates primarily as a result of
CompReview's subchapter S corporation status prior to the acquisition, which
resulted in most of CompReview's tax liability being borne by its former
stockholders. As of the date of the acquisition, CompReview's tax status was
changed to C corporation. In the future, the Company expects that the effective
tax rate will be reflective of the tax rate of other California-based companies.
    
 
                                       24
<PAGE>   120
 
SELECTED PRO FORMA QUARTERLY OPERATING RESULTS
 
     The following table presents unaudited pro forma quarterly financial
information for each of the eight quarters in the period ended December 31,
1997. This information has been derived from the Company's unaudited financial
statements. Pro forma net (loss) income reflects a provision for taxes on the
income of CompReview, which was a subchapter S corporation prior to its
acquisition by HNC, as if CompReview had been subject to corporate income taxes
as a C corporation for all periods presented. In the opinion of management, all
adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, have been included
to present fairly the quarterly results. See "Risk Factors -- Potential
Fluctuations in Operating Results" and "-- Lengthy and Unpredictable Sales
Cycle."
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            THREE MONTHS ENDED
                                             --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              1996                                      1997
                                             ---------------------------------------   --------------------------------------
                                             MAR. 31    JUN. 30   SEPT. 30   DEC. 31   MAR. 31   JUN. 30   SEPT. 30   DEC. 31
                                             -------    -------   --------   -------   -------   -------   --------   -------
                                                                  (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
<S>                                          <C>        <C>       <C>        <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>        <C>
STATEMENT OF INCOME DATA:(1)
Revenues:
  License and maintenance................... $ 8,479    $11,163   $ 13,831   $15,417   $18,331   $22,311   $ 23,705   $25,296
  Installation and implementation...........   1,200      1,214      1,399     2,878     1,946     2,188      3,069     3,499
  Contracts and other.......................   2,979      3,051      2,784     2,314     2,726     1,805      1,671     1,570
  Service bureau............................   1,219      1,269      1,101     1,141     1,069     1,289      1,544     1,716
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
        Total revenues......................  13,877     16,697     19,115    21,750    24,072    27,593     29,989    32,081
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
Operating expenses:
  License and maintenance...................   3,180      3,120      3,689     3,736     3,994     5,036      4,957     5,950
  Installation and implementation...........     589        597        560       968       801     1,251      1,499     1,623
  Contracts and other.......................   2,071      1,938      1,860     1,825     1,850     1,454      1,111     1,023
  Service bureau............................     932        947        749       737       864       919      1,203     1,334
  Research and development..................   2,440      3,352      3,748     4,268     4,431     4,930      6,015     5,775
  Sales and marketing.......................   2,485      2,981      3,041     3,416     4,553     5,233      5,691     6,572
  General and administrative................   1,829      1,961      2,351     2,410     2,459     2,768      3,142     4,257
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
        Total operating expense.............  13,526     14,896     15,998    17,360    18,952    21,591     23,618    26,534
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
Operating income............................     351      1,801      3,117     4,390     5,120     6,002      6,371     5,547
Interest income, net........................     452        406        384       458       429       481        538       431
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
  Income before pro forma income tax
    provision (benefit).....................     803      2,207      3,501     4,848     5,549     6,483      6,909     5,978
Pro forma income tax provision (benefit)....     934      1,119      1,138    (1,563)    2,115     2,475      2,623     2,289
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
  Pro forma net (loss) income............... $  (131)   $ 1,088   $  2,363   $ 6,411   $ 3,434   $ 4,008   $  4,286   $ 3,689
                                             =======    =======    =======   =======   =======   =======    =======   =======
AS A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL REVENUES:
Revenues:
  License and maintenance...................    61.1%      66.8%      72.3%     70.9%     76.2%     80.9%      79.1%     78.9%
  Installation and implementation...........     8.6        7.3        7.3      13.2       8.1       7.9       10.2      10.9
  Contracts and other.......................    21.5       18.3       14.6      10.6      11.3       6.5        5.6       4.9
  Service bureau............................     8.8        7.6        5.8       5.3       4.4       4.7        5.1       5.3
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
        Total revenues......................   100.0      100.0      100.0     100.0     100.0     100.0      100.0     100.0
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
Operating expenses:
  License and maintenance...................    22.9       18.7       19.3      17.2      16.6      18.2       16.5      18.5
  Installation and implementation...........     4.3        3.6        3.0       4.4       3.3       4.5        5.0       5.0
  Contracts and other.......................    14.9       11.6        9.7       8.4       7.7       5.3        3.7       3.2
  Service bureau............................     6.7        5.7        3.9       3.4       3.6       3.3        4.0       4.2
  Research and development..................    17.6       20.1       19.6      19.6      18.4      17.9       20.1      18.0
  Sales and marketing.......................    17.9       17.8       15.9      15.7      18.9      19.0       19.0      20.5
  General and administrative................    13.2       11.7       12.3      11.1      10.2      10.0       10.5      13.3
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
        Total operating expense.............    97.5       89.2       83.7      79.8      78.7      78.2       78.8      82.7
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
Operating income............................     2.5       10.8       16.3      20.2      21.3      21.8       21.2      17.3
Interest income, net........................     3.3        2.4        2.0       2.1       1.8       1.7        1.8       1.3
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
  Income before pro forma income tax
    provision (benefit).....................     5.8       13.2       18.3      22.3      23.1      23.5       23.0      18.6
Pro forma income tax provision (benefit)....     6.7        6.7        5.9      (7.2)      8.8       9.0        8.7       7.1
                                             -------    -------    -------   -------   -------   -------    -------   -------
  Pro forma net (loss) income...............    (0.9)%      6.5%      12.4%     29.5%     14.3%     14.5%      14.3%     11.5%
                                             =======    =======    =======   =======   =======   =======    =======   =======
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
 
(1) The above table gives retroactive effect to the acquisitions of Risk Data,
    Retek and CompReview for all periods presented, accounted for as poolings of
    interests.
 
                                       25
<PAGE>   121
 
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
 
   
     The $21.0 million of net cash provided by operating activities in 1997
represented net income before depreciation and amortization of approximately
$22.4 million, further increased by a decrease in deferred income taxes of $6.9
million and offset by an increase in accounts receivable of $11.1 million. Net
cash used in investing activities was $7.7 million in 1997 primarily due to $9.6
million expended for property and equipment during 1997, including $6.0 million
for computer equipment to support the increased staffing across the Company, and
$1.9 million for furniture and fixtures primarily related to the relocation of
the Company's Minneapolis facility, offset by approximately $1.9 million of
proceeds from sales and maturities of investments available for sale net of
purchases of such investments. Net cash used in financing activities was $3.2
million in 1997 primarily due to $6.8 million in distributions to the former
CompReview stockholders offset by $4.0 million in net proceeds from issuances of
common stock.
    
 
   
     As of December 31, 1997, the Company had $42.9 million in cash, cash
equivalents and investments. The Company believes that its current cash, cash
equivalents and investments available for sale balances, together with the net
proceeds from the sale of the Notes, borrowings under its credit facility and
net cash provided by operating activities, will be sufficient to meet its
working capital and capital expenditure requirements for at least the next 12
months. The credit facility will not be available following issuance of the
Notes unless the Company obtains an appropriate consent or amendment from the
bank. A portion of the Company's cash could be used to repurchase shares of the
Company's Common Stock from time to time in the open market. Management intends
to invest the Company's cash in excess of current operating requirements in
short-term, interest-bearing, investment-grade securities. A portion of the
Company's cash could also be used to acquire or invest in complementary
businesses or products or otherwise to obtain the right to use complementary
technologies or data. From time to time, in the ordinary course of business, the
Company evaluates potential acquisitions of such businesses, products,
technologies or data. The Company has no present understandings, commitments or
agreements with respect to any material acquisition of businesses, products,
technologies or data.
    
 
YEAR 2000 COMPLIANCE
 
     The Company anticipates that it will need to devote resources in the next
two years to modify its CRLink product to properly process dates beyond December
31, 1999. The Company expects that the cost of making these modifications and
distributing the modified product to existing customers will be approximately
$500,000. These modifications and the resources that the Company expects to
devote to such modifications may divert management and engineering attention
from, or delay the development and introduction of, new products and
enhancements to existing products. The inability of the Company to complete such
modifications successfully and on a timely basis, or the inability of the
Company to devote sufficient resources to continuing updates and enhancements to
the CRLink product, could have a material adverse effect on the Company's
business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, the
Company believes that the purchasing patterns of customers and potential
customers may be affected by Year 2000 issues as companies expend significant
resources to correct or patch their current software systems for Year 2000
compliance. These expenditures may result in reduced funds available to purchase
software products such as those offered by the Company, which could result in a
material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and
results of operations.
 
NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
 
     In June 1997, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 130 ("FAS 130"), "Reporting
Comprehensive Income," which the Company is required to adopt for 1998. This
statement will require the Company to report in the financial statements, in
addition to net income, comprehensive income and its
 
                                       26
<PAGE>   122
 
components including foreign currency items and unrealized gains and losses on
certain investments in debt and equity securities. Upon adoption of FAS 130, the
Company is also required to reclassify financial statements for earlier periods
provided for comparative purposes. The adoption of FAS 130 will not have a
significant impact on the Company's consolidated financial statement
disclosures.
 
     In June 1997, the FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
No. 131 ("FAS 131"), "Disclosures about Segments of an Enterprise and Related
Information," which the Company is required to adopt for its 1998 annual
financial statements. This statement establishes standards for reporting
information about operating segments in annual financial statements and requires
selected information about operating segments in interim financial reports
issued to stockholders. It also establishes standards for related disclosures
about products and services, geographic areas and major customers. Under FAS
131, operating segments are to be determined consistent with the way that
management organizes and evaluates financial information internally for making
operating decisions and assessing performance. The Company has not determined
the impact of the adoption of this new accounting standard on its consolidated
financial statement disclosures.
 
   
     In October 1997, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
issued Statement of Position No. 97-2 ("SOP 97-2"), "Software Revenue
Recognition," which the Company is required to adopt for agreements entered into
with customers beginning in 1998. This statement provides guidance for software
revenue recognition matters primarily from a conceptual level and does not
include specific implementation guidance. Based on its reading and
interpretation of SOP 97-2, the Company believes that the adoption of SOP 97-2
will not have a significant impact on its financial statements; however,
detailed implementation guidelines for this standard have not yet been issued.
Once issued, such detailed implementation guidelines could lead to unanticipated
changes in the Company's current revenue recognition practices, and such changes
could be material to the Company's financial statements.
    
 
                                       27
<PAGE>   123
 
                                    BUSINESS
 
     HNC develops, markets and supports predictive software solutions for
leading service industries. These predictive software solutions employ
proprietary neural-network predictive decision engines, profiles, traditional
statistical modeling, business models, expert rules and context vectors to
convert existing data and business experiences into meaningful recommendations
and actions. Just as manufacturing organizations have implemented manufacturing
resource planning ("MRP") software to automate routine transactions, leading
service industries such as the health-care/insurance, financial services and
retail industries are using predictive software solutions to improve
profitability, competitiveness and customer satisfaction.
 
INDUSTRY BACKGROUND
 
     Today's competitive business environment has forced many service companies
to increase business efficiency while improving their flexibility and
responsiveness to changing market conditions. Businesses continually seek new
ways to make better decisions by collecting and analyzing data. Consequently,
service companies have made, and continue to make, significant investments in
computer systems designed to gather and electronically store ever increasing
amounts of data. In most cases, these computerized systems automate manual tasks
and activities, resulting in the conversion of significant amounts of corporate
data from paper to electronic form. However, these systems generally do not
synthesize data in ways that help businesses make better real-time decisions.
 
     Historically, the development of predictive software solutions was
inhibited by the lack of computing standards and effective computational
intelligence techniques. The emergence of client-server standards, including
relational database management systems, the Windows operating system and network
communications protocols, has fostered the increased transmission and
dissemination of electronically stored data within and among businesses. MRP
software systems were developed to automate production, accounting, human
resources and distribution transactions for primarily manufacturing
organizations. These systems manage and store large amounts of diverse business
information, providing continuous and simultaneous availability of information
to geographically dispersed employees, customers and suppliers. However, MRP
systems generally do not provide businesses with the functionality and
flexibility needed to utilize this data to simulate operations and make
real-time decisions and recommendations in diverse and rapidly changing business
environments.
 
     Several service industries have a particular need to leverage large volumes
of real-time transactional and operational data in order to address systemic
issues that have historically affected profitability, competitiveness and
customer satisfaction. These industries and issues include:
 
     - HEALTHCARE/INSURANCE INDUSTRY. Workers' compensation fraud and abuse is
       currently receiving widespread attention in the healthcare/insurance
       industry. Conning & Co. recently estimated that 10%-25% of the dollar
       amount of filed workers' compensation claims in the United States are
       fraudulent. This translates to more than $5 billion lost each year to
       workers' compensation fraud.
 
     - FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY. Based on reports from Visa and Mastercard,
       Faulkner & Gray estimates that United States credit card credit losses
       and chargeoffs were $18 billion in 1996.
 
     - RETAIL INDUSTRY. Rapid changes in consumer buying patterns have caused
       merchants to place increased emphasis on predicting consumer demand and
       managing retail inventories. The change from mass to individual retail
       marketing has multiplied the number of promotional offers and
       stock-keeping units ("SKUs") required to address market opportunities.
 
                                       28
<PAGE>   124
 
       The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that the inventory carrying
       costs for retail inventories nationwide were $316 billion at the end of
       March 1997.
 
     Historically, many companies in the healthcare/insurance, financial
services and retail industries have developed specialized in-house applications
to address these issues. Such applications are generally designed to access
large volumes of operational and transactional data stored on mainframe
computers. However, such systems are expensive, costly to support and maintain,
and do not offer flexible and enterprise-wide access to data. Furthermore, most
of these systems are not designed to meet the need for real-time recommendations
and actions. The widespread adoption of distributed client-server computing has
provided organizations with a much greater ability to access and manipulate
stored information but also has created the need for third-party vendors of
packaged applications software solutions that provide the same degree of
functionality and reliability as traditional in-house applications. These
vendors are able to provide a higher degree of functionality and reliability
than traditional in-house applications by combining the domain knowledge from
their customers and partners with expertise in computational intelligence and
client-server technologies.
 
THE HNC SOLUTION
 
     HNC's predictive software solutions enable leading service industries, such
as the healthcare/insurance, financial services and retail industries, to
analyze and act upon operational and transactional data in real time. The
Company's products provide the following benefits:
 
   
     Core predictive software technology. The Company's software includes a
variety of computational intelligence technologies such as proprietary
neural-network predictive decision engines, profiles, traditional statistical
modeling, business models, expert rules and context vectors that can be
customized to specific business applications. Neural networks can be adapted to
changing environments and applications quickly and have proven to be accurate
and effective in real-time operating environments. The Company's decision engine
also includes a user-defined rule-based technology. The neural networks and
rulebases are delivered through software that allows the Company's products to
adapt to many customer-specific business needs without extensive custom
programming. Adaptable functions include workflow queuing management, policy and
procedure guidelines, input data modification, flexible graphical user interface
("GUI") display, decision criteria and report formats.
    
 
     Quick payback for customers. The Company's software solutions are designed
for quick customer payback. The Company typically installs its products in two
to six months, and customer payback periods for installation and first year
usage fees are typically less than one year. Payback is rapid because the
software products address applications that have a significant profit impact.
HNC personnel focus not only on the technical integration, but also on
delivering direct benefits to the customer throughout the service contract
period.
 
   
     Transaction-based, real-time decision capability. HNC's software can
operate in real time, providing an immediate, situation-specific response to
each customer transaction. For example, the Falcon system for credit/debit card
fraud detection can monitor millions of transactions each day, identify
fraudulent transactions in progress and permit the card issuing bank to withhold
an authorization before the perpetrator completes a purchase. The Falcon system
differs from traditional modeling implementations, which operate in a batch or
off-line mode on a collection of historical transactions.
    
 
     Flexible client-server solutions. HNC's solutions can be integrated into a
customer's existing environment or architecture. The Company's products are
available on industry-standard, client-server platforms, including Windows and
UNIX clients, NetWare, Windows NT, UNIX and CICS servers and IBM, Oracle, Sybase
and Informix databases. HNC's application products represent a complete software
solution, including decision models, deployment software, communications
interfaces and GUIs. The Company also supplies systems integration, ongoing
performance
 
                                       29
<PAGE>   125
 
analysis, model rebuilding and application consulting services to help ensure
ongoing success for the customer. The Company believes that this flexible
combination of products, services and deployment platforms represents an advance
that enables successful predictive software system deployment in many
mission-critical applications.
 
     Turnkey, customized and user-developed model options. The choice of data
source is important to customers because data are the fundamental building
blocks used to create accurate predictive models. HNC provides various models
built on industry-specific or customer-specific data to meet individual
application requirements. Customers and data suppliers provide the Company with
historical transaction data for turnkey models, trend analyses and product
updates. This combination of proprietary turnkey (from data and individual
consumer profiles), customized and user-developed models allows the Company to
offer products that solve a broad range of predictive application problems.
 
HNC'S STRATEGY
 
     HNC's objective is to be the leading supplier of predictive software
solutions by leveraging its core computational intelligence technology across a
series of product families targeted at specific service industries. The
Company's strategy for achieving this objective contains the following key
elements:
 
   
     Maintain and strengthen HNC's position at the core of its customers'
applications infrastructure. Customers rely heavily on HNC's predictive software
solutions to anticipate and react to rapidly changing business conditions. The
Company's core computational intelligence technology serves as a platform upon
which service businesses can deploy and combine the Company's products to manage
and respond to operational and transactional data in real time. Therefore, HNC
attempts to establish a strong position within the applications infrastructure
of its customers. For example, the Company's first predictive solution product,
Falcon, is a credit/debit card fraud detection system for monitoring individual
credit card accounts. By adapting the core technology developed for Falcon, the
Company later introduced ProfitMax, a transaction-based, real-time credit
authorization system that manages the profitability of credit card portfolios.
The Company believes that the opportunity exists for similar penetration within
each of its core vertical markets, including opportunities such as retail
banking within the financial services industry. As another example, the
Company's context vectoring technology could profile visitors to a financial
institution's Web site and send proactive direct e-mails regarding financial
products.
    
 
     Leverage core predictive technologies to enter new market segments.
Historically, the Company has applied its core predictive technology to the
domain knowledge of companies it has acquired to introduce new products. For
example, in August 1996, HNC acquired Risk Data, a developer of decision systems
in the workers' compensation industry. By combining Risk Data's industry
expertise with HNC's fraud detection technology, HNC is developing a VeriComp
module that applies predictive technology to employer fraud in the workers'
compensation industry. In addition, the Company is evaluating opportunities in
other data-intensive industries, such as telecommunications, where predictive
software may have the ability to improve business performance and profitability.
 
     Earn recurring revenues through long-term contracts. The Company markets
most of its predictive software solutions as an ongoing service that includes
software licenses, decision model updates, application consulting and on-line or
on-site support and maintenance. Since many of the Company's applications are
enhanced by periodic model updates, customers derive significant value from the
Company's ongoing services. In addition, the mission-critical nature of many of
HNC's predictive software solutions creates customer demand for long-term
support commitments. Accordingly, the Company's customers typically pay for this
package of software and service with a monthly usage fee and a three to seven
year contract commitment.
 
                                       30
<PAGE>   126
 
     Use strategic relationships to support direct distribution. In each of its
primary markets, the Company uses strategic relationships with system
integrators and third-party service providers to support its direct distribution
efforts. These partners provide varying levels of distribution support, from
lead generation to resale of the Company's products. The Company maintains such
strategic relation\ships with Electronic Data Systems ("EDS"), Intracorp and
Marsh McLennan, Inc. in healthcare/insurance, First Data and EDS in financial
services, and Andersen Consulting and KPMG Peat Marwick LLP in retail.
 
   
     Growth through acquisitions. The Company acquired Risk Data, Retek and
CompReview in 1996 and 1997, thereby significantly expanding its product
offerings in its target markets. On January 30, 1998, the Company signed a
definitive agreement to acquire Practical Control Systems Technologies, Inc.
("PCS"), a distribution center management software vendor based in Cincinnati,
Ohio, subject to the satisfaction of certain closing conditions and the approval
of PCS' shareholders. The Company expects to continue to review acquisitions of
businesses, products and technologies as a means to expand its product offerings
for existing and new target markets.
    
 
                                       31
<PAGE>   127
 
MARKETS AND PRODUCTS
 
   
     HNC has a broad family of predictive software products that provide
specific solutions for each of the healthcare/insurance, financial services and
retail markets. Revenues from each of the Company's three target markets
accounted for more than one-quarter of the Company's total revenues in 1997.
Revenues from three products, CRLink, Retek Merchandising System and Falcon,
accounted for 57.9% of the Company's total revenues in 1997. See "Risk
Factors -- Product Concentration."
    
 
  Healthcare/Insurance
 
   
     HNC offers and is developing products in the healthcare/insurance market.
These products are targeted to insurance carriers, insurance providers, managed
care organizations, state insurance funds, third-party administrators and large,
self-insured employers. HNC has developed predictive software solutions that
address the containment of the medical costs of workers' compensation and
automobile accident insurance claims, workers' compensation loss reserving,
workers' compensation fraud, managed care effectiveness and provider
effectiveness. These solutions, CRLink, MIRA, CompCompare, ProviderCompare,
PMAdvisor and VeriComp, allow users the ability to reduce fraud losses and
streamline operations.
    
 
                   HNC HEALTHCARE/INSURANCE INDUSTRY PRODUCTS
================================================================================
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
      PRODUCT                                   PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
<S>                 <C>                                                                            <C>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  CRLink            CRLink operates as the bill review engine that links all of the critical
                    components of an effective cost containment program to help clients control
                    the cost of workers' compensation, personal injury and other casualty risks.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  MIRA              MIRA uses statistical predictive methods to automatically determine workers'
                    compensation loss reserves based on historical data gathered from insurance
                    carriers, third-party administrators and state insurance funds throughout
                    the United States.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  CompCompare       CompCompare enables clients to compare claims costs or the effectiveness of
                    managed care programs by using benchmarking data from HNC's proprietary
                    workers' compensation database.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  ProviderCompare   ProviderCompare is a physician profiling product that provides on-line
                    access to HNC's proprietary workers' compensation database. ProviderCompare
                    enables clients to generate a detailed comparative analysis, such as
                    treatment costs, among providers within the same specialty.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  PMAdvisor         PMAdvisor enables claim payors to verify that the number of visits and type
                    of treatment for claims involving physical medicine (primarily chiropractic
                    and physical therapy) are appropriate for the diagnosis and severity of the
                    injury and to identify chiropractic and physical therapy claims that exceed
                    appropriate treatment guidelines.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  VeriComp          VeriComp is a workers' compensation claimant system designed to assist in
                    identifying claimant behavior that is likely to indicate the presence of
                    fraud or abuse.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
 
  Financial Services
 
     The increasing volume of electronic financial transactions requires
mission-critical decision-making in real time for applications such as credit
card charge authorization, that carry a substantial risk of consumer and
merchant fraud. HNC's Falcon and ProfitMax product lines are targeted at bank
and private label card issuers and payment processors. Falcon employs a
client/server architecture that consists of an interface into the customer's
legacy system, a decision engine, a cardholder profile database, a case
management database and a fraud workstation.
 
                                       32
<PAGE>   128
 
     HNC estimates that loan underwriting costs in the United States currently
exceed $2.5 billion each year. Competitive pressures including cost reduction,
rapid loan approval and the growth of on-line banking have compelled lenders to
turn to software solutions that can automate loan origination in order to lower
costs, improve customer service and provide remote access to lending services.
HNC's predictive software solutions for the loan origination markets, Capstone
and AREAS, allow lenders such as banks and private label card issuers, home
equity lenders, auto lenders and mortgage lenders to automate the loan approval
decision process.
 
                    HNC FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY PRODUCTS
================================================================================
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
         PRODUCT                                   PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
<S>                       <C>                                                                      <C>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Falcon Product Line
- ------------------------
  Falcon                  Falcon products are neural network-based solutions that examine
  Falcon Expert           transaction, cardholder and merchant data to detect a wide range of
  Falcon Select           credit and debit card fraud. Using predictive software techniques,
  Falcon Debit            Falcon captures relationships and patterns that often are missed by
  Falcon Retail           traditional methods of detecting suspicious transactions.
  Falcon Sentry
  Eagle
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Capstone Product Line
- ------------------------
  Capstone for Payment    Capstone is an intelligent, high-performance new account decision
    Cards                 processing solution. Based on expert rules, Capstone allows users to
  Capstone for            automate lending decisions and design, test, implement and track
    Consumer Lending      lending policies.
  Capstone for Mortgage
    Lending
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  ProfitMax Product Line
- ------------------------
  ProfitMax               ProfitMax provides transaction-based, real-time authorization and
  ProfitMax Bankruptcy    action decisions from within a complete infrastructure for managing
                          the profitability of credit card portfolios. ProfitMax uses neural
                          networks, expert rules and HNC's cardholder behavior profiling
                          technology to analyze the expected profitability of each account in an
                          issuer's portfolio using the issuer's definition of financial profit.
                          ProfitMax Bankruptcy uses the basic ProfitMax structure to predict the
                          likelihood of cardholder bankruptcy even before the cardholder is
                          delinquent.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  AREAS                   AREAS automated property valuation software uses neural networks and
                          other computational intelligence to provide an objective prediction of
                          the current market value of residential property.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
 
  Retail
 
     Although retailers have made significant investments in customer
information, point-of-sale and quick-response ordering systems, these
applications often do not include the forecasting ability required to maximize
profitability and respond to competition through timely "in-store"
replenishment, electronic networking and quick response initiatives. HNC has
developed a group of products that effectively addresses inventory control,
merchandise management and financial control management. These software
solutions allow retailers to build forecasting and marketing models to carry out
day-to-day buying and selling activities, thereby reducing carrying costs for
inventories and improving purchasing, promotion and logistics efficiencies. The
target markets for the Company's retail products are department stores, mass
merchandisers and specialty retail chains in multi-store and multi-warehouse
environments with gross sales in excess of $200 million.
 
                                       33
<PAGE>   129
 
                          HNC RETAIL INDUSTRY PRODUCTS
================================================================================
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
         PRODUCT                                   PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
<S>                       <C>                                                                      <C>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Retek Merchandising      The Retek Merchandising System provides inventory control, merchandise
   System                 management and financial control and addresses the definition and
                          management of merchandise at the SKU level and reporting and financial
                          control through stock ledgers.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Retek Data Warehouse     Retek Data Warehouse provides the transaction infrastructure needed
                          for retailers to plan, buy, move, sell and pay for their merchandise.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Active Retail            Active Retail Intelligence identifies performance exceptions and
   Intelligence           recommends the appropriate corrective action.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Retek Demand             Retek Demand Forecasting provides forecasts to retailers' supply chain
   Forecasting            planning allocation and replenishment functions and uses predictive
                          causal techniques with automated forecasting and multi-dimensional
                          on-line analysis.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Falcon Retail            Falcon Retail provides proactive detection of private label card
                          application and transaction fraud.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
 
EMERGING MARKET OPPORTUNITIES
 
     The Company's experience and technology capabilities in the
healthcare/insurance, financial services and retail markets often lead to new
product ideas and concepts. The Company also evaluates new market opportunities
that arise through its commercial and government contract work. As contracts are
completed, the end products are evaluated for commercialization. For example,
contracts for the Advanced Research Projects Agency, United States Army Research
Laboratory, United States Air Force, Office of Naval Research, DataTimes
Corporation and Tracor Applied Sciences, Inc. generated a context-based text
analysis technology called MatchPlus. This core text analysis technology has
been under development at HNC for the last four years for Department of Defense
applications. During 1996, the Company formed Aptex to commercialize HNC's
MatchPlus text analysis technology for emerging markets. Aptex has developed a
strategic partnership with InfoSeek Corporation, an Internet search and
navigation service, to deliver products using this text analysis technology to
the Internet market. To date, three new Internet products have been launched:
SelectCast, SelectResponse and SelectResource.
 
     Substantially all of the Company's revenues in recent years have been
attributable to sales of predictive software solutions and services, and these
products and services are currently expected to continue to account for a
substantial amount of the Company's future revenues. The market for predictive
software solutions is still emerging. The rate at which businesses have adopted
the Company's products has varied significantly by market and by product within
each market, and the Company expects to continue to experience such variations
with respect to its target markets and products in the future. The Company has
introduced products for the healthcare/insurance, financial services and retail
markets. The Company has recently announced several new products, including
PMAdvisor, VeriComp, SelectCast, SelectResponse and SelectResource. To date,
none of these products has achieved any significant degree of market acceptance,
and there can be no assurance that such products will ever be widely accepted.
Although businesses in the Company's target markets have recognized the
advantages of using predictive software solutions to automate the
decision-making process, many have developed decision automation systems
internally rather than licensing them from outside vendors. There can be no
assurance that the markets for the Company's products will continue to develop
or that the Company's products will be widely accepted, if at all. If the
markets for the Company's new or existing products fail to develop, or develop
more slowly than anticipated, the Company's sales would be negatively impacted,
which would have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial
condition and results of operations.
 
                                       34
<PAGE>   130
 
CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SUPPORT
 
     A high level of continuing maintenance, service and support is critical to
maintaining the performance of the Company's predictive software solutions.
Service and support are also essential to the Company's objective of developing
long-term relationships with, and obtaining recurring revenues from, customers.
The Company's service and support activities are related to system installation,
performance validation and ongoing consultation on the optimal use of HNC
products.
 
     Model and Rule Updates. Most HNC product license agreements include
periodic data, model and/or rule updates to maintain system performance. HNC
technical personnel generally assist the customer with installation of updates.
The Company makes commitments to update models and rules at varying intervals,
from fixed times (such as quarterly and annually) to unscheduled times, provided
the customer has met its commitments to provide data to HNC.
 
     Education. The Company offers comprehensive education and training programs
to its customers. The Company provides on-site training services associated with
many of its products. Fees for education and training services are generally
included in usage-priced products, but may be charged separately in other cases.
 
     Consulting. The Company's consultants are available to work with customers'
user application groups and information systems organizations. Customers that
buy consulting services are usually planning large implementations or want to
optimize performance of the Company's products in their operating environments.
Fees for consulting are generally included in usage-priced products, but may be
charged separately in other cases.
 
PRICING
 
   
     The Company generally establishes prices in one of two ways: usage-based
fees and fixed-fee licenses with maintenance. The Company generally employs
usage-based pricing for its healthcare/insurance products, Falcon, ProfitMax and
AREAS. Under the usage-based pricing structure, HNC generally provides a
fixed-term software license, software maintenance, model updates (in the case of
HNC-supplied models) and ongoing consulting services in exchange for recurring
revenue based on usage. Usage-based term contracts typically include annual
price index adjustments. In 1995, 1996 and 1997, annual license and maintenance
revenues from these contracts represented 61.2%, 56.1% and 55.2% of the
Company's total revenues, respectively. The Company generally employs fixed-fee
license pricing for Capstone and all of the Company's retail products except
Falcon Retail. Under the fixed-fee license pricing structure, the Company
generally licenses the product for the customer's internal use on a perpetual
basis. In most cases, the user can separately contract for maintenance services
on an annual basis. The Company typically offers early adopter pricing for its
usage-based products to customers that agree to be part of pilot or other early
product life cycle installations. Early adopter pricing might include
reduced-fee perpetual licenses, reduced-fee services or both.
    
 
     The Company often contracts for installation services associated with its
predictive software solutions. The Company provides user-specific proposals
priced at either fixed-fee levels or on a time and materials basis. In nearly
all cases, travel expenses are billed separately at cost.
 
     The Company offers contract consulting services. Because of the complexity
associated with predictive software solutions, users often request that HNC help
them to develop models or analyze problems. Also, the Company from time to time
accepts engagements not associated with current product offerings in order to
become more familiar with a new application area and determine the potential for
new product development. Although consulting services are included with many of
the Company's usage-based products, customers may request additional consulting,
often associated with custom modeling.
 
                                       35
<PAGE>   131
 
SALES AND MARKETING
 
     The Company sells and markets its software and services in North America
and internationally through its direct sales organization, joint marketing and
distribution agreements. The Company's worldwide sales and marketing
organization consisted of 125 employees as of December 31, 1997. The domestic
sales staff is based at the Company's corporate headquarters in San Diego and in
United States field offices in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia,
Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia. Internationally, the
Company has field sales offices in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan,
Singapore, South Africa and the United Kingdom. To support its sales force, the
Company conducts comprehensive marketing programs, which include direct mail,
public relations, advertising, seminars, trade shows and ongoing customer
communication programs. The sales staff is generally product-based, and each
representative is assigned a geographic territory.
 
   
     The Company has licensed First Data and EDS to act as service bureaus to
provide an alternate channel of distribution for end-users to utilize the Falcon
product to process credit card receipts for banks and other credit card issuers.
The Company generally assists its service bureau partners in the sales effort,
often employing the Company's direct sales force in the process. Company sales
representatives earn a commission for service bureau sales in their territory.
These service bureaus pay the Company monthly usage fees based on the volume of
transactions processed for such credit card issuers. Product licenses to First
Data, the largest provider of credit card charge receipt processing services to
banks, accounted for 8.7%, 8.6% and 7.6% of the Company's total revenues in
1995, 1996 and 1997, respectively. The Company has licensed First Data to
provide its customers with access to the Company's ProfitMax product pursuant to
the ProfitMax Contract entered into in January 1996. The Company's revenues
under the ProfitMax Contract represented approximately one-quarter of the
Company's revenues from First Data in 1997. In late January 1998, First Data
asserted that certain restrictive covenants under the ProfitMax Contract
violated certain intellectual property laws. First Data also asserted that the
existence of such restrictions made the ProfitMax Contract at least temporarily
unenforceable and that First Data is therefore not obligated to pay the Company
license fees due under the ProfitMax Contract. The Company disputed First Data's
claim, released and waived the above-mentioned restrictive covenants in the
ProfitMax Contract and gave First Data written notice that the Company intended
to terminate the ProfitMax Contract pursuant to its terms unless First Data
cured its failure to pay the delinquent license fees in a timely manner.
Currently, First Data and the Company are working to resolve their dispute
regarding the ProfitMax Contract by negotiating a new agreement. First Data has
resumed making license fee payments on a delayed basis, and HNC has agreed to
extend the date for First Data to pay past due license fees until mid-April
1998. Although HNC expects to reach a new agreement with First Data that will
resolve the pending dispute, there can be no assurance that such an agreement
will be reached or that the terms of such an agreement would be as favorable to
HNC as its existing contractual arrangements with First Data. If no such
agreement can be reached and First Data maintains its current position, it is
possible that litigation or arbitration could ensue, which would likely result
in a loss of anticipated revenue to the Company under the ProfitMax Contract and
possibly other agreements between the Company and First Data, which could have a
material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and
results of operation.
    
 
     The Company also uses representative agents for certain products in certain
territories outside of North America. The Company has agents covering Australia,
Austria, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and Switzerland. In 1995,
1996 and 1997, international operations and export sales (includes sales in
Canada) represented 12.6%, 17.7% and 16.8% of the Company's total revenues,
respectively. International sales result primarily from Falcon product sales and
sales of retail products. The Company intends to continue to expand its
operations outside the United States and to enter additional international
markets, including by adding sales and support offices in Europe and Japan,
which will require significant management attention and financial resources. The
Company has committed and continues to commit significant time and development
resources
 
                                       36
<PAGE>   132
 
to customizing certain of its products for selected international markets and to
developing international sales and support channels. There can be no assurance
that the Company's efforts to develop products, databases and models for
targeted international markets or to develop additional international sales and
support channels will be successful. The failure of such efforts, which can
entail considerable expense, could have a material adverse effect on the
Company's business, financial condition and results of operations. See "Risk
Factors -- Risks Associated with International Sales."
 
     International sales are subject to additional inherent risks, including
longer payment cycles, unexpected changes in regulatory requirements, import and
export restrictions and tariffs, difficulties in staffing and managing foreign
operations, the burdens of complying with a variety of foreign laws, greater
difficulty or delay in accounts receivable collection, potentially adverse tax
consequences and political and economic instability. The Company's international
sales are currently denominated predominantly in United States dollars and a
small portion are denominated in British pounds sterling. An increase in the
value of the United States dollar relative to foreign currencies could make the
Company's products more expensive, and therefore potentially less competitive,
in foreign markets. In the future, to the extent the Company's international
sales are denominated in local currencies, foreign currency translations may
contribute to significant fluctuations in the Company's business, financial
condition and results of operations. If for any reason exchange or price
controls or other restrictions on foreign currencies are imposed, the Company's
business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially
adversely affected.
 
     Due in part to the mission-critical nature of certain of the Company's
applications, potential customers perceive high risk in connection with adoption
of the Company's products. As a result, customers have been cautious in making
decisions to acquire the Company's products. In addition, because the purchase
of the Company's products typically involves a significant commitment of capital
and may involve shifts by the customer to a new software and/or hardware
platform, delays in completing sales can arise while customers complete their
internal procedures to approve large capital expenditures and test and accept
new technologies that affect key operations. For these and other reasons, the
sales cycle associated with the purchase of the Company's products is typically
lengthy, unpredictable and subject to a number of significant risks over which
the Company has little or no control, including customers' budgetary constraints
and internal acceptance reviews. The sales cycle associated with the licensing
of the Company's products can typically range from 60 days to 18 months. As a
result of the length of the sales cycle and the typical size of customers'
orders, the Company's ability to forecast the timing and amount of specific
sales is limited. A lost or delayed sale could have a material adverse effect on
the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
TECHNOLOGY
 
     The Company seeks to develop innovative products by combining industry and
application knowledge with its core neural-network technology to address
specific market needs. The Company's systems also employ rule-based technology
to implement customer strategy, policy and procedures. These technologies are
incorporated in computer software and hardware architectures, including
client-server hardware, relational databases and object-oriented programming.
The Company intends to continue to develop state-of-the-art technologies to
enhance its current products and broaden development opportunities.
 
     Neural-Network Technology. Neural networks have predictive power that can
be improved with experience as the historical database increases in size. The
term "neural network" refers to a family of nonlinear, statistical modeling
techniques, sometimes called "computational intelligence." These techniques
distinguish themselves through a process of automated "learning" or "training"
that replaces the time-consuming manual techniques of traditional nonlinear,
statistical modeling. The neural-network architecture itself consists of groups
of "processing elements," or equations with several inputs and a single output.
The output of each element becomes either the
 
                                       37
<PAGE>   133
 
input to another element or part of the dependent output. Each input receives a
"weight" or value, in the equation, which is adjusted during the training
process. The actual result from each training record is compared with the answer
from the neural network, and the weights are adjusted to reduce the error
between the two. This process can become computationally intensive, as millions
of training data records must be processed hundreds or thousands of times. HNC
has developed proprietary high-speed and parallel-processor boards to accelerate
training and execution of its neural-network software. The Company believes that
the rapid model development afforded by its technology provides a competitive
advantage in the development of predictive software solutions.
 
     Rule-Based Technology. The Company's systems also employ rule-based
technology to implement customer strategy, policy and procedures. The rules are
implemented as part of predictive processes. The Company believes that its
combination of neural networks and rule bases in a single decision engine
represents a significant competitive advantage over more traditional approaches
to decision automation.
 
     Context Vector Technology. Context vector technology that originated at HNC
and is being commercialized at Aptex is a way to explore, analyze and model
unstructured textual data. Context vector technology automatically discovers the
underlying structure of free form symbolic data. This structure enables modeling
from data elements previously considered impossible to include in predictive
software applications. Context vector technology also models behavior. Just as
relationships are discovered in unstructured data, observing electronic
transaction behavior identifies patterns. Compatibility predictions can be made
between information, behavior, people and products. When combined with other HNC
technologies, such as neural networks and rule-based systems, the Company
believes that context vectors can improve the performance of existing
applications while opening new market opportunities. Context vector technology
has been demonstrated to increase banner advertising click rates on the
Internet, automate e-mail responses and discover unknown relationships in credit
card transaction data.
 
     The Company's success depends upon its ability to enter new markets by
successfully developing new products for such markets on a timely and
cost-effective basis. The Company's products often require customer data for
decision model development and system installation. As a result, completion of
new products (particularly new products for markets not previously served by the
Company) may be delayed while the Company extracts sufficient amounts of
statistically relevant data and develops the models. During this development
process, the Company relies on its potential customers in the new market to
provide data and to help train Company personnel in the use and meaning of the
data in the specific industry. These relationships also assist the Company in
establishing a market presence and credibility in the new market. These
potential customers, most of which have significantly greater financial and
marketing resources than the Company, may compete with the Company in the future
or otherwise discontinue their relationships with or support of the Company,
either during development of the Company's products or thereafter. The failure
by the Company to obtain adequate third-party support for new product
development would have a material adverse effect on the Company's ability to
enter new markets and, consequently, on the Company's business, financial
condition and results of operations. See "Risk Factors -- Risks Associated with
Technological Change and Delays in Developing New Products."
 
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
 
     The Company believes that its future success depends in part on its ability
to maintain and improve its core technologies, enhance its existing products and
develop new products that meet an expanding range of markets and customer
requirements. The Company intends to expand its existing product offerings and
to introduce new predictive software solutions. In the development of new
products and enhancements to existing products, the Company uses its own tools
extensively. Until 1996, the Company relied primarily on internal development of
its products. Based on timing and cost considerations, however, the Company has
acquired, and in the future
 
                                       38
<PAGE>   134
 
may consider acquiring, technology or products from third parties. For example,
the Company acquired technology and products in connection with its acquisitions
of Risk Data and Retek in 1996 and CompReview in 1997.
 
     The Company performs all quality assurance and develops documentation
internally. The Company intends to continue to support industry standard
operating environments, client-server architectures and network protocols. The
Company's specialists in neural network model development, software engineering,
user interface design, product documentation and quality improvement are
responsible for maintaining and enhancing the performance, quality and usability
of all HNC predictive software solutions. The marketing services organization is
responsible for authoring and updating all user documentation and other
publications. See "Risk Factors -- Risks Associated with Technological Change
and Delays in Developing New Products."
 
     The Company strategically targets its long-term research projects. In
addition to funds allocated by the Company for research, HNC receives research
contracts from a range of commercial sources and the United States Government.
Government and commercial contract customers have included the Advanced Research
Projects Agency, United States Air Force, Office of Naval Research and Tracor
Applied Sciences, Inc. The Company believes that these contracts augment its
ability to maintain existing technologies and investigate new technologies that
may or may not become part of its products. The United States Government
typically retains certain intellectual property rights and licenses in the
technologies the Company develops under research contracts directly or
indirectly sponsored by the government, and in some cases can terminate the
Company's rights in such technologies if the Company fails to commercialize them
on a timely basis. Historically, these contracts have not resulted in
development of products contributing to the Company's revenues in the fiscal
year in which the research contract is performed, or in the subsequent fiscal
year.
 
     The market for the Company's predictive software solutions for service
industries is characterized by rapidly changing technology and improvements in
computer hardware, network operating systems, programming tools, programming
languages, operating systems and database technology. The Company's success will
depend upon its ability to continue to develop and maintain competitive
technologies, enhance its current products and develop, in a timely and
cost-effective manner, new products that meet changing market conditions,
including evolving customer needs, new competitive product offerings, emerging
industry standards and changing technology. For example, the rapid growth of the
Internet environment creates new opportunities, risks and uncertainties for
businesses, such as the Company, which develop software solutions that now may
have to be designed to operate in Internet, intranet and other on-line
environments. The Company may not be able to develop and market, on a timely
basis, or at all, product enhancements or new products that respond to changing
technologies. The Company has previously experienced significant delays in the
development and introduction of new products and product enhancements, primarily
due to difficulties with model development, which has in the past required
multiple iterations, as well as difficulties with acquiring data and adapting to
particular operating environments. The length of these delays has varied
depending upon the size and scope of the project and the nature of the problems
encountered. Any significant delay in the completion of new products, or the
failure of such products, if and when installed, to achieve any significant
degree of market acceptance, would have a material adverse effect on the
Company's business, financial condition and results of operations. Any failure
by the Company to anticipate or to respond adequately to changing technologies,
or any significant delays in product development or introduction, could cause
customers to delay or decide against purchases of the Company's products and
would have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial
condition and results of operations.
 
                                       39
<PAGE>   135
 
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND OTHER PROPRIETARY RIGHTS
 
     The Company relies on a combination of patent, copyright, trademark and
trade secret laws and confidentiality procedures to protect its proprietary
rights. The Company currently owns seven issued United States patents and has
four United States patent applications pending. The Company has applied for
additional patents for its Falcon technology in Canada, Europe and Japan and for
its MIRA product in Australia, Canada and Europe. There can be no assurance that
patents will be issued with respect to pending or future patent applications or
that the Company's patents will be upheld as valid or will prevent the
development of competitive products. The Company seeks to protect its software,
documentation and other written materials under trade secret and copyright laws,
which afford only limited protection. As part of its confidentiality procedures,
the Company generally enters into invention assignment and proprietary
information agreements with its employees and independent contractors and
nondisclosure agreements with its distributors, corporate partners and
licensees, and limits access to and distribution of its software, documentation
and other proprietary information. Despite these precautions, it may be possible
for a third party to copy or otherwise to obtain and use the Company's products
or technology without authorization, or to develop similar technology
independently. In addition, to ensure that customers will not be adversely
affected by an interruption in the Company's business, the Company places source
code for certain of its products into escrow, which may increase the likelihood
of misappropriation or other misuse of the Company's intellectual property.
Moreover, effective protection of intellectual property rights may be
unavailable or limited in certain foreign countries in which the Company has
done and may do business. Also, the Company has developed technologies under
research projects conducted under agreements with various United States
Government agencies or subcontractors to such agencies. Although the Company has
acquired certain commercial rights to such technologies, the United States
Government typically retains ownership of certain intellectual property rights
and licenses in the technologies developed by the Company under such contracts,
and in some cases can terminate the Company's rights in such technologies if the
Company fails to commercialize them on a timely basis. In addition, under
certain United States Government contracts, the results of the Company's
research may be made public by the government, which could limit the Company's
competitive advantage with respect to future products based on such research.
 
     In the past, the Company has received communications from third parties
asserting that Company trademarks infringe such other parties' trademarks, none
of which has resulted in litigation or losses to the Company. Given the
Company's ongoing efforts to develop and market new technologies and products,
the Company may receive communications from third parties asserting that the
Company's products infringe, or may infringe, their intellectual property
rights. If as a result of any such claims the Company were precluded from using
certain technologies or intellectual property rights, licenses to such disputed
third-party technology or intellectual property rights might not be available on
reasonable commercial terms, if at all. Furthermore, the Company may initiate
claims or litigation against third parties for infringement of the Company's
proprietary rights or to establish the validity of the Company's proprietary
rights. Litigation, either as plaintiff or defendant, could result in
significant expense to the Company and divert the efforts of the Company's
technical and management personnel from productive tasks, whether or not such
litigation is resolved in favor of the Company. In the event of an adverse
ruling in any such litigation, the Company might be required to pay substantial
damages, discontinue the use and sale of infringing products, expend significant
resources to develop non-infringing technology or obtain licenses to infringing
technology, and the court might invalidate the Company's patents, trademarks or
other proprietary rights. In the event of a successful claim against the Company
and the failure of the Company to develop or license a substitute technology,
the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations would be
materially and adversely affected.
 
     As the number of software products increases and the functionality of these
products further overlaps, the Company believes that software developers may
become increasingly subject to
 
                                       40
<PAGE>   136
 
infringement claims. Any such claims, with or without merit, can be time
consuming and expensive to defend and could materially and adversely affect the
Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
COMPETITION
 
   
     The market for predictive software solutions for service industries is
intensely competitive and subject to rapid change. Competitors, many of which
have substantially greater financial resources than the Company, vary in size
and in the scope of the products and services they offer. The Company encounters
competition from a number of sources, including (i) other application software
companies, (ii) management information systems departments of customers and
potential customers, including banks, insurance companies and retailers, (iii)
third party professional services organizations, including without limitation,
consulting divisions of public accounting firms, (iv) hardware suppliers that
bundle or develop complementary software, (v) network and service providers that
seek to enhance their value-added services, (vi) neural-network tool suppliers
and (vii) managed care organizations. In the healthcare/insurance market, the
Company has experienced competition primarily from NCCI, Corporate Systems and
CSC Incorporated. In the workers' compensation and medical cost administration
market, the Company has experienced competition from MediCode, Medata, Inc. and
Embassy Software with regard to software licensing, and Intracorp and Corvel
Corporation in the service bureau operations market. Additionally, the Company
has faced competition from ADP in the automobile accident medical claims market.
In the financial services market, the Company has experienced competition from
Fair, Isaac & Co., Inc., Cogensys (a subsidiary of Policy Management Systems
Corporation), Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, IBM, Nestor, Inc., NeuralTech Inc.,
Neuralware Inc., PMI Mortgage Services Co., VISA International and others. In
the retail market, the Company has experienced competition from JDA Software
Group, Inc., SAP AG, PeopleSoft, Inc., IBM, Manugistics Group, Inc. and others.
The Company expects to experience additional competition from other established
and emerging companies, as well as other technologies. For example, the
Company's Falcon product competes against other methods of preventing credit
card fraud, such as card activation programs, credit cards that contain the
cardholder's photograph, smart cards and other card authorization techniques.
Increased competition, whether from other products or new technologies, could
result in price reductions, fewer customer orders, reduced gross margins and
loss of market share, any of which could materially adversely affect the
Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
    
 
     The Company believes that most of its products are currently priced at a
premium when compared to its competitors' products. The market for the Company's
products is highly competitive, and the Company expects that it will face
increasing pricing pressures from its current competitors and new market
entrants. In particular, increased competition could reduce or eliminate such
premiums and cause further price reductions. In addition, such competition could
adversely affect the Company's ability to obtain new long-term contracts and
renewals of existing long-term contracts on terms favorable to the Company. Any
reduction in the price of the Company's products could materially adversely
affect the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
     The Company believes that the principal competitive factors affecting its
market include technical performance (for example, accuracy in detecting credit
card fraud or evaluating workers' compensation claims), access to unique
proprietary databases and product attributes such as adaptability, scalability,
ability to integrate with products produced by other vendors, functionality,
ease-of-use, product reputation, quality, performance, price, customer service
and support, the effectiveness of sales and marketing efforts and Company
reputation. Although the Company believes that its products currently compete
favorably with respect to such factors, there can be no assurance that the
Company can maintain its competitive position against current and potential
 
                                       41
<PAGE>   137
 
competitors, especially those with significantly greater financial, marketing,
service, support, technical and other resources.
 
     Some of the Company's current, and many of the Company's potential,
competitors have significantly greater financial, technical, marketing and other
resources than the Company. As a result, they may be able to respond more
quickly to new or emerging technologies and changes in customer requirements or
to devote greater resources to the development, promotion and sale of their
products than the Company. In addition, current and potential competitors have
established or may establish cooperative relationships among themselves or with
third parties to increase the ability of their products to address the needs of
the Company's prospective customers. Accordingly, it is possible that new
competitors or alliances among competitors may emerge and rapidly gain
significant market share. Also, the Company relies upon its customers to provide
data, expertise and other support for the ongoing updating of the Company's
models. The Company's customers, most of which have significantly greater
financial and marketing resources than the Company, may compete with the Company
in the future or otherwise discontinue their relationships with or support of
the Company. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to compete
successfully against current and future competitors or that competitive
pressures faced by the Company will not materially adversely affect its
business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
EMPLOYEES
 
     As of December 31, 1997, the Company had 706 employees, including 316 in
product development and support, 87 in customer service, 125 in sales and
marketing and 178 in finance, administration and MIS. Most of these employees
are located in the United States. None of the Company's employees are
represented by a labor union. The Company has experienced no work stoppages and
believes that its employee relationships are generally good.
 
     The Company's success depends to a significant degree upon the continued
service of members of the Company's senior management and other key research,
development, sales and marketing personnel. Accordingly, the loss of any of the
Company's senior management or key research, development, sales or marketing
personnel could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business,
financial condition and results of operations. Only a small number of employees
have employment agreements with the Company, and there can be no assurance that
such agreements will result in the retention of these employees for any
significant period of time. In addition, the untimely loss of a member of the
management team or a key employee of a business acquired by the Company could
have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition
and results of operations, particularly if such loss occurred before the Company
has had adequate time to familiarize itself with the operating details of that
business. In the past, the Company has experienced difficulty in recruiting a
sufficient number of qualified sales and technical employees. In addition,
competitors may attempt to recruit the Company's key employees. There can be no
assurance that the Company will be successful in attracting, assimilating and
retaining such personnel. The failure to attract, assimilate and retain key
personnel could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business,
financial condition and results of operations. See "Risk Factors -- Risks
Associated with Managing Growth."
 
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<PAGE>   138
 
FACILITIES
 
     The Company's principal administrative, sales, marketing, support, research
and development facilities are located in approximately 85,000 square feet of
space in San Diego, California. The Company and its subsidiaries also lease an
aggregate of approximately 95,000 square feet of additional office space
elsewhere in San Diego and in Atlanta, Georgia; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Costa
Mesa, California; and Irvine, California. The Company and its subsidiaries also
maintain numerous field offices in the United States and in foreign countries.
The Company believes that its current facilities are adequate to meet its needs
for the foreseeable future. The Company believes that suitable additional or
alternative space will be available in the future on commercially reasonable
terms as needed.
 
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<PAGE>   139
 
                                   MANAGEMENT
 
DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
 
     The names, ages and positions of the Company's directors and executive
officers as of February 17, 1998 are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                       NAME                     AGE                      POSITION
    ------------------------------------------  ---   -----------------------------------------------
    <S>                                         <C>   <C>
    Robert L. North...........................   62   President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
    Raymond V. Thomas.........................   55   Vice President, Finance and Administration,
                                                      Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
    John Mutch................................   41   Vice President, Marketing
    Todd W. Gutschow..........................   37   Vice President, Technology Development
    Michael A. Thiemann.......................   41   President, Aptex Software Inc.
    Edward K. Chandler(1).....................   39   Director
    Oliver D. Curme(2)........................   44   Director
    Thomas F. Farb(1).........................   41   Director
    Charles H. Gaylord, Jr.(2)................   52   Director
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
 
(1) Member of the Audit Committee
 
(2) Member of the Compensation Committee
 
     Mr. North has been President and Chief Executive Officer and a director of
the Company since June 1987. Mr. North is also a director of Peerless Systems
Corporation. Mr. North holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees
in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University.
 
     Mr. Thomas has been Vice President, Finance and Administration and Chief
Financial Officer of the Company since February 1995 and Secretary of the
Company since May 1995. From May 1993 to February 1995, he served as Executive
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Golden Systems, Inc., a power
supply manufacturer, and from September 1994 to February 1995 he also served as
Chief Operating Officer. From April 1991 to May 1993, Mr. Thomas served as
Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer
of Vitesse Semiconductor Corporation, a semiconductor manufacturer. Mr. Thomas
holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management from Purdue
University and attended the Wharton School of Business at the University of
Pennsylvania.
 
     Mr. Mutch joined the Company in July 1997 as Vice President, Marketing. He
was a founder of MVenture Holdings, Inc., a private equity fund that invests in
start-up technology companies, and served as a General Partner from June 1994 to
July 1997. From December 1986 to June 1994, Mr. Mutch held a variety of
positions with Microsoft Corporation, including Director of Organization
Marketing. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Economics from
Cornell University and a Masters degree in Business Administration from the
University of Chicago.
 
     Mr. Gutschow is a co-founder of the Company and has been Vice President,
Technology Development of the Company since October 1990. He was also Secretary
of the Company from January 1993 to May 1995. Mr. Gutschow holds a Bachelor of
Arts degree in Physics from Harvard University and attended the University of
California at San Diego.
 
     Mr. Thiemann joined the Company in June 1989. He ran the Company's Aptex
text analysis division from January 1996 to September 1996 and in September 1996
was named President and Chief Executive Officer of Aptex Software Inc. From May
1993 to January 1996, he served as Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing
of the Company. He has also served as Executive Vice President and General
Manager, Decision Systems of the Company from January 1993 to May 1993, Vice
President and General Manager, Decision Systems of the Company from February
1990 to January 1993 and Vice President, New Business Development of the Company
from June 1989 to February 1990. Mr. Thiemann holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in
Art, a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and a Masters degree
in Electrical
 
                                       44
<PAGE>   140
 
Engineering from Stanford University and a Masters degree in Business
Administration from Harvard University.
 
     Mr. Chandler has been a director of the Company since August 1991. Since
July 1991, he has been President of Prairie-EKC, Inc., a partner of the general
partner of PCE 1991 Limited Partnership, a venture capital firm. Since November
1996, Mr. Chandler has also been a Managing Director of Graystone Venture
Partners, LLC, a venture capital firm. Mr. Chandler holds a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Economics from Yale University and a Masters degree in Business
Administration from Harvard University.
 
     Mr. Curme has been a director of the Company since June 1987. Since January
1988, he has been a general partner of the general partner of Battery Ventures,
L.P., a national venture capital firm. Mr. Curme also serves as a director of
several privately held technology companies. Mr. Curme is also a director of
InfoSeek Corporation, an Internet search and navigation service company. He
holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from Brown University and a
Masters degree in Business Administration from Harvard University.
 
     Mr. Farb has been a director of the Company since November 1987. Since
April 1994, he has been Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and
Treasurer of Interneuron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a publicly-held diversified
pharmaceutical company, and an officer of several of its subsidiaries. From
October 1992 to March 1994, Mr. Farb served as Vice President of Corporate
Development, Chief Financial Officer and Controller of Cytyc Corporation, a
medical device and diagnostics company. Mr. Farb also serves as a director of
Redwood Trust, Inc., a California-based publicly-held Real Estate Investment
Trust. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Harvard College.
 
     Mr. Gaylord has been a director of the Company since May 1995. He is
currently a private technology investor and a director of Stac Inc., a
publicly-held software company. From December 1993 to September 1994, Mr.
Gaylord served as Executive Vice President of Intuit Inc., a publicly-held
personal and small business finance software company, following Intuit's
acquisition of ChipSoft, Inc., a tax preparation software company. Prior to that
acquisition, from June 1990 to December 1993, he served first as President and
Chief Executive Officer and a director of ChipSoft and then as Chairman of the
Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer. He holds Bachelor of Science and
Master of Science degrees in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Institute of
Technology and a Masters degree in Business Administration from Harvard
University.
 
                                       45
<PAGE>   141
 
                              SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
 
     The following table sets forth certain information known to the Company
regarding beneficial ownership of the Company's Common Stock by each Selling
Stockholder as of December 31, 1997, and as adjusted to reflect the sale of
shares offered pursuant to this Prospectus.
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                    SHARES BENEFICIALLY      NUMBER OF      SHARES BENEFICIALLY
                                       OWNED PRIOR TO       SHARES BEING        OWNED AFTER
                                        OFFERING(1)           OFFERED          OFFERING(1)(2)
                                    --------------------    ------------    --------------------
     NAME OF BENEFICIAL OWNER        NUMBER      PERCENT                     NUMBER      PERCENT
- ----------------------------------  ---------    -------                    ---------    -------
<S>                                 <C>          <C>        <C>             <C>          <C>
Robert L. Kaaren(3)...............  2,442,780      9.9%      1,035,000      1,407,780      5.7%
Michael E. Munayyer, Trustee of
  the Michael Munayyer Trust dated
  August 11, 1995(4)..............  2,442,780      9.9       1,035,000      1,407,780      5.7%
Oliver D. Curme(5)................     21,586        *          10,000         11,586        *
</TABLE>
    
 
- ---------------
 
 *  Less than 1.0%.
 
(1) Based upon a total of 24,537,550 shares of Common Stock outstanding as of
    December 31, 1997. Unless otherwise indicated below, the persons and
    entities named in the table have sole voting and sole investment power with
    respect to all shares beneficially owned, subject to community property laws
    where applicable. Shares of Common Stock subject to options that are
    currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of December 31, 1997 are
    deemed to be outstanding and to be beneficially owned by the person holding
    such options for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of such
    person but are not treated as outstanding for the purpose of computing the
    percentage ownership of any other person.
 
   
(2) Assumes that the Underwriters' over-allotment option to purchase up to an
    aggregate of 315,000 shares is not exercised. If the over-allotment option
    is exercised, Mr. Kaaren and the Michael Munayyer Trust will each sell
    1,192,500 shares, and own 1,250,280 shares or 6.5% of the Company's
    outstanding Common Stock following this offering.
    
 
(3) Dr. Kaaren is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CompReview. The
    address of Dr. Kaaren is c/o CompReview, Inc., 3200 Park Center Drive, 5th
    Floor, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.
 
(4) Mr. Munayyer is the Chief Technical Officer of CompReview. The address of
    Mr. Munayyer and the Michael Munayyer Trust is c/o CompReview, Inc., 3200
    Park Center Drive, 5th Floor, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.
 
(5) Includes 10,000 shares of Common Stock subject to options exercisable within
    60 days of December 31, 1997. Mr. Curme is a director of the Company.
 
                                       46
<PAGE>   142
 
                          DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
 
     The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 50,000,000 shares
of Common Stock and 4,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock. As of December 31,
1997, there were 24,537,550 outstanding shares of Common Stock held of record by
approximately 186 stockholders and options to purchase 4,591,133 shares of
Common Stock.
 
COMMON STOCK
 
     Subject to preferences that may apply to any Preferred Stock outstanding at
the time, the holders of outstanding shares of Common Stock are entitled to
receive dividends out of assets legally available therefor at such times and in
such amounts as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine. Each
stockholder is entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock held on all
matters submitted to a vote of stockholders. Cumulative voting for the election
of directors is not provided for in the Company's Certificate of Incorporation,
which means that the holders of a majority of the shares voted can elect all of
the directors then standing for election. The Common Stock is not entitled to
preemptive rights and is not subject to conversion or redemption. Upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Company, the assets legally
available for distribution to stockholders are distributable ratably among the
holders of the Common Stock and any participating Preferred Stock outstanding at
that time after payment of liquidation preferences, if any, on any outstanding
Preferred Stock and payment of other claims of creditors. Each outstanding share
of Common Stock is fully paid and nonassessable. The Company's Common Stock is
traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol "HNCS."
 
PREFERRED STOCK
 
     The Board of Directors is authorized, subject to any limitations prescribed
by Delaware law, to provide for the issuance of additional shares of Preferred
Stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares
to be included in each such series, to fix the powers, designations, preferences
and rights of the shares of each wholly unissued series and any qualifications,
limitations or restrictions thereon, and to increase or decrease the number of
shares of any such series (but not below the number of shares of such series
then outstanding), without any further vote or action by the stockholders. The
Board of Directors may authorize the issuance of Preferred Stock with voting or
conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting power of other rights
of the holders of Common Stock. Thus, the issuance of Preferred Stock could have
the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of the
Company. The Company has no current plan to issue any shares of Preferred Stock.
 
DELAWARE GENERAL CORPORATION LAW SECTION 203
 
     As a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, the
Company is subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the
"DGCL"), which restricts certain business combinations between the Company and
an "interested stockholder" (in general, a stockholder owning 15% or more of the
Company's outstanding voting stock) or its affiliates or associates for a period
of three years following the date on which the stockholder becomes an
"interested stockholder." The restrictions do not apply if (i) prior to an
interested stockholder becoming such, the Board of Directors approves either the
business combination or the transaction in which the stockholder becomes an
interested stockholder, (ii) upon consummation of the transaction in which the
stockholder becomes an interested stockholder, such interested stockholder owns
at least 85% of the voting stock of the Company outstanding at the time the
transaction commences (excluding shares owned by certain employee stock
ownership plans and persons who are both directors and officers of the Company)
or (iii) on or subsequent to the date an interested stockholder becomes such,
the business combination is both approved by the Board of Directors and
authorized at an annual or special meeting of the Company's stockholders, not by
 
                                       47
<PAGE>   143
 
written consent, but by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of the
outstanding voting stock not owned by the interested stockholder.
 
REGISTRATION RIGHTS; EXISTING SHELF REGISTRATION
 
   
     1994 Registration Rights Agreement. Certain holders of outstanding shares
of Common Stock who are parties to the Company's Third Amended Registration
Rights Agreement dated April 26, 1994 (the "1994 Registration Rights Agreement")
have contractual rights to have certain shares of the Company's Common Stock
registered under the Securities Act. To the Company's best knowledge, based
solely on its review of its current stockholders of record, parties to the 1994
Registration Rights Agreement together own approximately 412,666 shares of
Common Stock that may be registered pursuant to the 1994 Registration Rights
Agreement (the "Registrable Shares"). If requested by holders of at least 50% of
the outstanding Registrable Shares, the Company must file a registration
statement under the Securities Act covering all Registrable Shares requested to
be included by all holders thereof. For purposes of exercising such demand
registration rights, the Registrable Shares do not include any shares of Common
Stock that were issued upon the conversion of formerly outstanding shares of the
Company's Series A Preferred Stock. The Company may be required to effect up to
four such demand registrations of Registrable Shares, plus one additional such
registration for each registration that does not include at least 80% of the
Registrable Shares requested to be included. All expenses incurred in connection
with such registrations (other than underwriters' discounts and commissions)
will be borne by the Company until there have been two such registrations that
include at least 80% of the Registrable Shares requested to be included. In
addition, if the Company proposes to register any of its securities under the
Securities Act (other than in connection with a Company employee benefit plan or
a business combination), the holders of Registrable Shares may require the
Company to include all or a portion of such shares in such registration,
although the managing underwriter of any such offering has certain rights to
limit the number of shares in such registration. All expenses incurred in
connection with such registrations (other than underwriters' discounts and
commissions) will be borne by the Company. If the Company is eligible to use
Form S-3 to register its shares, any holder or holders of Registrable Shares who
hold at least 10% of the Registrable Shares originally issued may request the
Company to register such shares on a Form S-3 registration statement, provided
the reasonably anticipated aggregate offering price of such shares exceeds
$500,000. The Company is not obligated to effect more than two such Form S-3
registrations in any calendar year. All expenses of such Form S-3 registrations
must be borne by the selling stockholders. The registration rights under the
1994 Registration Rights Agreement expire in July 2000.
    
 
   
     Risk Data Registration Rights. Pursuant to a Registration Rights Agreement
dated August 30, 1996, former stockholders of Risk Data who hold at least 30% of
the shares of the Company's Common Stock that were issued in the Risk Data
acquisition and have not been publicly resold ("Risk Data Shares") may request
the Company to register such shares under the Securities Act on a Form S-3
registration statement, provided the aggregate public offering price of such
shares is at least $2,000,000. The Company is not obligated to register any
holder's Risk Data Shares if all such shares may be resold within a three-month
period under Rule 144 or Rule 145(d) under the Securities Act. The Company may
be required to effect up to two such Form S-3 registrations and will bear all
expenses incurred in connection with such registrations. These registration
rights expire on August 31, 1998.
    
 
     CompReview Registration Rights. Pursuant to a Registration Rights Agreement
dated November 28, 1997, the former stockholders of CompReview are entitled to
have the shares of the Company's Common Stock that were issued to them in the
CompReview acquisition ("CompReview Shares") registered, at the Company's
expense, on a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 pursuant to Rule 415
under the Securities Act (the "CompReview Shelf Registration"). The Company
expects to file the CompReview Shelf Registration in the near future. Under
 
                                       48
<PAGE>   144
 
the CompReview Registration Rights Agreement, once the former CompReview
stockholders have together sold an aggregate combined total of 1,250,000
CompReview Shares, sales of CompReview Shares may be made pursuant to the
CompReview Shelf Registration only during certain time periods after advance
notice to the Company. The Company is not obligated to maintain the
effectiveness of the CompReview Shelf Registration after November 28, 1998
unless, pursuant to the CompReview registration rights agreement, the Company
exercises its rights to defer a requested sale of CompReview Shares, in which
case the time period during which the CompReview Shelf Registration must be kept
effective must be extended by a period of time equal to the period of deferral.
 
     Retek Shelf Registration. Pursuant to a Registration Rights Agreement dated
October 25, 1996, as amended, the Company has filed a Form S-3 registration
statement pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act (the "Retek Shelf
Registration"), covering the sale of the shares of the Company's Common Stock
issued in the Retek acquisition (the "Retek Shares"). Sales of Retek Shares may
be made pursuant to the Retek Shelf Registration only during certain time
periods after advance notice to the Company. The Company is not obligated to
maintain the effectiveness of the Retek Shelf Registration after November 29,
1998 unless, pursuant to the Retek registration rights agreement, the Company
exercises its rights to defer a requested sale of Retek Shares, in which case
the time period during which the Retek Shelf Registration must be kept effective
must be extended by a period of time equal to the period of deferral.
 
TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR
 
     The Transfer Agent and Registrar for the Company's Common Stock is
BancBoston, N.A.
 
                                       49
<PAGE>   145
 
                                  UNDERWRITING
 
   
     The Underwriters named below have severally agreed, subject to the terms
and conditions contained in the Underwriting Agreement (the form of which is
filed as an exhibit to the Company's Registration Statement, of which this
Prospectus is a part), to purchase from the Company and the Selling Stockholders
the respective number of shares of Common Stock indicated below opposite their
respective names. The Underwriters are committed to purchase all of the shares
(other than those covered by the Underwriters' over-allotment option described
below), if they purchase any.
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     NUMBER OF
                                     NAME                             SHARES
            -------------------------------------------------------  ---------
            <S>                                                      <C>
            Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Inc...........................
            BancAmerica Robertson Stephens.........................
            Smith Barney Inc.......................................
                                                                     ---------
                      Total........................................  2,100,000
                                                                     =========
</TABLE>
    
 
     The Underwriting Agreement provides that the obligations of the several
Underwriters thereunder are subject to approval of certain legal matters by
counsel and to various other conditions.
 
     The Underwriters have advised the Company that the Underwriters propose
initially to offer the Common Stock to the public on the terms set forth on the
cover page of this Prospectus. The Underwriters may allow to selected dealers
(who may include the Underwriters) a concession of not more than $     per
share. The selected dealers may reallow a concession of not more than $     per
share to certain other dealers. After the initial offering of the shares, the
price and concessions and re-allowances to dealers and other selling terms may
be changed by the Underwriters. The Common Stock is offered subject to receipt
and acceptance by the Underwriters, and to certain other conditions, including
the right to reject orders in whole or in part. The Underwriters do not intend
to sell any of the shares of Common Stock offered hereby to accounts for which
they exercise discretionary authority.
 
   
     Certain of the Selling Stockholders have granted an option to the
Underwriters to purchase up to a maximum of 315,000 additional shares of Common
Stock to cover over-allotments, if any, at the public offering price, less the
underwriting discount set forth on the cover page of this Prospectus. Such
option may be exercised at any time until 30 days after the date of the
Underwriting Agreement. To the extent the Underwriters exercise this option,
each of the Underwriters will be committed, subject to certain conditions, to
purchase such additional shares in approximately the same proportion as set
forth in the above table. The Underwriters may purchase such shares only to
cover over-allotments made in connection with this offering.
    
 
   
     In connection with this offering, the Company, the directors and executive
officers of the Company and the Selling Stockholders have agreed, during the
period ending 90 days after the date of this Prospectus, not to (i) offer,
pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase,
purchase any option or offer to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to
purchase, or otherwise transfer, lend or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any
shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or
exchangeable for Common Stock or (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement
that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences
of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in
clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such
other securities, in cash or otherwise, except under certain limited
circumstances or without the prior written consent of Deutsche Morgan Grenfell
Inc.
    
 
   
     The Underwriters are also currently offering $90.0 million of the Company's
Notes and intend to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the form of which is
filed as an exhibit to the Company's Registration Statement, of which this
Prospectus is a part) for that purpose. Pursuant to that
    
 
                                       50
<PAGE>   146
 
   
agreement, the Underwriters will be entitled to exercise an over-allotment
option for $10.0 million of the Notes, will receive customary underwriters'
compensation for an offering of that size and type and will be indemnified by
the Company.
    
 
     The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Company and the Selling
Stockholders will indemnify the several Underwriters against certain
liabilities, including civil liabilities under the Securities Act, as amended,
or will contribute to payments the Underwriters may be required to make in
respect thereof.
 
     Certain persons participating in this offering may over-allot or effect
transactions which stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of
the Common Stock at levels above those which might otherwise prevail in the open
market, including by entering stabilizing bids, imposing penalty bids or
otherwise. A stabilizing bid means the placing of any bid or effecting of any
purchase for the purpose of pegging, fixing or maintaining the price of the
Common Stock. A syndicate covering transaction means the placing of any bid on
behalf of the underwriting syndicate or the effecting of any purchase to reduce
a short position created in connection with this offering. A penalty bid means
an arrangement that permits the Underwriters to reclaim a selling concession
from an Underwriter when shares of Common Stock sold by the Underwriter are
purchased in stabilization transactions. Such transactions may be effected on
the Nasdaq Stock Market, in the over-the-counter market, or otherwise. Such
stabilizing, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.
 
     The Underwriters and dealers may engage in passive market making
transactions in the Common Stock in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M
promulgated by the Commission. In general, a passive market maker may not bid
for, or purchase, the Common Stock at a price that exceeds the highest
independent bid. In addition, the net daily purchases made by any passive market
maker generally may not exceed 30% of its average daily trading volume in the
Common Stock during a specified two month prior period, or 200 shares, whichever
is greater. A passive market maker must identify passive market making bids as
such on the Nasdaq electronic inter-dealer reporting system. Passive market
making may stabilize or maintain the market price of the Common Stock above
independent market levels. Underwriters and dealers are not required to engage
in passive market making and may end passive market making activities at any
time.
 
                                 LEGAL MATTERS
 
     The validity of the issuance of the shares of Common Stock offered hereby
will be passed upon for the Company and the Selling Stockholders by Fenwick &
West LLP, Palo Alto, California. Certain legal matters will be passed upon for
the Underwriters by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation,
Palo Alto, California.
 
                                    EXPERTS
 
     The consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 1996 and 1997 and
for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 1997 included in
this Prospectus have been so included in reliance on the report of Price
Waterhouse LLP, independent accountants, given on the authority of said firm as
experts in auditing and accounting.
 
                                       51
<PAGE>   147
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
                   INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                        PAGE
                                                                                        ----
<S>                                                                                     <C>
Report of Independent Accountants.....................................................  F-2
Consolidated Balance Sheet............................................................  F-3
Consolidated Statement of Income......................................................  F-4
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows..................................................  F-5
Consolidated Statement of Changes in Stockholders' Equity.............................  F-6
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements............................................  F-7
</TABLE>
 
                                       F-1
<PAGE>   148
 
                       REPORT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
 
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders
of HNC Software Inc.
 
In our opinion, the accompanying consolidated balance sheet and the related
consolidated statements of income, of cash flows and of changes in stockholders'
equity present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of HNC
Software Inc. and its subsidiaries at December 31, 1996 and 1997, and the
results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in
the period ended December 31, 1997, in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles. 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 of these
statements in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards which
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, assessing the accounting principles
used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall
financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a
reasonable basis for the opinion expressed above.
 
PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP
 
San Diego, California
January 29, 1998,
except as to Note 11
which is as of February 13, 1998
 
                                       F-2
<PAGE>   149
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
                           CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
                     (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
 
                                     ASSETS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                          DECEMBER 31,
                                                                      --------------------
                                                                       1996         1997
                                                                      -------     --------
<S>                                                                   <C>         <C>
Current assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents.........................................  $ 8,121     $ 18,068
  Investments available for sale....................................   26,728       24,878
  Accounts receivable, net..........................................   21,856       32,980
  Current portion of deferred income taxes..........................    6,383       11,310
  Other current assets..............................................    2,553        2,802
                                                                      -------     --------
          Total current assets......................................   65,641       90,038
Deferred income taxes, less current portion.........................   22,966       15,322
Property and equipment, net.........................................    6,339       12,102
Other assets........................................................    3,330        2,415
                                                                      -------     --------
                                                                      $98,276     $119,877
                                                                      =======     ========
 
                           LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
 
Current liabilities:
  Accounts payable..................................................  $ 4,368     $  5,728
  Accrued liabilities...............................................    4,433        5,933
  Deferred revenue..................................................    3,377        3,883
  Other current liabilities.........................................      445          191
                                                                      -------     --------
          Total current liabilities.................................   12,623       15,735
Non-current liabilities.............................................      683          239
 
Minority interest in consolidated subsidiary........................       --           43
 
Commitments and contingencies (Notes 5 and 10)
 
Stockholders' equity:
  Preferred stock, $0.001 par value -- 4,000 shares authorized:
     no shares issued or outstanding................................       --           --
  Common stock, $0.001 par value -- 50,000 shares authorized:
     24,012 and 24,538 shares issued and outstanding,
      respectively..................................................       24           25
  Paid-in capital...................................................   83,991       95,919
  Unrealized loss on investments available for sale.................      (59)          (2)
  Foreign currency translation adjustment...........................       54         (111)
  Retained earnings.................................................      960        8,029
                                                                      -------     --------
          Total stockholders' equity................................   84,970      103,860
                                                                      -------     --------
                                                                      $98,276     $119,877
                                                                      =======     ========
</TABLE>
 
          See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements
 
                                       F-3
<PAGE>   150
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
                        CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME
                     (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                             YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                         --------------------------------
                                                           1995        1996        1997
                                                         --------     -------     -------
<S>                                                      <C>          <C>         <C>
Revenues:
  License and maintenance..............................  $ 24,561     $48,890     $89,643
  Installation and implementation......................     4,648       6,691      10,702
  Contracts and other..................................     9,146      11,128       7,772
  Service bureau.......................................     5,349       4,730       5,618
                                                         --------     -------     -------
          Total revenues...............................    43,704      71,439     113,735
                                                         --------     -------     -------
Operating expenses:
  License and maintenance..............................     7,903      13,725      19,937
  Installation and implementation......................     1,425       2,714       5,174
  Contracts and other..................................     6,894       7,694       5,438
  Service bureau.......................................     3,025       3,365       4,320
  Research and development.............................     6,998      13,808      21,151
  Sales and marketing..................................     7,276      11,923      22,049
  General and administrative...........................     5,101       8,551      12,626
                                                         --------     -------     -------
          Total operating expenses.....................    38,622      61,780      90,695
                                                         --------     -------     -------
Operating income.......................................     5,082       9,659      23,040
Interest and other income..............................       912       2,178       2,003
Interest expense.......................................      (428)       (478)        (81)
Minority interest in income of consolidated
  subsidiary...........................................        --          --         (43)
                                                         --------     -------     -------
          Income before income tax (benefit)
            provision..................................     5,566      11,359      24,919
Income tax (benefit) provision.........................      (511)       (534)      7,354
                                                         --------     -------     -------
          Net income...................................  $  6,077     $11,893     $17,565
                                                         ========     =======     =======
Earnings per share:
  Basic net income per common share....................  $   0.38     $  0.50     $  0.72
                                                         ========     =======     =======
  Diluted net income per common share..................  $   0.28     $  0.47     $  0.68
                                                         ========     =======     =======
Unaudited pro forma data (Note 1):
  Income before income tax provision...................  $  5,566     $11,359     $24,919
  Income tax provision.................................     1,032       1,628       9,502
                                                         --------     -------     -------
          Net income...................................  $  4,534     $ 9,731     $15,417
                                                         ========     =======     =======
  Basic pro forma net income per common share..........                           $  0.64
                                                                                  =======
  Diluted pro forma net income per common share........                           $  0.60
                                                                                  =======
Shares used in computing basic net income per common
  share and unaudited basic pro forma net income per
  common share (Notes 1 and 8).........................    15,195      23,552      24,275
                                                         ========     =======     =======
Shares used in computing diluted net income per common
  share and unaudited diluted pro forma net income per
  common share (Notes 1 and 8).........................    21,510      25,363      25,681
                                                         ========     =======     =======
</TABLE>
 
          See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
 
                                       F-4
<PAGE>   151
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
                      CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
                                 (IN THOUSANDS)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                        YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                                     ------------------------------
                                                                       1995       1996       1997
                                                                     --------   --------   --------
<S>                                                                  <C>        <C>        <C>
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
  Net income.......................................................  $  6,077   $ 11,893   $ 17,565
  Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by
    operating activities:
    Depreciation and amortization..................................     1,874      3,605      4,833
    Tax benefit from stock option transactions.....................       800        896      3,848
    Changes in assets and liabilities:
      Accounts receivable, net.....................................    (1,658)   (10,978)   (11,124)
      Other assets.................................................      (674)    (1,207)      (295)
      Deferred income taxes........................................    (1,551)    (1,324)     6,909
      Accounts payable.............................................     1,172      2,167      1,360
      Accrued liabilities..........................................     1,756        625     (2,348)
      Deferred revenue.............................................     1,337      1,472        375
      Other liabilities............................................        22       (441)      (116)
                                                                     --------   --------   --------
         Net cash provided by operating activities.................     9,155      6,708     21,007
                                                                     --------   --------   --------
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
  Purchase of investments available for sale.......................   (28,666)   (26,113)   (26,517)
  Maturities of investments available for sale.....................     4,182     18,125     24,666
  Proceeds from sales of investments available for sale............     2,467      3,707      3,716
  Acquisitions of property and equipment...........................    (2,246)    (3,978)    (9,593)
                                                                     --------   --------   --------
         Net cash used in investing activities.....................   (24,263)    (8,259)    (7,728)
                                                                     --------   --------   --------
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
  Net proceeds from issuances of common stock......................    33,726      1,935      4,039
  Proceeds from issuances of notes payable to stockholders.........     1,000         --         --
  Repayments of notes payable to stockholders......................        --     (1,000)        --
  Proceeds from bank line of credit................................     1,085        309         --
  Repayments of bank line of credit................................      (265)    (2,504)        --
  Repayments of debt from asset purchases..........................        --     (4,710)        --
  Capital lease payments...........................................      (502)      (553)      (408)
  Proceeds from issuances of bank notes payable....................        --      1,999         --
  Repayments of bank notes payable.................................      (687)    (1,999)        --
  Distributions to CompReview stockholders.........................    (3,845)    (5,908)    (6,798)
                                                                     --------   --------   --------
         Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities.......    30,512    (12,431)    (3,167)
                                                                     --------   --------   --------
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash............................        --         54       (165)
                                                                     --------   --------   --------
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents...............    15,404    (13,928)     9,947
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period...................     6,645     22,049      8,121
                                                                     --------   --------   --------
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period.........................  $ 22,049   $  8,121   $ 18,068
                                                                     ========   ========   ========
SIGNIFICANT NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
  Assets purchased through issuance of debt........................  $     --   $  4,710   $     --
                                                                     ========   ========   ========
  Acquisitions of property and equipment under capital leases......  $    411   $    344   $     --
                                                                     ========   ========   ========
  Conversion of preferred stock....................................  $ 13,518   $     --   $     --
                                                                     ========   ========   ========
  Accretion of dividends on mandatorily redeemable convertible
    preferred stock................................................  $    348   $     --   $     --
                                                                     ========   ========   ========
SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW DISCLOSURE:
  Interest paid....................................................  $    390   $    448   $    101
                                                                     ========   ========   ========
  Income taxes paid................................................  $    190   $    165   $    547
                                                                     ========   ========   ========
</TABLE>
 
          See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements
 
                                       F-5
<PAGE>   152
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
           CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
                                 (IN THOUSANDS)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                         CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK
                                      ---------------------------------
                                         SERIES A          SERIES E        COMMON STOCK
                                      ---------------   ---------------   ---------------
                                      SHARES   AMOUNT   SHARES   AMOUNT   SHARES   AMOUNT
                                      ------   ------   ------   ------   ------   ------
<S>                                   <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 1994.........   380    $  --     1,282    $  1     8,656    $  9
Common stock options exercised.......                                        207
Accretion of dividends...............
Issuance of common stock in initial
 public offering, net of issuance
 costs...............................                                      2,376       2
Conversion of convertible preferred
 stock into common stock.............  (380)      --    (1,282)     (1)    8,956       9
Issuance of common stock in follow-on
 public offering, net of issuance
 costs...............................                                      1,116       2
Issuance of common stock at inception
 of Retek (Note 1)...................                                      1,367       1
Tax benefit from stock option
 transactions........................
Unrealized gain on investments.......
Stock warrant exercised..............                                        100
Distributions to CompReview
 stockholders........................
Net income...........................
                                       ----    -----    ------     ---    ------     ---
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 1995.........    --       --        --      --    22,778      23
Common stock options exercised.......                                      1,140       1
Common stock issued under Employee
 Stock Purchase Plan.................                                         94
Tax benefit from stock option
 transactions........................
Tax benefit from Retek taxable
 pooling (Note 7)....................
Unrealized loss on investments.......
Foreign currency translation
 adjustment..........................
Distributions to CompReview
 stockholders........................
Net income...........................
                                       ----    -----    ------     ---    ------     ---
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 1996.........    --       --        --      --    24,012      24
Common stock options exercised.......                                        475       1
Common stock issued under Employee
 Stock Purchase Plan.................                                         51
Tax benefit from stock option
 transactions........................
Unrealized gain on investments.......
Foreign currency translation
 adjustment..........................
Distributions to CompReview
 stockholders........................
CompReview contribution to capital...
Net income...........................
                                       ----    -----    ------     ---    ------     ---
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 1997.........    --    $  --        --    $ --    24,538    $ 25
                                       ====    =====    ======     ===    ======     ===
 
<CAPTION>
 
                                                 UNREALIZED
                                               GAIN (LOSS) ON     FOREIGN     (ACCUMULATED
                                                INVESTMENTS      CURRENCY       DEFICIT)         TOTAL
                                     PAID-IN     AVAILABLE      TRANSLATION     RETAINED     STOCKHOLDERS'
                                     CAPITAL      FOR SALE      ADJUSTMENT      EARNINGS        EQUITY
                                     --------  --------------   -----------   ------------   -------------
<S>                                   <<C>     <C>              <C>           <C>            <C>
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 1994.........$ 10,980      $   --          $  --        $(10,149)      $     841
Common stock options exercised.......      85                                                         85
Accretion of dividends...............    (348)                                                      (348)
Issuance of common stock in initial
 public offering, net of issuance
 costs...............................  14,329                                                     14,331
Conversion of convertible preferred
 stock into common stock.............  10,618                                      2,892          13,518
Issuance of common stock in follow-on
 public offering, net of issuance
 costs...............................  19,184                                                     19,186
Issuance of common stock at inception
 of Retek (Note 1)...................      (1)                                                        --
Tax benefit from stock option
 transactions........................     800                                                        800
Unrealized gain on investments.......                  92                                             92
Stock warrant exercised..............     124                                                        124
Distributions to CompReview
 stockholders........................                                             (3,845)         (3,845)
Net income...........................                                              6,077           6,077
                                      -------       -----          -----        --------        --------
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 1995.........  55,771          92             --          (5,025)         50,861
Common stock options exercised.......   1,095                                                      1,096
Common stock issued under Employee
 Stock Purchase Plan.................     839                                                        839
Tax benefit from stock option
 transactions........................   7,889                                                      7,889
Tax benefit from Retek taxable
 pooling (Note 7)....................  18,397                                                     18,397
Unrealized loss on investments.......                (151)                                          (151)
Foreign currency translation
 adjustment..........................                                 54                              54
Distributions to CompReview
 stockholders........................                                             (5,908)         (5,908)
Net income...........................                                             11,893          11,893
                                      -------       -----          -----        --------        --------
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 1996.........  83,991         (59)            54             960          84,970
Common stock options exercised.......   2,845                                                      2,846
Common stock issued under Employee
 Stock Purchase Plan.................   1,193                                                      1,193
Tax benefit from stock option
 transactions........................   4,192                                                      4,192
Unrealized gain on investments.......                  57                                             57
Foreign currency translation
 adjustment..........................                               (165)                           (165)
Distributions to CompReview
 stockholders........................                                             (6,798)         (6,798)
CompReview contribution to capital...   3,698                                     (3,698)             --
Net income...........................                                             17,565          17,565
                                      -------       -----          -----        --------        --------
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 1997.........$ 95,919      $   (2)         $(111)       $  8,029       $ 103,860
                                      =======       =====          =====        ========        ========
</TABLE>
 
          See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements
 
                                       F-6
<PAGE>   153
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
NOTE 1 -- THE COMPANY AND ITS SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
  The Company
 
     Headquartered in San Diego, California, HNC Software Inc. (the "Company" or
"HNC") develops, markets and supports predictive software solutions in
client/server environments. HNC provides innovative predictive software systems
in the healthcare/insurance, financial services and retail markets.
 
  Acquisitions
 
     On August 30, 1996, the Company completed an acquisition of all of the
outstanding shares of Risk Data Corporation ("Risk Data"). Risk Data is an
insurance information technology services firm that develops, markets and
supports analytical benchmarking and risk management software products primarily
for insurance carriers, state insurance funds and third party administrators
primarily in the workers' compensation insurance field. Under the terms of the
acquisition, accounted for as a pooling of interests, the Company exchanged
1,891 shares of common stock for all of the then outstanding shares of Risk Data
preferred and common stock.
 
     On November 29, 1996, the Company completed an acquisition of all of the
outstanding shares of Retek Distribution Corporation ("Retek"). Retek develops,
markets and supports inventory management system software primarily for
customers in the retail industry. Under the terms of the acquisition, accounted
for as a pooling of interests, the Company exchanged 1,367 shares of common
stock for all of the then outstanding shares of Retek common stock.
 
     On November 28, 1997, the Company completed an acquisition of all of the
outstanding shares of CompReview, Inc. ("CompReview"). CompReview develops,
markets and supports cost containment software for workers' compensation
insurance carriers and for insurers that handle automobile accident personal
injury claims. Under the terms of the acquisition, accounted for as a pooling of
interests, the Company exchanged 4,886 shares of common stock for all of the
then outstanding shares of CompReview common stock.
 
     The consolidated financial statements and related notes give retroactive
effect to all three acquisitions for all of the periods presented. The
consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 1996 and 1997 includes the
accounts of Risk Data, Retek and CompReview as of December 31, 1996 and 1997.
The consolidated statements of income, of cash flows and of changes in
stockholders' equity for each of the three years in the period ended December
31, 1997 include the results of Risk Data, Retek and CompReview for each of the
years then ended. The term "Company" as used in these consolidated financial
statements refers to HNC and its subsidiaries, including Risk Data, Retek and
CompReview.
 
                                       F-7
<PAGE>   154
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
     No adjustments to conform the accounting methods of the acquired companies
to the accounting methods of HNC were required. Certain amounts have been
reclassified with regard to presentation of the financial information of the
acquired companies. Revenues and net income (loss) for each of the previously
separate companies for the periods prior to their respective acquisition dates
are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                         NINE MONTHS
                                                                            ENDED
                            YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,      SIX MONTHS     SEPTEMBER 30,
                          ----------------------------     ENDED      -----------------
                           1995      1996       1997      JUNE 30,     1996      1997
                          -------   -------   --------      1996      -------   -------
                                                         ----------
                                                         (UNAUDITED)     (UNAUDITED)
    <S>                   <C>       <C>       <C>        <C>          <C>       <C>
    Revenues:
      HNC...............  $25,174   $53,833   $113,735    $ 16,478    $31,423   $62,683
      Risk Data.........    4,577        --         --       2,600         --        --
      Retek.............      921        --         --       3,377      5,635        --
      CompReview........   13,032    17,606         --       8,119     12,631    18,971
                          -------   -------   --------     -------    -------   -------
                          $43,704   $71,439   $113,735    $ 30,574    $49,689   $81,654
                          =======   =======   ========     =======    =======   =======
    Net income (loss):
      HNC...............  $ 4,457   $ 6,376   $ 17,565    $  1,780    $   975   $ 7,597
      Risk Data.........   (1,952)       --         --      (2,184)        --        --
      Retek.............     (382)       --         --          43         93        --
      CompReview........    3,954     5,517         --       2,123      3,679     6,702
                          -------   -------   --------     -------    -------   -------
                          $ 6,077   $11,893   $ 17,565    $  1,762    $ 4,747   $14,299
                          =======   =======   ========     =======    =======   =======
</TABLE>
 
     Transaction costs of $563, $515 and $1,440 were incurred to complete the
acquisitions of Risk Data, Retek and CompReview, respectively. Transaction costs
were deferred and charged to income when the related transactions were
consummated. Transaction costs consisted primarily of investment banker, legal
and accounting fees, and printing, mailing and registration expenses.
 
  Principles of Consolidation
 
     The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company
and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions and
balances have been eliminated.
 
     During 1996, the Company established Aptex Software Inc. ("Aptex"), a
majority owned subsidiary, in order to develop, market and support certain text
analysis technology that is being used to develop products for the Internet
market. The minority stockholders' interest in Aptex's financial position and
results of operations is presented as a minority interest in the Company's
consolidated financial statements.
 
  Financial Statement Preparation
 
     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 dates of the financial
statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the
reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
 
                                       F-8
<PAGE>   155
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
  Cash Equivalents
 
     Cash equivalents are highly liquid investments and consist of investments
in money market accounts and commercial paper purchased with maturities of three
months or less.
 
  Investments
 
     Management determines the appropriate classification of its investments in
marketable debt and equity securities at the time of purchase and re-evaluates
such designation as of each balance sheet date. The Company classifies all
securities as "available for sale" and carries them at fair value with
unrealized gains or losses related to these securities included in stockholders'
equity in the Company's consolidated balance sheet.
 
  Property and Equipment
 
     Property and equipment are recorded at cost. The Company computes
depreciation and amortization using either the straight-line method over the
estimated useful lives of the assets of three to seven years or an accelerated
method over the estimated useful lives of the assets of five to seven years. The
Company amortizes leasehold improvements over the shorter of their estimated
useful lives or the remaining term of the related lease. Repair and maintenance
costs are charged to expense as incurred.
 
  Software Costs
 
     Software costs are recorded at cost and amortized over their estimated
useful lives of 36 to 42 months. Software costs are comprised of purchased
software and other rights that are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable
value. At December 31, 1996 and 1997, software costs of $2,561 and $2,581,
respectively, were included in other assets in the consolidated balance sheet
net of accumulated amortization of $642 and $1,451, respectively.
 
     Development costs for software to be licensed or sold that are incurred
from the time technological feasibility is established until the product is
available for general release to customers are capitalized and reported at the
lower of cost or net realizable value. Through December 31, 1997, no significant
amounts were expended subsequent to reaching technological feasibility.
 
  Long-Lived Assets
 
     The Company investigates potential impairments of long-lived assets,
certain identifiable intangibles and associated goodwill when events or changes
in circumstances have made recovery of an asset's carrying value unlikely. An
impairment loss would be recognized if the sum of the expected future net cash
flows were less than the carrying amount of the asset. No such impairments of
long-lived assets existed through December 31, 1997.
 
  Stock-Based Compensation
 
     The Company measures compensation expense for its stock-based employee
compensation plans using the intrinsic value method and provides pro forma
disclosures of net income and earnings per share as if the fair value-based
method had been applied in measuring compensation expense.
 
                                       F-9
<PAGE>   156
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
  Revenue Recognition
 
     The Company's revenue from periodic software license and maintenance
agreements is generally recognized ratably over the respective license periods.
Revenue from certain short-term periodic software license and maintenance
agreements with guaranteed minimum license fees is recognized as related
services are performed. Transactional fees are recognized as revenue based on
system usage or when fees based on system usage exceed the monthly minimum
license fees. Revenue from perpetual licenses of the Company's software for
which there are no significant continuing obligations and collection of the
related receivables is probable is recognized on delivery of the software and
acceptance by the customer. Revenue from hardware product sales, which is
included in contracts and other revenue, is recognized upon shipment to the
customer.
 
     The Company's revenue from software installation and implementation and
from contract services is generally recognized as the services are performed
using the percentage of completion method based on costs incurred to date
compared to total estimated costs at completion. Amounts received under
contracts in advance of performance are recorded as deferred revenue and are
generally recognized within one year from receipt. Contract losses are recorded
as a charge to income in the period such losses are first identified. Unbilled
accounts receivable are stated at estimated realizable value.
 
     Service bureau fees are from review and repricing of customers' medical
bills and are assessed to customers on the basis of volume of bills processed
and are recognized as revenue when the processing services are performed.
 
  Income Taxes
 
     The Company's current income tax expense is the amount of income taxes
expected to be payable for the current year. A deferred income tax asset or
liability is computed for the expected future impact of differences between the
financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities as well as the
expected future tax benefit to be derived from tax loss and tax credit
carryforwards. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce
deferred tax assets to the amount "more likely than not" to be realized in
future tax returns. Tax rate changes are reflected in income during the period
such changes are enacted.
 
  Net Income Per Common Share
 
     The Company adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 128
("FAS 128"), "Earnings per Share," for fiscal 1997 and retroactively restated
all prior periods to conform with FAS 128 as required. Basic net income per
common share is computed as net income less accretion of dividends on
mandatorily redeemable convertible preferred stock divided by the weighted
average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net
income per common share is computed as net income divided by the weighted
average number of common shares and potential common shares, using the treasury
stock method, outstanding during the period and assumes conversion into common
stock at the beginning of each period of all outstanding shares of convertible
preferred stock (Note 8).
 
  Unaudited Pro Forma Data
 
     Prior to the acquisition of CompReview by HNC on November 28, 1997,
CompReview had elected subchapter S corporation status for income tax purposes;
therefore, its income was included in the tax returns of its stockholders, and
no income tax provision was recorded for
 
                                      F-10
<PAGE>   157
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
CompReview other than certain minimum state taxes on subchapter S corporations.
As a result of the acquisition, beginning November 29, 1997, CompReview became
subject to corporate income taxes on its taxable income. For comparative
purposes, the consolidated statement of income includes unaudited pro forma
adjusted data with respect to the merged companies' income tax provision as if
CompReview had been subject to corporate income taxes on its taxable income for
all periods presented.
 
  Foreign Currency Translation
 
     The financial statements of the Company's international operations are
translated into U.S. dollars using period-end exchange rates for assets and
liabilities and average exchange rates during the period for revenues and
expenses. Cumulative translation gains and losses are excluded from results of
operations and recorded as a separate component of stockholders' equity. Gains
and losses resulting from foreign currency transactions (transactions
denominated in a currency other than the entity's local currency) are included
in the consolidated statement of income and are not material.
 
  Diversification of Credit Risk
 
     The Company's financial instruments that are subject to concentrations of
credit risk consist primarily of cash equivalents, investments available for
sale and accounts receivable, which are generally not collateralized. The
Company's policy is to place its cash, cash equivalents and investments
available for sale with high credit quality financial institutions and
commercial companies and government agencies in order to limit the amount of its
credit exposure. The Company's software license and installation agreements and
commercial development contracts are primarily with large customers in the
healthcare/insurance, financial services and retail industries. The Company
maintains reserves for potential credit losses.
 
     The Company has one major product or product line in each of its three
target markets. In the healthcare/insurance market, revenues from one product
accounted for 29.8%, 24.6% and 23.0% of the Company's total revenues for 1995,
1996 and 1997, respectively. During those same periods, one product in the
retail market accounted for 2.2%, 13.6% and 18.9%, respectively, of the
Company's total revenues, and one product line in the financial services market
accounted for 28.0%, 20.9% and 16.0%, respectively, of the Company's total
revenues. Revenues from international operations and export sales, primarily to
Western Europe and Canada, represented approximately 12.6%, 17.7% and 16.8% of
total revenues in 1995, 1996 and 1997, respectively. Export sales were $4,595,
$7,310 and $7,896 in 1995, 1996 and 1997, respectively.
 
  Disclosures About Fair Value of Financial Instruments
 
     The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents and accrued liabilities
approximate fair value because of the short-term maturities of these financial
instruments. The carrying amounts of capital lease obligations approximate their
fair values based on interest rates currently available to the Company for
borrowings with similar terms and maturities.
 
  Reincorporation and Stock Split
 
     In May 1995, the Company's stockholders approved an Agreement and Plan of
Merger whereby the Company merged with and into a newly incorporated Delaware
corporation ("HNC Delaware"), which is the surviving corporation. In conjunction
with the merger, each share of the
 
                                      F-11
<PAGE>   158
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
Company's common stock, preferred stock and options and warrants to purchase the
Company's common stock was exchanged for one-half share of HNC Delaware's common
stock, preferred stock and options and warrants to purchase HNC Delaware's
common stock, at twice the exercise price for options and warrants. In April
1996, the Company consummated a two-for-one stock split effected in the form of
a common stock dividend. All references to share and per share amounts of common
and preferred stock and other data in these financial statements have been
retroactively restated to reflect the reincorporation and stock split.
 
  New Accounting Pronouncements
 
     In June 1997, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 130 ("FAS 130"), "Reporting
Comprehensive Income," which the Company is required to adopt for 1998. This
statement will require the Company to report in the financial statements, in
addition to net income, comprehensive income and its components including
foreign currency items and unrealized gains and losses on certain investments in
debt and equity securities. Upon adoption of FAS 130, the Company is also
required to reclassify financial statements for earlier periods provided for
comparative purposes. The adoption of FAS 130 will not have a significant impact
on the Company's consolidated financial statement disclosures.
 
     In June 1997, the FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
No. 131 ("FAS 131"), "Disclosures about Segments of an Enterprise and Related
Information," which the Company is required to adopt for its 1998 annual
financial statements. This statement establishes standards for reporting
information about operating segments in annual financial statements and requires
selected information about operating segments in interim financial reports
issued to stockholders. It also establishes standards for related disclosures
about products and services, geographic areas and major customers. Under FAS
131, operating segments are to be determined consistent with the way that
management organizes and evaluates financial information internally for making
operating decisions and assessing performance. The Company has not determined
the impact of the adoption of this new accounting standard on its consolidated
financial statement disclosures.
 
   
     In October 1997, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
issued Statement of Position No. 97-2 ("SOP 97-2"), "Software Revenue
Recognition," which the Company is required to adopt for agreements entered into
with customers beginning in 1998. This statement provides guidance for software
revenue recognition matters primarily from a conceptual level and does not
include specific implementation guidance. Based on its reading and
interpretation of SOP 97-2, the Company believes that the adoption of SOP 97-2
will not have a significant impact on its financial statements; however,
detailed implementation guidelines for this standard have not yet been issued.
Once issued, such detailed implementation guidelines could lead to unanticipated
changes in the Company's current revenue recognition practices, and such changes
could be material to the Company's financial statements.
    
 
                                      F-12
<PAGE>   159
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
  Reclassifications
 
     Certain prior year balances have been reclassified to conform to the
current year presentation.
 
NOTE 2 -- COMPOSITION OF CERTAIN FINANCIAL STATEMENT CAPTIONS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                  DECEMBER 31,
                                                               -------------------
                                                                1996        1997
                                                               -------     -------
        <S>                                                    <C>         <C>
        Accounts receivable, net:
          Billed.............................................  $13,266     $27,812
          Unbilled...........................................    9,299       8,368
                                                               -------     -------
                                                                22,565      36,180
        Less allowance for doubtful accounts.................     (709)     (3,200)
                                                               -------     -------
                                                               $21,856     $32,980
                                                               =======     =======
</TABLE>
 
     Unbilled accounts receivable represent revenue recorded in excess of
amounts billable pursuant to contract provisions and generally become billable
at contractually specified dates or upon the attainment of milestones. Unbilled
amounts are expected to be realized within one year.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                  DECEMBER 31,
                                                               -------------------
                                                                1996        1997
                                                               -------     -------
        <S>                                                    <C>         <C>
        Property and equipment, net:
          Computer equipment.................................  $ 9,302     $15,611
          Furniture and fixtures.............................    2,210       4,632
          Leasehold improvements.............................      273       1,012
                                                               -------     -------
                                                                11,785      21,255
        Less accumulated depreciation and amortization.......   (5,446)     (9,153)
                                                               -------     -------
                                                               $ 6,339     $12,102
                                                               =======     =======
</TABLE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                  DECEMBER 31,
                                                               -------------------
                                                                1996        1997
                                                               -------     -------
        <S>                                                    <C>         <C>
        Accrued liabilities:
          Payroll and related benefits.......................  $ 1,645     $ 3,456
          Vacation...........................................      860         927
          Other..............................................    1,928       1,550
                                                               -------     -------
                                                               $ 4,433     $ 5,933
                                                               =======     =======
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-13
<PAGE>   160
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
NOTE 3 -- INVESTMENTS
 
     At December 31, 1996 and 1997, the amortized cost and estimated fair value
of investments available for sale were as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                          DECEMBER 31, 1996
                                            ---------------------------------------------
                                            AMORTIZED   UNREALIZED   UNREALIZED    FAIR
                                              COST        GAINS        LOSSES      VALUE
                                            ---------   ----------   ----------   -------
        <S>                                 <C>         <C>          <C>          <C>
        U.S. government and federal
          agencies........................   $ 18,212    $     --     $    (38)   $18,174
        Foreign government debt...........      1,006          --           (2)     1,004
        U.S. corporate debt...............      4,851          --          (14)     4,837
        Foreign corporate debt............      2,718          --           (5)     2,713
                                              -------     -------      -------    -------
                                             $ 26,787    $     --     $    (59)   $26,728
                                              =======     =======      =======    =======
</TABLE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                          DECEMBER 31, 1997
                                            ---------------------------------------------
                                            AMORTIZED   UNREALIZED   UNREALIZED    FAIR
                                              COST        GAINS        LOSSES      VALUE
                                            ---------   ----------   ----------   -------
        <S>                                 <C>         <C>          <C>          <C>
        U.S. government and federal
          agencies........................   $ 20,682    $     --     $     (1)   $20,681
        U.S. corporate debt...............      1,894          --           (1)     1,893
        Foreign corporate debt............      2,304          --           --      2,304
                                              -------     -------      -------    -------
                                             $ 24,880    $     --     $     (2)   $24,878
                                              =======     =======      =======    =======
</TABLE>
 
     No significant gains or losses were realized during the years ended
December 31, 1996 and 1997. The cost of securities sold is determined by the
specific identification method.
 
NOTE 4 -- NOTES PAYABLE
 
     The Company has a Credit Agreement with a bank which provides for a $15,000
revolving line of credit through July 11, 1999. The agreement requires that the
Company maintain certain financial ratios and levels of working capital,
tangible net worth and profitability, and also restricts the Company's ability
to pay cash dividends and make loans, advances or investments without the bank's
consent. At December 31, 1997, the Company had no amounts outstanding under the
revolving line of credit. Interest is payable monthly at the bank's prime rate
or LIBOR rate plus 1.5%. The applicable interest rate was 7.22% at December 31,
1997.
 
     The Risk Data credit facilities were comprised of a revolving line of
credit secured by eligible accounts receivable, as well as a bridge loan that
was secured by the guarantees of certain stockholders. The revolving line of
credit matured on January 5, 1997. The bridge loan matured on September 5, 1996.
All outstanding amounts were repaid during 1996, and neither credit facility was
renewed.
 
     During 1995, the preferred stockholders of Risk Data loaned the Company
$1,000 under subordinated note agreements (secured by the assets of Risk Data
but subordinated to borrowings under the Risk Data line of credit) bearing
interest at 9%. All outstanding amounts were repaid during 1996.
 
                                      F-14
<PAGE>   161
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
NOTE 5 -- LEASES
 
     At December 31, 1997, the Company was obligated through 2004 under
noncancelable operating leases for its facilities and certain equipment as
follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                             NET FUTURE
                                           FUTURE MINIMUM   LESS SUBLEASE   MINIMUM LEASE
                                           LEASE PAYMENTS      INCOME         PAYMENTS
                                           --------------   -------------   -------------
        <S>                                <C>              <C>             <C>
        1998.............................      $2,984           $ 127          $ 2,857
        1999.............................       3,047              --            3,047
        2000.............................       3,043              --            3,043
        2001.............................       2,994              --            2,994
        2002.............................       2,884              --            2,884
        thereafter.......................       1,535              --            1,535
</TABLE>
 
     The lease for the Company's corporate headquarters provides for scheduled
rent increases and an option to extend the lease for five years with certain
changes to the terms of the lease agreement and a refurbishment allowance. Rent
expense under operating leases for the years ended December 31, 1995, 1996 and
1997 was approximately $1,503, $1,623 and $2,687, respectively, net of sublease
income of $83, $125 and $477, respectively.
 
     Risk Data maintains a lease line of credit with a leasing company for the
acquisition of equipment under capital lease arrangements. Future minimum
payments are $222 for 1998 and $66 for 1999 with a total of $34 of such amounts
representing interest.
 
     The gross value of assets under capital leases at December 31, 1996 and
1997 was $1,481 and $714, and accumulated amortization was $599 and $556,
respectively. Amortization expense for assets acquired under capital leases is
included in depreciation expense.
 
NOTE 6 -- CAPITAL STOCK
 
     During June 1995, the Company completed its initial public offering of
5,176 shares of common stock (of which 2,376 shares were sold by the Company and
2,800 shares were sold by certain selling stockholders) at a price to the public
of $7.00 per share, which resulted in net proceeds to the Company of $15,461
after the payment of underwriters' commissions but before the deduction of
offering expenses. Upon the closing of the Company's initial public offering,
all outstanding shares of Series A, B, C, D and E convertible preferred stock
were automatically converted into shares of common stock at their then effective
conversion prices. Upon conversion, the preferred stockholders were no longer
entitled to any undeclared cumulative dividends and all class voting rights
terminated.
 
     During December 1995, the Company completed a follow-on public offering of
3,000 shares of common stock (of which 1,116 shares were sold by the Company and
1,884 shares were sold by certain selling stockholders) at a price to the public
of $18.50 per share, which resulted in net proceeds to the Company of $19,606
after the payment of underwriters' commissions but before the deduction of
offering expenses.
 
     The Company's Board of Directors is authorized to issue up to 4,000 shares
of preferred stock and to determine the price, rights, preferences, privileges
and restrictions, including voting rights, of those shares without any further
vote or action by the stockholders. The rights of the holders of common stock
will be subject to the rights of the holders of any preferred stock that may be
issued in the future.
 
                                      F-15
<PAGE>   162
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
NOTE 7 -- INCOME TAXES
 
     Income (loss) before income tax (benefit) provision was taxed under the
following jurisdictions:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                    ------------------------------
                                                     1995       1996        1997
                                                    ------     -------     -------
        <S>                                         <C>        <C>         <C>
        Domestic..................................  $5,764     $ 8,599     $23,907
        Foreign...................................    (198)      2,760       1,012
                                                    ------     -------     -------
                                                    $5,566     $11,359     $24,919
                                                    ======     =======     =======
</TABLE>
 
     The income tax (benefit) provision is summarized as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                    ------------------------------
                                                     1995       1996        1997
                                                    ------     -------     -------
        <S>                                         <C>        <C>         <C>
        CURRENT:
          Federal.................................  $   97     $ 1,132     $ 2,257
          State...................................     143         204         537
          Foreign.................................      --          51         233
 
        DEFERRED:
          Federal.................................    (521)     (1,569)      3,197
          State...................................    (186)        (56)        985
          Foreign.................................     (44)       (296)        145
                                                    ------     -------       -----
                                                    $ (511)    $  (534)    $ 7,354
                                                    ======     =======       =====
</TABLE>
 
     Deferred tax assets are summarized as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                   YEAR ENDED
                                                                  DECEMBER 31,
                                                               -------------------
                                                                1996        1997
                                                               -------     -------
        <S>                                                    <C>         <C>
        Taxable pooling basis difference.....................  $18,397     $16,955
        Net operating loss carryforwards.....................    8,587       7,404
        Tax credit carryforwards.............................    1,878       2,059
        Other................................................      487         214
                                                               -------     -------
        Gross deferred tax assets............................   29,349      26,632
        Deferred tax asset valuation allowance...............       --          --
                                                               -------     -------
                  Net deferred tax asset.....................  $29,349     $26,632
                                                               =======     =======
</TABLE>
 
     During 1995, the Company released the valuation allowance related to its
deferred tax assets based on management's assessment that it was more likely
than not that the Company would realize a portion of those assets in future
periods due to improvements in the Company's operating results. During 1996, the
Company released the valuation allowances related to Risk Data's and Retek's
deferred tax assets based on management's assessment that it was more likely
than not that the Company would realize those assets in future periods due to
improvements in the operating results of those subsidiaries.
 
     During 1995, 1996 and 1997, the Company realized certain tax benefits
related to stock option transactions in the amount of $800, $7,889 and $4,192,
respectively. The benefit from the stock option tax deduction is credited
directly to paid-in capital.
 
                                      F-16
<PAGE>   163
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
     During 1996, in connection with the acquisition of Retek, the Company made
an Internal Revenue Code Section 338 election for federal and state tax
purposes, resulting in the treatment of the acquisition as a taxable
transaction, whereby the tax bases of the acquired assets and liabilities were
adjusted to their fair values as of the date of the acquisition. As the purchase
price exceeded the carrying value of the net assets acquired by approximately
$46,000, the Company recorded a deferred tax asset in the amount of $18,397.
 
     A reconciliation of the income tax (benefit) provision to the amount
computed by applying the statutory federal income tax rate to income before
income tax provision is summarized as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                   -------------------------------
                                                    1995        1996        1997
                                                   -------     -------     -------
        <S>                                        <C>         <C>         <C>
        Amounts computed at statutory federal
          rate...................................  $ 1,892     $ 3,862     $ 8,472
             State income taxes..................      465         554       1,407
             Subchapter S corporation earnings...   (1,366)     (1,901)     (2,888)
             Change in tax status of S
               corporation.......................       --          --         869
             Tax credit carryforwards
               generated.........................      (68)       (334)       (284)
             Release of valuation allowance......   (2,223)     (2,717)         --
             Foreign income taxes................      (44)       (296)         27
             Losses without tax benefit..........      794          --          --
             Other...............................       39         298        (249)
                                                   -------     -------     -------
        Income tax (benefit) provision...........  $  (511)    $  (534)    $ 7,354
                                                   =======     =======     =======
</TABLE>
 
     Prior to the acquisition of CompReview by the Company on November 28, 1997,
CompReview had elected subchapter S corporation status and the cash basis of
accounting for income tax purposes; therefore, its cash basis income was
included in the tax returns of its stockholders, and no income tax provision was
recorded for CompReview other than certain minimum state taxes on subchapter S
corporations. As of the date of CompReview's acquisition, its tax status was
changed to C corporation status with the accrual basis of accounting. As a
result of this change in tax status, the Company recorded a deferred tax
liability in the amount of $869 based on the cumulative income recognition
differences as of the date of acquisition between CompReview's former and
prospective tax accounting methods.
 
     At December 31, 1997, the Company had federal, state and foreign net
operating loss carryforwards of approximately $19,992, $7,785 and $352,
respectively. The net operating loss carryforwards expire as follows:
 
<TABLE>
                    <S>                                         <C>
                    2001......................................  $ 6,982
                    2003......................................       84
                    2005......................................      123
                    2006......................................    1,670
                    2007......................................       17
                    2008......................................    1,692
                    2009......................................    1,370
                    2010......................................    1,840
                    2011......................................   14,086
</TABLE>
 
     The Company also has approximately $1,295 of federal research and
development credit carryforwards, which expire from 2000 to 2012, $711 of state
research and development credit
 
                                      F-17
<PAGE>   164
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
carryforwards, which have no expiration date, and $53 of foreign tax credit
carryforwards, which expire from 1999 to 2002. Certain of these net operating
loss and research and development credit carryforwards generated by Risk Data,
Retek and CompReview prior to their acquisitions by HNC are subject to annual
limitations on their utilization and also are limited to utilization solely by
the company that generated them. Should a substantial change in HNC's ownership
occur, as defined by the Tax Reform Act of 1986, there will be an annual
limitation on its utilization of net operating loss and research and development
credit carryforwards.
 
NOTE 8 -- RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME AND SHARES USED IN PER SHARE COMPUTATIONS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                         YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                                     -------------------------------
                                                                      1995        1996        1997
                                                                     -------     -------     -------
<S>                                                                  <C>         <C>         <C>
NET INCOME USED:
Net income used in computing basic net income per common share.....  $ 5,729     $11,893     $17,565
Add back accretion of dividends on mandatorily redeemable
  convertible preferred stock......................................      348          --          --
                                                                     -------     -------     -------
Net income used in computing diluted net income per common share...  $ 6,077     $11,893     $17,565
                                                                     =======     =======     =======
SHARES USED:
Weighted average common shares outstanding used in computing basic
  net income per common share......................................   15,195      23,552      24,275
  Weighted average options and warrants to purchase common stock as
    determined by application of the treasury stock method.........    1,995       1,796       1,383
  Incremental shares for assumed conversion of convertible
    preferred stock................................................    4,265          --          --
  Purchase Plan common stock equivalents...........................       55          15          23
                                                                     -------     -------     -------
Shares used in computing diluted net income per common share.......   21,510      25,363      25,681
                                                                     =======     =======     =======
</TABLE>
 
     All outstanding shares of the Company's preferred stock automatically
converted into shares of common stock upon the closing of the Company's initial
public offering on June 26, 1995. Shares used in computing diluted net income
per common share for 1995 assume conversion of all outstanding shares of
convertible preferred stock were converted at the beginning of that year.
 
NOTE 9 -- EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
 
     During 1987, the Company adopted the 1987 Stock Option Plan and reserved
2,500 shares of the Company's common stock for issuance pursuant to nonqualified
and incentive stock options to its officers, directors, key employees and
consultants. The plan, as amended, is administered by the Board of Directors or
its designees and provides generally that, for incentive stock options and
nonqualified stock options, the exercise price must not be less than the fair
market value of the shares as determined by the Board of Directors at the date
of grant. The options expire no later than ten years from the date of grant and
may be exercised in installments based upon stipulated timetables (not in excess
of seven years). At December 31, 1997, options to purchase 490 shares were
exercisable.
 
     During 1995, the Company adopted the 1995 Directors Stock Option Plan (the
"Directors Plan"), the 1995 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Incentive Plan") and the
1995 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "Purchase Plan"). For purposes of the
discussion contained in the three paragraphs below, "fair market value" means
the closing price of the Company's common stock on the Nasdaq National Market on
the grant date.
 
                                      F-18
<PAGE>   165
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
     The Directors Plan provides for the issuance of up to 300 nonqualified
stock options to the Company's outside directors. Under the provisions of the
Directors Plan, options to purchase 25 shares of the Company's common stock are
granted to outside directors upon their respective dates of becoming members of
the Board of Directors and options to purchase ten shares of such stock will be
granted on each anniversary of such dates. Options under the Directors Plan are
granted at the fair market value of the stock at the grant date and vest at
specific times over a four-year period. At December 31, 1997, options to
purchase 72 shares were exercisable.
 
     The Incentive Plan provides for the issuance of up to 3,550 shares of the
Company's common stock in the form of nonqualified or incentive stock options,
restricted stock or stock bonuses. In addition, all shares that remained
unissued under the 1987 Stock Option Plan on the effective date of the Incentive
Plan, and all shares issuable upon exercise of options granted pursuant to the
1987 Stock Option Plan that expire or become unexercisable for any reason
without having been exercised in full are available for issuance under the
Incentive Plan. Nonqualified stock options and restricted stock may be awarded
at a price not less than 85% of the fair market value of the stock at the date
of the award. Incentive stock options must be awarded at a price not less than
100% of the fair market value of the stock at the date of the award. Options
granted under the Incentive Plan may have a term of up to ten years. The Company
has the discretion to provide for restrictions and the lapse thereof in respect
of restricted stock awards. Options typically vest at the rate of 25% of the
total grant per year over a four-year period; however, the Company may, at its
discretion, implement a different vesting schedule with respect to any new stock
option grant. At December 31, 1997, 316 shares were exercisable.
 
     The Purchase Plan provides for the issuance of a maximum of 400 shares of
common stock. Each purchase period, eligible employees may designate between 2%
and 10% of their cash compensation, subject to certain limitations, to be
deducted from their compensation for the purchase of common stock under the
Purchase Plan. The purchase price of the shares under the Purchase Plan is equal
to 85% of the lesser of the fair market value per share on the first day of the
twelve-month offering period or the last day of each six-month purchase period.
Approximately 60% of eligible employees have participated in the Purchase Plan
in the last two years.
 
     Risk Data's stock option plan is administered by HNC's Board of Directors.
All outstanding Risk Data options were converted into options to purchase HNC
common stock and adjusted to give effect to the acquisition exchange ratio in
the Risk Data acquisition. No changes were made to the terms of the Risk Data
options in connection with the exchange. Options granted under the Risk Data
stock option plan generally vest at the rate of 25% of the total grant per year
and expire ten years after the date of grant. At December 31, 1997, 30 shares
were exercisable under the Risk Data plan.
 
     Retek's stock options are administered by HNC's Board of Directors. All
outstanding Retek options were converted into options to purchase the Company's
common stock and adjusted to give effect to the acquisition exchange ratio in
the Retek acquisition. No changes were made to the terms of the Retek options in
connection with the exchange. Options granted vest ratably over periods from one
to four years and have a term of up to ten years. At December 31, 1997, options
to purchase 32 shares were exercisable.
 
     The CompReview 1995 Stock Option Plan is administered by HNC's Board of
Directors. All outstanding CompReview stock options were converted into options
to purchase HNC common stock in the CompReview acquisition and adjusted to give
effect to the acquisition exchange ratio. No changes were made to the terms of
the CompReview options in connection with the exchange. Options granted under
the CompReview Stock Option Plan generally vest ratably over periods from
 
                                      F-19
<PAGE>   166
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
two to four years and expire ten years after the date of grant. At December 31,
1997, options to purchase 156 shares were exercisable.
 
     Transactions under the Company's stock option and purchase plans during the
years ended December 31, 1995, 1996 and 1997, including options under the Risk
Data stock option plan, options under the Retek stock option plan and options
under the CompReview Stock Option Plan, but excluding options to purchase stock
of Aptex, a subsidiary of the Company, are summarized as follows.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                    YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                         ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   1995                       1996                       1997
                         ------------------------   ------------------------   ------------------------
                                 WEIGHTED AVERAGE           WEIGHTED AVERAGE           WEIGHTED AVERAGE
                         SHARES   EXERCISE PRICE    SHARES   EXERCISE PRICE    SHARES   EXERCISE PRICE
                         ------  ----------------   ------  ----------------   ------  ----------------
<S>                      <C>     <C>                <C>     <C>                <C>     <C>
Outstanding at
  beginning of year....   2,080       $ 0.49         2,868       $ 2.84         3,215       $15.65
  Options granted......   1,272         6.08         1,645        27.98         2,177        32.61
  Options exercised....    (207)        0.52        (1,140)        0.96          (475)        6.16
  Options canceled.....    (277)        1.80          (158)       17.62          (326)       26.33
                         ------                     ------
Outstanding at end of
  year.................   2,868         2.84         3,215        15.65         4,591        23.92
                         ======                     ======
Options exercisable at
  end of year..........   1,437                        841                      1,096
Weighted average fair
  value of options
  granted during the
  year.................  $ 3.10                     $14.50                     $19.79
</TABLE>
 
     The following table summarizes information about employee stock options
outstanding at December 31, 1997:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                        OPTIONS OUTSTANDING
                            -------------------------------------------      OPTIONS EXERCISABLE
                                                WEIGHTED                  -------------------------
                                NUMBER           AVERAGE       WEIGHTED       NUMBER       WEIGHTED
                            OUTSTANDING AT      REMAINING      AVERAGE    OUTSTANDING AT   AVERAGE
           RANGE OF          DECEMBER 31,      CONTRACTUAL     EXERCISE    DECEMBER 31,    EXERCISE
       EXERCISE PRICES           1997        LIFE (IN YEARS)    PRICE          1997         PRICE
    ----------------------  --------------   ---------------   --------   --------------   --------
    <S>                     <C>              <C>               <C>        <C>              <C>
    $ 0.02 to $ 3.00......       1,002             5.90         $ 1.90           702        $ 1.60
       4.50     25.38.....         793             8.21          19.22           188         15.69
     25.60     30.75......         791             8.86          29.39           147         30.33
     30.81     31.50......         944             9.57          31.40             1         30.94
     31.88     39.00......         774             9.42          36.03            32         34.24
     39.09     49.50......         287             9.27          41.42            26         42.64
                                 -----                                         -----
       0.02     49.50.....       4,591             8.37          23.92         1,096          9.82
                                 =====                                         =====
</TABLE>
 
     During 1996, Aptex adopted the 1996 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Aptex
Plan") whereby 2,000 shares of Aptex common stock were reserved for issuance
pursuant to nonqualified and incentive stock options and restricted stock
awards. The plan is administered by the Board of Directors of Aptex or its
designees and provides generally that nonqualified stock options and restricted
stock may be awarded at a price not less than 85% of the fair market value, as
determined by the Board of Directors, of the stock at the date of the award.
Incentive stock options must be awarded at a price not less than 100% of the
fair market value of the stock at the date of the award, or 110% of fair market
value for awards to more than 10% stockholders. Options granted under the
Incentive Plan may have a term of up to ten years. The Company has the
 
                                      F-20
<PAGE>   167
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
discretion to provide for restrictions and the lapse thereof in respect of
restricted stock awards, and options typically vest at the rate of 25% of the
total grant per year. However, the Company may, at its discretion, implement a
different vesting schedule with respect to any new stock option grant. During
1996, Aptex issued 1,000 shares of common stock at fair market value under the
Aptex Plan for cash consideration of $0.03 per share. At December 31, 1997,
options to purchase 79 shares were exercisable under the Aptex Plan.
 
     The Company applies Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25 and related
Interpretations in accounting for its stock-based compensation. No compensation
expense has been recognized for its employee stock option grants, which are
fixed in nature, as the options have been granted at fair market value. No
compensation expense has been recognized for the Purchase Plan. Had compensation
cost for the Company's stock-based compensation awards issued during 1997 and
1996 been determined based on the fair value at the grant dates of awards
consistent with the method of Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement No.
123 ("FAS 123"), the Company's net income and basic and diluted pro forma net
income per common share would have been reduced to the pro forma amounts
indicated below:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                         YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                        --------------------------
                                                         1995     1996      1997
                                                        ------   -------   -------
        <S>                                             <C>      <C>       <C>
        Net income:
          As reported.................................  $6,077   $11,893   $17,565
          Pro forma...................................   5,126     6,122     2,232
        Basic net income per common share:
          As reported.................................    0.38      0.50      0.72
          Pro forma...................................    0.31      0.26      0.09
        Diluted net income per common share:
          As reported.................................    0.28      0.47      0.68
          Pro forma...................................    0.24      0.24      0.09
</TABLE>
 
     The fair value of each option grant is estimated on the date of grant using
the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following weighted average
assumptions used for grants during the years ended December 31, 1995, 1996 and
1997, respectively: dividend yield of 0.0% for all three years, risk-free
interest rates of 6.29%, 6.03% and 6.10%, expected volatilities of 75%, 70% and
65% (0% for 1995 and 1996 options granted by Risk Data, Retek and CompReview
prior to their acquisition by HNC), and expected lives of 3.5, 3.5 and 3.0
years. The fair value of the employees' purchase rights pursuant to the Purchase
Plan is estimated using the Black-Scholes model with the following assumptions:
dividend yield of 0.0% for all three years, risk-free interest rates of 5.66%,
5.36% and 5.32%, expected volatilities of 75%, 70% and 65%, and an expected life
of 6 months for all three years. The weighted average fair value of those
purchase rights granted in 1995, 1996 and 1997 was $2.75, $9.61 and $14.10,
respectively.
 
     The fair value of each option granted under the Aptex Plan is estimated on
the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the
following weighted average assumptions used for grants during the years ended
December 31, 1996 and 1997: dividend yield of 0.0% for both years, risk-free
interest rates of 6.42% and 6.33%, expected volatility of 90% for both years,
and expected lives of 9.25 and 8.0 years. Options to purchase 704 shares and 214
shares were granted during 1996 and 1997, with weighted average exercise prices
per share of $0.03 and $0.08, respectively. During 1997, options to purchase 173
shares with a weighted average exercise price of $0.03 per share were exercised.
During 1997, options to purchase 58 shares
 
                                      F-21
<PAGE>   168
 
                               HNC SOFTWARE INC.
 
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
 
with a weighted average exercise price of $0.03 per share were cancelled. The
weighted average fair value per share of options granted during 1996 and 1997
was $0.03 and $0.07, respectively.
 
     The following table summarizes information about Aptex employee stock
options outstanding at December 31, 1997:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                       OPTIONS OUTSTANDING
                           -------------------------------------------        OPTIONS EXERCISABLE
                                               WEIGHTED                    -------------------------
                               NUMBER           AVERAGE       WEIGHTED         NUMBER       WEIGHTED
                           OUTSTANDING AT      REMAINING      AVERAGE      OUTSTANDING AT   AVERAGE
         RANGE OF           DECEMBER 31,      CONTRACTUAL     EXERCISE      DECEMBER 31,    EXERCISE
      EXERCISE PRICES           1997        LIFE (IN YEARS)    PRICE            1997         PRICE
    -------------------    --------------   ---------------   --------     --------------   --------
    <S>                    <C>              <C>               <C>          <C>              <C>
    $0.03 to $0.03               497              8.75         $ 0.03            79          $ 0.03
     0.05      0.05               39              9.40           0.05            --              --
     0.10      0.10              151              9.82           0.10            --              --
                               -----                                            ---
     0.03      0.10              687              9.03           0.05            79            0.03
                           ==========                                      ==========
</TABLE>
 
NOTE 10 -- CONTINGENCIES
 
     Various claims arising in the course of business, seeking monetary damages
and other relief, are pending. The amount of the liability, if any, from such
claims cannot be determined with certainty; however, in the opinion of
management, the ultimate liability for such claims will not have a material
adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial position, results of
operations or cash flows.
 
NOTE 11 -- SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
 
     On January 30, 1998, the Company signed a definitive agreement to acquire
Practical Control Systems Technologies, Inc. ("PCS"), a distribution center
management software vendor based in Cincinnati, Ohio, subject to the
satisfaction of certain closing conditions and the approval of PCS'
shareholders. If consummated, the acquisition of PCS will be accounted for under
the purchase method and will not be considered a "significant" acquisition
pursuant to regulations set forth by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
 
     On February 13, 1998, the Company adopted the 1998 Stock Option Plan (the
"1998 Plan"), under which 1,000,000 shares of HNC Common Stock were reserved for
issuance pursuant to nonqualified stock options. The 1998 Plan is administered
by the Board of Directors of HNC or a committee appointed by the Board and
provides that nonqualified stock options granted under the plan must be awarded
at an exercise price of not less than 100% of the fair market value of the stock
at the date of grant. Options granted under the 1998 Plan may have a term of up
to ten years. No options have been granted under the 1998 Plan to date.
 
                                      F-22
<PAGE>   169
 
NO DEALER, SALESPERSON OR OTHER PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY
INFORMATION OR TO MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS OTHER THAN THOSE CONTAINED IN OR
INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THIS PROSPECTUS. IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH INFORMATION
OR REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE
COMPANY, THE SELLING STOCKHOLDERS OR ANY OF THE UNDERWRITERS. THIS PROSPECTUS
DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL, OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY, SUCH
SECURITIES BY ANYONE IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE, OR TO ANY PERSON TO WHOM, IT IS
UNLAWFUL TO MAKE SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION. NEITHER THE DELIVERY OF THIS
PROSPECTUS NOR ANY SALE MADE HEREUNDER SHALL, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, CREATE
ANY IMPLICATION THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE COMPANY
SINCE THE DATES AS OF WHICH INFORMATION IS GIVEN IN THIS PROSPECTUS.
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                         PAGE
                                         ----
<S>                                      <C>
Available Information..................    2
Incorporation of Certain Documents by
  Reference............................    2
Prospectus Summary.....................    3
Risk Factors...........................    4
Use of Proceeds........................   14
Price Range of Common Stock............   14
Dividend Policy........................   14
Capitalization.........................   15
Selected Consolidated Financial Data...   16
Management's Discussion and Analysis of
  Financial Condition and Results of
  Operations...........................   18
Business...............................   28
Management.............................   44
Selling Stockholders...................   46
Description of Capital Stock...........   47
Underwriting...........................   50
Legal Matters..........................   51
Experts................................   51
Index to Consolidated Financial
  Statements...........................  F-1
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------------------------------------------
   LOGO
 
   
   2,100,000 SHARES
    
 
   COMMON STOCK
 
   DEUTSCHE MORGAN GRENFELL
 
   BANCAMERICA
   ROBERTSON STEPHENS
 
   SALOMON SMITH BARNEY
   PROSPECTUS
 
               , 1998
<PAGE>   170
 
                                    PART II
 
                   INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS
 
ITEM 14. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION
 
     The following table sets forth the costs and expenses to be paid by the
Registrant in connection with the issuance and distribution of the Securities
being registered. All amounts are estimates except for the Securities and
Exchange Commission registration fee, the NASD filing fee and the Nasdaq
National Market filing fee.
 
   
<TABLE>
            <S>                                                       <C>
            Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee.....  $ 42,917
            NASD filing fee.........................................    15,048
            Nasdaq National Market filing fee.......................     3,000
            Accounting fees and expenses............................   175,000
            Legal fees and expenses.................................   195,000
            Trustee fee.............................................    15,000
            Rating Agency fee.......................................    50,000
            Transfer Agent fee......................................     5,000
            Printing and engraving expenses.........................   200,000
            Blue sky fees and expenses..............................    10,000
            Miscellaneous...........................................    89,035
                                                                      --------
                      Total.........................................  $800,000
                                                                      ========
</TABLE>
    
 
ITEM 15. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
 
   
     As permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the
Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation includes a provision that eliminates
the personal liability of its directors to the Registrant or its stockholders
for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for
liability (i) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the
corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or
that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under
Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law or (iv) for any transaction
from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. In addition, as
permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Bylaws of
the Registrant provide that: (i) the Registrant is required to indemnify its
directors and officers, as well as directors and officers of any other
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other
enterprise when they are serving in such capacities at the request of the
Registrant, to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation
Law; (ii) the Registrant may, in its discretion, indemnify other officers,
employees and agents as set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law; (iii)
upon receipt of an undertaking to repay such advances if indemnification is
determined to be unavailable, the Registrant is required to advance expenses, as
incurred, to its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the
Delaware General Corporation Law in connection with a proceeding (except that
the Registrant is not required to advance expenses to a person against whom it
brings a claim for breach of the duty of loyalty, failure to act in good faith,
intentional misconduct, knowing violation of law or deriving an improper
personal benefit); (iv) the rights conferred in the Bylaws are not exclusive and
the Registrant is authorized to enter into indemnification agreements with its
directors, officers, employees and agents; (v) the Registrant may not
retroactively amend the Bylaw provisions in a way that adversely affects the
indemnification provided thereunder.
    
 
   
     The Registrant's policy is to enter into indemnity agreements with each of
its directors and officers. The indemnity agreements provide that directors and
executive officers will be indemnified and held harmless against all expenses
(including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties
and settlement amounts paid or reasonably incurred by them in any
    
 
                                      II-1
<PAGE>   171
 
   
action, suit or proceeding, including any derivative action by or in the right
of Registrant, on account of their services as a director or officer of the
Registrant or as directors or officers of any other corporation, partnership or
enterprise when they are serving in such capacities at the request of the
Registrant; except that no indemnity is provided in a derivative action in which
such director or officer is finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the
Registrant due to willful misconduct in the performance of his or her duty to
the Registrant, unless the court determines that such director or officer is
entitled to indemnification. The Registrant will not be obligated pursuant to
the agreements to indemnify or advance expenses to an indemnified party with
respect to proceedings or claims (i) initiated voluntarily by the indemnified
party and not by way of defense, except with respect to a proceeding authorized
by the Board of Directors and successful proceedings brought to enforce a right
to indemnification and/or advancement of expenses under the indemnity
agreements; (ii) for any amounts paid in settlement of a proceeding unless the
Registrant consents to such settlement; (iii) on account of any suit in which
judgment is rendered against the indemnified party for an accounting of profits
made from the purchase or sale by the indemnified party of securities of the
Registrant pursuant to the provisions of Section 16(b) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 and related laws and regulations; (iv) on account of
conduct by an indemnified party that is finally adjudged to have been in bad
faith or conduct that the indemnified party did not reasonably believe to be in,
or not opposed to, the best interests of the Registrant; (v) on account of any
criminal action or proceeding arising out of conduct that the indemnified party
had reasonable cause to believe was unlawful; or (vi) if a final decision by a
court having jurisdiction in the matter shall determine that such
indemnification is not lawful.
    
 
   
     The indemnity agreement requires a director or officer to reimburse the
Registrant for expenses advanced only if and to the extent it is ultimately
determined that the director or executive officer is not entitled, under
Delaware law, the Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation, the Registrant's
Bylaws, his or her indemnity agreement or otherwise to be indemnified for such
expenses. The indemnity agreement provides that it is not exclusive of any
rights a director or executive officer may have under the Certificate of
Incorporation, the Bylaws, other agreements, any majority-in-interest vote of
the stockholders or vote of disinterested directors, Delaware law, or otherwise.
    
 
   
     The indemnification provision in the Bylaws, and the indemnity agreements
entered into between the Registrant and its directors and executive officers,
may be sufficiently broad to permit indemnification of the Registrant's
directors and executive officers for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act.
    
 
   
     The indemnity agreements require the Registrant to maintain director and
officer liability insurance to the extent readily available. The Registrant
currently carries a director and officer insurance policy.
    
 
                                      II-2
<PAGE>   172
 
ITEM 16. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
 
     The following exhibits are filed herewith or incorporated by reference
herein:
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
     EXHIBIT
      NUMBER                                    EXHIBIT TITLE
    ----------   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    <C>          <S>
          1.01   Form of Underwriting Agreement for the Note offering.*
          1.02   Form of Underwriting Agreement for the Common Stock offering.*
          2.01   Agreement and Plan of Reorganization dated as of July 19, 1996 by and among
                 the Registrant, HNC Merger Corp. and Risk Data Corporation, as amended.
                 (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit Number 2.01 to Registrant's Current
                 Report on Form 8-K filed on September 12, 1996, as amended (the "Risk Data
                 8-K").)
          2.02   Agreement of Merger dated August 30, 1996 by and between HNC Merger Corp.
                 and Risk Data Corporation. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit Number 2.02
                 to the Risk Data 8-K.)
          2.03   Exchange Agreement dated as of October 25, 1996 by and among the Registrant,
                 Retek Distribution Corporation and the shareholders of Retek Distribution
                 Corporation. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit Number 2.01 to
                 Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 12, 1996 (the
                 "Retek 8-K").)
          2.04   Form of Option Exchange Agreement between the Registrant and each person who
                 held outstanding options to purchase shares of Retek Distribution
                 Corporation on November 29, 1996. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                 Number 2.02 to the Retek 8-K.)
          2.05   Agreement and Plan of Reorganization dated as of July 14, 1997 by and among
                 the Registrant, FW1 Acquisition Corp., CompReview, Inc., Robert L. Kaaren
                 and Mishel E. Munnayer, a.k.a. Michael Munayyer, Trustee of the Michael
                 Munayyer Trust dated August 11, 1995. (Pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of
                 Regulation S-K, certain schedules have been omitted but will be furnished
                 supplementally to the Commission upon request.) (Incorporated by reference
                 to Exhibit Number 2.01 to Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on
                 December 15, 1997 (the "CompReview 8-K").)
          2.06   Agreement of Merger dated as of November 28, 1997 by and between FW1
                 Acquisition Corp. and CompReview, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                 Number 2.02 to the CompReview 8-K.)
       3(i).01   Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Secretary
                 of State of Delaware on June 13, 1996. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                 Number 3(i).04 to Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
                 ended June 30, 1996 (the "Second Quarter 1996 10-Q").)
      3(ii).02   Registrant's Bylaws, as amended. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                 Number 3(ii).05 to the Second Quarter 1996 10-Q.)
          4.01   Form of Specimen Certificate for Registrant's Common Stock. (Incorporated by
                 reference to Exhibit Number 4.01 to Registrant's Form S-1 Registration
                 Statement, as amended (File No. 33-91932) (the "IPO S-1").)
          4.02   Third Amended Registration Rights Agreement dated March 10, 1993, as
                 amended. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit Number 4.02 to the IPO S-1.)
          4.03   Second Waiver and Amendment to Third Amended Registration Rights Agreement.
                 (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit Number 4.03 to Registrant's Form S-1
                 Registration Statement, as amended (File No. 33-99980).
          4.04   Registration Rights Agreement dated as of August 30, 1996 by and among the
                 Company and the former shareholders of Risk Data Corporation. (Incorporated
                 by reference to Exhibit Number 4.01 to the Risk Data 8-K.)
          4.05   Registration Rights Agreement dated as of October 25, 1996 by and among
                 registrant and the former shareholders of Retek Distribution Corporation.
                 (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit Number 4.01 to the Retek 8-K.)
</TABLE>
    
 
                                      II-3
<PAGE>   173
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
     EXHIBIT
      NUMBER                                    EXHIBIT TITLE
    ----------   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    <C>          <S>
          4.06   Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Rights Agreement dated as of February
                 24, 1997 by and between the Registrant and the former shareholders of Retek
                 Distribution Corporation. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit Number 4.06
                 to Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended, for the year ended
                 December 31, 1996.)
          4.07   Registration Rights Agreement dated as of November 28, 1997 by and among the
                 Registrant and the former shareholders of CompReview, Inc. (Incorporated by
                 reference to Exhibit Number 4.01 to the CompReview 8-K.)
          4.08   Form of Indenture between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust
                 Company of California, N.A., as Trustee, including the form of Notes.*
          5.01   Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP for the Note offering.*
          5.02   Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP for the Common Stock offering.*
         12.01   Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.
         23.01   Consent of Price Waterhouse LLP.*
         23.02   Consent of Fenwick & West LLP (included in Exhibits 5.01 and 5.02).*
         24.01   Power of Attorney (See page II-5 of original filing).
         25.01   Statement of Eligibility of Trustee.*
</TABLE>
    
 
- ---------------
 
   
 *  Filed herewith.
    
 
   
ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS
    
 
     The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in the registration
statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time
shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
 
     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 provisions described under Item 15 above, or
otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities
and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as
expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim
for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
 
     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-4
<PAGE>   174
 
                                   SIGNATURES
 
   
     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Amendment to
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized in the City of San Diego, State of California, on February 25,
1998.
    
 
                                          HNC SOFTWARE INC.
                                          By:    /s/ RAYMOND V. THOMAS
                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Raymond V. Thomas
                                            Vice President, Finance and
                                              Administration,
                                            Chief Financial Officer and
                                              Secretary
 
   
     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Amendment
to Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                  SIGNATURE                               TITLE                    DATE
- ---------------------------------------------  ---------------------------  ------------------
<C>                                            <S>                          <C>
        PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER:
 
            /s/ ROBERT L. NORTH*               President, Chief Executive   February 25, 1998
- ---------------------------------------------  Officer and a Director
               Robert L. North
           PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL AND
        PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING OFFICER:
 
            /s/ RAYMOND V. THOMAS              Vice President, Finance and  February 25, 1998
- ---------------------------------------------  Administration, Chief
              Raymond V. Thomas                Financial Officer and
                                               Secretary
 
            ADDITIONAL DIRECTORS:
 
           /s/ EDWARD K. CHANDLER*             Director                     February 25, 1998
- ---------------------------------------------
             Edward K. Chandler
 
            /s/ OLIVER D. CURME*               Director                     February 25, 1998
- ---------------------------------------------
               Oliver D. Curme
 
                                               Director                     February    , 1998
- ---------------------------------------------
               Thomas F. Farb
 
        /s/ CHARLES H. GAYLORD, JR.*           Director                     February 25, 1998
- ---------------------------------------------
           Charles H. Gaylord, Jr.
 
         *By: /s/ RAYMOND V. THOMAS
- ---------------------------------------------
              Raymond V. Thomas
              Attorney-In-Fact
</TABLE>
    
 
                                      II-5
<PAGE>   175
 
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                 SEQUENTIALLY
    EXHIBIT                                                                        NUMBERED
     NUMBER                              EXHIBIT TITLE                               PAGE
    --------    ---------------------------------------------------------------  ------------
    <C>         <S>                                                              <C>
       1.01     Form of Underwriting Agreement for the Note offering.*.........
       1.02     Form of Underwriting Agreement for the Common Stock
                offering.*.....................................................
       2.01     Agreement and Plan of Reorganization dated as of July 19, 1996
                by and among the Registrant, HNC Merger Corp. and Risk Data
                Corporation, as amended. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                Number 2.01 to Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on
                September 12, 1996, as amended (the "Risk Data 8-K").).........
       2.02     Agreement of Merger dated August 30, 1996 by and between HNC
                Merger Corp. and Risk Data Corporation. (Incorporated by
                reference to Exhibit Number 2.02 to the Risk Data 8-K.)........
       2.03     Exchange Agreement dated as of October 25, 1996 by and among
                the Registrant, Retek Distribution Corporation and the
                shareholders of Retek Distribution Corporation. (Incorporated
                by reference to Exhibit Number 2.01 to Registrant's Current
                Report on Form 8-K filed on December 12, 1996 (the "Retek
                8-K").)........................................................
       2.04     Form of Option Exchange Agreement between the Registrant and
                each person who held outstanding options to purchase shares of
                Retek Distribution Corporation on November 29, 1996.
                (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit Number 2.02 to the Retek
                8-K.)..........................................................
       2.05     Agreement and Plan of Reorganization dated as of July 14, 1997
                by and among the Registrant, FW1 Acquisition Corp., CompReview,
                Inc., Robert L. Kaaren and Mishel E. Munnayer, a.k.a. Michael
                Munayyer, Trustee of the Michael Munayyer Trust dated August
                11, 1995. (Pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K,
                certain schedules have been omitted but will be furnished
                supplementally to the Commission upon request.) (Incorporated
                by reference to Exhibit Number 2.01 to Registrant's Current
                Report on Form 8-K filed on December 15, 1997 (the "CompReview
                8-K").)........................................................
       2.06     Agreement of Merger dated as of November 28, 1997 by and
                between FW1 Acquisition Corp. and CompReview, Inc.
                (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit Number 2.02 to the
                CompReview 8-K.)...............................................
    3(i).01     Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed with
                the Secretary of State of Delaware on June 13, 1996.
                (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit Number 3(i).04 to
                Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
                ended June 30, 1996 (the "Second Quarter 1996 10-Q").).........
</TABLE>
    
<PAGE>   176
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                 SEQUENTIALLY
    EXHIBIT                                                                        NUMBERED
     NUMBER                              EXHIBIT TITLE                               PAGE
    --------    ---------------------------------------------------------------  ------------
    <C>         <S>                                                              <C>
    3(ii).02    Registrant's Bylaws, as amended. (Incorporated by reference to
                Exhibit Number 3(ii).05 to the Second Quarter 1996 10-Q.)......
       4.01     Form of Specimen Certificate for Registrant's Common Stock.
                (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit Number 4.01 to
                Registrant's Form S-1 Registration Statement, as amended (File
                No. 33-91932) (the "IPO S-1").)................................
       4.02     Third Amended Registration Rights Agreement dated March 10,
                1993, as amended. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit Number
                4.02 to the IPO S-1.)..........................................
       4.03     Second Waiver and Amendment to Third Amended Registration
                Rights Agreement. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit Number
                4.03 to Registrant's Form S-1 Registration Statement, as
                amended (File No. 33-99980)....................................
       4.04     Registration Rights Agreement dated as of August 30, 1996 by
                and among the Company and the former shareholders of Risk Data
                Corporation. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit Number 4.01
                to the Risk Data 8-K.).........................................
       4.05     Registration Rights Agreement dated as of October 25, 1996 by
                and among registrant and the former shareholders of Retek
                Distribution Corporation. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                Number 4.01 to the Retek 8-K.).................................
       4.06     Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Rights Agreement dated as
                of February 24, 1997 by and between the Registrant and the
                former shareholders of Retek Distribution Corporation.
                (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit Number 4.06 to
                Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended, for the
                year ended December 31, 1996.).................................
       4.07     Registration Rights Agreement dated as of November 28, 1997 by
                and among the Registrant and the former shareholders of
                CompReview, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit Number
                4.01 to the CompReview 8-K.)...................................
       4.08     Form of Indenture between the Registrant and State Street Bank
                and Trust Company of California, N.A., as Trustee, including
                the form of Notes.*............................................
       5.01     Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP for the Note offering.*..........
       5.02     Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP for the Common Stock offering.*..
      12.01     Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges..............
      23.01     Consent of Price Waterhouse LLP.*..............................
      23.02     Consent of Fenwick & West LLP (included in Exhibits 5.01 and
                5.02).*........................................................
      24.01     Power of Attorney (See page II-5 of original filing)...........
      25.01     Statement of Eligibility of Trustee.*..........................
</TABLE>
    
 
- ---------------
 
   
 * Filed herewith.
    

<PAGE>   1
                                                                    EXHIBIT 1.01


                            Dated ____________, 1998




                                HNC SOFTWARE INC.




                   __% CONVERTIBLE SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2003




                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT


<PAGE>   2
                                   $90,000,000

                                HNC SOFTWARE INC.

                  ___% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2003

                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT


___________, 1998

To:
DEUTSCHE MORGAN GRENFELL INC.
and the other Representatives
named in Schedule I hereto
of the several Underwriters
named in Schedule II hereto

c/o Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Inc.
31 West 52nd Street
New York, New York 10019

Dear Sirs:

        HNC Software, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), hereby
confirms its agreement with the several underwriters named in Schedule II hereto
(the "Underwriters"), for whom you have been duly authorized to act as
representatives (the one or more firms acting in such capacities, the
"Representatives"), as set forth below. If you are the only Underwriters, all
references herein to the Representatives shall be deemed to be references to the
Underwriters.

Section 1. Underwriting. Subject to the terms and conditions contained herein:

        (a) The Company proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters
an aggregate of $90,000,000 principal amount of ___% Convertible Subordinated
Notes due 2003 (the "Firm Notes"). The Company also proposes to issue and sell
to the several Underwriters not more than an aggregate of an additional
$10,000,000 principal amount of ___% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2003
(the "Option Notes"), if requested by the Representatives as provided in Section
2(b) hereof. The Firm Notes and the Option Notes are sometimes collectively
referred to herein as the "Notes". The Notes are to be issued under an Indenture
dated as of __________, 1998 (the "Indenture") by and between the Company and
State Street Bank and Trust Company of California, N.A., as trustee (the
"Trustee"), pursuant to which the Notes will be convertible at the option of the
holders thereof into the Company's Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the
"Common Stock"). The Notes and the shares of Common Stock into which the Notes
are convertible are herein collectively called the "Securities."


<PAGE>   3
        (b) Upon your authorization of the release of the Firm Notes, the
Underwriters propose to make a public offering (the "Offering") of the Firm
Notes upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus (as defined below) as soon
after the Registration Statement (as defined below) and this Agreement have
become effective as in the Representatives' sole judgment is advisable. As used
in this Agreement, the term "Effective Date" shall mean each date that the
registration statement and any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto
became or become effective; the term "Original Registration Statement" means the
registration statement referred to in Section 5(a)(i) below, as amended at the
time when it was or is declared effective, including incorporated documents,
financial schedules and exhibits thereto, including any Rule 430A Information
(as defined below) deemed to be included therein at the Effective Date as
provided by Rule 430A and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto
becomes effective prior to the Closing Date (as defined below), also means such
registration statement as so amended; the term "Rule 430A Information" means
information permitted to be omitted from the Original Registration Statement
when it becomes effective pursuant to Rule 430A; the term "Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement" means any registration statement filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the "Securities Act") (including the Registration Statement and any Preliminary
Prospectus (as defined below) or Prospectus incorporated therein at the time
such Registration Statement becomes effective); the term "Registration
Statement" includes both the Original Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement (but in any case excludes the Statement of Eligibility
and Qualification of the Trustee on Form T-1); the term "Basic Prospectus" shall
mean the prospectus referred to in Section 5(a)(i) below contained in the
Registration Statement at the Effective Date including, in the case of a Rule
430A Offering (as defined below), any Preliminary Prospectus; the term
"Preliminary Prospectus" means the preliminary prospectus supplement to the
Basic Prospectus used prior to the filing of the Prospectus; the term
"Prospectus" means:

               (i) if the Company relies on Rule 434 under the Securities Act,
the Term Sheet (as defined below) relating to the Securities that is first filed
pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, together with the Preliminary
Prospectus identified therein that such Term Sheet supplements;

               (ii) the prospectus supplement to the Basic Prospectus first
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act,
together with the Basic Prospectus;

               (iii) if, in the case of a Rule 430A Offering, no prospectus
supplement is required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities
Act, the form of final prospectus supplement to the Basic Prospectus, including
the Basic Prospectus, included in the Registration Statement at the Effective
Date; or

               (iv) for purposes of the representations and warranties in
Section 5 hereof, if the prospectus is not in existence, the Basic Prospectus
and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, if any.

"Rule 415", "Rule 424" and "Rule 430A" refer to such rules or regulations under
the Securities Act, and the term "Term Sheet" means any term sheet that
satisfies the requirements of Rule 434 under the Securities Act. Any reference
herein to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the
documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3
which were filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), on or before the Effective Date of the Registration Statement
or the issue date of the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference herein to the terms "amend",
"amendment" or "supplement" with respect to the Registration Statement, the
Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed
to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act after
the Effective Date of the Registration Statement or the issue date of the Basic
Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be,
deemed to be



                                       -2-

<PAGE>   4
incorporated therein by reference. A "Rule 430A Offering" means an offering of
securities which is intended to commence promptly after the effective date of a
registration statement, with the result that, pursuant to Rules 415 and 430A,
all information (other than Rule 430A Information) with respect to the
securities so offered must be included in such registration statement at the
effective date thereof. A "Rule 415 Offering" means an offering of securities
pursuant to Rule 415 which does not commence promptly after the effective date
of a registration statement, with the result that only information required
pursuant to Rule 415 need be included in such registration statement at the
effective date thereof with respect to the securities so offered. Whether the
offering of the Notes is a Rule 430A Offering or a Rule 415 Offering shall be
set forth in Schedule I hereto.

        (c) For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration
Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, the Term Sheet or the
Basic Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall
be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its
Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system ("EDGAR").

Section 2. Purchase and Closing. (a) On the basis of the representations,
warranties, agreements and covenants herein contained and subject to the terms
and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of
the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters, severally and not jointly,
agrees to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price of ___% of the
principal amount thereof, less accrued interest since _________, 1998, if any
(the "Purchase Price"), the principal amount of Firm Notes set forth opposite
the name of such Underwriter in Schedule II hereto. Firm Notes shall be
registered by State Street Bank and Trust Company of California, N.A., in the
name of the nominee of the Depository Trust Company ("DTC"), Cede & Co. ("Cede &
Co."), and credited to the accounts of such of its participants as the
Representatives shall request, upon notice to the Company at least 48 hours
prior to the First Closing Date (as defined below), with any transfer taxes
payable in connection with the transfer of the Firm Notes to the Underwriters
duly paid, against payment by or on behalf of the Underwriters to the account of
the Company of the aggregate Purchase Price therefor by wire transfer in
immediately available funds. Delivery of and payment for the Firm Notes shall be
made at the office of, on the date and at the time specified in Schedule I
hereto, or at such other place, time or date as the Representatives and the
Company may agree upon. Such time and date of delivery against payment are
herein referred to as the "First Closing Date", and the implementation of all
the actions described in this Section 2(a) is herein referred to as the "First
Closing".

        (b) For the purpose of covering any over-allotments in connection with
the distribution and sale of the Firm Notes as contemplated by the Prospectus,
the Company hereby grants to the several Underwriters an option to purchase,
severally and not jointly, the Option Notes. The purchase price to be paid for
any Option Notes shall be the same as the Purchase Price for the Firm Notes set
forth above in paragraph (a) of this Section 2. The option granted hereby may be
exercised as to all or any part of the Option Notes from time to time within
thirty (30) days after the date of the Prospectus (or, if such 30th day shall be
a Saturday or Sunday or a holiday, on the next business day thereafter when the
New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Stock Market's National Market (the
"Nasdaq National Market") are open for trading). The Underwriters shall not be
under any obligation to purchase any of the Option Notes prior to the exercise
of such option. The Representatives may from time to time exercise the option
granted hereby by giving notice in writing or by telephone (confirmed in
writing) to the Company setting forth the aggregate principal amount of Option
Notes as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the option and
the date and time for delivery or registry of and payment for such Option Notes.
Any such date of delivery or registry shall be determined by the Representatives
but shall not be earlier than two business days or later than five business days
after such exercise of the option unless otherwise agreed to by the Company and
the Representatives and, in any event, shall not be earlier than the First
Closing Date. The time and date set forth in such notice, or such other time or
date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon, is herein called an
"Option Closing Date" and



                                       -3-

<PAGE>   5
the implementation of all the actions described in this Section 2(b) is herein
referred to as the "Option Closing". As used in this Agreement, the term
"Closing Date" means either the First Closing Date or any Option Closing Date,
as applicable, and the term "Closing" means either the First Closing or any
Option Closing, as applicable. If the option is exercised as to all or any
portion of the Option Notes, then the Option Notes shall be delivered or, if
such Option Notes are to be held through DTC, such Option Notes shall be
registered and credited, on the related Option Closing Date in the same manner,
and upon the same terms and conditions, set forth in paragraph (a) of this
Section 2, except that reference therein to the Firm Notes and the First Closing
Date shall be deemed, for purposes of this paragraph (b), to refer to such
Option Notes and Option Closing Date, respectively. Upon exercise of the option
as provided herein, the Company shall become obligated to sell to each of the
several Underwriters, and, on the basis of the representations, warranties,
agreements and covenants herein contained and subject to the terms and
conditions herein set forth, each of the Underwriters (severally and not
jointly) shall become obligated to purchase from the Company, that number of
Option Notes as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the
option, as the number of Firm Notes such Underwriter is obligated to purchase is
to the aggregate number of Firm Notes, as adjusted by the Representatives in
such manner as they deem advisable to avoid fractional notes.

        (c) The Company hereby acknowledges that the payment of monies pursuant
to Section 2(a) or 2(b) hereof (a "Payment") by or on behalf of the Underwriters
of the aggregate Purchase Price for any Notes does not constitute closing of a
purchase and sale of the Notes. Only execution and delivery, by facsimile or
otherwise, of a receipt for Notes by the Underwriters indicates completion of
the closing of a purchase of the Notes. Furthermore, in the event that the
Underwriters make a Payment to the Company prior to the completion of the
closing of a purchase of Notes, the Company hereby acknowledges that until the
Underwriters execute and deliver such receipt for the Notes, the Company will
not be entitled to the Payment and shall return the Payment to the Underwriters
as soon as practicable (by wire transfer of same-day funds) upon demand. In the
event that the closing of a purchase of Notes is not completed and the Payment
is not returned by the Company to the Underwriters on the same day the Payment
was received by the Company, the Company agrees to pay to the Underwriters in
respect of each day the Payment is not returned to any one of them, in same-day
funds, interest on the amount of such Payment not returned by such party in an
amount representing the Underwriters' cost of financing as reasonably determined
by the Representatives.

        (d) It is understood that any of you, individually and not as one of the
Representatives, may (but shall not be obligated to) make Payment on behalf of
any Underwriter or Underwriters for any of the Notes to be purchased by such
Underwriter or Underwriters. No such Payment shall relieve such Underwriter or
Underwriters from any of its or their obligations hereunder.

Section 3. Covenants.

        (a) The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that:

               (i) The Company will:

                   (A) use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement,
if not effective at the time of execution of this Agreement, and any amendments
thereto, to become effective as promptly as possible. If required, the Company
will file the Prospectus or any Term Sheet that constitutes a part thereof and
any amendment or supplement thereto with the Commission in the manner and within
the time period required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act. During any
time when a prospectus relating to the Notes is required to be delivered under
the Securities Act, the Company (x) will comply with all requirements imposed
upon it by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder to the extent necessary to permit



                                       -4-

<PAGE>   6
the continuance of sales of or dealings in the Notes in accordance with the
provisions hereof and of the Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, and
(y) will not, prior to the earlier of the date upon which the over-allotment
option is fully exercised or the date thirty (30) days after the date of
Prospectus, file with the Commission the Basic Prospectus, Term Sheet or any
amendment or supplement to such Basic Prospectus (including the Prospectus or
any Preliminary Prospectus), any amendment or supplement to such Term Sheet, any
amendment to the Registration Statement (including the amendment referred to in
the second sentence of Section 5(a)(i)) or any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement unless the Representatives previously have been advised of, and
furnished with a copy within a reasonable period of time prior to, the proposed
filing and the Representatives shall have given their consent to such filing
which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Company will prepare and
file with the Commission, in accordance with the rules and regulations of the
Commission, promptly upon request by the Representatives or counsel for the
Underwriters, any amendments to the Registration Statement or amendments or
supplements to the Prospectus that may be necessary or advisable in connection
with the distribution of the Notes by the several Underwriters. The Company will
advise the Representatives, promptly after receiving notice thereof, of the time
when the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto has been filed or
declared effective or the Prospectus or Term Sheet or any amendment or
supplement thereto has been filed and will provide evidence satisfactory to the
Representatives of each such filing or effectiveness.

                   (B) without charge, provide (x) to the Representatives and to
counsel for the Underwriters, an executed and a conformed copy of the Original
Registration Statement and each amendment thereto or any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement (in each case including exhibits thereto), (y) to each
other Underwriter, a conformed copy of the Original Registration Statement and
each amendment thereto or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement (in each case
without exhibits thereto), and (z) so long as a prospectus relating to the Notes
is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, as many copies of each
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto
as the Representatives may reasonably request. Without limiting the application
of clause (z) of the preceding sentence, the Company, not later than (I) 9:00
A.M., New York City time, on the business day following the date of
determination of the public offering price, if such determination occurred at or
prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time, on such date or (II) 6:00 P.M., New
York City time, on the business day following the date of determination of the
public offering price, if such determination occurred after 12:00 noon, New York
City time, on such date, will deliver to the Underwriters, without charge, as
many copies of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto as the
Representatives may reasonably request for purposes of confirming orders that
are expected to settle on the First Closing Date. The copies of each Original
Registration Statement, 462(b) Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus,
Term Sheet and Prospectus, and any amendments to the foregoing documents, shall
be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the
Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

                   (C) advise the Representatives, promptly after receiving
notice or obtaining knowledge thereof, of (w) the issuance by the Commission of
any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Original Registration
Statement or any amendment thereto or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or
any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, (x) the suspension of the
qualification of the Notes for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, (y) the
institution, threatening or contemplation of any proceeding for any purpose
identified in the preceding clause (w) or (x), or (z) any request made by the
Commission for amending the Original Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, for amending or supplementing the Prospectus or for
additional information. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the
issuance of any such stop order and, if any such stop order is issued, to obtain
the withdrawal thereof as promptly as possible.



                                       -5-

<PAGE>   7
               (ii) The Company will endeavor in good faith, in cooperation with
the Representatives, to arrange for the qualification of the Notes for offering
and sale in each jurisdiction as the Representatives shall reasonably designate
including, but not limited to, pursuant to applicable state securities ("Blue
Sky") laws of certain states of the United States of America or other U.S.
jurisdictions, and the Company shall use its best reasonable efforts to maintain
such qualifications in effect for so long as may be necessary in order to
complete the placement of the Notes; provided, however, that the Company shall
not be obliged to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify
as a foreign corporation or as a securities dealer in any jurisdiction or to
subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in
which it is not otherwise so subject.

               (iii) If, at any time prior to the final date when a prospectus
relating to the Notes required to be delivered under the Securities Act, any
event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus, as then amended or
supplemented, would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if
for any other reason it shall be necessary at any time to amend the Registration
Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Securities
Act or the rules or regulations of the Commission thereunder or applicable law,
the Company will promptly notify the Representatives thereof and will promptly,
at its own expense: (x) prepare and file with the Commission an amendment to the
Registration Statement or amendment or supplement to the Prospectus which will
correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and (y) supply any
amended Registration Statement or amended or supplemented Prospectus to the
Underwriters in such quantities as the Underwriters may reasonably request.

               (iv) The Company will make generally available to the Company's
security holders and to the Representatives as soon as practicable an earnings
statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act,
including Rule 158 thereunder.

               (v) The Company will not, and will not allow any majority-owned
subsidiary (each a "Subsidiary" and collectively, the "Subsidiaries") to
publicly announce any intention to, and will not itself, and will not allow any
Subsidiary to, without the prior written consent of Deutsche Morgan Grenfell
Inc., on behalf of the Underwriters, (i) offer, pledge, sell, offer to sell,
contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option
to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer
or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any
securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, Common Stock,
or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in
part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the shares of Common
Stock or securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, shares
of Common Stock (whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii)
above is to be settled by delivery of shares of Common Stock or such other
securities, in cash or otherwise), for a period beginning from the date hereof
and continuing to and including the date which is the number of days after the
date hereof specified in Schedule I hereto, except (v) shares of Common Stock
issuable upon conversion of the Notes, (w) shares of Common Stock issued by the
Company pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement referenced in the last sentence
of Section 7, (x) shares of Common Stock (or any securities exercisable for,
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock) issued or issuable
pursuant to any employee benefit plans, qualified and non qualified stock option
plans or other employee compensation plans which are disclosed in the
Prospectus, (y) shares of Common Stock that may be issued to shareholders of
Practical Control Systems Technologies, Inc. or Financial Technologies, Inc. and
(z) shares of Common Stock (or any securities convertible into or exchangeable
for shares of Common Stock) issued by the Company in connection with any other
acquisition, joint venture, strategic partnership or similar strategic
arrangement, provided that the recipient of such shares or convertible
securities, at or prior to such issuance,



                                       -6-

<PAGE>   8
agrees to be bound by the transfer restrictions described above with respect to
such shares of Common Stock or convertible securities.


               (vi) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates, nor any
person acting on behalf of any of them will, directly or indirectly, (i) take
any action designed to cause or to result in, or that has constituted or which
might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of
the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Notes or (ii) (x) sell, bid for, purchase, or pay anyone any compensation for
soliciting purchases of, the Notes or (y) pay or agree to pay to any person any
compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the
Company.

               (vii) The Company shall obtain the agreements described in
Section 7(f) hereof prior to the First Closing Date.

               (viii) If at any time during the period prior to the First
Closing Date, any rumor, publication or event relating to or affecting the
Company shall occur as a result of which in the Representatives' reasonable
judgment the market price of the Notes has been or is likely to be materially
affected (regardless of whether such rumor, publication or event necessitates a
supplement to or amendment of the Prospectus), the Company will, after notice
from the Representatives advising the Company to the effect set forth above,
forthwith prepare, consult with the Representatives concerning the substance of,
and disseminate a press release responding to or commenting on such rumor,
publication or event or other public statement, that is reasonably satisfactory
to the Representatives.

               (ix) If the Company elects to rely on Rule 462(b), the Company
shall both file the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in
compliance with Rule 462(b) and pay the applicable fees in accordance with Rule
111 promulgated under the Securities Act by the earlier of (i) 10:00 p.m. New
York City time on the date of this Agreement and (ii) the time confirmations are
sent or given, as specified by Rule 462(b)(2) under the Securities Act.

               (x) The Company will use all reasonable efforts to ensure that
the Common Stock remains included for quotation on the Nasdaq National Market,
or is included for quotation on the New York Stock Exchange or the American
Stock Exchange, for a period of five years following the First Closing Date (and
that the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Notes are so
included).

Section 4. Expenses.

        (a) The Company shall bear and pay all costs and expenses incurred
incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, whether or
not the transactions contemplated herein are consummated or this Agreement is
terminated pursuant to Section 9 hereof, including: (i) the fees and expenses of
its counsel, accountants and any other experts or advisors retained by the
Company; (ii) fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration of
the Securities under the Securities Act and the preparation and filing of the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus and all amendments and supplements
thereto; (iii) the printing and distribution of the Prospectus and any
Preliminary Prospectus and the printing and production of all other documents
connected with the Offering (including this Agreement and any other related
agreements); (iv) expenses related to the qualification of the Securities under
the state securities or Blue Sky laws, including filing fees and the fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in
connection with the preparation of any Blue Sky memoranda; (v) the filing fees
and expenses, if any, incurred with respect to any filing with the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD"), including the



                                       -7-

<PAGE>   9
fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith;
(vi) all arrangements relating to the preparation, issuance and delivery of the
Securities, including the costs and charges of the Trustee and any transfer
agent, conversion agent, registrar or depository with respect to the Securities;
and (vii) the costs and expenses of travel, lodging and meals of the Company's
employees in connection with associated with the "roadshow" and any other
meetings with prospective investors in the Securities (other than as shall have
been specifically approved by the Representatives to be paid for by the
Underwriters). Subject to the provisions of Section 10, the Underwriters agree
to pay, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated or
this Agreement is terminated, all costs and expenses incident to the performance
of obligations under this Agreement not payable by the Company pursuant to the
preceding sentence, including, without limitation, all costs associated with the
"roadshow" (other than as set forth in clause (viii) above) and the fees and
disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters.


Section 5. Representations And Warranties.

        (a) As a condition of the obligation of the Underwriters to underwrite
and pay for the Notes, the Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with,
each of the several Underwriters as follows:

REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND PROSPECTUS

               (i) If the Offering is a Rule 415 Offering (as specified in
Schedule I hereto), paragraph (x) below is applicable and, if the Offering is a
Rule 430A Offering (as so specified), paragraph (y) below is applicable.

                   (x) The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3
under the Securities Act and has filed with the Commission the Original
Registration Statement (the file number of which is set forth in Schedule I
hereto) on such Form, including a Basic Prospectus, for registration under the
Act of the offering and sale of the Notes one or more amendments to such
Registration Statement may have been so filed, and the Company may have used a
Preliminary Prospectus. Such Registration Statement, as so amended, has become
effective. The Offering is a Rule 415 Offering and, although the Basic
Prospectus may not include all the information with respect to the Notes, and
the offering thereof required by the Securities Act and the rules thereunder to
be included in the Prospectus, the Basic Prospectus includes all such
information required by the Securities Act and the rules thereunder to be
included therein as of the Effective Date. After the execution of this
Agreement, the Company will file with the Commission pursuant to Rules 415 and
424(b)(2) or (5) a final supplement to the form of prospectus included in such
Registration Statement relating to the Notes and the offering thereof, with such
information as is required or permitted by the Securities Act and as has been
provided to and approved by the Representatives prior to the date hereof or, to
the extent not completed at the date hereof, containing only such specific
additional information and other changes (beyond that contained in the Basic
Prospectus and any Preliminary Prospectus) as the Company has advised you, prior
to the date hereof, will be included or made therein. The Company may also file
a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission for the purpose of
registering certain additional Notes, which registration shall be effective upon
filing with the Commission.

                   (y) The Company meets the requirements for the use of Form
S-3 under the Securities Act and has filed with the Commission the Original
Registration Statement (the file number of which is set forth in Schedule I
hereto) on such Form, including a Basic Prospectus, for registration under the
Securities Act of the offering and sale of the Notes, and one or more amendments
to such Registration Statement, including a Preliminary Prospectus, may have
been so filed. After the execution of this Agreement,



                                       -8-

<PAGE>   10
the Company will file with the Commission either (I) if such Registration
Statement, as it may have been amended, has been declared by the Commission to
be effective under the Securities Act, either (A) if the Company relies on Rule
434 under the Securities Act, a Term Sheet relating to the Notes that shall
identify the Preliminary Prospectus that it supplements containing such
information as is required or permitted by Rules 434, 430A and 424(b) under the
Securities Act or (B) if the Company does not rely on Rule 434 under the
Securities Act, a prospectus in the form most recently included in an amendment
to such Registration Statement (or, if no such amendment shall have been filed,
in such Registration Statement), with such changes or insertions as are required
by Rule 430A under the Securities Act or permitted by Rule 424(b) under the
Securities Act, and in the case of either clause (A) or (B) of this sentence, as
have been provided to and approved by the Representatives prior to the execution
of this Agreement, or (II) if such Registration Statement, as it may have been
amended, has not been declared by the Commission to be effective under the
Securities Act, an amendment to such Registration Statement, including the form
of final prospectus supplement to the Basic Prospectus, a copy of which
amendment has been furnished to and approved by the Representatives prior to the
execution of this Agreement or, to the extent not completed at the date hereof,
containing only such specific additional information and other changes (beyond
that contained in the Basic Prospectus and any Preliminary Prospectus) as the
Company has advised you, prior to the date hereof, will be included or made
therein. The Company may also file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the
Commission for the purpose of registering certain additional Notes, which
registration shall be effective upon filing with the Commission.

               (ii) The Commission has not issued any order preventing or
suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus. When any Preliminary
Prospectus was filed with the Commission, it (x) contained all statements
required to be stated therein in accordance with, and complied in all material
respects with the requirements of, the Securities Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder and (y) did not include any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. When the Registration Statement or any
amendment thereto was or is declared effective, it (I) contained or will contain
all statements required to be stated therein in accordance with, and complied or
will comply in all material respects with the requirements of, the Securities
Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (II) did not
or will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not
misleading. When the Prospectus or any Term Sheet or any amendment or supplement
to the Prospectus is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) (or, if
the Prospectus or such amendment or supplement is not required to be so filed,
when the Registration Statement or the amendment thereto containing the
Prospectus or such amendment or supplement to the Prospectus was or is declared
effective) and on the Closing Date, the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented
at any such time, (A) contained or will contain all statements required to be
stated therein in accordance with, and complied or will comply in all material
respects with the requirements of, the Securities Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder and (B) did not or will not include any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary
in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. The foregoing provisions of this paragraph
(ii) do not apply to statements or omissions made in any Preliminary Prospectus,
the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto or the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the
Representatives specifically for use therein.

               (iii) If the Company has elected to rely on Rule 462(b) and the
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is not effective, (x) the Company will file a
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement in compliance with,



                                       -9-

<PAGE>   11
and that is effective upon filing pursuant to, Rule 462(b) and (y) the Company
has given irrevocable instructions for transmission of the applicable filing fee
in connection with the filing of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, in
compliance with Rule 111 under the Securities Act, or the Commission has
received payment of such filing fee.

               (iv) The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later of
(x) any Closing Date and (y) the completion of the distribution of the Notes,
will not distribute any offering material in connection with the Offering other
than the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, any Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.

               (v) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is
given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (x) the Company and its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, have not incurred any material liability or
obligation, direct or contingent, nor entered into any material transaction not
in the ordinary course of business; (y) the Company has not purchased any of its
outstanding capital stock, nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or
distribution of any kind on its capital stock; and (z) there has not been any
material change in the capital stock, short-term or long-term debt of the
Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except in each case as described
in or contemplated by the Prospectus.

THE COMMON STOCK

               (vi) The Company has an authorized, issued and outstanding
capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus as of the date set forth therein.
All of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company, have been duly
authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, have been
issued in compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws and
were not issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive rights or other
rights to subscribe for or purchase such securities. No holders of outstanding
shares of capital stock of the Company are entitled as such to any preemptive or
other rights to subscribe for any of the capital stock, and no holder of
securities of the Company has any right which has not been fully exercised or
waived to require the Company to register the offer or sale of any securities
owned by such holder under the Securities Act in the Offering contemplated by
this Agreement. The shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Notes
have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance upon conversion of the Notes
and, when issued and delivered by the Company upon such conversion, will be duly
and validly issued and fully paid and nonassessable, and no preemptive or other
rights to subscribe for any of such shares of Common Stock exist with respect
thereto. The issuance of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of
the Notes will be exempt from the registration requirements under the Securities
Act pursuant to Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act.

               (vii) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus and except for
options granted pursuant to qualified option plans and disclosed to the
Representatives, there are no outstanding (x) securities or obligations of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries convertible into or exchangeable for any
capital stock of the Company or any such Subsidiary, (y) warrants, rights or
options to subscribe for or purchase from the Company or any such Subsidiary any
such capital stock or any such convertible or exchangeable securities or
obligations, or (z) obligations of the Company or any such Subsidiary to issue
any shares of capital stock, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or
obligations, or any such warrants, rights or options.

               (viii) Except for the shares of capital stock of each of the
Subsidiaries owned by the Company and such Subsidiaries, neither the Company nor
any such Subsidiary owns any shares of stock or any other equity securities of
any corporation or has any equity interest in any firm, partnership, association
or other entity, except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus.



                                      -10-

<PAGE>   12
LISTING

               (ix) The Common Stock is listed for quotation on the Nasdaq
National Market, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to,
have the effect of, delisting the Common Stock for quotation on the Nasdaq
National Market.

MARKET MANIPULATION

               (x) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates, nor any person
acting on behalf of any of them has, directly or indirectly, (A) taken any
action designed to cause or to result in, or that has constituted or which might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the
price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Notes, or (B) since the filing of the Original Registration Statement (I) sold,
bid for, purchased, or paid anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of,
the Notes or (II) paid or agreed to pay to any person any compensation for
soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company.

CORPORATE POWER AND AUTHORITY; THE INDENTURE AND NOTES

               (xi) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the law of its jurisdiction of
incorporation with full power and authority to own, lease and operate its
properties and assets and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus,
is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each
jurisdiction in which its ownership, leasing or operation of its properties or
assets or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where
the failure to be so qualified does not amount to a material liability or
disability to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and has full
power and authority to execute and perform its obligations under this Agreement;
each Subsidiary of the Company is a corporation duly incorporated and validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of
incorporation and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing
in each jurisdiction in which its ownership, leasing or operation of its
properties or assets or the conduct of its business requires such qualification,
except where the failure to be so qualified does not amount to a material
liability or disability to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
and each has full power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties
and assets and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus; none of the Company's subsidiaries is a "significant
subsidiary" as defined in Section 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X; all of the issued
and outstanding shares of capital stock (other than statutory nominal
stockholdings) of each of the Company's Subsidiaries have been duly authorized
and are fully paid and nonassessable and except as otherwise set forth in the
Prospectus (and except Aptex Software Inc., which is __% owned by the Company),
are owned beneficially by the Company or one of its Subsidiaries free and clear
of any security interests, liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.

               (xii) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the
Indenture and the issuance and sale of the Notes and the Common Stock issuable
upon conversion of the Notes have been duly authorized by all necessary
corporate action of the Company, and this Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes
have been duly executed and delivered by the Company). This Agreement is the
valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in
accordance with its terms, except (x) as the enforceability thereof may be
limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, federal or state fraudulent conveyance or
transfer laws, and reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting
the enforcement of creditors' rights generally and by general equitable
principles and (y) except to the extent that rights to indemnity or contribution
under this Agreement may be limited by federal and state securities laws or the
public policy underlying such laws.



                                      -11-

<PAGE>   13
The Indenture, when executed and delivered by the Company in accordance with its
terms (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the
Trustee) will be the valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable
against the Company in accordance with its terms, except to the extent the
Indenture is subject to, or effected by, applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
federal or state fraudulent conveyance or transfer laws, reorganization,
moratorium or similar laws. The Notes conform in all material respect to the
descriptions thereof in the Prospectus. When the Notes are issued, executed and
authenticated in accordance with the Indenture and paid for in accordance with
the terms of this Agreement, the Notes will be the valid and binding obligations
of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms,
except to the extent the Notes are subject to, or effected by, applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, federal or state fraudulent conveyance or transfer laws,
reorganization moratorium or similar laws.

               (xiii) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and
compliance by the Company with the provisions of, and performance of its
obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes and the
consummation of the other transactions herein and therein contemplated do not
(x) require the consent, approval, authorization, registration or qualification
of or with any governmental authority, except (I) if the Company has elected to
rely on Rule 462(b) and the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is not effective,
the registration of certain Shares pursuant to the Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement that will be effective upon filing in compliance with Rule 462 (b) and
(II) such as have been obtained or made or such as may be required by the state
securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states of the United States of
America or other U.S. jurisdictions in connection with the offer and sale of the
Notes by the Underwriters, or (y) conflict with or result in a breach or
violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under,
(I) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease or other agreement or
instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by
which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective
properties are bound, except as would not individually or in the aggregate have
a materially adverse effect on or constitute a materially adverse change in the
condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, properties, business affairs or
business prospects, net worth or results of operations of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or the ability of the Company to perform its
obligations under this Agreement or the Indenture, or (II) the charter documents
or by-laws of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (III) any statute or
any judgment, decree, order, rule or regulation of any court or other
governmental authority or any arbitrator applicable to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries.

               (xiv) The Company is not, and will conduct its operations in a
manner so that it continues not to be, an "investment company" and, after giving
effect to the Offering and the application of the proceeds therefrom, will not
be an "investment company", as such term is defined in the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").

TITLE, LICENSES AND CONSENTS

               (xv) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have good and
marketable title in fee simple to all items of real property and marketable
title to all personal property owned by each of them, in each case free and
clear of any security interests, liens, encumbrances, equities, claims and other
defects, except such as do not materially and adversely affect the use of such
property and do not interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such
property by the Company or such Subsidiary, and any real property and buildings
held under lease by the Company or any such Subsidiary are held under valid,
subsisting and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as are not material and
do not interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property and
buildings by the Company or such Subsidiary, in each case except as described in
or contemplated by the Prospectus.



                                      -12-

<PAGE>   14
               (xvi) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company and each
of its Subsidiaries have the right to use or can acquire on reasonable terms all
trademarks, trade names, trade secrets, service marks, inventions, patent
rights, mask works, copyrights, licenses, software code, audiovisual works,
formats, algorithms and underlying data, approvals and governmental
authorizations now used in, or which are necessary for fulfillment of their
respective obligations or the conduct of, their respective businesses as now
conducted or proposed to be conducted as described in the Prospectus; except as
discussed in the Prospectus, the expiration of any trademarks, trade names,
trade secrets, service marks, inventions, patent rights, mask works, copyrights
or licenses would not have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial
or otherwise), earnings, properties, business affairs or business prospects,
stockholders' equity, net worth or results of operations of the Company; and
neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is infringing any trademark,
trade name rights, patent rights relating to patents that have issued, mask
works, copyrights, licenses, trade secret, service marks or other similar rights
of others, and there is no claim being made against the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries regarding trademark, trade name, patent, mask work, copyright,
license, trade secret or other infringement or assertion of intellectual
property rights which could have a material adverse effect on the earnings,
properties, business affairs or business prospects, stockholders' equity, net
worth or results of operations of the Company. The Company has agreements in
place with such employees, consultants or other persons or parties engaged by
the Company or any Subsidiary sufficient to enable the Company and any
subsidiary to fulfill their contractual obligations and to conduct their
respective businesses as now conducted as described in the Prospectus and
providing for the assignment to the Company of all intellectual property rights
in the work performed and the protection of the trade secrets and confidential
information of the Company, each of its Subsidiaries and of third parties.

               (xvii) The Company and its Subsidiaries possess all consents,
licenses, certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate
federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their
respective businesses, and neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has
received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of
any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate,
if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a
materially adverse effect on or constitute a materially adverse change in, or
constitute a development involving a prospective materially adverse effect on or
change in, the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, properties,
business affairs or business prospects, net worth or results of operations of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except as described in
or contemplated by the Prospectus.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

               (xviii) Price Waterhouse LLP, who have certified certain 
financial statements of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries and
delivered their report with respect to the audited consolidated financial
statements and schedules included or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, are independent public accountants as
required by the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations
thereunder.

               (xix) The consolidated financial statements and schedules of the
Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries included or incorporated in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus were prepared in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") consistently applied
throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein) and they
present fairly the consolidated financial condition of the Company as at the
dates at which they were prepared and the consolidated results of operations of
the Company in respect of the periods for which they were prepared.



                                      -13-

<PAGE>   15
INTERNAL ACCOUNTING CONTROLS

               (xx) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintain a system
of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that
(w) transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or
specific authorizations; (x) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit
preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain
asset accountability; (y) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with
management's general or specific authorization; and (z) the recorded
accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable
intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

LITIGATION

               (xxi) No legal or governmental proceedings are pending or to the
Company's knowledge threatened to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
is a party or to which the property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is
subject that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus and are not described therein; and no statutes, regulations,
contracts or other documents that are required to be described or incorporated
in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to
the Registration Statement are not described or incorporated therein or filed as
required.

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

               (xxii) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus under the caption
"Dividend Policy" or restricted by applicable law, no Subsidiary of the Company
is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to
the Company, making any other distribution on such Subsidiary's capital stock,
repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the
Company or transferring any of such Subsidiary's property or assets to the
Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company, and the Company is not currently
prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends or making any
other distribution on its capital stock, in each case except as described in or
contemplated by the Prospectus or prohibited by applicable law.

TAXES

               (xxiii) The Company has filed all foreign, federal, state and
local tax returns that are required to be filed or has requested extensions
thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file would not have a
materially adverse effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole)
and has paid all taxes required to be paid by it and any other assessment, fine
or penalty levied against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and
payable, except for any such assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being
contested in good faith or as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus.

INSURANCE

               (xxiv) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are insured by
insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks
and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they
are engaged; neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has been refused any
insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor any such
Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its
existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain
similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its
business at a cost that would not materially and adversely affect the condition
(financial or otherwise), earnings, properties, business affairs



                                      -14-

<PAGE>   16
or business prospects, net worth or results of operations of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except as described in or contemplated by
the Prospectus.

PENSION AND LABOR

               (xxv) The Company is in compliance in all material respects with
all presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations
thereunder ("ERISA"); no "reportable event" (as defined in ERISA) has occurred
with respect to any "pension plan" (as defined in ERISA) for which the Company
would have any liability; the Company has not incurred and does not expect to
incur liability under (x) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or
withdrawal from, any "pension plan" or (y) Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations and published
interpretations thereunder (the "Code"); and each "pension plan" for which the
Company would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section
401(a) of the Code is so qualified in all material respects and nothing has
occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of
such qualification.

               (xxvi) No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries exists or is threatened or imminent that could have a
materially adverse effect on or constitute a materially adverse change in, or
constitute a development involving a prospective materially adverse effect on or
change in, the condition (financial or otherwise), properties, management,
earnings, business affairs or business prospects, net worth or results of
operations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except
as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus.

ENVIRONMENTAL

               (xxvii) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in
violation of any federal or state law or regulation relating to occupational
safety and health or to the storage, handling or transportation of hazardous or
toxic materials and the Company and its Subsidiaries have received all permits,
licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable federal and state
occupational safety and health and environmental laws and regulations to conduct
their respective businesses, and the Company and each such Subsidiary is in
compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or
approval, except any such violation of law or regulation, failure to receive
required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the
terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals which would not,
singly or in the aggregate, have a materially adverse effect on or constitute a
materially adverse change in, or constitute a development involving a
prospective materially adverse effect on or change in, the condition (financial
or otherwise), earnings, properties, business affairs or business prospects, net
worth or results of operations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, taken
as a whole, except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus.

OTHER AGREEMENTS

               (xxviii) No default by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
exists, and no event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of time or both,
would constitute a default in the due performance and observance of any term,
covenant or condition of any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease or other
agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a
party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their
respective properties is bound, where such default could have a material adverse
effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), properties, management,
earnings, business affairs or business prospects, net worth or results of
operations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or the
ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the
Indenture.



                                      -15-

<PAGE>   17
ABSENCE OF MATERIALLY ADVERSE CHANGE

               (xxix) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information
is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries has sustained any material loss or interference with
their respective businesses or properties from fire, flood, hurricane, accident
or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor
dispute or any legal or governmental proceeding, and there has been no
materially adverse change (including, without limitation, a change in management
or control), or development involving a prospective materially adverse change,
in the condition (financial or otherwise), management, earnings, property,
business affairs or business prospects, stockholders' equity, net worth or
results of operations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, other than as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (exclusive
of any amendments or supplements thereto).

               (xxx) No receiver or liquidator (or similar person) has been
appointed in respect of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or in
respect of any part of the assets of the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company; no resolution, order of any court, regulatory body, governmental body
or otherwise, or petition or application for an order, has been passed, made or
to the Company's knowledge presented for the winding up of the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company or for the protection of the Company or any such
Subsidiary from its creditors; and the Company has not, and no Subsidiary of the
Company has, stopped or suspended payments of its debts, become unable to pay
its debts or otherwise become insolvent.

        (b) The above representations and warranties with respect to the Company
shall be deemed to be repeated at each Closing and all references therein to the
Notes and the Closing Date shall be deemed to refer to the Firm Notes or the
Option Notes and the First Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date,
each as applicable.


Section 6. Indemnity.

        (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter
and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, against any
and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such
Underwriter or such controlling person may become subject under the Securities
Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon:

               (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement made by the
Company in Section 5 hereof,

               (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any
material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto,
the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or

               (iii) the omission or alleged omission to state in the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, the Basic Prospectus, any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto
a material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading,



                                      -16-

<PAGE>   18
and will reimburse, as incurred, each Underwriter and each such controlling
person for any legal or other costs or expenses reasonably incurred by such
Underwriter or such controlling person in connection with investigating,
defending against or appearing as a third-party witness in connection with any
such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the
Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss,
claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, the Basic Prospectus, any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use
therein; and provided further, that the Company will not be liable to any
Underwriter or any person controlling such Underwriter with respect to any such
untrue statement, alleged untrue statement, omission or alleged omission made in
any Preliminary Prospectus that is corrected in the Prospectus (or any amendment
or supplement thereto) if the person asserting any such loss, claim, damage or
liability purchased Notes from such Underwriter but was not sent or given a copy
of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) in any case where such delivery
of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) was required by the Securities
Act, unless such failure to deliver the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented)
was a result of noncompliance by the Company with Section 3 hereof. The
indemnity provided for in this Section 6 shall be in addition to any liability
which the Company may otherwise have. The Company will not, without the prior
written consent of the Representatives, settle or compromise or consent to the
entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or
proceeding in respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether
or not any such Representatives or any person who controls any such
Representatives is a party to such claim, action, suit or proceeding), unless
such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of all
of the Underwriters and such controlling persons from all liability arising out
of such claim, action, suit or proceeding.

        (b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold
harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the
Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange
Act against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company or
any such director, officer or controlling person may become subject under the
Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i)
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained
in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, the Basic Prospectus,
any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto or (ii) the omission or the alleged omission to state in the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, the Basic Prospectus any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto
a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the
extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the
Representatives specifically for use therein, and, subject to the limitation set
forth immediately preceding this clause, will reimburse, as incurred, any legal
or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or any such director,
officer, or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending
against or appearing as a third-party witness in connection with any such loss,
claim, damage, liability or any action in respect thereof. The remedies provided
for in this Section 6 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or
remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in
equity. No Underwriter will, without the prior written consent of the Company,
settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or
threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification
may be sought hereunder (whether or not the Company, any of its officers and
directors, or any controlling person is a party to such claim, action, suit or
proceeding), unless



                                      -17-

<PAGE>   19
such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of the
Company and such directors, officers and controlling persons from all liability
arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding.

        (c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation)
shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be
sought pursuant to paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 6, such person (for
purposes of paragraphs (c) and (d) of this Section 6, the "indemnified party")
shall, promptly after receipt by such party of notice of the commencement of
such action, notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (for
purposes of paragraphs (c) and (d) of this Section 6, the "indemnifying party"),
but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from
any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under
this Section 6. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified
party, and it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the
indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent
that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified,
to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such
indemnified party; provided, however, that if the defendants in any such action
include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the
indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded (based upon the advice of its
counsel) that there may be one or more legal defenses available to it and/or
other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those
available to the indemnifying party, the indemnifying party shall not have the
right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party
or parties and such indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select
separate counsel to defend such action on behalf of such indemnified party or
parties. After notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of
its election so to assume the defense of any such action and approval by such
indemnified party of counsel appointed to defend such action, the indemnifying
party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 6 for any
legal or other expenses, other than reasonable costs of investigation,
subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense
thereof, unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel
in accordance with the proviso to the next preceding sentence (it being
understood, however, that in connection with such action the indemnifying party
shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (in
addition to local counsel) in any one action or separate but substantially
similar actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general
allegations or circumstances), or (ii) the indemnifying party does not promptly
retain counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party, or (iii) the indemnifying
party has authorized in writing the employment of counsel for the indemnified
party at the expense of the indemnifying party. All fees and expenses to be
reimbursed pursuant to this paragraph (d) shall be reimbursed as they are
incurred. After such notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified
party, the indemnifying party will not be liable for the costs and expenses of
any settlement of such action effected by such indemnified party without the
consent of the indemnifying party.

        (d) In circumstances in which the indemnity agreement provided for in
the preceding paragraphs of this Section 6 is unavailable or insufficient, for
any reason, to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) purporting to be
covered thereby, each indemnifying party, in order to provide for just and
equitable contribution, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect (i)
the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party or parties on the one
hand and the indemnified party on the other from the Offering or (ii) if the
allocation provided by the foregoing clause (i) is not permitted by applicable
law, not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the
indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party on the
other in connection with the statements or omissions or alleged statements or
omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand
and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion
as the total proceeds from the Offering



                                      -18-

<PAGE>   20
(before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total
underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters. The
relative fault of the parties shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information
supplied by the Company or the Underwriters, the parties' relative intents,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
statement or omission, and any other equitable considerations appropriate in the
circumstances. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be
equitable if the amount of such contribution were determined by pro rata or per
capita allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account
the equitable considerations referred to above in this paragraph (e).
Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph (e), no Underwriter shall
be obligated to make contributions hereunder that in the aggregate exceed the
total public offering price of the Notes purchased by such Underwriter under
this Agreement, less the aggregate amount of any damages that such Underwriter
has otherwise been required to pay in respect of the same or any substantially
similar claim, and no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the
meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations to contribute hereunder are
several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not
joint, and contributions among Underwriters shall be governed by the provisions
of the Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Inc. Master Agreement Among Underwriters. For
purposes of this paragraph (d), each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter
within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the
Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and
each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the
Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange
Act, shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.

Section 7. Conditions Precedent.

        The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the
Notes shall be subject, in the Representatives' reasonable discretion, to (i)
the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained
herein as of the date hereof and as of each Closing Date on which the Company
proposes to sell Notes to the Underwriter, in each case, as if made on and as of
each Closing Date, (ii) the performance by the Company of its covenants and
agreements hereunder required to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the
Closing Date, and (iii) the following additional conditions:

        (a) (i)If the Original Registration Statement or any amendment thereto
filed prior to the First Closing Date has not been declared effective as of the
time of execution hereof, the Original Registration Statement or such amendment
shall have been declared effective not later than 6:00 P.M. New York City time
on the date of determination of the public offering price, if such determination
occurred at or prior to 4:30 P.M. New York City time on such date, or 12:00 Noon
New York City time on the business day following the day on which the public
offering price was determined, if such determination occurred after 4:30 P.M.
New York City time on such date, and (ii) if the Company has elected to rely
upon Rule 462(b), the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have been
declared effective not later than the time confirmations are sent or given as
specified by Rule 462(b)(2), or such later time and date as shall have been
consented to by the Representatives; if required, the Prospectus or any Term
Sheet that constitutes a part thereof and any amendment or supplement thereto
shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time
period required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act; no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any amendment
thereto shall have been issued, and no proceedings for that purpose shall have
been instituted or threatened or, to the knowledge of the Company or the
Representatives, shall be contemplated by



                                      -19-

<PAGE>   21
the Commission; and the Company shall have complied with any request of the
Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise).

        (b) The Representatives shall have received a legal opinion dated the
Closing Date from (i) Fenwick & West LLP, counsel for the Company, with respect
to the matters set forth below execpt the first and third sentences of clause
(x), and (ii) Winthrop, Stimson, Putram & Roberts, with respect to the matters
set forth in the first and third sentences of clause (x):

               (i) the Registration Statement is effective under the Securities
Act; any required filing of the Prospectus, or any Term Sheet that constitutes a
part thereof, pursuant to Rules 434 and 424(b) has been made in the manner and
within the time period required by Rules 434 and 424(b); and to its knowledge no
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any
amendment thereto has been issued and, to its knowledge, no proceedings for that
purpose are pending or threatened by the Commission;

               (ii) the Original Registration Statement and each amendment
thereto, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and the Prospectus (in each
case, other than the financial statements and other financial and statistical
information contained therein, as to which such counsel need express no
opinion), excluding in each case the documents incorporated by reference
therein, comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder;

               (iii) the documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus
(in each case other than the financial statements and other financial and
statistical information contained therein, as to which such counsel need express
no opinion), when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as
the case may be, complied as to form in all material respects with the
applicable requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as
applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;

               (iv) at December 31, 1997, the Company has an authorized, issued
and outstanding capitalization as set forth in the "Capitalization" section of
the Prospectus; all of the shares of capital stock issued and outstanding prior
to the Closing Date have been duly authorized and validly issued and, assuming
payment therefor in accordance with the resolutions authorizing such issuances
or in accordance with the terms of the applicable option or warrant, as the case
may be, are fully paid and nonassessable; and none of such shares of capital
stock was issued in violation of any statutory preemptive or, to such counsel's
knowledge, other similar rights; to such counsel's knowledge, no holders of
outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are entitled as such to any
preemptive or other rights to subscribe for any shares of capital stock; and to
such counsel's knowledge no holder of securities of the Company has any right
which has not been fully exercised or waived to require the Company to register
the offer or sale of any securities owned by such holder under the Securities
Act in the Offering contemplated by this Agreement; the shares of Common Stock
issuable upon conversion of the Notes have been duly authorized and reserved for
issuance upon conversion of the Notes and, when issued and delivered by the
Company upon such conversion, will be duly and validly issued and fully paid and
nonassessable, and no preemptive or other rights to subscribe for any of such
shares of Common Stock exists with respect thereto. The issuance of the shares
of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Notes will be exempt from the
registration requirements under the Securities Act pursuant to Section 3(a)(9)
of the Securities Act.

               (v) the Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Notes is
listed for quotation on the Nasdaq National Market;




                                      -20-

<PAGE>   22
               (vi) the Company and each of its domestic Subsidiaries have been
duly organized and are validly existing as corporations in good standing under
the laws of their respective jurisdictions of incorporation, based solely on
certificates from public officials, such counsel confirms that the Company and
each of its domestic Subsidiaries and duly qualified to transact business in
[the list jurisdictions set forth under their respective names in the list
attached as Schedule IV]; to such counsel's knowledge the Company and each of
its domestic Subsidiaries have full corporate power and corporate authority to
own, lease and operate their respective properties and assets and conduct their
respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, and the Company has corporate power to enter into this Agreement and
to carry out all the terms and provisions hereof to be carried out by it; all of
the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each of the Company's
domestic Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully
paid and nonassessable and, except as otherwise set forth in the Registration
Statement, are owned beneficially by the Company or one of its Subsidiaries free
and clear of any perfected security interests or, to the knowledge of such
counsel, any other security interests, liens, encumbrances, equities or claims;

               (vii) the statements set forth under the headings "Description of
Capital Stock"; and "Underwriting" in the Prospectus, and under Item 15 in the
Registration Statement, insofar as such statements constitute a summary of the
legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein, have been reviewed
by such counsel and fairly present the information called for with respect to
such legal matters, documents and proceedings in all material respects as
required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the respective rules and
regulations thereunder;

               (viii) the execution and delivery of this Agreement have been
duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company and this
Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes have been duly executed and delivered by
the Company;

               (ix) the execution and delivery by the Company of, and compliance
by the Company with, the provisions of, and performance of its obligations
under, this Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes and the consummation of the
other transactions contemplated in this Agreement, the Indenture, the Notes and
the Registration Statement do not (x) require the consent, approval,
authorization, registration or qualification of or with any governmental
authority, except such as have been obtained or made (and specified in such
opinion) or such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the
United States of America or any state thereof, or any foreign jurisdiction or
under the bylaws or rules of the NASD in connection with the offer and sale of
the Notes by the Underwriters, or (y) to such counsel's knowledge, conflict with
or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or
constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease or
other agreement or instrument, to which the Company or any of its domestic
Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its domestic
Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties are bound, which indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, lease or other agreement or instrument is (or is
required to be, in accordance with applicable laws) included (or incorporated by
reference) in the Registration Statement, or any foreign jurisdiction or under
the bylaws or rules of the NASD or the charter documents or by-laws of the
Company or any of its domestic Subsidiaries, or any statute or any judgment,
decree, order, rule or regulation of any court or other governmental authority
or any arbitrator known to such counsel and applicable to the Company or its
domestic Subsidiaries;

               (x) The Indenture, when executed and delivered by the Company in
accordance with its terms (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery
thereof by the Trustee) will be the valid and binding Agreement of the Company,
enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except to the
extent the Indenture is subject to, or effected by, applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, federal or state fraudulent conveyance or transfer laws,
reorganization, moratorium or similar laws. The Notes conform in all material



                                      -21-

<PAGE>   23
respect to the descriptions thereof in the Prospectus. When the Notes are
issued, executed and authenticated in accordance with the Indenture and paid for
in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Notes will be the valid and
binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in
accordance with their terms, except to the extent the Notes are subject to, or
effected by, applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, federal or state fraudulent
conveyance or transfer laws, reorganization moratorium or similar laws.

               (xi) the Company is not an "investment company" and, after giving
effect to the Offering and the application of the proceeds therefrom, will not
be an "investment company", as such term is defined in the 1940 Act; and

               (xii) such counsel does not know of any legal or governmental
proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is a party or to which the property of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is subject that are required to be described or incorporated in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not described or incorporated
therein or any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are
Required to be described or incorporated in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not
described or incorporated therein or filed as required.

               Such opinion shall also state such counsel has participated in
certain conferences with officers and other representatives of the Company,
representatives of the independent certified public accountants for the Company
and representatives of the Underwriters, at which conferences the contents of
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and related matters were discussed
and, although such counsel is not passing upon and does not assume any
responsibility for, nor has such counsel independently verified, the accuracy,
completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration
Statement and Prospectus, on the basis of the foregoing, no facts have come to
such counsel's attention that have caused such counsel to believe that either
the Registration Statement, at the time such Registration Statement became
effective, or the Prospectus as of the date hereof, contained any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading
(except, in the case of both the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, for
the financial statements, notes thereto and other schedules, financial and
accounting information and statistical data contained therein, as to which such
counsel expresses no view).

        In rendering any such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to matters of
fact, to the extent such counsel deems proper, on certificates of responsible
officers of the Company or certificates of government officials.

        References to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus in this
paragraph (b) shall include any amendment or supplement thereto at the date of
such opinion. The opinions of issuer's counsel described herein shall be
rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so state
therein.

        (c) The Representatives shall have received a legal opinion from Wilson
Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C., counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing
Date, covering the issuance and sale of the Notes, the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus, and such other related matters as the Representatives may
reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such
documents as they may reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to
pass upon such matters.

        (d) The Representatives shall have received from Price Waterhouse LLP
letters dated, respectively, the date hereof and the Closing Date, in form and
substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or
reproduced copies of such letters for each of the other Underwriters containing



                                      -22-

<PAGE>   24
statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants'
"comfort letters" to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and
certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus.

               In the event that the letters referred to above set forth any
such changes, decreases or increases, it shall be a further condition to the
obligations of the Underwriters that (I) such letters shall be accompanied by a
written explanation of the Company as to the significance thereof, unless the
Representatives deem such explanation unnecessary, and (II) such changes,
decreases or increases do not, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, make
it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the purchase and delivery of the
Notes as contemplated by the Registration Statement, as amended as of the date
hereof. References to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus in this
paragraph (f) with respect to either letter referred to above shall include any
amendment or supplement thereto at the date of such letter.

        (e) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the
Underwriters at the Closing a certificate of its President and Chief Executive
Officer and its Chief Financial Officer satisfactory to the Underwriters to the
effect that:

               (i) the representations and warranties of the Company in this
Agreement are true and correct as if made on and as of the Closing Date; the
Registration Statement, as amended as of the Closing Date, does not include any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading, and the Prospectus, as amended or
supplemented as of the Closing Date, does not include any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading; and the Company has performed all covenants and agreements
and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or
prior to the Closing Date;

               (ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto has been issued, and no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or threatened or, to the best
of the Company's knowledge, are contemplated by the Commission; and

               (iii) subsequent to the respective dates as of which information
is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (exclusive of any
amendment or supplement thereto), neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has sustained any material loss or interference with their
respective businesses or properties from fire, flood, hurricane, accident or
other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute
or any legal or governmental proceeding, and there has not been any materially
adverse change (including, without limitation, a change in management or
control), or development involving a prospective materially adverse change, in
the condition (financial or otherwise), management, earnings, properties,
business affairs or business prospects, stockholders' equity, net worth or
results of operations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except in each
case as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (exclusive of any
amendment or supplement thereto).

        (f) The Representatives shall have received from the Company and each
person who is a director or executive officer of the Company an agreement dated
on or before the date of this Agreement to the effect that such person will not,
without the prior written consent of the Representatives during a period from
the date of this Agreement and continuing and including the date which is the
number of days after the date hereof as specified in Schedule I hereto, without
the prior written consent of the Underwriters, (i) offer, pledge, sell, offer to
sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any
option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or
otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any



                                      -23-

<PAGE>   25
shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or
exchangeable for Common Stock, or (ii) enter into any swap or any other
agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or
indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether
any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be
settled by delivery of Common Stock or such securities, in cash or otherwise;
provided, however, that such person may, without the prior written consent of
the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, transfer shares of Common
Stock or such other securities to members of such person's immediate family or
to trusts for the benefit of members of such person's immediate family or in
connection with bona fide gifts, provided that any transferee agrees to the
transfer restrictions described above.

        (g) On or before the Closing Date, the Representatives and counsel for
the Underwriters shall have received such further certificates, documents or
other information as they may have reasonably requested from the Company.

        All opinions, certificates, letters and documents delivered pursuant to
this Agreement will comply with the provisions hereof only if they are
reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to the Representatives and
counsel for the Underwriters. The Company shall furnish to the Representatives
such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and documents in
such quantities as the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters shall
reasonably request.

        The respective obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and
pay for any Notes shall be subject, in their discretion, to each of the
foregoing conditions to purchase the Notes, except that all references therein
to the Notes and the Closing Date shall be deemed to refer to the Firm Notes or
the Option Notes and the First Closing Date or the related Option Closing Date,
each as applicable.

        The Underwriters and the Company further acknowledge and agree that it
shall be a condition precedent to the purchase and sale of the Notes
contemplated by this Agreement that on the First Closing Date the sale of
1,500,000 shares of Common Stock by the Company and certain selling stockholders
shall have been consummated, as provided in an Underwriting Agreement of even
date herewith among the Underwriters, the Company and such selling stockholders.

Section 8. Default of Underwriters.

        If, at the First Closing, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail
or refuse to purchase Notes that it has or they have agreed to purchase
hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Notes which such defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is ten
percent or less of the aggregate number of the Notes to be purchased on such
date, the other Underwriters may make arrangements satisfactory to the
Representatives for the purchase of such Notes by other persons (who may include
one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, including the Representatives),
but if no such arrangements are made by the First Closing Date, the other
Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the number of
Firm Notes set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule II hereto bears
to the aggregate number of Firm Notes set forth opposite the names of all such
non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as the Representatives
may specify, to purchase the Notes which such defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date. If, at the
First Closing, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase
Firm Notes and the aggregate number of Firm Notes with respect to which such
default occurs is more than ten per cent of the aggregate number of Firm Notes
to be purchased, and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives and the
Company for the purchase of such Firm Notes are not made within 36 hours after
such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of
any



                                      -24-

<PAGE>   26
non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In any such case either the
Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing, but
in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if
any, in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus or in any other
documents or arrangements may be effected. If, at any Option Closing, any
Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Option Notes, the
non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their
obligation hereunder to purchase Option Notes or (ii) purchase not less than the
number of Option Notes that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been
obligated to purchase in the absence of such default. As used in this Agreement,
the term "Underwriter" includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under
this Section 8. Any action taken under this Section 8 shall not relieve any
defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such
Underwriter under this Agreement.

Section 9. Termination.

        This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the sole discretion of
the Representatives by notice to the Company given prior to any Closing Date in
the event that the Company shall have failed, refused or been unable to perform
all obligations and satisfy all conditions on its part to be performed or
satisfied hereunder at the Closing or prior thereto or, if at or prior to any
Closing Date, (a) trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange
or the Nasdaq National Market shall have been suspended or materially limited or
minimum or maximum prices shall have been established by or on, as the case may
be, the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq National Market;
(b) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any
exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (c) a general moratorium on
commercial banking activities shall have been declared by either Federal or New
York State authorities; (d) there shall have occurred (i) an outbreak or
escalation of hostilities between the United States and any foreign power, (ii)
an outbreak or escalation of any other insurrection or armed conflict involving
the United States, or (iii) any other calamity or crisis or materially adverse
change in general economic, political or financial conditions having an effect
on the U.S. financial markets that, in the reasonable judgment of the
Representatives, in the case of clauses (d)(i), (d)(ii) and (d)(iii), makes it
impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery
of the Notes as contemplated by the Registration Statement, as amended as of the
date hereof; or (e) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall have, in the
reasonable judgment of the Representatives, sustained any material loss or
interference with their respective businesses or properties from fire, flood,
hurricane, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or
from any labor dispute or any legal or governmental proceeding, or there shall
have been any materially adverse change (including, without limitation, a change
in management or control), or constitute a development involving a prospective
materially adverse change, in the condition (financial or otherwise),
management, earnings, properties, business affairs or business prospects,
stockholders' equity, net worth or results of operations of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries, except in each case as described in or contemplated by the
Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto). Termination of
this Agreement pursuant to this Section 9 shall be without liability of any
party to any other party except for the liability of the Company in relation to
expenses as provided in Sections 4 and 10 hereof, the indemnity provided in
Section 6 hereof and any liability arising before or in relation to such
termination.

Section 10. Reimbursement of Expenses.

        If the sale of the Notes provided for herein is not consummated because
any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 7
hereof is not satisfied or because of any termination pursuant to Section 9
hereof (other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters), the
Company shall reimburse the Underwriters, severally upon demand, for all
out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and



                                      -25-

<PAGE>   27
disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in connection
with the proposed purchase and sale of the Notes.

Section 11. Information Supplied by Underwriters.

        The statements set forth in the last paragraph on the front cover page
and in the third and last three paragraphs under the heading "Underwriting" in
any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (to the extent such statements
relate to the Underwriters) constitute the only information furnished by any
Underwriter through the Representatives to the Company for the purposes of
Section 5(a)(ii) and Section 6 hereof. The Underwriters confirm that such
statements (to such extent) are correct.

Section 12. Notices.

        In all dealings hereunder, you shall act on behalf of each of the
Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any
statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or
given by the Representatives. Any notice or notification in any form to be given
under this Agreement may be delivered in person or sent by telex, facsimile or
telephone (subject in the case of a communication by telephone to confirmation
by telex or facsimile) addressed to:

          in the case of the Company:

          HNC Software Inc.
          5930 Cornerstone Court West
          San Diego, California 92121-3728

          Telephone:  619-546-8877
          Facsimile:   619-452-3220
          Attention:  President

          in the case of the Underwriters:

          Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Inc.
          31 West 52nd Street
          New York, New York 10019

          Telephone:  212-469-5600
          Facsimile:  212-469-5995
          Attention:  Equity Syndicate Desk

Section 13.    Miscellaneous.

        (a)    Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement.

        (b) The headings herein are inserted for convenience of reference only
and are not intended to be part of, or to affect, the meaning or interpretation
of this Agreement.


                                      -26-

<PAGE>   28
        (c) For purposes of this Agreement, (a) "business day" means any day on
which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading, and (b) "subsidiary" has
the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

        (d) This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, all of
which, taken together, shall constitute one and the same Agreement and any party
may enter into this Agreement by executing a counterpart.


        (e) This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and shall be binding
upon the several Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors and
legal representatives, and nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is
intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable
right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement, or any provisions
herein contained, this Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof being
intended to be and being for the sole and exclusive benefit of such persons and
for the benefit of no other person, except that (i) the indemnities of the
Company contained in Section 6 hereof shall also be for the benefit of any
person or persons who control any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15
of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and (ii) the indemnities
of the Underwriters contained in Section 6 hereof shall also be for the benefit
of the directors of the Company, the officers of the Company who have signed the
Registration Statement and any person or persons who control the Company within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange
Act. No purchaser of Notes from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor
because of such purchase.

        (f) The respective representations, warranties, agreements, covenants,
indemnities and other statements of the Company, its officers and the several
Underwriters set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them,
respectively, pursuant to this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect,
regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company, any of
its officers or directors, any Underwriter or any controlling person referred to
in Section 6 hereof and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Notes. The
respective agreements, covenants, indemnities and other statements set forth in
Sections 4, 6 and 10 hereof shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of
any termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

Section 14. Severability.

        It is the desire and intent of the parties that the provisions of this
Agreement be enforced to the fullest extent permissible under the law and public
policies applied in each jurisdiction in which enforcement is sought.
Accordingly, in the event that any provision of this Agreement would be held in
any jurisdiction to be invalid, prohibited or unenforceable for any reason, such
provision, as to such jurisdiction, shall be ineffective, without invalidating
the remaining provisions of this Agreement or affecting the validity or
enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction.

Section 15. Governing Law.

        The validity and interpretation of this Agreement, and the terms and
conditions set forth herein, shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any provisions
relating to conflicts of laws.



                                      -27-

<PAGE>   29
        If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign
and return to us ten (10) counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by
you, on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance
hereof shall constitute a binding agreement among each of the Underwriters and
the Company. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf of
each of the Underwriters is pursuant to the authority set forth in the Deutsche
Morgan Grenfell Inc. Master Agreement Among Underwriters, the form of which
shall be submitted to the Company for examination upon request, but without
warranty on your part as to the authority of the signers thereof.

Very truly yours,

HNC SOFTWARE INC.

By:______________________________________
   President and Chief Executive Officer



The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date
specified in Schedule I hereto.

DEUTSCHE MORGAN GRENFELL INC.
BANCAMERICA ROBERTSON STEPHENS
SMITH BARNEY INC.

By:  DEUTSCHE MORGAN GRENFELL INC.

By: ____________________________

Name: __________________________

Title: _________________________

By: ____________________________

Name: __________________________

Title: _________________________

For themselves and on behalf of the other several Underwriters, if any, named in
Schedule II to the foregoing Agreement.



                                      -28-

<PAGE>   30
                                   SCHEDULE I


Underwriting Agreement dated:  ___________ __, 1998


Other Representatives: BancAmerica Robertson Stephens
                       Smith Barney Inc.


Type of Offering:  ___% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2003


Purchase Price of Notes:

     Purchase price per Note: ___% of principal amount plus accrued interest, if
any, from ___________, 1998.


Closing Date, Time and Location: _____________ __, 1998, at the offices of
Fenwick & West LLP, Two Palo Alto Square, Palo Alto, California, 94306.


Registration Statement No.  333-____


Number of days referred to in Section 3(a)(v):  90

Number of days referred to in Section 7(f):   90

Modification of items to be covered by the letter from Price Waterhouse LLP
  delivered pursuant to Section 7(d) at the Closing Date:




<PAGE>   31
                                   SCHEDULE II

                                The Underwriters


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
         UNDERWRITER                            UNDERWRITING COMMITMENT
         -----------                            -----------------------
<S>                                             <C>
Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Inc.                      __________________
BancAmerica Robertson Stephens                     __________________
Smith Barney Inc.                                  __________________
</TABLE>



<PAGE>   32
                                  SCHEDULE III

         Listing of all States in which HNC and Subsidiaries do Business


HNC Software Inc.
Arizona
California
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Minnesota
Maryland
Nebraska
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Washington

CompReview, Inc.
California
Texas

Retek Information Systems, Inc.
Minnesota
Texas
Illinois
Georgia
Indiana
Massachusetts
Pennsylvania
California

<PAGE>   33
Risk Data Corporation
California
Arizona
Colorado
Minnesota
New York
Virginia

Aptex Software Inc.
California
Texas
Massachusetts

<PAGE>   1
                                                                    EXHIBIT 1.02




                            Dated ____________, 1998


                                HNC SOFTWARE INC.




                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

<PAGE>   2
                                HNC SOFTWARE INC.

                2,100,000 Shares Plus an Option to Purchase up to
               315,000 Additional Shares to Cover Over-allotments

                                  Common Stock
                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT


___________, 1998

To:
DEUTSCHE MORGAN GRENFELL INC.
and the other Representatives
named in Schedule I hereto
of the several Underwriters
named in Schedule II hereto

c/o Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Inc.
31 West 52nd Street
New York, New York 10019

Dear Sirs:

        HNC Software Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and the
persons listed in Schedule III hereto (the "Selling Stockholders") hereby
confirm their agreement with the several underwriters named in Schedule II
hereto (the "Underwriters"), for whom you have been duly authorized to act as
representatives (the one or more firms acting in such capacities, the
"Representatives"), as set forth below. If you are the only Underwriters, all
references herein to the Representatives shall be deemed to be references to the
Underwriters.

Section 1. Underwriting. Subject to the terms and conditions contained herein:

        (a) The Company proposes to issue and sell 20,000 shares of common
stock, par value $0.001 per share (the "Common Stock"), of the Company and the
Selling Shareholders propose to sell 2,080,000 shares of Common Stock (said
shares to be issued and sold by the Company and sold by the Selling Stockholders
collectively referred to herein as the "Firm Shares") to the several
Underwriters. The Selling Stockholders also propose to sell to the several
Underwriters not more than 315,000 additional shares (the "Option Shares"), if
requested by the Representatives as provided in Section 2(b) hereof. The Firm
Shares and the Option Shares are sometimes collectively referred to herein as
the "Shares".

        (b) Upon your authorization of the release of the Firm Shares, the
Underwriters propose to make a public offering (the "Offering") of the Firm
Shares upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus (as defined below) as soon
after the Registration Statement (as defined below) and this Agreement have
become effective as in the Representatives' sole judgment is advisable. As used
in this Agreement, the term "Effective Date"

<PAGE>   3
shall mean each date that the registration statement and any post-effective
amendment or amendments thereto became or become effective; the term "Original
Registration Statement" means the registration statement referred to in Section
5(a)(i) below, as amended at the time when it was or is declared effective,
including incorporated documents, financial schedules and exhibits thereto,
including any Rule 430A Information (as defined below) deemed to be included
therein at the Effective Date as provided by Rule 430A and, in the event any
post-effective amendment thereto becomes effective prior to the Closing Date (as
defined below), also means such registration statement as so amended; the term
"Rule 430A Information" means information permitted to be omitted from the
Original Registration Statement when it becomes effective pursuant to Rule 430A;
the term "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement" means any registration statement
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") (including the Registration Statement
and any Preliminary Prospectus (as defined below) or Prospectus incorporated
therein at the time such Registration Statement becomes effective); the term
"Registration Statement" includes both the Original Registration Statement and
any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement; the term "Basic Prospectus" shall mean
the prospectus referred to in Section 5(a)(i) below contained in the
Registration Statement at the Effective Date including, in the case of a Rule
430A Offering (as defined below), any Preliminary Prospectus; the term
"Preliminary Prospectus" means the preliminary prospectus supplement to the
Basic Prospectus used prior to the filing of the Prospectus; the term
"Prospectus" means:

               (i) if the Company relies on Rule 434 under the Securities Act,
the Term Sheet (as defined below) relating to the Shares that is first filed
pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, together with the Preliminary
Prospectus identified therein that such Term Sheet supplements;

               (ii) the prospectus supplement to the Basic Prospectus first
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act,
together with the Basic Prospectus;

               (iii) if, in the case of a Rule 430A Offering, no prospectus
supplement is required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities
Act, the form of final prospectus supplement to the Basic Prospectus, including
the Basic Prospectus, included in the Registration Statement at the Effective
Date; or

               (iv) for purposes of the representations and warranties in
Section 5 hereof, if the prospectus is not in existence, the Basic Prospectus
and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, if any.

"Rule 415", "Rule 424" and "Rule 430A" refer to such rules or regulations under
the Securities Act, and the term "Term Sheet" means any term sheet that
satisfies the requirements of Rule 434 under the Securities Act. Any reference
herein to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the
documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3
which were filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), on or before the Effective Date of the Registration Statement
or the issue date of the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference herein to the terms "amend",
"amendment" or "supplement" with respect to the Registration Statement, the
Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed
to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act after
the Effective Date of the Registration Statement or the issue date of the Basic
Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be,
deemed to be incorporated therein by reference. A "Rule 430A Offering" means an
offering of securities which is intended to commence promptly after the
effective date of a registration statement, with the result that, pursuant to
Rules 415 and 430A, all information (other than Rule 430A Information) with
respect to the securities so offered must be included in such registration
statement at the effective date thereof. A "Rule 415 Offering" means an offering
of securities pursuant to Rule 415 which does not commence promptly after the
effective



                                       -2-

<PAGE>   4
date of a registration statement, with the result that only information required
pursuant to Rule 415 need be included in such registration statement at the
effective date thereof with respect to the securities so offered. Whether the
offering of the Shares is a Rule 430A Offering or a Rule 415 Offering shall be
set forth in Schedule I hereto.

        (c) For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration
Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, the Term Sheet or the
Basic Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall
be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its
Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system ("EDGAR").

Section 2. Purchase and Closing. (a) On the basis of the representations,
warranties, agreements and covenants herein contained and subject to the terms
and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell, and the
Selling Stockholders agree to sell, to each of the Underwriters, and each of the
Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company and
the Selling Stockholders, at the purchase price per Share set forth in Schedule
I hereto (the "Purchase Price"), the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite
the name of such Underwriter in Schedule II hereto. Firm Shares shall be
registered by First National Bank of Boston in the name of the nominee of the
Depository Trust Company ("DTC"), Cede & Co. ("Cede & Co."), and credited to the
accounts of such of its participants as the Representatives shall request, upon
notice to the Company and the Selling Stockholders at least 48 hours prior to
the First Closing Date (as defined below), with any transfer taxes payable in
connection with the transfer of the Firm Shares to the Underwriters duly paid,
against payment by or on behalf of the Underwriters to the respective accounts
of the Company and the Selling Stockholders of the aggregate Purchase Price
therefor by wire transfer in immediately available funds. Delivery or registry
of and payment for the Firm Shares shall be made at the office of, on the date
and at the time specified in Schedule I hereto, or at such other place, time or
date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon. Such time and date
of delivery against payment are herein referred to as the "First Closing Date",
and the implementation of all the actions described in this Section 2(a) is
herein referred to as the "First Closing".

        (b) For the purpose of covering any over-allotments in connection with
the distribution and sale of the Firm Shares as contemplated by the Prospectus,
the Selling Stockholders hereby grant to the several Underwriters an option to
purchase, severally and not jointly, the Option Shares. The purchase price to be
paid for any Option Shares shall be the same as the Purchase Price for the Firm
Shares set forth above in paragraph (a) of this Section 2. The option granted
hereby may be exercised as to all or any part of the Option Shares from time to
time within thirty (30) days after the date of the Prospectus (or, if such 30th
day shall be a Saturday or Sunday or a holiday, on the next business day
thereafter when the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Stock Market's
National Market (the "Nasdaq National Market") are open for trading). The
Underwriters shall not be under any obligation to purchase any of the Option
Shares prior to the exercise of such option. The Representatives may from time
to time exercise the option granted hereby by giving notice in writing or by
telephone (confirmed in writing) to the Company and the Selling Stockholders
setting forth the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the several
Underwriters are then exercising the option and the date and time for delivery
or registry of and payment for such Option Shares. Any such date of delivery or
registry shall be determined by the Representatives but shall not be earlier
than two business days or later than five business days after such exercise of
the option unless otherwise agreed to by the Company and the Representatives
and, in any event, shall not be earlier than the First Closing Date. The time
and date set forth in such notice, or such other time or date as the
Representatives, the Company and the Selling Stockholders may agree upon or as
the Representatives may determine pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof, is herein
called an "Option Closing Date" with respect to such Option Shares, and the
implementation of all the actions described in this Section 2(b) is herein
referred to as the "Option Closing". As used in this Agreement, the term
"Closing



                                       -3-

<PAGE>   5
Date" means either the First Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, as
applicable, and the term "Closing" means either the First Closing or any Option
Closing, as applicable. If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of
the Option Shares, then either one or more certificates in definitive form for
such Option Shares shall be delivered or, if such Option Shares are to be held
through DTC, such Option Shares shall be registered and credited, on the related
Option Closing Date in the same manner, and upon the same terms and conditions,
set forth in paragraph (a) of this Section 2, except that reference therein to
the Firm Shares and the First Closing Date shall be deemed, for purposes of this
paragraph (b), to refer to such Option Shares and Option Closing Date,
respectively. Upon exercise of the option as provided herein, the Selling
Stockholders shall become obligated to sell to each of the several Underwriters,
and, on the basis of the representations, warranties, agreements and covenants
herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, each
of the Underwriters (severally and not jointly) shall become obligated to
purchase from each Selling Stockholder, that number of Option Shares being
offered by such Selling Stockholder, as the case may be, which is in the same
proportion to the number of Option Shares set forth opposite the name of such
Selling Stockholder in Schedule III hereto as to which the several Underwriters
are then exercising the option, as the number of Firm Shares such Underwriter is
obligated to purchase is to the aggregate number of Firm Shares, as adjusted by
the Representatives in such manner as they deem advisable to avoid fractional
shares.

        (c) The Company and the Selling Stockholders hereby acknowledge that the
payment of monies pursuant to Section 2(a) or 2(b) hereof (a "Payment") by or on
behalf of the Underwriters of the aggregate Purchase Price for any Shares does
not constitute closing of a purchase and sale of the Shares. Only execution and
delivery, by facsimile or otherwise, of a receipt for Shares by the Underwriters
indicates completion of the closing of a purchase of the Shares from the Company
and the Selling Stockholders. Furthermore, in the event that the Underwriters
make a Payment to the Company and the Selling Stockholders prior to the
completion of the closing of a purchase of Shares, the Company and the Selling
Stockholders hereby acknowledge that until the Underwriters execute and deliver
such receipt for the Shares, the Company and the Selling Stockholders will not
be entitled to the Payment and shall return the Payment to the Underwriters as
soon as practicable (by wire transfer of same-day funds) upon demand. In the
event that the closing of a purchase of Shares is not completed and the Payment
is not returned by the Company and the Selling Stockholders to the Underwriters
on the same day the Payment was received by the Company and the Selling
Stockholders, each of the Company and the Selling Stockholders (severally and
not jointly) agree to pay to the Underwriters in respect of each day the Payment
is not returned to any one of them, in same-day funds, interest on the amount of
such Payment not returned by such party in an amount representing the
Underwriters' cost of financing as reasonably determined by the Representatives.

        (d) It is understood that any of you, individually and not as one of the
Representatives, may (but shall not be obligated to) make Payment on behalf of
any Underwriter or Underwriters for any of the Shares to be purchased by such
Underwriter or Underwriters. No such Payment shall relieve such Underwriter or
Underwriters from any of its or their obligations hereunder.

Section 3.     Covenants.

        (a) The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that:

               (i) The Company will:

                   (A) use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement,
if not effective at the time of execution of this Agreement, and any amendments
thereto, to become effective as promptly as possible. If required, the Company
will file the Prospectus or any Term Sheet that constitutes a part thereof and
any



                                       -4-

<PAGE>   6
amendment or supplement thereto with the Commission in the manner and within the
time period required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act. During any time
when a prospectus relating to the Shares is required to be delivered under the
Securities Act, the Company (x) will comply with all requirements imposed upon
it by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder to the extent necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or
dealings in the Shares in accordance with the provisions hereof and of the
Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, and (y) will not, prior to the
earlier of the date upon which the over-allotment option is fully exercised or
the date thirty (30) days after the date of Prospectus, file with the Commission
the Basic Prospectus, Term Sheet or any amendment or supplement to such Basic
Prospectus (including the Prospectus or any Preliminary Prospectus), any
amendment or supplement to such Term Sheet, any amendment to the Registration
Statement (including the amendment referred to in the second sentence of Section
5(a)(i)) or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement unless the Representatives
previously have been advised of, and furnished with a copy within a reasonable
period of time prior to, the proposed filing and the Representatives shall have
given their consent to such filing which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld. The Company will prepare and file with the Commission, in accordance
with the rules and regulations of the Commission, promptly upon request by the
Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters, any amendments to the
Registration Statement or amendments or supplements to the Prospectus that may
be necessary or advisable in connection with the distribution of the Shares by
the several Underwriters. The Company will advise the Representatives, promptly
after receiving notice thereof, of the time when the Registration Statement or
any amendment thereto has been filed or declared effective or the Prospectus or
Term Sheet or any amendment or supplement thereto has been filed and will
provide evidence satisfactory to the Representatives of each such filing or
effectiveness.

                   (B) without charge, provide (x) to the Representatives and to
counsel for the Underwriters, an executed and a conformed copy of the Original
Registration Statement and each amendment thereto or any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement (in each case including exhibits thereto), (y) to each
other Underwriter, a conformed copy of the Original Registration Statement and
each amendment thereto or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement (in each case
without exhibits thereto), and (z) so long as a prospectus relating to the
Shares is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, as many copies of
each Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request. Without limiting the
application of clause (z) of the preceding sentence, the Company, not later than
(I) 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the business day following the date of
determination of the public offering price, if such determination occurred at or
prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time, on such date or (II) 6:00 P.M., New
York City time, on the business day following the date of determination of the
public offering price, if such determination occurred after 12:00 noon, New York
City time, on such date, will deliver to the Underwriters, without charge, as
many copies of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto as the
Representatives may reasonably request for purposes of confirming orders that
are expected to settle on the First Closing Date. The copies of each Original
Registration Statement, 462(b) Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus,
Term Sheet and Prospectus, and any amendments to the foregoing documents, shall
be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the
Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

                   (C) advise the Representatives, promptly after receiving
notice or obtaining knowledge thereof, of (w) the issuance by the Commission of
any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Original Registration
Statement or any amendment thereto or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or
any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, (x) the suspension of the
qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, (y) the
institution, threatening or contemplation of any proceeding for any purpose
identified in the preceding clause (w) or (x), or (z) any request made by the
Commission for amending the Original Registration



                                       -5-

<PAGE>   7
Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, for amending or
supplementing the Prospectus or for additional information. The Company will use
its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order and, if any such
stop order is issued, to obtain the withdrawal thereof as promptly as possible.

               (ii) The Company will endeavor in good faith, in cooperation with
the Representatives, to arrange for the qualification of the Shares for offering
and sale in each jurisdiction as the Representatives shall reasonably designate
including, but not limited to, pursuant to applicable state securities ("Blue
Sky") laws of certain states of the United States of America or other U.S.
jurisdictions, and the Company shall use its best reasonable efforts to maintain
such qualifications in effect for so long as may be necessary in order to
complete the placement of the Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall
not be obliged to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify
as a foreign corporation or as a securities dealer in any jurisdiction or to
subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in
which it is not otherwise so subject.

               (iii) If, at any time prior to the final date when a prospectus
relating to the Shares is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, any
event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus, as then amended or
supplemented, would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if
for any other reason it shall be necessary at any time to amend the Registration
Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Securities
Act or the rules or regulations of the Commission thereunder or applicable law,
the Company will promptly notify the Representatives thereof and will promptly,
at its own expense: (x) prepare and file with the Commission an amendment to the
Registration Statement or amendment or supplement to the Prospectus which will
correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and (y) supply any
amended Registration Statement or amended or supplemented Prospectus to the
Underwriters in such quantities as the Underwriters may reasonably request.

               (iv) The Company will make generally available to the Company's
security holders and to the Representatives as soon as practicable an earnings
statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act,
including Rule 158 thereunder.

               (v) The Company will not, and will not allow any majority-owned
subsidiary (each a "Subsidiary" and collectively, the "Subsidiaries") to
publicly announce any intention to, and will not itself, and will not allow any
Subsidiary to, without the prior written consent of Deutsche Morgan Grenfell
Inc., on behalf of the Underwriters, (i) offer, pledge, sell, offer to sell,
contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option
to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer
or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any
securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, Common Stock,
or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in
part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the shares of Common
Stock or securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, shares
of Common Stock (whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii)
above is to be settled by delivery of shares of Common Stock or such other
securities, in cash or otherwise), for a period beginning from the date hereof
and continuing to and including the date which is the number of days after the
date hereof specified in Schedule I hereto, except pursuant to this Agreement
and other than with respect to (v) the shares of Common Stock issued and sold by
the Company hereunder, (w) shares issued upon the conversion of the Notes, (x)
shares of Common Stock (or any securities exercisable for, convertible into or
exchangeable for shares of Common Stock) issued or issuable pursuant to any
employee benefit plans, qualified and non qualified stock option plans or other
employee compensation plans which are disclosed in the Prospectus, (y) shares of
Common Stock that may be issued to shareholders of Practical Control Systems
Technologies, Inc. or Financial Technologies, Inc. and (z) shares of Common
Stock (or any



                                       -6-

<PAGE>   8
securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock) issued
by the Company in connection with any other acquisition, joint venture,
strategic partnership or similar strategic arrangement, provided that the
recipient of such shares or convertible securities, at or prior to such
issuance, agrees to be bound by the transfer restrictions described above with
respect to such shares of Common Stock or convertible securities.

               (vi) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates, nor any
person acting on behalf of any of them will, directly or indirectly, (i) take
any action designed to cause or to result in, or that has constituted or which
might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of
the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Shares or (ii) (x) sell, bid for, purchase, or pay anyone any compensation for
soliciting purchases of, the Shares or (y) pay or agree to pay to any person any
compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the
Company.

               (vii) The Company will obtain the agreements described in Section
7(g) hereof prior to the First Closing Date.

               (viii) If at any time during the period prior to the First
Closing Date, any rumor, publication or event relating to or affecting the
Company shall occur as a result of which in the Representatives' reasonable
judgment the market price of the Shares has been or is likely to be materially
affected (regardless of whether such rumor, publication or event necessitates a
supplement to or amendment of the Prospectus), the Company will, after notice
from the Representatives advising the Company to the effect set forth above,
forthwith prepare, consult with the Representatives concerning the substance of,
and disseminate a press release responding to or commenting on such rumor,
publication or event or other public statement, that is reasonably satisfactory
to the Representatives.

               (ix) If the Company elects to rely on Rule 462(b), the Company
shall both file the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in
compliance with Rule 462(b) and pay the applicable fees in accordance with Rule
111 promulgated under the Securities Act by the earlier of (i) 10:00 p.m. New
York City time on the date of this Agreement and (ii) the time confirmations are
sent or given, as specified by Rule 462(b)(2) under the Securities Act.

               (x) The Company will use its best efforts to cause the Shares to
be duly included for quotation on the Nasdaq National Market prior to the First
Closing Date. The Company will use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the
Shares remain included for quotation on the Nasdaq National Market, or are
included for quotation on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock
Exchange, for a period of five years following the First Closing Date.

        (b) Each Selling Stockholder covenants and agrees with the several
Underwriters that:

               (i) Such Selling Stockholder will not, and no person acting on
behalf of such Selling Stockholder will, directly or indirectly, (x) take any
action designed to cause or to result in, or that has constituted or which might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the
price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Shares or (y) sell, bid for, purchase, or pay anyone any compensation for
soliciting purchase of, the Shares or (z) pay or agree to pay to any person any
compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the
Company (except for the sale of Shares by the Selling Stockholders under this
Agreement).

               (ii) Such Selling Stockholder will not, and will not cause any
affiliate to, publicly announce any intention to, and will not itself, and will
not allow any affiliate to, without the prior written



                                       -7-

<PAGE>   9
consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, (x) offer, pledge,
sell, offer to sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase,
purchase any option to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or
otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any of the shares of
Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable
for, Common Stock, or (y) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers,
in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the shares
of Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or
exchangeable for, shares of Common Stock (whether any such transaction described
in clause (x) or (y) above is to be settled by delivery of shares of Common
Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise), in each case,
beneficially owned (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) or
otherwise controlled by such person on the date hereof or hereafter acquired,
for a period beginning from the date hereof and continuing to and including the
date 90 days after the date hereof; provided, however, that such Selling
Stockholder may, without the prior written consent of the Representatives on
behalf of the Underwriters, transfer shares of Common Stock or such other
securities to members of such Selling Stockholder's immediate family or to
trusts for the benefit of members of such Selling Stockholder's immediate family
or in connection with bona fide gifts; provided that any transferee agrees to
the transfer restrictions described above.

Section 4. Expenses.

        (a) The Company shall bear and pay all costs and expenses incurred
incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, whether or
not the transactions contemplated herein are consummated or this Agreement is
terminated pursuant to Section 9 hereof, including: (i) the fees and expenses of
its counsel, accountants and any other experts or advisors retained by the
Company; (ii) fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration of
the Shares under the Securities Act and the preparation and filing of the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus and all amendments and supplements
thereto; (iii) the printing and distribution of the Prospectus and any
Preliminary Prospectus and the printing and production of all other documents
connected with the Offering (including this Agreement and any other related
agreements); (iv) expenses related to the qualification of the Shares under the
state securities or Blue Sky laws, including filing fees and the fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in
connection with the preparation of any Blue Sky memoranda; (v) the filing fees
and expenses, if any, incurred with respect to any filing with the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD"), including the fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith; (vi) all
expenses arising from the quoting of the Shares on the Nasdaq National Market;
(vii) all arrangements relating to the preparation, issuance and delivery to the
Underwriters of any certificates evidencing the Shares, including transfer
agent's and registrar's fees; and (viii) the costs and expenses of travel,
lodging and meals of the Company's employees in connection with associated with
the "roadshow" and any other meetings with prospective investors in the Shares
(other than as shall have been specifically approved by the Representatives to
be paid for by the Underwriters). Subject to the provisions of Section 10, the
Underwriters agree to pay, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby
are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, all costs and expenses incident
to the performance of obligations under this Agreement not payable by the
Company pursuant to the preceding sentence, including, without limitation, all
costs associated with the "roadshow" (other than as set forth in clause (viii)
above) and the fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters.

        (b) The Selling Stockholders shall bear and pay all costs and expenses
incurred incident to the performance of their respective obligations under this
Agreement, whether or not the transactions contemplated herein are consummated
or this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9 hereof, including: (i) any
stamp duties, capital duties and stock transfer taxes, if any, payable upon the
sale of the Shares of such Selling Stockholders to the Underwriters and (ii) the
fees and disbursements of their respective counsel, accountants and other
advisors.



                                       -8-

<PAGE>   10
Section 5. Representations And Warranties.

        (a) As a condition of the obligation of the Underwriters to underwrite
and pay for the Shares, the Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with,
each of the several Underwriters as follows:

REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND PROSPECTUS

               (i) If the Offering is a Rule 415 Offering (as specified in
Schedule I hereto), paragraph (x) below is applicable and, if the Offering is a
Rule 430A Offering (as so specified), paragraph (y) below is applicable.

                   (x) The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3
under the Securities Act and has filed with the Commission the Original
Registration Statement (the file number of which is set forth in Schedule I
hereto) on such Form, including a Basic Prospectus, for registration under the
Act of the offering and sale of the Shares, one or more amendments to such
Registration Statement may have been so filed, and the Company may have used a
Preliminary Prospectus. Such Registration Statement, as so amended, has become
effective. The Offering is a Rule 415 Offering and, although the Basic
Prospectus may not include all the information with respect to the Shares and
the offering thereof required by the Securities Act and the rules thereunder to
be included in the Prospectus, the Basic Prospectus includes all such
information required by the Securities Act and the rules thereunder to be
included therein as of the Effective Date. After the execution of this
Agreement, the Company will file with the Commission pursuant to Rules 415 and
424(b)(2) or (5) a final supplement to the form of prospectus included in such
Registration Statement relating to the Shares and the offering thereof, with
such information as is required or permitted by the Securities Act and as has
been provided to and approved by the Representatives prior to the date hereof
or, to the extent not completed at the date hereof, containing only such
specific additional information and other changes (beyond that contained in the
Basic Prospectus and any Preliminary Prospectus) as the Company has advised you,
prior to the date hereof, will be included or made therein. The Company may also
file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission for the purpose of
registering certain additional Shares, which registration shall be effective
upon filing with the Commission.

                   (y) The Company meets the requirements for the use of Form
S-3 under the Securities Act and has filed with the Commission the Original
Registration Statement (the file number of which is set forth in Schedule I
hereto) on such Form, including a Basic Prospectus, for registration under the
Securities Act of the offering and sale of the Shares, and one or more
amendments to such Registration Statement, including a Preliminary Prospectus,
may have been so filed. After the execution of this Agreement, the Company will
file with the Commission either (I) if such Registration Statement, as it may
have been amended, has been declared by the Commission to be effective under the
Securities Act, either (A) if the Company relies on Rule 434 under the
Securities Act, a Term Sheet relating to the Shares that shall identify the
Preliminary Prospectus that it supplements containing such information as is
required or permitted by Rules 434, 430A and 424(b) under the Securities Act or
(B) if the Company does not rely on Rule 434 under the Securities Act, a
prospectus in the form most recently included in an amendment to such
Registration Statement (or, if no such amendment shall have been filed, in such
Registration Statement), with such changes or insertions as are required by Rule
430A under the Securities Act or permitted by Rule 424(b) under the Securities
Act, and in the case of either clause (A) or (B) of this sentence, as have been
provided to and approved by the Representatives prior to the execution of this
Agreement, or (II) if such Registration Statement, as it may have been amended,
has not been declared by the Commission to be effective under the Securities
Act, an amendment to such Registration Statement, including the form of final
prospectus supplement to the Basic Prospectus, a copy of which amendment has
been furnished to and approved by the



                                       -9-

<PAGE>   11
Representatives prior to the execution of this Agreement or, to the extent not
completed at the date hereof, containing only such specific additional
information and other changes (beyond that contained in the Basic Prospectus and
any Preliminary Prospectus) as the Company has advised you, prior to the date
hereof, will be included or made therein. The Company may also file a Rule
462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission for the purpose of registering
certain additional Shares, which registration shall be effective upon filing
with the Commission.

               (ii) The Commission has not issued any order preventing or
suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus. When any Preliminary
Prospectus was filed with the Commission, it (x) contained all statements
required to be stated therein in accordance with, and complied in all material
respects with the requirements of, the Securities Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder and (y) did not include any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. When the Registration Statement or any
amendment thereto was or is declared effective, it (I) contained or will contain
all statements required to be stated therein in accordance with, and complied or
will comply in all material respects with the requirements of, the Securities
Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (II) did not
or will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not
misleading. When the Prospectus or any Term Sheet or any amendment or supplement
to the Prospectus is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) (or, if
the Prospectus or such amendment or supplement is not required to be so filed,
when the Registration Statement or the amendment thereto containing the
Prospectus or such amendment or supplement to the Prospectus was or is declared
effective) and on the Closing Date, the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented
at any such time, (A) contained or will contain all statements required to be
stated therein in accordance with, and complied or will comply in all material
respects with the requirements of, the Securities Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder and (B) did not or will not include any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary
in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. The foregoing provisions of this paragraph
(ii) do not apply to statements or omissions made in any Preliminary Prospectus,
the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto or the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the
Representatives specifically for use therein.

               (iii) If the Company has elected to rely on Rule 462(b) and the
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is not effective, (x) the Company will file a
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement in compliance with, and that is effective
upon filing pursuant to, Rule 462(b) and (y) the Company has given irrevocable
instructions for transmission of the applicable filing fee in connection with
the filing of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, in compliance with Rule
111 under the Securities Act, or the Commission has received payment of such
filing fee.

               (iv) The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later of
(x) any Closing Date and (y) the completion of the distribution of the Shares,
will not distribute any offering material in connection with the Offering other
than the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, any Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.

               (v) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is
given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (x) the Company and its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, have not incurred any material liability or
obligation, direct or contingent, nor entered into any material transaction not
in the ordinary



                                      -10-

<PAGE>   12
course of business; (y) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding
capital stock, nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution
of any kind on its capital stock; and (z) there has not been any material change
in the capital stock, short-term or long-term debt of the Company and its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except in each case as described in or
contemplated by the Prospectus.

THE SHARES

               (vi) The Company has an authorized, issued and outstanding
capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus as of the date set forth therein.
All of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company (including the Option
Shares being offered by the Selling Stockholders) have been duly authorized and
validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in
compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws and were not
issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive rights or other rights to
subscribe for or purchase such securities. No holders of outstanding shares of
capital stock of the Company are entitled as such to any preemptive or other
rights to subscribe for any of the Shares, and no holder of securities of the
Company has any right which has not been fully exercised or waived to require
the Company to register the offer or sale of any securities owned by such holder
under the Securities Act in the Offering contemplated by this Agreement.

               (vii) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus and except for
options granted pursuant to qualified option plans and disclosed to the
Representatives, there are no outstanding (x) securities or obligations of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries convertible into or exchangeable for any
capital stock of the Company or any such Subsidiary, (y) warrants, rights or
options to subscribe for or purchase from the Company or any such Subsidiary any
such capital stock or any such convertible or exchangeable securities or
obligations, or (z) obligations of the Company or any such Subsidiary to issue
any shares of capital stock, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or
obligations, or any such warrants, rights or options.

               (viii) Except for the shares of capital stock of each of the
Subsidiaries owned by the Company and such Subsidiaries, neither the Company nor
any such Subsidiary owns any shares of stock or any other equity securities of
any corporation or has any equity interest in any firm, partnership, association
or other entity, except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus.

LISTING

               (ix) All of the Shares have been duly authorized and accepted for
quotation on the Nasdaq National Market, subject to official notice of issuance.

MARKET MANIPULATION

               (x) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates, nor any person
acting on behalf of any of them has, directly or indirectly, (A) taken any
action designed to cause or to result in, or that has constituted or which might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the
price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Shares, or (B) since the filing of the Original Registration Statement (I) sold,
bid for, purchased, or paid anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of,
the Shares or (II) paid or agreed to pay to any person any compensation for
soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company.



                                      -11-

<PAGE>   13
CORPORATE POWER AND AUTHORITY

               (xi) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the law of its jurisdiction of
incorporation with full power and authority to own, lease and operate its
properties and assets and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus,
is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each
jurisdiction in which its ownership, leasing or operation of its properties or
assets or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where
the failure to be so qualified does not amount to a material liability or
disability to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and has full
power and authority to execute and perform its obligations under this Agreement;
each Subsidiary of the Company is a corporation duly incorporated and validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of
incorporation and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing
in each jurisdiction in which its ownership, leasing or operation of its
properties or assets or the conduct of its business requires such qualification,
except where the failure to be so qualified does not amount to a material
liability or disability to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
and each has full power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties
and assets and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus; none of the Company's subsidiaries is a "significant
subsidiary" as defined in Section 1-02 (w) of Regulation S-X; all of the issued
and outstanding shares of capital stock (other than statutory nominal
stockholdings) of each of the Company's Subsidiaries have been duly authorized
and are fully paid and nonassessable and except as otherwise set forth in the
Prospectus (and except Aptex Software Inc., which is __% owned by the Company),
are owned beneficially by the Company or one of its Subsidiaries free and clear
of any security interests, liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.

               (xii) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the
issuance and sale of the Shares have been duly authorized by all necessary
corporate action of the Company, and this Agreement has been duly executed and
delivered by the Company and is the valid and binding agreement of the Company,
enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except (x) as the
enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, federal or
state fraudulent conveyance or transfer laws, and reorganization, moratorium or
other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally and
by general equitable principles and (y) except to the extent that rights to
indemnity or contribution under this Agreement may be limited by federal and
state securities laws or the public policy underlying such laws.

               (xiii) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and
compliance by the Company with the provisions of, and performance of its
obligations under, this Agreement and the consummation of the other transactions
herein contemplated do not (x) require the consent, approval, authorization,
registration or qualification of or with any governmental authority, except (I)
if the Company has elected to rely on Rule 462(b) and the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement is not effective, the registration of certain Shares
pursuant to the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement that will be effective upon
filing in compliance with Rule 462 (b) and (II) such as have been obtained or
made or such as may be required by the state securities or Blue Sky laws of the
various states of the United States of America or other U.S. jurisdictions in
connection with the offer and sale of the Shares by the Underwriters, or (y)
conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and
provisions of, or constitute a default under, (I) any indenture, mortgage, deed
of trust, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
or any of their respective properties are bound, except as would not
individually or in the aggregate have a materially adverse effect on or
constitute a materially adverse change in the condition (financial or
otherwise), earnings, properties, business affairs or business prospects, net
worth or results of operations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, taken
as a whole, or the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this
Agreement, or (II) the charter documents or by-laws of the Company or any



                                      -12-

<PAGE>   14
of its Subsidiaries, or (III) any statute or any judgment, decree, order, rule
or regulation of any court or other governmental authority or any arbitrator
applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

               (xiv) The Company is not, and will conduct its operations in a
manner so that it continues not to be, an "investment company" and, after giving
effect to the Offering and the application of the proceeds therefrom, will not
be an "investment company", as such term is defined in the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").

TITLE, LICENSES AND CONSENTS

               (xv) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have good and
marketable title in fee simple to all items of real property and marketable
title to all personal property owned by each of them, in each case free and
clear of any security interests, liens, encumbrances, equities, claims and other
defects, except such as do not materially and adversely affect the use of such
property and do not interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such
property by the Company or such Subsidiary, and any real property and buildings
held under lease by the Company or any such Subsidiary are held under valid,
subsisting and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as are not material and
do not interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property and
buildings by the Company or such Subsidiary, in each case except as described in
or contemplated by the Prospectus.

               (xvi) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company and each
of its Subsidiaries have the right to use or can acquire on reasonable terms all
trademarks, trade names, trade secrets, service marks, inventions, patent
rights, mask works, copyrights, licenses, software code, audiovisual works,
formats, algorithms and underlying data, approvals and governmental
authorizations now used in, or which are necessary for fulfillment of their
respective obligations or the conduct of, their respective businesses as now
conducted or proposed to be conducted as described in the Prospectus; except as
discussed in the Prospectus, the expiration of any trademarks, trade names,
trade secrets, service marks, inventions, patent rights, mask works, copyrights
or licenses would not have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial
or otherwise), earnings, properties, business affairs or business prospects,
stockholders' equity, net worth or results of operations of the Company; and
neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is infringing any trademark,
trade name rights, patent rights relating to patents that have issued, mask
works, copyrights, licenses, trade secret, service marks or other similar rights
of others, and there is no claim being made against the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries regarding trademark, trade name, patent, mask work, copyright,
license, trade secret or other infringement or assertion of intellectual
property rights which could have a material adverse effect on the earnings,
properties, business affairs or business prospects, stockholders' equity, net
worth or results of operations of the Company. The Company has agreements in
place with such employees, consultants or other persons or parties engaged by
the Company or any Subsidiary sufficient to enable the Company and any
subsidiary to fulfill their contractual obligations and to conduct their
respective businesses as now conducted as described in the Prospectus and
providing for the assignment to the Company of all intellectual property rights
in the work performed and the protection of the trade secrets and confidential
information of the Company, each of its Subsidiaries and of third parties.

               (xvii) The Company and its Subsidiaries possess all consents,
licenses, certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate
federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their
respective businesses, and neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has
received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of
any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate,
if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a
materially adverse effect on or constitute a materially adverse change in, or
constitute a development involving a



                                      -13-

<PAGE>   15
prospective materially adverse effect on or change in, the condition (financial
or otherwise), earnings, properties, business affairs or business prospects, net
worth or results of operations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, taken
as a whole, except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

               (xviii) Price Waterhouse LLP, who have certified certain 
financial statements of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries and
delivered their report with respect to the audited consolidated financial
statements and schedules included or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, are independent public accountants as
required by the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations
thereunder.

               (xix) The consolidated financial statements and schedules of the
Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries included or incorporated in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus were prepared in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") consistently applied
throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein) and they
present fairly the consolidated financial condition of the Company as at the
dates at which they were prepared and the consolidated results of operations of
the Company in respect of the periods for which they were prepared.

INTERNAL ACCOUNTING CONTROLS

               (xx) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintain a system
of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that
(w) transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or
specific authorizations; (x) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit
preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain
asset accountability; (y) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with
management's general or specific authorization; and (z) the recorded
accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable
intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

LITIGATION

               (xxi) No legal or governmental proceedings are pending or to the
Company's knowledge threatened to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
is a party or to which the property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is
subject that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus and are not described therein; and no statutes, regulations,
contracts or other documents that are required to be described or incorporated
in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to
the Registration Statement are not described or incorporated therein or filed as
required.

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

               (xxii) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus under the caption
"Dividend Policy" or restricted by applicable law, no Subsidiary of the Company
is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to
the Company, making any other distribution on such Subsidiary's capital stock,
repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the
Company or transferring any of such Subsidiary's property or assets to the
Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company, and the Company is not currently
prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends or making any
other distribution on its capital stock, in each case except as described in or
contemplated by the Prospectus or prohibited by applicable law.



                                      -14-

<PAGE>   16
TAXES

               (xxiii) The Company has filed all foreign, federal, state and
local tax returns that are required to be filed or has requested extensions
thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file would not have a
materially adverse effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole)
and has paid all taxes required to be paid by it and any other assessment, fine
or penalty levied against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and
payable, except for any such assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being
contested in good faith or as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus.

INSURANCE

               (xxiv) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are insured by
insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks
and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they
are engaged; neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has been refused any
insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor any such
Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its
existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain
similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its
business at a cost that would not materially and adversely affect the condition
(financial or otherwise), earnings, properties, business affairs or business
prospects, net worth or results of operations of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except as described in or contemplated by the
Prospectus.

PENSION AND LABOR

               (xxv) The Company is in compliance in all material respects with
all presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations
thereunder ("ERISA"); no "reportable event" (as defined in ERISA) has occurred
with respect to any "pension plan" (as defined in ERISA) for which the Company
would have any liability; the Company has not incurred and does not expect to
incur liability under (x) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or
withdrawal from, any "pension plan" or (y) Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations and published
interpretations thereunder (the "Code"); and each "pension plan" for which the
Company would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section
401(a) of the Code is so qualified in all material respects and nothing has
occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of
such qualification.

               (xxvi) No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries exists or is threatened or imminent that could have a
materially adverse effect on or constitute a materially adverse change in, or
constitute a development involving a prospective materially adverse effect on or
change in, the condition (financial or otherwise), properties, management,
earnings, business affairs or business prospects, net worth or results of
operations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except
as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus.

ENVIRONMENTAL

               (xxvii)Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in
violation of any federal or state law or regulation relating to occupational
safety and health or to the storage, handling or transportation of hazardous or
toxic materials and the Company and its Subsidiaries have received all permits,
licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable federal and state
occupational safety and health and environmental laws and regulations to conduct
their respective businesses, and the Company and each such Subsidiary is in



                                      -15-

<PAGE>   17
compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or
approval, except any such violation of law or regulation, failure to receive
required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the
terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals which would not,
singly or in the aggregate, have a materially adverse effect on or constitute a
materially adverse change in, or constitute a development involving a
prospective materially adverse effect on or change in, the condition (financial
or otherwise), earnings, properties, business affairs or business prospects, net
worth or results of operations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, taken
as a whole, except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus.

OTHER AGREEMENTS

               (xxviii) No default by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
exists, and no event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of time or both,
would constitute a default in the due performance and observance of any term,
covenant or condition of any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease or other
agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a
party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their
respective properties is bound, where such default could have a material adverse
effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), properties, management,
earnings, business affairs or business prospects, net worth or results of
operations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or the
ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement .

ABSENCE OF MATERIALLY ADVERSE CHANGE

               (xxix) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information
is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries has sustained any material loss or interference with
their respective businesses or properties from fire, flood, hurricane, accident
or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor
dispute or any legal or governmental proceeding, and there has been no
materially adverse change (including, without limitation, a change in management
or control), or development involving a prospective materially adverse change,
in the condition (financial or otherwise), management, earnings, property,
business affairs or business prospects, stockholders' equity, net worth or
results of operations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, other than as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (exclusive
of any amendments or supplements thereto).

               (xxx) No receiver or liquidator (or similar person) has been
appointed in respect of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or in
respect of any part of the assets of the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company; no resolution, order of any court, regulatory body, governmental body
or otherwise, or petition or application for an order, has been passed, made or
to the Company's knowledge presented for the winding up of the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company or for the protection of the Company or any such
Subsidiary from its creditors; and the Company has not, and no Subsidiary of the
Company has, stopped or suspended payments of its debts, become unable to pay
its debts or otherwise become insolvent.

        (b) As a further condition of the obligation of the Underwriters to
underwrite and pay for the Shares, each Selling Stockholder severally represents
and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the several Underwriters that:

               (i) Such Selling Stockholder has full power to enter into this
Agreement and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver to the Underwriters the
Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement; and this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered
by such Selling Stockholder.



                                      -16-

<PAGE>   18
               (ii) Such Selling Stockholder has duly executed and delivered a
power of attorney and custody agreement (with respect to such Selling
Stockholder, the "Power-of-Attorney" and the "Custody Agreement", respectively)
each in the form heretofore delivered to the Representatives, appointing Robert
L. North and Raymond V. Thomas as such Selling Stockholder's attorney-in-fact
(the "Attorney-in-Fact") with authority to execute, deliver and perform this
Agreement on behalf of such Selling Stockholder and appointing the BancBoston,
N.A. as custodian thereunder (the "Custodian"). Certificates in negotiable form,
endorsed in blank or accompanied by blank stock powers duly executed, with
signatures appropriately guaranteed, representing the Shares to be sold by such
Selling Stockholder hereunder (other than Shares issuable upon exercise of
vested stock options) have been deposited with the Custodian pursuant to the
Custody Agreement for the purpose of delivery pursuant to this Agreement. Such
Selling Stockholder has full power to enter into the Custody Agreement and the
Power-of-Attorney and to perform its obligations under the Custody Agreement.
The execution and delivery of the Custody Agreement and the Power-of-Attorney
have been duly authorized by all necessary action of such Selling Stockholder;
the Custody Agreement and the Power-of-Attorney have been duly executed and
delivered by such Selling Stockholder and, assuming due authorization, execution
and delivery by the Custodian, are the legal, valid, binding and enforceable
instruments of such Selling Stockholder. Such Selling Stockholder agrees that
each of the Shares represented by the certificates on deposit with the Custodian
is subject to the interests of the Underwriters hereunder, that the arrangements
made for such custody, the appointment of the Attorney-in-Fact and the right,
power and authority of the Attorney-in-Fact to execute and deliver this
Agreement, to agree on the price at which the Shares (including such Selling
Stockholder's Shares) are to be sold to the Underwriters, and to carry out the
terms of this Agreement, are to that extent irrevocable and that the obligations
of such Selling Stockholder hereunder shall not be terminated, except as
provided in this Agreement or the Custody Agreement, by any act of such Selling
Stockholder, by operation of law or otherwise, whether by the death or
incapacity of such Selling Stockholder or by the occurrence of any other event.
If any Selling Stockholder should die or if any other event should occur before
the delivery of such Shares hereunder, the certificates for such Shares
deposited with the Custodian shall be delivered by the Custodian in accordance
with the respective terms and conditions of this Agreement as if such death or
other event had not occurred, regardless of whether or not the Custodian or the
Attorney-in-Fact shall have received notice thereof.

               (iii) Such Selling Stockholder has good and valid title to the
Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholder hereunder and upon sale and
delivery of, and payment for, such Shares, as provided herein, each Selling
Stockholder will convey good and valid title to such Shares, free and clear of
any security interests, liens, encumbrances, equities, claims or other defects.

               (iv) Neither such Selling Stockholder nor any person acting on
behalf of it has, directly or indirectly, (x) taken any action designed to cause
or to result in, or that has constituted or which might reasonably be expected
to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of
the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or (y) since the
filing of the Original Registration Statement (I) sold, bid for, purchased, or
paid anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of, the Shares or (II)
paid or agreed to pay to any person any compensation for soliciting another to
purchase any other securities of the Company (except for the sale of Shares by
the Selling Stockholders under this Agreement).

               (v) Such Selling Stockholder has reviewed the Prospectus and the
Registration Statement, and the information regarding such Selling Stockholder
set forth therein under the caption "Selling Stockholders" is complete and
accurate. All information furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Selling
Stockholder for use in the Registration Statement is, and on each Closing Date
will be, true, correct and complete, and does not, and on such Closing Date will
not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact necessary to make such information not misleading, and all
information



                                      -17-

<PAGE>   19
furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Selling Stockholder for use in the
Prospectus is, and on such Closing Date will be, true, correct and complete, and
does not, and on such Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make such
information not misleading in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made.

               (vi) The sale by such Selling Stockholder of Shares pursuant
hereto is not prompted by any adverse information concerning the Company that is
not set forth in the Registration Statement or Prospectus.

               (vii) Neither such Selling Stockholder nor any of its affiliates
directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is
controlled by, or is under common control with, or has any other association
with (within the meaning of Article I, Section 1(m) of the By-laws of the NASD),
any member firm of the NASD.

               (viii) The sale of the Shares to the Underwriters by such Selling
Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement, the compliance by such Selling
Stockholder with the other provisions of this Agreement, the Custody Agreement
and the consummation of the other transactions herein contemplated do not (i)
require the consent, approval, authorization, registration or qualification of
or with any governmental authority, except such as have been obtained, such as
may be required under foreign or state securities or blue sky laws, such as may
be requested under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, if the
registration statement filed with respect to the Shares (as amended) is not
effective under the Securities Act as of the time of execution hereof, such as
may be required (and shall be obtained as provided in this Agreement) under the
Securities Act, or (ii) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any
of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, lease or other agreement or instrument to which such
Selling Stockholder or is a party or by which such Selling Stockholder or any of
its properties are bound, or any statute or any judgment, decree, order, rule or
regulation of any court or other governmental authority or any arbitrator
applicable to such Selling Stockholder.

               (ix) Such Selling Stockholder has not distributed and, prior to
the later of (x) any Closing Date and (y) the completion of the distribution of
the Shares, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the
offering other than the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.

               (c) The above representations and warranties with respect to the
Company shall be deemed to be repeated at each Closing and with respect to each
Selling Stockholder at each Closing where such Selling Stockholder is selling
Shares to the Underwriters, and all references therein to the Shares and the
Closing Date shall be deemed to refer to the Firm Shares or the Option Shares
and the First Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, each as
applicable.

Section 6.     Indemnity.

        (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter
and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, against any
and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such
Underwriter or such controlling person may become subject under the Securities
Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon:



                                      -18-

<PAGE>   20
               (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement made by the
Company in Section 5 hereof,

               (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any
material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto,
the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or

               (iii) the omission or alleged omission to state in the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, the Basic Prospectus, any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto
a material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading,

        and will reimburse, as incurred, each Underwriter and each such
controlling person for any legal or other costs or expenses reasonably incurred
by such Underwriter or such controlling person in connection with investigating,
defending against or appearing as a third-party witness in connection with any
such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the
Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss,
claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, the Basic Prospectus, any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use
therein; and provided further, that the Company will not be liable to any
Underwriter or any person controlling such Underwriter with respect to any such
untrue statement, alleged untrue statement, omission or alleged omission made in
any Preliminary Prospectus that is corrected in the Prospectus (or any amendment
or supplement thereto) if the person asserting any such loss, claim, damage or
liability purchased Shares from such Underwriter but was not sent or given a
copy of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) in any case where such
delivery of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) was required by the
Securities Act, unless such failure to deliver the Prospectus (as amended or
supplemented) was a result of noncompliance by the Company with Section 3
hereof. The indemnity provided for in this Section 6 shall be in addition to any
liability which the Company may otherwise have. The Company will not, without
the prior written consent of the Representatives, settle or compromise or
consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action,
suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder
(whether or not any such Representatives or any person who controls any such
Representatives is a party to such claim, action, suit or proceeding), unless
such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of all
of the Underwriters and such controlling persons from all liability arising out
of such claim, action, suit or proceeding.

        (b) Each of the Selling Stockholders agrees, severally and not jointly,
to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who
controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act
or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, against any and all losses, claims, damages
or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter or such controlling
person may become subject under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out
of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement made by
any of the Selling Stockholders in Section 5 hereof, and will reimburse, as
incurred, each Underwriter and each such controlling person for any legal or
other costs or expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter or such
controlling person in connection with investigating, defending against or
appearing as a third-party witness in connection with any such loss, claim,
damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Selling Stockholders
will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim,
damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission



                                      -19-

<PAGE>   21
made in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, the Basic
Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives
specifically for use therein; and provided further, that such Selling
Stockholder will not be liable to any Underwriter or any person controlling such
Underwriter with respect to any such untrue statement or omission made in any
Preliminary Prospectus that is corrected in the Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto) if the person asserting any such loss, claim, damage or
liability purchased Shares from such Underwriter but was not sent or given a
copy of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) in any case where such
delivery of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) was required by the
Securities Act, unless such failure to deliver the Prospectus (as amended or
supplemented) was a result of noncompliance by the Company with Section 3
hereof. The indemnity provided for in this Section 6 shall be in addition to any
liability which the Selling Stockholders may otherwise have. None of the Selling
Stockholders will, without the prior written consent of the Representatives,
settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or
threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification
may be sought hereunder (whether or not any such Representatives or any person
who controls any such Representatives is a party to such claim, action, suit or
proceeding), unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an
unconditional release of all of the Underwriters and such controlling persons
from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding. The
liability of each Selling Stockholder under this Section 6 shall not exceed the
net proceeds from the Offering received by such Selling Stockholder.

        (c) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold
harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the
Registration Statement, each Selling Stockholder and each person, if any, who
controls the Company or Selling Stockholder within the meaning of Section 15 of
the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities to which the Company or any such director, officer,
Selling Stockholder or controlling person may become subject under the
Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i)
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained
in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, the Basic Prospectus,
any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto or (ii) the omission or the alleged omission to state in the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, the Basic Prospectus any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto
a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the
extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the
Representatives specifically for use therein, and, subject to the limitation set
forth immediately preceding this clause, will reimburse, as incurred, any legal
or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or any such director,
officer, Selling Stockholder or controlling person in connection with
investigating, defending against or appearing as a third-party witness in
connection with any such loss, claim, damage, liability or any action in respect
thereof. The remedies provided for in this Section 6 are not exclusive and shall
not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any
indemnified party at law or in equity. No Underwriter will, without the prior
written consent of the Company, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of
any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in
respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not the
Company, any of its officers and directors, or any controlling person, Selling
Stockholder or controlling person of such Selling Stockholder, is a party to
such claim, action, suit or proceeding), unless such settlement, compromise or
consent includes an unconditional release of the Company and such directors,
officers and controlling persons, the Selling Stockholder or controlling person
of such Selling Stockholder from all liability arising out of such claim,
action, suit or proceeding.



                                      -20-

<PAGE>   22
        (d) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation)
shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be
sought pursuant to paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 6, such person (for
purposes of paragraphs (d) and (e) of this Section 6, the "indemnified party")
shall, promptly after receipt by such party of notice of the commencement of
such action, notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (for
purposes of paragraphs (d) and (e) of this Section 6, the "indemnifying party"),
but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from
any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under
this Section 6. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified
party, and it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the
indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent
that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified,
to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such
indemnified party; provided, however, that if the defendants in any such action
include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the
indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded (based upon the advice of its
counsel) that there may be one or more legal defenses available to it and/or
other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those
available to the indemnifying party, the indemnifying party shall not have the
right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party
or parties and such indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select
separate counsel to defend such action on behalf of such indemnified party or
parties. After notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of
its election so to assume the defense of any such action and approval by such
indemnified party of counsel appointed to defend such action, the indemnifying
party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 6 for any
legal or other expenses, other than reasonable costs of investigation,
subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense
thereof, unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel
in accordance with the proviso to the next preceding sentence (it being
understood, however, that in connection with such action the indemnifying party
shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (in
addition to local counsel) in any one action or separate but substantially
similar actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general
allegations or circumstances), or (ii) the indemnifying party does not promptly
retain counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party, or (iii) the indemnifying
party has authorized in writing the employment of counsel for the indemnified
party at the expense of the indemnifying party. All fees and expenses to be
reimbursed pursuant to this paragraph (d) shall be reimbursed as they are
incurred. After such notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified
party, the indemnifying party will not be liable for the costs and expenses of
any settlement of such action effected by such indemnified party without the
consent of the indemnifying party.

        (e) In circumstances in which the indemnity agreement provided for in
the preceding paragraphs of this Section 6 is unavailable or insufficient, for
any reason, to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) purporting to be
covered thereby, each indemnifying party, in order to provide for just and
equitable contribution, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect (i)
the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party or parties on the one
hand and the indemnified party on the other from the Offering or (ii) if the
allocation provided by the foregoing clause (i) is not permitted by applicable
law, not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the
indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party on the
other in connection with the statements or omissions or alleged statements or
omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling
Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed
to be in the same proportion as the total proceeds from the Offering (before
deducting expenses) received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders bear to
the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters.
The relative fault of the parties shall be determined by reference to, among
other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue



                                      -21-

<PAGE>   23
statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a
material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, the Selling
Stockholders or the Underwriters, the parties' relative intents, knowledge,
access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
omission, and any other equitable considerations appropriate in the
circumstances. The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters agree
that it would not be equitable if the amount of such contribution were
determined by pro rata or per capita allocation (even if the Underwriters were
treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation
that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to above
in this paragraph (e). Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph
(e), no Underwriter shall be obligated to make contributions hereunder that in
the aggregate exceed the total public offering price of the Shares purchased by
such Underwriter under this Agreement, less the aggregate amount of any damages
that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay in respect of the same
or any substantially similar claim, and no Selling Stockholder shall be required
to contribute any amount in excess of the lesser of (x) the amount by which the
proceeds (after deducting underwriting discounts or commission) received by such
Selling Stockholder or (y) such Selling Stockholder's pro rata liability based
on the number of shares of Common Stock sold by such Selling Stockholder
relative to the overall size of the offering, exceeds the amount of any damages
which such Selling Stockholder has otherwise been required to pay in respect of
the same or any substantially similar claim, and no person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations to contribute
hereunder are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations
and not joint, and contributions among Underwriters shall be governed by the
provisions of the Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Inc. Master Agreement Among
Underwriters. For purposes of this paragraph (e), each person, if any, who
controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act
or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as
such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company
who signed the Registration Statement, each Selling Stockholder and each person,
if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the
Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, shall have the same rights to
contribution as the Company or such Selling Stockholder, as the case may be.

Section 7. Conditions Precedent.

        The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the
Shares shall be subject, in the Representatives' reasonable discretion, to (i)
the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the
Selling Stockholders contained herein as of the date hereof and as of each
Closing Date on which the Company and the Selling Stockholders propose to sell
Shares to the Underwriter, in each case, as if made on and as of each Closing
Date, (ii) the performance by the Company and the Selling Stockholders of their
respective covenants and agreements hereunder required to be performed or
satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date, and (iii) the following additional
conditions:

        (a) (i)If the Original Registration Statement or any amendment thereto
filed prior to the First Closing Date has not been declared effective as of the
time of execution hereof, the Original Registration Statement or such amendment
shall have been declared effective not later than 6:00 P.M. New York City time
on the date of determination of the public offering price, if such determination
occurred at or prior to 4:30 P.M. New York City time on such date, or 12:00 Noon
New York City time on the business day following the day on which the public
offering price was determined, if such determination occurred after 4:30 P.M.
New York City time on such date, and (ii) if the Company has elected to rely
upon Rule 462(b), the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have been
declared effective not later than the time confirmations are sent or given as
specified by Rule 462(b)(2), or such later time and date as shall have been
consented to by the Representatives; if required, the Prospectus or any Term
Sheet that constitutes a part thereof and any amendment or supplement



                                      -22-

<PAGE>   24
thereto shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the
time period required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act; no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any amendment
thereto shall have been issued, and no proceedings for that purpose shall have
been instituted or threatened or, to the knowledge of the Company or the
Representatives, shall be contemplated by the Commission; and the Company shall
have complied with any request of the Commission for additional information (to
be included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise).

        (b) The Representatives shall have received a legal opinion from Fenwick
& West LLP, counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

               (i) the Registration Statement is effective under the Securities
Act; any required filing of the Prospectus, or any Term Sheet that constitutes a
part thereof, pursuant to Rules 434 and 424(b) has been made in the manner and
within the time period required by Rules 434 and 424(b); and to its knowledge,
no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any
amendment thereto has been issued and, to its knowledge, no proceedings for that
purpose are pending or threatened by the Commission;

               (ii) the Original Registration Statement and each amendment
thereto, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and the Prospectus (in each
case, other than the financial statements and other financial and statistical
information contained therein, as to which such counsel need express no
opinion), excluding in each case the documents incorporated by reference
therein, comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder;

               (iii) the documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus
(in each case other than the financial statements and other financial and
statistical information contained therein, as to which such counsel need express
no opinion), when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as
the case may be, complied as to form in all material respects with the
applicable requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as
applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;

               (iv) at December 31, 1997, the Company had an authorized, issued
and outstanding capitalization as set forth in the "Capitalization" section of
the Prospectus; all of the shares of capital stock issued and outstanding prior
to the sale of the Shares have been duly authorized and validly issued and,
assuming payment therefor in accordance with the resolutions authorizing such
issuances or in accordance with the terms of the applicable option or warrant,
as the case may be, are fully paid and nonassessable; and none of such shares of
capital stock was issued in violation of any statutory preemptive or, to such
counsel's knowledge, other similar rights; to such counsel's knowledge, no
holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are entitled as
such to any preemptive or other rights to subscribe for any of the Shares; and
to such counsel's knowledge no holder of securities of the Company has any right
which has not been fully exercised or waived to require the Company to register
the offer or sale of any securities owned by such holder under the Securities
Act in the Offering contemplated by this Agreement;

               (v) all of the Shares have been duly authorized and accepted for
quotation on the Nasdaq National Market, subject to official notice of issuance;

               (vi) the Company and each of its domestic Subsidiaries have been
duly organized and are validly existing as corporations in good standing under
the laws of their respective jurisdictions of incorporation; based solely on
certificates from public officials, such counsel confirms that the Company and
each of its domestic Subsidiaries are duly qualified to transact business in the
jurisdictions set forth under their respective names in the list attached as
Schedule IV; to such counsel's knowledge the Company and each of its



                                      -23-

<PAGE>   25
domestic Subsidiaries have the corporate power and corporate authority to own,
lease and operate their respective properties and assets and conduct their
respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, and the Company has corporate power to enter into this Agreement and
to carry out all the terms and provisions hereof to be carried out by it; all of
the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each of the Company's
domestic Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are, to its
knowledge, fully paid and nonassessable and, except as otherwise set forth in
the Registration Statement, are owned beneficially by the Company or one if its
Subsidiaries free and clear of any perfected security interests or, to the
knowledge of such counsel, any other security interests, liens, encumbrances,
equities or claims;

               (vii) the statements set forth under the headings "Description of
Capital Stock"; and "Underwriting" in the Prospectus, and under Item 15 in the
Registration Statement, insofar as such statements constitute a summary of the
legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein, have been reviewed
by such counsel and fairly present the information called for with respect to
such legal matters, documents and proceedings in all material respects as
required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the respective rules and
regulations thereunder;

               (viii) the execution and delivery of this Agreement have been
duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company and this
Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company;

               (ix) the execution and delivery by the Company of, and compliance
by the Company with, the provisions of, and performance of its obligations
under, this Agreement, and the consummation of the other transactions
contemplated in this Agreement and the Registration Statement do not (x) require
the consent, approval, authorization, registration or qualification of or with
any governmental authority, except such as have been obtained or made (and
specified in such opinion) or such as may be required by the securities or Blue
Sky laws of the United States of America, or any state thereof, or any foreign
jurisdiction or under the bylaws or rules of the NASD in connection with the
offer and sale of the Shares by the Underwriters, or (y) to such counsel's
knowledge, conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms
and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed
of trust, lease or other agreement or instrument, to which the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its domestic
Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties are bound, which indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, lease or other agreement or instrument is (or is
required to be, in accordance with applicable laws) included (or incorporated by
reference) in the Registration Statement, or any foreign jurisdiction or under
the bylaws or rules of the NASD, or the charter documents or by-laws of the
Company or any of its domestic Subsidiaries, or any statute or any judgment,
decree, order, rule or regulation of any court or other governmental authority
or any arbitrator known to such counsel and applicable to the Company or its
domestic Subsidiaries;

               (x) the Company is not an "investment company" and, after giving
effect to the Offering and the application of the proceeds therefrom, will not
be an "investment company", as such term is defined in the 1940 Act; and

               (xi) such counsel does not know of any legal or governmental
proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company or any of its domestic
Subsidiaries is a party or to which the property of the Company or any of its
domestic Subsidiaries is subject that are required to be described or
incorporated in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not
described or incorporated therein or any statutes, regulations, contracts or
other documents that are required to be described or incorporated in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the
Registration Statement that are not described or incorporated therein or filed
as required.



                                      -24-

<PAGE>   26
        Such opinion shall also state such counsel has participated in certain
conferences with officers and other representatives of the Company,
representatives of the independent certified public accountants for the Company
and representatives of the Underwriters, at which conferences the contents of
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and related matters were discussed
and, although such counsel is not passing upon and does not assume any
responsibility for, nor has such counsel independently verified, the accuracy,
completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration
Statement and Prospectus, on the basis of the foregoing, no facts have come to
such counsel's attention that have caused such counsel to believe that either
the Registration Statement, at the time such Registration Statement became
effective, or the Prospectus as of the date hereof, contained any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading
(except, in the case of both the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, for
the financial statements, notes thereto and other schedules, financial and
accounting information and statistical data contained therein, as to which such
counsel expresses no view).

        In rendering any such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to matters of
fact, to the extent such counsel deems proper, on certificates of responsible
officers of the Company or certificates of government officials.

        References to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus in this
paragraph (b) shall include any amendment or supplement thereto at the date of
such opinion. The opinions of issuer's counsel described herein shall be
rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so state
therein.

        (c) The Representatives shall have received a legal opinion from counsel
for the Selling Stockholders, acceptable to the Representatives, dated the
Closing Date, with respect to each of the Selling Stockholders, to the effect
that:

               (i) To such counsel's knowledge, such Selling Stockholder has
full power to enter into this Agreement, the Custody Agreement and the
Power-of-Attorney and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Shares being
sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder in the manner provided in this
Agreement and to perform its obligations under the Custody Agreement; this
Agreement, the Custody Agreement and the Power-of-Attorney have been duly
executed and delivered by or on behalf of such Selling Stockholder; assuming due
authorization, execution and delivery by the Custodian, the Custody Agreement
and the Power-of-Attorney are the legal, valid, binding and enforceable
instruments of such Selling Stockholder, subject to applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and subject,
as to enforceability, to general principles of equity (regardless of whether
enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or at law);

               (ii) Upon delivery of and payment for the Shares to be sold by
the Company as provided in the Underwriting Agreement and upon registration of
such Shares in the names of the Underwriters (or their nominees) in the stock
records of the Company, the Underwriters will be the owners of such Shares, free
and clear of any adverse claim, provided that the Underwriters are purchasing
such Shares in good faith and without notice of any adverse claim.

               (iii) the sale of the Shares to the Underwriters by such Selling
Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement, the compliance by such Selling
Stockholder with the other provisions of this Agreement and the Custody
Agreement and the consummation of the other transactions herein contemplated do
not (x) require the consent, approval, authorization, registration or
qualification of or with any governmental authority, except such as have been
obtained and such as may be required under state securities or blue sky laws or
the bylaws or



                                      -25-

<PAGE>   27
rules of the NASD, or (y) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of
any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any material
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease or other material agreement or
instrument to which such Selling Stockholder is a party or by which such Selling
Stockholder or any of its properties are bound, or any statute or any judgment,
decree, order, rule or regulation of any court or other governmental authority
or any arbitrator applicable to such Selling Stockholder.

        In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely, to the extent such
counsel deems proper, upon the representations and warranties of the Selling
Stockholders contained herein or in the Powers of Attorney and Custody
Agreement.

        References to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus in this
paragraph (d) shall include any amendment or supplement thereto at the date of
such opinion.

        (d) The Representatives shall have received a legal opinion from Wilson
Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C., counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing
Date, covering the issuance and sale of the Shares, the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus, and such other related matters as the Representatives may
reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such
documents as they may reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to
pass upon such matters.

        (e) The Representatives shall have received from Price Waterhouse LLP
letters dated the date hereof and the Closing Date, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies
of such letters for each of the other Underwriters containing statements and
information of the type ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to
underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial
information contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

        In the event that the letters referred to above set forth any such
changes, decreases or increases, it shall be a further condition to the
obligations of the Underwriters that (I) such letters shall be accompanied by a
written explanation of the Company as to the significance thereof, unless the
Representatives deem such explanation unnecessary, and (II) such changes,
decreases or increases do not, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, make
it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the purchase and delivery of the
Shares as contemplated by the Registration Statement, as amended as of the date
hereof. References to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus in this
paragraph (f) with respect to either letter referred to above shall include any
amendment or supplement thereto at the date of such letter.

        (f) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the
Underwriters at the Closing a certificate of its President and Chief Executive
Officer and its Chief Financial Officer satisfactory to the Underwriters to the
effect that:

               (i) the representations and warranties of the Company in this
Agreement are true and correct as if made on and as of the Closing Date; the
Registration Statement, as amended as of the Closing Date, does not include any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading, and the Prospectus, as amended or
supplemented as of the Closing Date, does not include any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading; and the Company has performed all covenants and agreements
and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or
prior to the Closing Date;



                                      -26-

<PAGE>   28
               (ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto has been issued, and no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or threatened or, to the best
of the Company's knowledge, are contemplated by the Commission; and

               (iii) subsequent to the respective dates as of which information
is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (exclusive of any
amendment or supplement thereto), neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has sustained any material loss or interference with their
respective businesses or properties from fire, flood, hurricane, accident or
other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute
or any legal or governmental proceeding, and there has not been any materially
adverse change (including, without limitation, a change in management or
control), or development involving a prospective materially adverse change, in
the condition (financial or otherwise), management, earnings, properties,
business affairs or business prospects, stockholders' equity, net worth or
results of operations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except in each
case as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (exclusive of any
amendment or supplement thereto).

        (g) The Representatives shall have received from the Company and each
person who is a director or executive officer of the Company an agreement dated
on or before the date of this Agreement to the effect that such person will not,
without the prior written consent of the Representatives during a period from
the date of this Agreement and continuing and including the date which is the
number of days, after the date hereof as specified in Schedule I hereto, without
the prior written consent of the Underwriters, (i) offer, pledge, sell, offer to
sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any
option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or
otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common
Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for
Common Stock, or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any
transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the
economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or
transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery
of Common Stock or such securities, in cash or otherwise; provided, however,
that such person may, without the prior written consent of the Representatives
on behalf of the Underwriters, transfer shares of Common Stock or such other
securities to members of such person's immediate family or to trusts for the
benefit of members of such person's immediate family or in connection with bona
fide gifts, provided that any transferee agrees to the transfer restrictions
described above.

        (h) The Representatives shall have received a certificate from each
Selling Stockholder dated each Option Closing Date, signed by an
Attorney-in-Fact on behalf of such Selling Stockholder, to the effect that:

               (i) the representations and warranties of such Selling
Stockholder in this Agreement are true and correct as if made on and as of such
Closing Date;

               (ii) To the knowledge of such Selling Stockholder, but without
independent verification of information not relating to such Selling
Stockholder, (i) each part of the Registration Statement, when such part became
effective, did not contain and each such part, as amended or supplemented, if
applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
a state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading, and (ii) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended
or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth
in this subsection (i) do not apply to statements or omissions in the



                                      -27-

<PAGE>   29
Registration Statement or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any
Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you
expressly for use therein.

               (iii) such Selling Stockholder has performed all covenants and
agreements on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to such Closing
Date.

        (i) Prior to the commencement of the Offering, the Company shall have
made an application for the quotation of the Shares on the Nasdaq National
Market and the Shares shall have been included for trading on the Nasdaq
National Market, subject to official notice of issuance.

        (j) On or before the Closing Date, the Representatives and counsel for
the Underwriters shall have received such further certificates, documents or
other information as they may have reasonably requested from the Company and the
Selling Stockholders.

        All opinions, certificates, letters and documents delivered pursuant to
this Agreement will comply with the provisions hereof only if they are
reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to the Representatives and
counsel for the Underwriters. The Company and the Selling Stockholders shall
furnish to the Representatives such conformed copies of such opinions,
certificates, letters and documents in such quantities as the Representatives
and counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably request.

        The respective obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and
pay for any Shares shall be subject, in their discretion, to each of the
foregoing conditions to purchase the Shares, except that all references therein
to the Shares and the Closing Date shall be deemed to refer to the Firm Shares
or the Option Shares and the First Closing Date or the related Option Closing
Date, each as applicable.

Section 8. Default of Underwriters.

        If, at the First Closing, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail
or refuse to purchase Shares that it has or they have agreed to purchase
hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is ten
percent or less of the aggregate number of the Shares to be purchased on such
date, the other Underwriters may make arrangements satisfactory to the
Representatives for the purchase of such Shares by other persons (who may
include one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, including the
Representatives), but if no such arrangements are made by the First Closing
Date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions
that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names in
Schedule II hereto bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth
opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other
proportions as the Representatives may specify, to purchase the Shares which
such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to
purchase on such date. If, at the First Closing, any Underwriter or Underwriters
shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm
Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than ten per cent of
the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased, and arrangements
satisfactory to the Representatives and the Company and the Selling Stockholders
for the purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 36 hours after such
default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any
non-defaulting Underwriter, the Company or the Selling Stockholders. In any such
case either the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone
the Closing, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the
required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus or
in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, at any Option
Closing, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Option
Shares, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate
their obligation hereunder to purchase Option Shares or (ii) purchase not



                                      -28-

<PAGE>   30
less than the number of Option Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters
would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default. As used in
this Agreement, the term "Underwriter" includes any person substituted for an
Underwriter under this Section 8. Any action taken under this Section 8 shall
not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default
of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

Section 9. Termination.

        This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the sole discretion of
the Representatives by notice to the Company and the Selling Stockholders given
prior to any Closing Date in the event that the Company shall have failed,
refused or been unable to perform all obligations and satisfy all conditions on
its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at the Closing or prior thereto
or, if at or prior to any Closing Date, (a) trading in securities generally on
the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq National Market shall have been
suspended or materially limited or minimum or maximum prices shall have been
established by or on, as the case may be, the Commission or the New York Stock
Exchange or the Nasdaq National Market; (b) trading of any securities of the
Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter
market; (c) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have
been declared by either Federal or New York State authorities; (d) there shall
have occurred (i) an outbreak or escalation of hostilities between the United
States and any foreign power, (ii) an outbreak or escalation of any other
insurrection or armed conflict involving the United States, or (iii) any other
calamity or crisis or materially adverse change in general economic, political
or financial conditions having an effect on the U.S. financial markets that, in
the reasonable judgment of the Representatives, in the case of clauses (d)(i),
(d)(ii) and (d)(iii), makes it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the
public offering or the delivery of the Shares as contemplated by the
Registration Statement, as amended as of the date hereof; or (e) the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries shall have, in the reasonable judgment of the
Representatives, sustained any material loss or interference with their
respective businesses or properties from fire, flood, hurricane, accident or
other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute
or any legal or governmental proceeding, or there shall have been any materially
adverse change (including, without limitation, a change in management or
control), or constitute a development involving a prospective materially adverse
change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), management, earnings,
properties, business affairs or business prospects, stockholders' equity, net
worth or results of operations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except
in each case as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (exclusive of any
amendment or supplement thereto). Termination of this Agreement pursuant to this
Section 9 shall be without liability of any party to any other party except for
the liability of the Company in relation to expenses as provided in Sections 4
and 10 hereof, the liability of the Selling Stockholders in relation to expenses
as provided in Sections 4 and 10 hereof, the indemnity provided in Section 6
hereof and any liability arising before or in relation to such termination.

Section 10. Reimbursement of Expenses.

        If the sale of the Shares provided for herein is not consummated because
any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 7
hereof is not satisfied or because of any termination pursuant to Section 9
hereof (other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters), the
Company shall reimburse the Underwriters, severally upon demand, for all
out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall
have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of
the Shares. If the Company is required to make any payments to the Underwriters
under this Section 10 because of any Selling Stockholder's refusal, inability or
failure to satisfy any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set
forth in Section 7 hereof, such defaulting Selling Stockholder, pro rata in
proportion to the percentage of Shares to be sold by it, shall reimburse the
Company on demand for amounts so paid.



                                      -29-

<PAGE>   31
Section 11. Information Supplied by Underwriters.

        The statements set forth in the last paragraph on the front cover page
and in the third and last three paragraphs under the heading "Underwriting" in
any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (to the extent such statements
relate to the Underwriters) constitute the only information furnished by any
Underwriter through the Representatives to the Company for the purposes of
Section 5(a)(ii) and Section 6 hereof. The Underwriters confirm that such
statements (to such extent) are correct.



                                      -30-

<PAGE>   32
Section 12.    Notices.

        In all dealings hereunder, you shall act on behalf of each of the
Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any
statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or
given by the Representatives. Any notice or notification in any form to be given
under this Agreement may be delivered in person or sent by telex, facsimile or
telephone (subject in the case of a communication by telephone to confirmation
by telex or facsimile) addressed to:

        in the case of the Company:

        HNC Software Inc.
        5930 Cornerstone Court West
        San Diego, California 92121-3728

        Telephone:  619-546-8877
        Facsimile:  619-452-3220
        Attention:  President

        in the case of the Underwriters:

        Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Inc.
        31 West 52nd Street
        New York, New York 10019

        Telephone:  212-469-5600
        Facsimile:  212-469-5995
        Attention:  Equity Syndicate Desk

In the case of the Selling Stockholders, any such notice shall be addressed to
the Selling Stockholders at the addresses set forth in Schedule III hereto. Any
such notice shall take effect, in the case of delivery, at the time of delivery
and, in the case of telex or facsimile, at the time of dispatch.

Section 13. Miscellaneous.

        (a)    Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement.

        (b) The headings herein are inserted for convenience of reference only
and are not intended to be part of, or to affect, the meaning or interpretation
of this Agreement.

        (c) For purposes of this Agreement, (a) "business day" means any day on
which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading, and (b) "subsidiary" has
the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

        (d) This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, all of
which, taken together, shall constitute one and the same Agreement and any party
may enter into this Agreement by executing a counterpart.



                                      -31-

<PAGE>   33
        (e) This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and shall be binding
upon the several Underwriters, the Company, the Selling Stockholders and their
respective successors and legal representatives, and nothing expressed or
mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other
person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this
Agreement, or any provisions herein contained, this Agreement and all conditions
and provisions hereof being intended to be and being for the sole and exclusive
benefit of such persons and for the benefit of no other person, except that (i)
the indemnities of the Company and the Selling Stockholders contained in Section
6 hereof shall also be for the benefit of any person or persons who control any
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20
of the Exchange Act and (ii) the indemnities of the Underwriters contained in
Section 6 hereof shall also be for the benefit of the directors of the Company,
the officers of the Company who have signed the Registration Statement, each
Selling Stockholder and any person or persons who control the Company or such
Selling Stockholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or
Section 20 of the Exchange Act. No purchaser of Shares from any Underwriter
shall be deemed a successor because of such purchase.

        (f) The respective representations, warranties, agreements, covenants,
indemnities and other statements of the Company, its officers, the Selling
Stockholders and the several Underwriters set forth in this Agreement or made by
or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf
of the Company, any of its officers or directors, the Selling Stockholders, any
Underwriter or any controlling person referred to in Section 6 hereof and (ii)
delivery of and payment for the Shares. The respective agreements, covenants,
indemnities and other statements set forth in Sections 4, 6 and 10 hereof shall
remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination or cancellation
of this Agreement.

Section 14. Severability.

        It is the desire and intent of the parties that the provisions of this
Agreement be enforced to the fullest extent permissible under the law and public
policies applied in each jurisdiction in which enforcement is sought.
Accordingly, in the event that any provision of this Agreement would be held in
any jurisdiction to be invalid, prohibited or unenforceable for any reason, such
provision, as to such jurisdiction, shall be ineffective, without invalidating
the remaining provisions of this Agreement or affecting the validity or
enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction.

Section 15. Governing Law.

        The validity and interpretation of this Agreement, and the terms and
conditions set forth herein, shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any provisions
relating to conflicts of laws.



                                      -32-

<PAGE>   34
        If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign
and return to us ten (10) counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by
you, on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance
hereof shall constitute a binding agreement among each of the Underwriters, the
Company and each of the Selling Stockholders. It is understood that your
acceptance of this letter on behalf of each of the Underwriters is pursuant to
the authority set forth in the Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Inc. Master Agreement
Among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to the Company and the
Selling Stockholders for examination upon request, but without warranty on your
part as to the authority of the signers thereof.

Very truly yours,

HNC SOFTWARE INC.

By:_________________________________________
   President and Chief Executive Officer


ROBERT L. KAAREN

By: _________________________________________
        Attorney-in-Fact

MICHAEL E. MUNAYYER, TRUSTEE
  OF THE MICHAEL MUNAYYER
  TRUST DATED AUGUST 11,1995

By:___________________________________________
        Attorney-in-Fact

OLIVER D. CURME

By:___________________________________________
        Attorney-in-Fact



                                      -33-

<PAGE>   35
The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date
specified in Schedule I hereto.

DEUTSCHE MORGAN GRENFELL INC.
BANCAMERICA ROBERTSON STEPHENS
SMITH BARNEY INC.

By:  DEUTSCHE MORGAN GRENFELL INC.

By: ____________________________

Name: __________________________

Title: _________________________

By: ____________________________

Name: __________________________

Title: _________________________

For themselves and on behalf of the other several Underwriters, if any, named in
Schedule II to the foregoing Agreement.



                                      -34-

<PAGE>   36
                                   SCHEDULE I


Underwriting Agreement dated:  ___________ __, 1998


Other Representatives:   BancAmerica Robertson Stephens
                         Smith Barney Inc.


Type of Offering:


Purchase Price of Securities:

     Purchase price per share:


Closing Date, Time and Location: _____________ __, 1998, at the offices of
Fenwick & West LLP, Two Palo Alto Square, Palo Alto, CA 94306.


Registration Statement No.  333-____


Number of days referred to in Section 3(a)(v):  90

Number of days referred to in Section 7(g):  90

Modification of items to be covered by the letter from Price Waterhouse LLP
  delivered pursuant to Section 7(e) at the Closing Date:




<PAGE>   37
                                            SCHEDULE II

                                         The Underwriters


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
         UNDERWRITER                            UNDERWRITING COMMITMENT
         -----------                            -----------------------
<S>                                             <C>
Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Inc.                      __________________
BancAmerica Robertson Stephens                     __________________
Smith Barney Inc.                                  __________________
</TABLE>


<PAGE>   38
                                  SCHEDULE III

                            The Selling Stockholders



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                 NUMBER OF SHARES             NUMBER OF OPTION
          SELLING STOCKHOLDERS                      TO BE SOLD                SHARES TO BE SOLD
          --------------------                   ----------------             -----------------
<S>                                              <C>                          <C>    
Robert K. Kaaren.........................             1,035,000                     157,500
c/o CompReview, Inc.
3200 Park Center Drive, 5th floor
Costa Mesa, California  92626

Michael E. Munayyer,.....................             1,035.000                     157,500
Trustee of the Michael
Munayyer Trust dated August 11, 1995
c/o CompReview, Inc.
3200 Park Center Drive, 5th floor
Costa Mesa, California  92626

Oliver D. Curme .........................                10,000                         ---
Battery Ventures
20 William Street, Suite 200
Wellesley, Massachusetts 02181
                                                      ---------                     -------
    Total................................             2,080,000                     315,000
                                                      =========                     =======
</TABLE>


<PAGE>   39
                                   SCHEDULE IV

         Listing of all States in which HNC and Subsidiaries do Business


HNC Software Inc.
Arizona
California
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Minnesota
Maryland
Nebraska
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Washington

CompReview, Inc.
California
Texas

Retek Information Systems, Inc.
Minnesota
Texas
Illinois
Georgia
Indiana
Massachusetts
Pennsylvania
California

<PAGE>   40
Risk Data Corporation
California
Arizona
Colorado
Minnesota
New York
Virginia

Aptex Software Inc.
California
Texas
Massachusetts

<PAGE>   1
                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.8
================================================================================



                                HNC SOFTWARE INC.

                                       AND

                       STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
                               OF CALIFORNIA, N.A.

                                     TRUSTEE


                                    INDENTURE


                            DATED AS OF MARCH 1, 1998





                   __% CONVERTIBLE SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2003



================================================================================
<PAGE>   2
                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                              PAGE
                                                                                              ----
<S>                                                                                           <C>
ARTICLE I  DEFINITIONS..........................................................................1

        Section 1.1   Definitions...............................................................1

ARTICLE II  ISSUE, DESCRIPTION, EXECUTION, REGISTRATION AND EXCHANGE OF NOTES...................8

        Section 2.1   Designation, Amount and Issue of Notes....................................8
        Section 2.2   Form of Notes.............................................................9
        Section 2.3   Date and Denomination of Notes; Payments of Interest......................9
        Section 2.4   Execution of Notes.......................................................11
        Section 2.5   Exchange and Registration of Transfer of Notes...........................11
        Section 2.6   Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Notes...............................12
        Section 2.7   Temporary Notes..........................................................13
        Section 2.8   Cancellation of Notes Paid, Etc..........................................14

ARTICLE III  REDEMPTION OF NOTES...............................................................14

        Section 3.1   Right of Redemption......................................................14
        Section 3.2   Applicability of Article.................................................14
        Section 3.3   Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee....................................14
        Section 3.4   Selection by Trustee of Notes to Be Redeemed.............................15
        Section 3.5   Notice of Redemption.....................................................15
        Section 3.6   Deposit of Redemption Price..............................................16
        Section 3.7   Notes Payable on Redemption Date.........................................16
        Section 3.8   Notes Redeemed in Part...................................................17
        Section 3.9   Conversion Arrangement on Call for Redemption............................17

ARTICLE IV  SUBORDINATION OF NOTES.............................................................18

        Section 4.1   Agreement of Subordination...............................................18
        Section 4.2   Payments to Holders......................................................18
        Section 4.3   Subrogation of Notes.....................................................21
        Section 4.4   Authorization to Effect Subordination....................................22
        Section 4.5   Notice to Trustee........................................................22
        Section 4.6   Trustee's Relation to Senior Indebtedness of the Company.................23
        Section 4.7   No Impairment of Subordination...........................................24
        Section 4.8   Article Applicable to Paying Agents......................................24
        Section 4.9   Senior Indebtedness of the Company Entitled to Rely......................24
</TABLE>



                                       -i-

<PAGE>   3
                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                   (CONTINUED)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
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                                                                                              ----
<S>                                                                                           <C>
        Section 4.10  Certain Conversions Deemed Payment.......................................24

ARTICLE V  PARTICULAR COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.................................................25

        Section 5.1   Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest...............................25
        Section 5.2   Maintenance of Office or Agency..........................................25
        Section 5.3   Appointments to Fill Vacancies in Trustee's Office.......................26
        Section 5.4   Provisions as to Paying Agent............................................26
        Section 5.5   Existence................................................................27
        Section 5.6   Stay, Extension and Usury Laws...........................................27
        Section 5.7   Statement by Officers as to Default......................................27
        Section 5.8   Further Instruments and Acts.............................................28

ARTICLE VI  HOLDERS' LISTS AND REPORTS BY THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE..........................28

        Section 6.1   Holders' Lists...........................................................28
        Section 6.2   Preservation and Disclosure of Lists.....................................28
        Section 6.3   Reports by Trustee.......................................................29
        Section 6.4   Reports by Company.......................................................29

ARTICLE VII  DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES.............................................................29

        Section 7.1   Events of Default........................................................29
        Section 7.2   Payments of Notes on Default; Suit Therefor..............................31
        Section 7.3   Application of Monies Collected by Trustee...............................33
        Section 7.4   Proceedings by Holder....................................................34
        Section 7.5   Proceedings by Trustee...................................................35
        Section 7.6   Remedies Cumulative and Continuing.......................................35
        Section 7.7   Direction of Proceedings and Waiver of Defaults by Majority of Holders ..35
        Section 7.8   Notice of Defaults.......................................................36
        Section 7.9   Undertaking to Pay Costs.................................................36
        Section 7.10  Delay or Omission Not Waiver.............................................36

ARTICLE VIII  CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE...........................................................36

        Section 8.1   Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee...................................36
        Section 8.2   Reliance on Documents, Opinions, Etc.....................................38
</TABLE>



                                      -ii-

<PAGE>   4
                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                   (CONTINUED)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                              PAGE
                                                                                              ----
<S>                                                                                           <C>
        Section 8.3   No Responsibility for Recitals, Etc......................................39
        Section 8.4   Trustee, Paying Agents, Conversion Agents or Registrar May Own Notes ....39
        Section 8.5   Monies to Be Held in Trust...............................................39
        Section 8.6   Compensation and Expenses of Trustee.....................................39
        Section 8.7   Officers' Certificate as Evidence........................................40
        Section 8.8   Conflicting Interests of Trustee.........................................40
        Section 8.9   Eligibility of Trustee...................................................40
        Section 8.10  Resignation or Removal of Trustee........................................40
        Section 8.11  Acceptance by Successor Trustee..........................................42
        Section 8.12  Succession by Merger, Etc................................................42
        Section 8.13  Limitation on Rights of Trustee as Creditor..............................43

ARTICLE IX  CONCERNING THE HOLDERS.............................................................43

        Section 9.1   Action by Holders........................................................43
        Section 9.2   Proof of Execution by Holders............................................43
        Section 9.3   Who Are Deemed Absolute Owners...........................................44
        Section 9.4   Company-Owned Notes Disregarded..........................................44
        Section 9.5   Revocation of Consents; Future Holders Bound.............................44

ARTICLE X  HOLDERS' MEETINGS...................................................................45

        Section 10.1  Purpose of Meetings......................................................45
        Section 10.2  Call of Meetings by Trustee..............................................45
        Section 10.3  Call of Meetings by Company or Holders...................................46
        Section 10.4  Qualifications for Voting................................................46
        Section 10.5  Regulations..............................................................46
        Section 10.6  Voting...................................................................47
        Section 10.7  No Delay of Rights by Meeting............................................47

ARTICLE XI  SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES............................................................47

        Section 11.1  Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders.......................47
        Section 11.2  Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders..........................49
        Section 11.3  Effect of Supplemental Indentures........................................49
        Section 11.4  Notation on Notes........................................................50
        Section 11.5  Evidence of Compliance of Supplemental Indenture to Be 
                       Furnished Trustee.......................................................50

</TABLE>


                                      -iii-

<PAGE>   5
                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                   (CONTINUED)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                              PAGE
                                                                                              ----
<S>                                                                                           <C>
ARTICLE XII  MERGER, SALE OR CONSOLIDATION.....................................................50
        Section 12.1  Limitation on Merger, Sale or Consolidation..............................50
        Section 12.2  Successor Corporation to Be Substituted..................................51

ARTICLE XIII  SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE..........................................52

        Section 13.1  Discharge of Indenture...................................................52
        Section 13.2  Deposited Monies to Be Held in Trust by Trustee..........................52
        Section 13.3  Paying Agent to Repay Monies Held........................................52
        Section 13.4  Return of Unclaimed Monies...............................................53
        Section 13.5  Reinstatement............................................................53

ARTICLE XIV  IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS...................53

        Section 14.1  Indenture and Notes Solely Corporate Obligations.........................53

ARTICLE XV  CONVERSION OF NOTES................................................................54

        Section 15.1  Conversion Privilege and Conversion Price................................54
        Section 15.2  Exercise of Conversion Privilege.........................................54
        Section 15.3  Fractions of Shares......................................................55
        Section 15.4  Adjustment of Conversion Price...........................................55
        Section 15.5  Notice of Adjustments of Conversion Price................................64
        Section 15.6  Notice of Certain Corporate Action.......................................64
        Section 15.7  Company to Provide Common Stock..........................................66
        Section 15.8  Taxes on Conversions.....................................................66
        Section 15.9  Company Covenants as to Common Stock.....................................66
        Section 15.10 Cancellation of Converted Notes..........................................67
        Section 15.11 Effect of Reclassification, Consolidation, Merger or Sale................67
        Section 15.12 Responsibility of Trustee for Conversion Provisions......................68

ARTICLE XVI  REPURCHASE UPON A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE..............................................68

        Section 16.1  Right to Require Repurchase..............................................68
        Section 16.2  Notices; Method of Exercising Repurchase Right, Etc......................69

</TABLE>

                                      -iv-

<PAGE>   6
                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                   (CONTINUED)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>                                                                                  PAGE
                                                                                           ----
<S>                                                                                        <C>
        Section 16.3  Merger, Consolidation, etc............................................71

ARTICLE XVII  MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS......................................................72
        Section 17.1  Provisions Binding on Company's Successors............................72
        Section 17.2  Official Acts by Successor Corporation................................72
        Section 17.3  Addresses for Notices, Etc............................................72
        Section 17.4  Governing Law.........................................................73
        Section 17.5  Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent; Certificates
                      to Trustee ...........................................................73
        Section 17.6  Legal Holidays........................................................73
        Section 17.7  No Note Interest Created..............................................73
        Section 17.8  Trust Indenture Act...................................................73
        Section 17.9  Benefits of Indenture.................................................74
        Section 17.10 Table of Contents, Headings, Etc......................................74
        Section 17.11 Authenticating Agent..................................................74
        Section 17.12 Execution in Counterparts.............................................75

</TABLE>
  
                                        -v-

<PAGE>   7
        INDENTURE dated as of March 1, 1998 between HNC Software Inc., a
Delaware corporation (hereinafter sometimes called the "Company", as more fully
set forth in Section 1.1), and State Street Bank and Trust Company of
California, N.A., a national banking association organized under the laws of the
United States (hereinafter sometimes called the "Trustee", as more fully set
forth in Section 1.1).

                              W I T N E S S E T H:

        WHEREAS, for its lawful corporate purposes, the Company has duly
authorized the issue of its __% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2003
(hereinafter sometimes called the "Notes"), in an aggregate principal amount not
to exceed $100,000,000 and, to provide the terms and conditions upon which the
Notes are to be authenticated, issued and delivered, the Company has duly
authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture; and

        WHEREAS, all acts and things necessary to make the Notes, when executed
by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee or a duly
authorized authenticating agent, as in this Indenture provided, the valid,
binding and legal obligations of the Company, and to constitute these presents a
valid agreement according to its terms, have been done and performed, and the
execution of this Indenture and the issue hereunder of the Notes have in all
respects been duly authorized.

        NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

        That in order to declare the terms and conditions upon which the Notes
are, and are to be, authenticated, issued and delivered, and in consideration of
the premises and of the purchase and acceptance of the Notes by the holders
thereof, the Company covenants and agrees with the Trustee for the equal and
proportionate benefit of the respective holders from time to time of the Notes
(except as otherwise provided below), as follows:


                                    ARTICLE I

                                   DEFINITIONS

        Section 1.1 Definitions. The terms defined in this Section 1.1 (except
as herein otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires)
for all purposes of this Indenture and of any indenture supplemental hereto
shall have the respective meanings specified in this Section 1.1. All other
terms used in this Indenture, which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act or
which are by reference therein defined in the Securities Act (except as herein
otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires) shall
have the meanings assigned to such terms in said Trust Indenture Act and in said
Securities Act as in force at the date of the execution of this Indenture. The
words "herein," "hereof," "hereunder," and words of similar import refer to this
Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other
Subdivision. The terms defined in this Indenture include the plural as well as
the singular.



                                       -1-

<PAGE>   8
        Affiliate: The term "Affiliate" of any specified Person means any other
Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or
indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this
definition, "control," when used with respect to any specified Person means the
power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such
Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting
securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms "controlling" and
"controlled" have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

        Applicable Price: The term "Applicable Price" means (i) in the event of
a Fundamental Change in which the holders of Common Stock receive only cash, the
amount of cash received by the holders of one share of Common Stock and (ii) in
the event of any other Fundamental Change, the arithmetic average of the Closing
Price for the Common Stock during the ten Trading Days prior to the record date
for the determination of the holders of Common Stock entitled to receive cash,
securities, property or other assets in connection with such Fundamental Change,
or, if no such record date exists, the date upon which the holders of the Common
Stock shall have the right to receive such cash, securities, property or other
assets in connection with the Fundamental Change.

        Board of Directors: The term "Board of Directors" means the Board of
Directors of the Company or a committee of such Board duly authorized to act for
it hereunder.

        Board Resolution: The term "Board Resolution" means a copy of a
resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company
to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors, or duly authorized
committee thereof (to the extent permitted by applicable law), and to be in full
force and effect on the date of such certification.

        Business Day: The term "Business Day" means each Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which the banking
institutions in The City of New York or San Diego, California or the city in
which the Corporate Trust Office is located are authorized or obligated by law
or executive order to close or be closed.

        Commission: The term "Commission" means the Securities and Exchange
Commission.

        Common Stock: The term "Common Stock" means any stock of any class of
the Company which has no preference in respect of dividends or of amounts
payable in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of the Company and which is not subject to redemption by the Company.
Subject to the provisions of Section 15.11, however, shares issuable on
conversion of Notes shall include only shares of the class designated as common
stock of the Company at the date of this Indenture or shares of any class or
classes resulting from any reclassification or reclassifications thereof and
which have no preference in respect of dividends or of amounts payable in the
event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of
the Company and which are not subject to redemption by the Company; provided
that if at any time there shall be more than one such resulting class,



                                       -2-

<PAGE>   9
the shares of each such class then so issuable shall be substantially in the
proportion which the total number of shares of such class resulting from all
such reclassifications bears to the total number of shares of all such classes
resulting from all such reclassifications.

        Company: The term "Company" means HNC Software Inc., a Delaware
corporation, and subject to the provisions of Article XII, shall include its
successors and assigns.

        Corporate Trust Office: The term "Corporate Trust Office," or other
similar term, means the office of the Trustee at which at any particular time
its corporate trust business shall be principally administered, which office is,
at the date as of which this Indenture is dated, located at 633 West 5th Street,
12th Floor, Los Angeles, California 90071, Attention: Corporate Trust Division
(HNC Software Inc. __% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2003).

        Credit Agreement: The term "Credit Agreement" means that certain Credit
Agreement, dated as of July 11, 1997, between the Company and Wells Fargo Bank
National Association, as amended through the date hereof, as further amended and
restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

        default: The term "default" means any event that is, or after notice or
passage of time, or both, would be, an Event of Default.

        Designated Senior Indebtedness: The term "Designated Senior
Indebtedness" means the Credit Agreement and the Company's obligations under any
other particular Senior Indebtedness of the Company in which the instrument
creating or evidencing the same or the assumption or guarantee thereof (or
related agreements or documents to which the Company is a party) expressly
provides that such Senior Indebtedness shall be "Designated Senior Indebtedness"
for purposes of this Indenture (provided that such instrument, agreement or
other document may place limitations and conditions on the right of such Senior
Indebtedness to exercise the rights of Designated Senior Indebtedness).

        Exchange Act: The term "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

        Event of Default: The term "Event of Default" means any event specified
in Section 7.1(a), (b), (c), (d) or (e), continued for the period of time, if
any, and after the giving of notice, if any, therein designated.

        Fundamental Change: The term "Fundamental Change" means the occurrence
of any transaction or event in connection with which all or substantially all of
the Common Stock shall be exchanged for, converted into, acquired for or
constitute solely the right to receive, consideration (whether by means of an
exchange offer, liquidation, tender offer, consolidation, merger, combination,
reclassification, recapitalization or otherwise) which is not all or
substantially all common stock or shares which are (or, upon consummation of or
immediately



                                       -3-

<PAGE>   10
following such transaction or event, will be) listed on a United States national
securities exchange or approved for quotation on the Nasdaq National Market or
any similar United States system of automated dissemination of quotations of
securities prices.

        Holder or holder: The terms "Holder" or "holder" as applied to any Note,
or other similar terms (but excluding the term "beneficial holder"), means any
Person in whose name at the time a particular Note is registered on the Note
register.

        Indebtedness: The term "Indebtedness" means, with respect to any Person,
and without duplication, (a) all indebtedness, obligations and other liabilities
(contingent or otherwise) of the Person for borrowed money (including
obligations of the Person in respect of overdrafts, foreign exchange contracts,
currency exchange agreements, interest rate protection agreements, and any loans
or advances from banks, whether or not evidenced by notes or similar
instruments) or evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments
(whether or not the recourse of the lender is to the whole of the assets of the
Person or to only a portion thereof), (b) all reimbursement obligations and
other liabilities (contingent or otherwise) of the Person with respect to
letters of credit, bank guarantees or bankers' acceptances, (c) all obligations
and liabilities (contingent or otherwise) in respect of leases of the Person
required, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, to be
accounted for as capitalized lease obligations on the balance sheet of the
Person and all obligations and other liabilities (contingent or otherwise) under
any lease or related document (including a purchase agreement) in connection
with the lease of real property or improvements thereon which provides that such
Person is contractually obligated to purchase or cause a third party to purchase
the leased property and thereby guarantee a minimum residual value of the leased
property to the lessor and the obligations of such Person under such lease or
related document to purchase or to cause a third party to purchase such leased
property, (d) all obligations of the Person (contingent or otherwise) with
respect to an interest rate or other swap, cap or collar agreement or other
similar instrument or agreement or foreign currency hedge, exchange, purchase or
similar instrument or agreement, (e) all direct or indirect guaranties or
similar agreements by the Person in respect of, and obligations or liabilities
(contingent or otherwise) of the Person to purchase or otherwise acquire or
otherwise assure a creditor against loss in respect of, indebtedness,
obligations or liabilities of another Person of the kind described in clauses
(a) through (d), (f) any indebtedness or other obligations described in clauses
(a) through (d) secured by any mortgage, pledge, lien or other encumbrance
existing on property which is owned or held by the Person, regardless of whether
the indebtedness or other obligation secured thereby shall have been assumed by
the Person and (g) any and all deferrals, renewals, extensions, refinancings and
refundings of, or amendments, modifications or supplements to, any indebtedness,
obligation or liability of the kind described in clauses (a) through (f).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term "Indebtedness" shall not include any
account payable or other accrued current liability or obligation incurred in the
ordinary course of business in connection with the obtaining of materials or
services.

        Indenture: The term "Indenture" means this instrument as originally
executed or, if amended or supplemented as herein provided, as so amended or
supplemented.


                                       -4-

<PAGE>   11
        Note or Notes: The terms "Note" or "Notes" means any Note or Notes, as
the case may be, authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.

        Officers' Certificate: The term "Officers' Certificate", when used with
respect to the Company, means a certificate signed by the Chief Executive
Officer, President, or any Vice President (whether or not designated by a number
or numbers or word added before or after the title "Vice President") and by the
Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of
the Company, which is delivered to the Trustee. Each such certificate shall
include the statements provided for in Section 17.5 if and to the extent
required by the provisions of such Section.

        Opinion of Counsel: The term "Opinion of Counsel" means an opinion in
writing signed by legal counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel to the
Company, or other counsel acceptable to the Trustee, which is delivered to the
Trustee. Each such opinion shall include the statements provided for in Section
17.5 if and to the extent required by the provisions of such Section.

        outstanding: The term "outstanding," when used with reference to Notes,
means, subject to the provisions of Section 9.4, as of any particular time, all
Notes authenticated and delivered by the Trustee under this Indenture, except

               (a) Notes theretofore canceled by the Trustee or delivered to the
        Trustee for cancellation;

               (b) Notes, or portions thereof, for the payment or redemption of
        which monies in the necessary amount shall have been deposited in trust
        with the Trustee or with any paying agent (other than the Company) or
        shall have been set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the
        Company shall act as its own paying agent); provided that if such Notes
        are to be redeemed prior to the maturity thereof, notice of such
        redemption shall have been given as provided in Section 3.2 or provision
        satisfactory to the Trustee shall have been made for giving such notice;
        provided further that if any Notes are not redeemed on a redemption
        date, then such Notes shall be deemed outstanding until all principal of
        and premium, if any, and accrued interest on such Notes has been paid in
        full in accordance with the terms of this Indenture;

               (c) Notes which have been paid pursuant to Section 3.6 or in lieu
        of which, or in substitution for which, other Notes shall have been
        authenticated and delivered pursuant to the terms of Section 2.6 unless
        proof satisfactory to the Trustee is presented that any such Notes are
        held by bona fide holders in due course; and

               (d) Notes converted into Common Stock pursuant to Article XV and
        Notes deemed not outstanding pursuant to Section 3.2.



                                       -5-

<PAGE>   12
        Person: The term "Person" means a corporation, an association, a
partnership, a limited liability company, an individual, a joint venture, a
joint stock company, a trust, an unincorporated organization or a government or
an agency or a political subdivision thereof.

        Predecessor Note: The term "Predecessor Note" of any particular Note
means every previous Note evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that
evidenced by such particular Note; and, for the purposes of this definition, any
Note authenticated and delivered under Section 2.6 in lieu of a lost, destroyed
or stolen Note shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the lost, destroyed
or stolen Note that it replaces.

        Record Date: The term "Record Date" means any Regular Record Date or
Special Record Date.

        Redemption Date: The term "Redemption Date," when used with respect to
any Note to be redeemed in whole or in part, means the date fixed for such
redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.

        Redemption Price: The term "Redemption Price", when used with respect to
any Note to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant
to this Indenture.

        Reference Market Price: The term "Reference Market Price" will initially
mean $_____ and in the event of any adjustment to the Conversion Price pursuant
to Section 15.4, the Reference Market Price shall also be adjusted so that the
ratio of the Reference Market Price to the Conversion Price after giving effect
to any such adjustment shall always be the same as the ratio of $_____ to the
initial Conversion Price specified in Section 15.1 (without regard to any
adjustment thereto).

        Regular Record Date: The term "Regular Record Date" for interest payable
in respect of any Security on any interest payment date means the February 15 or
August 15 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding
such interest payment date.

        Representative. The term "Representative" means the (a) indenture
trustee or other trustee, agent or representative for any Senior Indebtedness or
(b) with respect to any Senior Indebtedness that does not have any such trustee,
agent or other representative, (i) in the case of such Senior Indebtedness
issued pursuant to an agreement providing for voting arrangements as among the
holders or owners of such Senior Indebtedness, any holder or owner of such
Senior Indebtedness acting with the consent of the required Persons necessary to
bind such holders or owners of such Senior Indebtedness and (ii) in the case of
all other such Senior Indebtedness, the holder or owner of such Senior
Indebtedness.

        Responsible Officer: The term "Responsible Officer", when used with
respect to the Trustee, means an officer of the Trustee assigned to the
Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee,



                                       -6-

<PAGE>   13
and any other officer of the Trustee to whom such matter is referred to because
of his knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

        Securities Act: The term "Securities Act" means the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

        Senior Indebtedness: The term "Senior Indebtedness" means the principal
of, premium, if any, interest (including all interest accruing subsequent to the
commencement of any bankruptcy or similar proceeding, whether or not a claim for
post-petition interest is allowable as a claim in any such proceeding) and rent
payable on or in connection with, and all fees, costs, expenses and other
amounts accrued or due on or in connection with, Indebtedness of the Company,
whether outstanding on the date of this Indenture or thereafter created,
incurred, assumed, guaranteed or in effect guaranteed by the Company (including
all deferrals, renewals, extensions or refundings of, or amendments,
modifications or supplements to, the foregoing), unless in the case of any
particular Indebtedness the instrument creating or evidencing the same or the
assumption or guarantee thereof expressly provides that such Indebtedness shall
not be senior in right of payment to the Notes or expressly provides that such
Indebtedness is "pari passu" or "junior" to the Notes. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, Senior Indebtedness shall not include (i) any Indebtedness of the
Company to any Subsidiary of the Company or (ii) the Notes.

        Special Record Date: The term "Special Record Date" for the payment of
any Defaulted Interest means a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to Section
2.3.

        Subsidiary: The term "Subsidiary" means a corporation more than 50% of
the outstanding voting stock of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the
Company or by one or more other Subsidiaries, or by the Company and one or more
other Subsidiaries. For the purposes of this definition, "voting stock" means
stock which ordinarily has voting power for the election of directors, whether
at all times or only so long as no senior class of stock has such voting power
by reason of any contingency.

        Trust Indenture Act: The term "Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, as it was in force at the date of execution
of this Indenture, except as provided in Sections 11.3 and 15.6; provided,
however, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after the
date hereof, the term "Trust Indenture Act" shall mean, to the extent required
by such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as so amended.

        Trustee: The term "Trustee" means State Street Bank and Trust Company of
California, N.A., and its successors and any corporation resulting from or
surviving any consolidation or merger to which it or its successors may be a
party and any successor trustee at the time serving as successor trustee
hereunder.

        In addition to the foregoing defined terms (except as herein otherwise
expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires), the following
terms shall have the respective meanings



                                       -7-

<PAGE>   14
specified in the following Sections and any other terms defined herein shall
have the meanings assigned thereto:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                      Term                                    Section
                      ----                                    -------
<S>                                                       <C>    
               Closing Price                              15.4(8)
               Company Notice                             16.2
               Conversion Price                           15.1
               Conversion Shares                          15.4(4)
               Current Market Price                       15.4
               Defaulted Interest                         2.3
               Distribution Record Date                   15.4(8)
               "ex" date                                  15.5(h)
               Expiration Time                            15.5(f)
               fair market value                          15.4(8)
               junior securities                          4.8
               non-electing share                         15.6
               Note register                              2.5
               Note registrar                             2.5
               Offer Expiration Time                      15.5(g)
               Payment Blockage Notice                    4.2(ii)
               Purchased Common Shares                    15.5(g)
               Purchased Shares                           15.5(f)
               Removal Notice                             8.10(b)
               Repurchase Date                            16.1
               Repurchase Price                           16.1
               Termination of Trading                     16.3
               Trading Day                                15.4(8)
               Trigger Event                              15.2
</TABLE>


                                   ARTICLE II

                   ISSUE, DESCRIPTION, EXECUTION, REGISTRATION
                              AND EXCHANGE OF NOTES

        Section 2.1 Designation, Amount and Issue of Notes. The Notes shall be
designated as "__% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2003". Notes not to exceed
the aggregate principal amount of $90,000,000 (or $100,000,000 if the
over-allotment option set forth in Section 2(b) of the Underwriting Agreement
for the Notes dated March __, 1998 (as amended from time to time by the parties
thereto) by and between the Company and the several underwriters named therein
is exercised in full) (except pursuant to Sections 2.5, 2.6, 3.7, 15.2 and 16.2)
upon the execution of this Indenture, or from time to time thereafter, may be
executed by the Company and delivered



                                       -8-

<PAGE>   15
to the Trustee for authentication, and the Trustee shall thereupon authenticate
and deliver said Notes upon the written order of the Company, signed by its (a)
Chief Executive Officer, President or any Vice President (whether or not
designated by a number or numbers or word or words added before or after the
title "Vice President") and (b) Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer or its
Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, without any further action by the Company
hereunder.

        Section 2.2 Form of Notes. The Notes and the Trustee's certificate of
authentication to be borne by such Notes shall be substantially in the form set
forth in Exhibit A, which is incorporated in and made a part of this Indenture.

        Any of the Notes may have such letters, numbers or other marks of
identification and such notations, legends and endorsements as the officers
executing the same may approve (execution thereof to be conclusive evidence of
such approval) and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this
Indenture, or as may be required to comply with any law or with any rule or
regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any
securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Notes may be
listed or designated for issuance, or to conform to usage.

        The terms and provisions contained in the form of Note attached as
Exhibit A hereto shall constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of this
Indenture and to the extent applicable, the Company and the Trustee, by their
execution and delivery of this Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and
provisions and to be bound thereby.

        Section 2.3 Date and Denomination of Notes; Payments of Interest. The
Notes shall be issuable in registered form without coupons in denominations of
$1,000 principal amount and integral multiples thereof. Every Note shall be
dated the date of its authentication, shall bear interest from the applicable
date and accrued interest shall be payable semiannually on each March 1 and
September 1, commencing September 1, 1998 as specified on the face of the form
of Note, attached as Exhibit A hereto.

        The Person in whose name any Note (or its Predecessor Note) is
registered at the close of business on any Regular Record Date with respect to
any interest payment date (including any Note that is converted during the
period from the close of business on any Regular Record Date to the close of
business on the Business Day prior to the next succeeding interest payment date)
shall be entitled to receive the interest payable on such interest payment date
notwithstanding the cancellation of such Note upon any transfer, exchange or
conversion subsequent to the Regular Record Date and prior to such interest
payment date; provided that any Note surrendered for conversion during the
period from the close of business on any Regular Record Date to the close of
business on the Business Day prior to the next succeeding interest payment date,
to the extent provided in Section 15.2, shall be accompanied by a payment equal
to the interest otherwise payable on such next succeeding interest payment date;
provided further that in the event of any redemption or repurchase of any Note
after a Regular Record Date and prior to the next succeeding interest payment
date, interest shall not be paid to the Person in whose name the Note



                                       -9-

<PAGE>   16
is registered on the close of business on such Regular Record Date, but instead
shall be payable to the holder of such Note surrendering such Note for
redemption or repurchase, as the case may be, as required by Section 3.7 hereof
and Article XVI hereof, respectively. Interest may, at the option of the
Company, be paid by check mailed to the address of such Person on the registry
kept for such purposes; provided that, with respect to any holder of Notes with
an aggregate principal amount equal to or in excess of $1,000,000, at the
request of such holder in writing to the Company, interest on such holder's
Notes shall be paid by wire transfer in immediately available funds in
accordance with the wire transfer instruction supplied by such holder to the
Trustee and paying agent (if different from Trustee).

        Interest on the Notes shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year
comprised of twelve 30-day months.

        Any interest on any Note which is payable, but is not punctually paid or
duly provided for, on any said March 1 or September 1 (herein called "Defaulted
Interest") shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on the relevant
Regular Record Date by virtue of his having been such Holder; and such Defaulted
Interest shall be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided
in clause (1) or (2) below:

               (1) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted
        Interest to the Persons in whose names the Notes (or their respective
        Predecessor Notes) are registered at the close of business on a Special
        Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be
        fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in
        writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest to be paid on each Note and
        the date of the payment (which shall be not less than twenty-five (25)
        days after the receipt by the Trustee of such notice, unless the Trustee
        shall consent to an earlier date), and at the same time the Company
        shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate
        amount to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make
        arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the
        date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in
        trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest
        as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a Special
        Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be
        not more than fifteen (15) days and not less than ten (10) days prior to
        the date of the proposed payment and not less than ten (10) days (or
        such shorter period to which the Trustee consents) after the receipt by
        the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall
        promptly notify the Company of such Special Record Date and, in the name
        and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed
        payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor
        to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder at his address
        as it appears in the Note register, not less than ten (10) days prior to
        such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such
        Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been so
        mailed, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose
        names the Notes (or their


                                      -10-

<PAGE>   17
        respective Predecessor Notes) were registered at the close of business
        on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to
        the following clause (2).

               (2) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest in any
        other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any
        securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Notes may
        be listed or designated for issuance, and upon such notice as may be
        required by such exchange or automated quotation system, if, after
        notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment
        pursuant to this clause, such manner of payment shall be deemed
        practicable by the Trustee.

        Section 2.4 Execution of Notes. The Notes shall be signed in the name
and on behalf of the Company by the signature of its Chief Executive Officer,
its President, or any of its Vice Presidents (whether or not designated by a
number or numbers or word or words added before or after the title "Vice
President") and attested by the signature of its Treasurer or any of its
Assistant Treasurers or its Secretary or any of its Assistant Secretaries. The
signature of any of these officers on the Notes may be manual or facsimile and
may be printed, engraved or otherwise reproduced on the Notes. Only such Notes
as shall bear thereon a certificate of authentication substantially in the form
set forth on the form of Note attached as Exhibit A hereto, manually executed by
the Trustee (or an authenticating agent appointed by the Trustee as provided by
Section 17.11), shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture or be valid
or obligatory for any purpose. Such certificate by the Trustee (or such an
authenticating agent) upon any Note executed by the Company shall be conclusive
evidence that the Note so authenticated has been duly authenticated and
delivered hereunder and that the holder is entitled to the benefits of this
Indenture.

        In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the
Notes shall cease to be such officer before the Notes so signed shall have been
authenticated and delivered by the Trustee, or disposed of by the Company, such
Notes nevertheless may be authenticated and delivered or disposed of as though
the Person who signed such Notes had not ceased to be such officer of the
Company; and any Note may be signed on behalf of the Company by such Persons as,
at the actual date of the execution of such Note, shall be the proper officers
of the Company, although at the date of the execution of this Indenture any such
Person was not such an officer.

        Section 2.5 Exchange and Registration of Transfer of Notes. The Company
shall cause to be kept at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee a register
(the register maintained in such office and in any other office or agency of the
Company designated pursuant to Section 5.2 being herein sometimes collectively
referred to as the "Note register") in which, subject to such reasonable
regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration
of Notes and of transfers of Notes. Such Note register shall be in written form
or in any form capable of being converted into written form within a reasonable
period of time. The Trustee is hereby appointed "Note registrar" for the purpose
of registering Notes and transfers of Notes as



                                      -11-

<PAGE>   18
herein provided. The Company may appoint one or more co-registrars in accordance
with Section 5.2.

        Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Note to the Note
registrar or any co-registrar, and satisfaction of the requirements for such
transfer set forth in this Section 2.5, the Company shall execute, and the
Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee
or transferees, one or more new Notes of any authorized denominations and of a
like aggregate principal amount.

        Notes may be exchanged for other Notes of any authorized denominations
and of a like aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Notes to be
exchanged at any such office or agency. Whenever any Notes are so surrendered
for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and
deliver, the Notes which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive,
bearing registration numbers not contemporaneously outstanding.

        All Notes presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for
exchange shall (if so required by the Company, the Trustee, the Note registrar
or any co-registrar) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument
or instruments of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and duly executed
by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

        No service charge shall be charged to the Holder for any exchange or
registration of transfer of Notes, but the Company may require payment of a sum
sufficient to cover any tax, assessments or other governmental charges that may
be imposed in connection therewith.

        None of the Company, the Trustee, the Note registrar or any co-registrar
shall be required to exchange or register a transfer of (a) any Notes for a
period of fifteen (15) days next preceding any selection of Notes to be redeemed
or (b) any Notes called for redemption or, if a portion of any Note is selected
or called for redemption, such portion thereof selected or called for redemption
or (c) any Notes surrendered for conversion or, if a portion of any Note is
surrendered for conversion, such portion thereof surrendered for conversion or
(d) any Notes surrendered for repurchase (and not withdrawn) pursuant to Article
XVI or, if a portion of any Note is surrendered for repurchase pursuant to
Article XVI, such portion thereof surrendered for repurchase (and not withdrawn)
pursuant to Article XVI.

        All Notes issued upon any transfer or exchange of Notes in accordance
with this Indenture shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing
the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as the
Notes surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

        Section 2.6 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Notes. In case any Note
shall become mutilated or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Company in its
discretion may execute, and upon its request the Trustee or an authenticating
agent appointed by the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, a new Note,
bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, in exchange and



                                      -12-

<PAGE>   19
substitution for the mutilated Note, or in lieu of and in substitution for the
Note so destroyed, lost or stolen. In every case the applicant for a substituted
Note shall furnish to the Company, to the Trustee and, if applicable, to such
authenticating agent such security or indemnity as may be required by them to
save each of them harmless for any loss, liability, cost or expense caused by or
connected with such substitution, and, in every case of destruction, loss or
theft, the applicant shall also furnish to the Company, to the Trustee and, if
applicable, to such authenticating agent evidence to their satisfaction of the
destruction, loss or theft of such Note and of the ownership thereof.

        The Trustee or such authenticating agent may authenticate any such
substituted Note and deliver the same upon the receipt of such security or
indemnity as the Trustee, the Company and, if applicable, such authenticating
agent may require. Upon the issuance of any substituted Note, the Company may
require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental
charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses connected
therewith. In case any Note which has matured or is about to mature or has been
called for redemption or submitted for repurchase (and not withdrawn) or is
about to be converted into Common Stock shall become mutilated or be destroyed,
lost or stolen, the Company may, instead of issuing a substitute Note, pay or
authorize the payment of or convert or authorize the conversion of the same
(without surrender thereof except in the case of a mutilated Note), as the case
may be, if the applicant for such payment or conversion shall furnish to the
Company, to the Trustee and, if applicable, to such authenticating agent such
security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them harmless
for any loss, liability, cost or expense caused by or connected with such
substitution, and, in case of destruction, loss or theft, evidence satisfactory
to the Company, the Trustee and, if applicable, any paying agent or conversion
agent of the destruction, loss or theft of such Note and of the ownership
thereof.

        Every substitute Note issued pursuant to the provisions of this Section
2.6 by virtue of the fact that any Note is destroyed, lost or stolen shall
constitute an additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not
the destroyed, lost or stolen Note shall be found at any time, and shall be
entitled to all the benefits of (but shall be subject to all the limitations set
forth in) this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other
Notes duly issued hereunder. To the extent permitted by law, all Notes shall be
held and owned upon the express condition that the foregoing provisions are
exclusive with respect to the replacement or payment or conversion of mutilated,
destroyed, lost or stolen Notes and shall preclude any and all other rights or
remedies notwithstanding any law or statute existing or hereafter enacted to the
contrary with respect to the replacement or payment or conversion of negotiable
instruments or other securities without their surrender.

        Section 2.7 Temporary Notes. Pending the preparation of definitive
Notes, the Company may execute and the Trustee or an authenticating agent
appointed by the Trustee shall, upon written request of the Company,
authenticate and deliver temporary Notes (printed, typewritten or lithographed).
Temporary Notes shall be issuable in any authorized denomination, and
substantially in the form of the definitive Notes but with such omissions,
insertions and



                                      -13-

<PAGE>   20
variations as may be appropriate for temporary Notes, all as may be determined
by the Company. Every such temporary Note shall be executed by the Company and
authenticated by the Trustee or such authenticating agent upon the same
conditions and in substantially the same manner, and with the same effect, as
the definitive Notes. Without unreasonable delay the Company will execute and
deliver to the Trustee or such authenticating agent definitive Notes and
thereupon any or all temporary Notes may be surrendered in exchange therefor, at
each office or agency maintained by the Company pursuant to Section 5.2 and the
Trustee or such authenticating agent shall authenticate and deliver in exchange
for such temporary Notes an equal aggregate principal amount of definitive
Notes. Such exchange shall be made by the Company at its own expense and without
any charge therefor. Until so exchanged, the temporary Notes shall in all
respects be entitled to the same benefits and subject to the same limitations
under this Indenture as definitive Notes authenticated and delivered hereunder.

        Section 2.8 Cancellation of Notes Paid, Etc. All Notes surrendered for
the purpose of payment, redemption, repurchase, conversion, exchange or
registration of transfer, shall, if surrendered to the Company or any paying
agent or any Note registrar or any conversion agent, be surrendered to the
Trustee and promptly canceled by it, or, if surrendered to the Trustee, shall be
promptly canceled by it, and no Notes shall be issued in lieu thereof except as
expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Indenture. Upon written
instructions of the Company, the Trustee shall destroy canceled Notes and, after
such destruction, shall deliver a certificate of such destruction to the
Company. If the Company shall acquire any of the Notes, such acquisition shall
not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by
such Notes unless and until the same are delivered to the Trustee for
cancellation.


                                   ARTICLE III

                               REDEMPTION OF NOTES

        Section 3.1 Right of Redemption. The Notes may be redeemed in accordance
with the provisions of the form of Note attached as Exhibit A hereto.

        Section 3.2 Applicability of Article. Redemption of Notes at the
election of the Company or otherwise, as permitted or required by any provision
of the Notes or this Indenture, shall be made in accordance with such provision
and this Article III.

        Section 3.3 Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. The election of the
Company to redeem any Notes shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution. In case of
any redemption at the election of the Company of any of the Notes, the Company
shall, at least 45 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company
(unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the
Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date.



                                      -14-

<PAGE>   21
        Section 3.4 Selection by Trustee of Notes to Be Redeemed. If less than
all the Notes are to be redeemed, the particular Notes to be redeemed shall be
selected by the Trustee within seven Business Days after it receives the notice
described in 3.3, from the outstanding Notes not previously called for
redemption, by lot or, in the Trustee's sole discretion, on a pro rata basis.

        If any Note selected for partial redemption is converted in part before
termination of the conversion right with respect to the portion of the Note so
selected, the converted portion of such Note shall be deemed (so far as may be)
to be the portion selected for redemption. Notes which have been converted
during a selection of Notes to be redeemed may be treated by the Trustee as
Outstanding for the purpose of such selection.

        The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and each Note Registrar in
writing of the securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Notes
selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

        For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise
requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Notes shall relate, in
the case of any Notes redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of
the principal amount of such Notes which has been or is to be redeemed.

        Section 3.5 Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be mailed
to the Holders of Notes to be redeemed not less than 20 nor more than 60 days
prior to the Redemption Date, and such notice shall be irrevocable.

        All notices of redemption shall state:

               (1)    the Redemption Date,

               (2)    the Redemption Price,

               (3) if less than all outstanding Notes are to be redeemed, the
        aggregate principal amount of Notes to be redeemed and the aggregate
        principal amount of Notes which will be outstanding after such partial
        redemption,

               (4) that on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price, and accrued
        interest, if any, to the Redemption Date will become due and payable
        upon each such Note to be redeemed, and that interest thereon shall
        cease to accrue on and after said date,

               (5) the Conversion Price then in effect, the date on which the
        right to convert the Notes to be redeemed will terminate and the places
        where such Notes may be surrendered for conversion,



                                      -15-

<PAGE>   22
               (6) the place or places where such Notes are to be surrendered
        for payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest, if any, and

               (7) the CUSIP number for the Notes.

        Neither failure to receive any such notice so mailed nor any defect
therein shall affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of such
Notes or the cessation of the accrual of interest.

        In case of a partial redemption, the notice shall specify the serial and
CUSIP numbers (if any) and the portions thereof called for redemption and that
transfers and exchanges may occur on or prior to the Redemption Date.

        Notice of redemption of Notes to be redeemed at the election of the
Company shall be given by the Company or, at the Company's written request, by
the Trustee in the name of, and at the expense of, the Company. Notice of
redemption of Notes to be redeemed at the election of the Company received by
the Trustee shall be given by the Trustee to each paying agent in the name of
and at the expense of the Company.

        Section 3.6 Deposit of Redemption Price. By 10:00 a.m. (New York time)
on any Redemption Date of the Notes, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee
or with the paying agent so directed by the Trustee (or, if the Company is
acting as its own paying agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in
Section 8.5) an amount of money (which shall be in immediately available funds
on such Redemption Date) sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and accrued
interest to (but excluding) the Redemption Date on, all the Notes which are to
be redeemed on that date other than any Notes called for redemption on that date
which have been converted prior to the date of such deposit.

        If any Note called for redemption is converted, any money deposited with
the Trustee or with a paying agent or so segregated and held in trust for the
redemption of such Note shall (subject to any right of the Holder of such Note,
if a Note, or any Predecessor Note to receive interest as provided in the last
paragraph of Section 2.3) be paid to the Company upon request as soon as
administratively practicable after the Trustee receives such request or, if then
held by the Company, shall be discharged from such trust.

        Section 3.7 Notes Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption
having been given as aforesaid, the Notes so to be redeemed shall, on the
Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Redemption Price therein
specified plus accrued interest to (but excluding) the Redemption Date and from
and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the
Redemption Price, including accrued interest to (but excluding) the Redemption
Date) such Notes shall cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of any Note for
redemption in accordance with said notice, such Note shall be paid by the
Company at the Redemption Price together with accrued and unpaid interest to
(but excluding) the Redemption Date; provided, 



                                      -16-

<PAGE>   23
however, that any semi-annual payment of interest becoming due on the Redemption
Date shall be payable to the holders of record on the Regular Record Date of the
Notes being redeemed.

        If any Note called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender
thereof for redemption, the principal amount of, premium, if any, and, to the
extent permitted by applicable law, accrued interest on such Note shall, until
paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at a rate of _____% per annum and
such Note shall remain convertible into Common Stock until the principal of such
Note (or portion thereof, as the case may be) shall have been paid or duly
provided for.

        Section 3.8 Notes Redeemed in Part. Any Note which is to be redeemed
only in part shall be surrendered at an office or agency of the Company
designated for that purpose pursuant to Section 5.2 (with, if the Company or the
Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in
form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder
thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing), and the Company shall
execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery to
the Holder of such Note without service charge, a new Note or Notes, of any
authorized denomination as requested by such Holder, in aggregate principal
amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of
the Note so surrendered.

        Section 3.9 Conversion Arrangement on Call for Redemption. In connection
with any redemption of Notes, the Company may arrange for the purchase and
conversion of any Notes by an agreement with one or more investment bankers or
other purchasers (the "Purchasers") to purchase such securities by paying to the
Trustee in trust for the Holders, on or before the Redemption Date, an amount
not less than the applicable Redemption Price, together with interest accrued to
(but excluding) the Redemption Date, of such Notes. Notwithstanding anything to
the contrary contained in this Article III, the obligation of the Company to pay
the Redemption Price, together with interest accrued to (but excluding) the
Redemption Date, shall be deemed to be satisfied and discharged to the extent
such amount is so paid by such Purchasers. If such an agreement is entered into
(a copy of which shall be filed with the Trustee prior to the close of business
on the Business Day immediately prior to the Redemption Date), any Notes called
for redemption that are not duly surrendered for conversion by the Holders
thereof may, at the option of the Company, be deemed, to the fullest extent
permitted by law, and consistent with any agreement or agreements with such
Purchasers, to be acquired by such Purchasers from such Holders and
(notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Article XV) surrendered
by such Purchasers for conversion, all as of immediately prior to the close of
business on the Redemption Date (and the right to convert any such Notes shall
be extended though such time), subject to payment of the above amount as
aforesaid. At the direction of the Company, the Trustee shall hold and dispose
of any such amount paid to it to the Holders in the same manner as it would
monies deposited with it by the Company for the redemption of Notes. Without the
Trustee's prior written consent, no arrangement between the Company and such
Purchasers for the purchase and conversion of any Notes shall increase or
otherwise affect any of the powers, duties, responsibilities or obligations of
the Trustee as set



                                      -17-

<PAGE>   24
forth in this Indenture, and the Company agrees to indemnify the Trustee from,
and hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense arising out of or
in connection with any such arrangement for the purchase and conversion of any
Notes between the Company and such Purchasers, including the costs and expenses,
including reasonable legal fees, incurred by the Trustee in the defense of any
claim or liability arising out of or in connection with the exercise or
performance of any of its powers, duties, responsibilities or obligations under
this Indenture.


                                   ARTICLE IV

                             SUBORDINATION OF NOTES

        Section 4.1 Agreement of Subordination. The Company covenants and
agrees, and each Holder of Notes issued hereunder by his acceptance thereof
likewise covenants and agrees, that all Notes shall be issued subject to the
provisions of this Article IV; and each Person holding any Note, whether upon
original issue or upon transfer, assignment or exchange thereof, accepts and
agrees to be bound by such provisions.

        The payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on all
Notes (including, but not limited to, the Redemption Price with respect to the
Notes called for redemption in accordance with Article IV, or the Repurchase
Price with respect to Notes submitted for repurchase in accordance with Article
XVI, as the case may be, as provided in this Indenture) issued hereunder shall,
to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth, be subordinated and
subject in right of payment to the prior payment in full in cash or other
payment satisfactory to the holders of Senior Indebtedness of all Senior
Indebtedness of the Company, whether outstanding at the date of this Indenture
or thereafter incurred.

        No provision of this Article IV shall prevent the occurrence of any
default or Event of Default hereunder.

        Section 4.2 Payments to Holders. No payment shall be made with respect
to the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on the Notes by the Company
(including, but not limited to, the Redemption Price with respect to the Notes
to be called for redemption in accordance with Article III or the Repurchase
Price with respect to Notes submitted for repurchase in accordance with Article
XVI, as the case may be, as provided in this Indenture), except payments and
distributions made by the Trustee as permitted by the first or second paragraph
of Section 14.5, if:

               (i) a default in the payment of principal, premium, interest,
        rent or other obligations due on any Senior Indebtedness of the Company
        has occurred and is continuing (or, in the case of Senior Indebtedness
        of the Company for which there is a period of grace, in the event of
        such a default that continues beyond the period of grace, if any,
        specified in the instrument or lease evidencing such Senior Indebtedness
        of the


                                      -18-

<PAGE>   25
        Company), unless and until such default shall have been cured or waived
        or shall have ceased to exist; or

               (ii) a default (other than a payment default) on Designated
        Senior Indebtedness occurs and is continuing that then permits holders
        of such Designated Senior Indebtedness to accelerate its maturity and
        the Trustee receives a notice of the default (a "Payment Blockage
        Notice") from a Representative of Designated Senior Indebtedness or a
        holder of Designated Senior Indebtedness or the Company.

        If the Trustee receives any Payment Blockage Notice pursuant to clause
(ii) above, no subsequent Payment Blockage Notice shall be effective for
purposes of this Section unless and until at least 365 days shall have elapsed
since the initial effectiveness of the immediately prior Payment Blockage
Notice. No nonpayment default that existed or was continuing on the date of
delivery of any Payment Blockage Notice to the Trustee (unless such default was
waived, cured or otherwise ceased to exist and thereafter subsequently
reoccurred) shall be, or be made, the basis for a subsequent Payment Blockage
Notice.

        The Company may and shall resume payments on and distributions in
respect of the Notes upon the earlier of:

                      (1) in the case of a payment default, the date upon which
the default is cured or waived or ceases to exist, or

                      (2) in the case of a default referred to in clause (ii)
above, the earlier of the date on which such default is cured or waived or
ceases to exist or 179 days after the date on which the applicable Payment
Blockage Notice is received if the maturity of such Designated Senior
Indebtedness has not been accelerated,

unless this Article IV otherwise prohibits the payment or distribution at the
time of such payment or distribution (including without limitation, in the case
of default referred to in clause (ii) above, as a result of a payment default
with respect to the applicable Senior Indebtedness as a consequence of the
acceleration of the maturity thereof or otherwise).

        Upon any payment by the Company, or distribution of assets of the
Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to
creditors upon any dissolution or winding-up or liquidation or reorganization of
the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary or in bankruptcy, moratorium of
payments, insolvency, receivership or other proceedings, all amounts due or to
become due upon all Senior Indebtedness of the Company shall first be paid in
full in cash or other payment satisfactory to the holders of such Senior
Indebtedness of the Company, or payment thereof in accordance with its terms
provided for in cash or other payment satisfactory to the holders of such Senior
Indebtedness of the Company before any payment is made on account of the
principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Notes by the Company (except
payments by the Company made pursuant to Article XIII from monies deposited with
the



                                      -19-
<PAGE>   26
Trustee pursuant thereto prior to commencement of proceedings for such
dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization); and upon any such
dissolution or winding-up or liquidation or reorganization of the Company or
bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other proceeding, any payment by the
Company, or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character,
whether in cash, property or securities, to which the Holders or the Trustee
would be entitled, except for the provision of this Article IV, shall (except as
aforesaid) be paid by the Company or by any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy,
moratorium of payments, liquidating trustee, agent or other Person making such
payment or distribution, or by the Holders or by the Trustee under this
Indenture if received by them or it, directly to the holders of Senior
Indebtedness of the Company (pro rata to such holders on the basis of the
respective amounts of Senior Indebtedness of the Company held by such holders,
or as otherwise required by law or a court order) or their Representative or
Representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to
which any instruments evidencing any Senior Indebtedness of the Company may have
been issued, as their respective interests may appear, to the extent necessary
to pay all Senior Indebtedness of the Company in full in cash or other payment
satisfactory to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness of the Company after
giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of
Senior Indebtedness of the Company, before any payment or distribution is made
to the Holders or to the Trustee.

        For purposes of this Article IV, the words, "cash, property or
securities" shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as
reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation
provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment, the payment of which
is subordinated at least to the extent provided in this Article IV with respect
to the Notes to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness of the Company which may
at the time be outstanding; provided that (i) the Senior Indebtedness of the
Company is assumed by the new corporation, if any, resulting from any
reorganization or readjustment, and (ii) the rights of the holders of Senior
Indebtedness of the Company (other than leases which are not assumed by the
Company or the new corporation, as the case may be) are not, without the consent
of such holders, altered by such reorganization or readjustment. The merger of
the Company into another corporation or the liquidation or dissolution of the
Company following the conveyance or transfer of its property as an entirety, or
substantially as an entirety, to another corporation upon the terms and
conditions provided for in Article XII shall not be deemed a dissolution,
winding-up, liquidation or reorganization for the purposes of this Section 4.2
if such other corporation shall, as a part of such merger, conveyance or
transfer, comply with the conditions stated in Article XII.

        In the event of the acceleration of the Notes because of an Event of
Default, no payment or distribution shall be made to the Trustee or any Holder
of Notes in respect of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the
Notes by the Company (including, but not limited to, the Redemption Price with
respect to the Notes called for redemption in accordance with Article III or the
Repurchase Price with respect to Notes submitted for repurchase in accordance
with Article XVI, as the case may be, as provided in this Indenture), except
payments and distributions made by the Trustee as permitted by the first or
second paragraph of Section 4.5,



                                      -20-

<PAGE>   27
until all Senior Indebtedness of the Company has been paid in full in cash or
other payment satisfactory to the holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company
of all obligations in respect of such Senior Indebtedness or such acceleration
is rescinded in accordance with the terms of this Indenture. If payment of the
Notes is accelerated because of an Event of Default, the Company shall promptly
notify holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company of the acceleration.

        In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, any payment
or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in
cash, property or securities (including, without limitation, by way of setoff or
otherwise), prohibited by the foregoing, shall be received by the Trustee or the
Holders of the Notes before all Senior Indebtedness of the Company is paid in
full in cash or other payment satisfactory to the holders of such Senior
Indebtedness of the Company, or provision is made for such payment thereof in
accordance with its terms in cash or other payment satisfactory to the holders
of such Senior Indebtedness of the Company, such payment or distribution shall
be held in trust for the benefit of and shall be paid over or delivered to the
holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company or their Representative or
Representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to
which any instruments evidencing any Senior Indebtedness of the Company may have
been issued, as their respective interests may appear, as calculated by the
Company, for application to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness of the
Company remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay all Senior Indebtedness
of the Company in full in cash or other payment satisfactory to the holders of
such Senior Indebtedness of the Company, after giving effect to any concurrent
payment or distribution, or provision therefor, to or for the holders of such
Senior Indebtedness of the Company.

        Nothing in this Article IV shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the
Trustee under or pursuant to Section 8.6. This Section 4.2 shall be subject to
the further provisions of Section 4.5.

        Section 4.3 Subrogation of Notes. Subject to the payment in full in cash
or other payment satisfactory to the holders of Senior Indebtedness of all
Senior Indebtedness of the Company, the Holders of the Notes shall be subrogated
to the extent of the payments or distributions made to the holders of such
Senior Indebtedness of the Company pursuant to the provisions of this Article IV
(equally and ratably with the holders of all indebtedness of the Company which
by its express terms is subordinated to other indebtedness of the Company to
substantially the same extent as the Notes are subordinated and is entitled to
like rights of subrogation) to the rights of the holders of Senior Indebtedness
of the Company to receive payments or distributions of cash, property or
securities of the Company applicable to the Senior Indebtedness of the Company
until the principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes shall be paid in
full; and, for the purposes of such subrogation, no payments or distributions to
the holders of the Senior Indebtedness of the Company of any cash, property or
securities to which the Holders of the Notes or the Trustee would be entitled
except for the provisions of this Article IV, and no payment over pursuant to
the provisions of this Article IV, to or for the benefit of the holders of
Senior Indebtedness of the Company by Holders of the Notes or the Trustee,
shall, as between the Company, its creditors other than holders of Senior
Indebtedness of the



                                      -21-

<PAGE>   28
Company, and the Holders of the Notes, be deemed to be a payment by the Company
to or on account of the Senior Indebtedness of the Company. It is understood
that the provisions of this Article IV are and are intended solely for the
purposes of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Notes, on the one
hand, and the holders of the Senior Indebtedness of the Company, on the other
hand.

        Nothing contained in this Article IV or elsewhere in this Indenture or
in the Notes is intended to or shall impair, as among the Company, its creditors
other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company, and the Holders of
the Notes, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional,
to pay to the Holders of the Notes the principal of (and premium, if any) and
interest on the Notes as and when the same shall become due and payable in
accordance with their terms, or is intended to or shall affect the relative
rights of the Holders of the Notes and creditors of the Company other than the
holders of the Senior Indebtedness of the Company, nor shall anything herein or
therein prevent the Trustee or the Holder of any Note from exercising all
remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this
Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article IV of the holders
of Senior Indebtedness of the Company in respect of cash, property or securities
of the Company received upon the exercise of any such remedy.

        Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in
this Article IV, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 8.1, and the
Holders of the Notes shall be entitled to rely upon any order or decree made by
any court of competent jurisdiction in which such bankruptcy, dissolution,
winding-up, liquidation or reorganization proceedings are pending, or a
certificate of the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent
or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or
to the Holders of the Notes, for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons
entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of the Senior
Indebtedness of the Company and other Indebtedness of the Company, the amount
thereof or payable thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this
Article IV.

        Section 4.4 Authorization to Effect Subordination. Each Holder of a Note
by the Holder's acceptance thereof authorizes and directs the Trustee on the
Holder's behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to
effectuate the subordination as provided in this Article IV and appoints the
Trustee to act as the Holder's attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.
If the Trustee does not file a proper proof of claim or proof of debt in the
form required in any proceeding referred to in Section 7.2 hereof at least 30
days before the expiration of the time to file such claim, the holders of any
Senior Indebtedness of the Company or their Representatives are hereby
authorized to file an appropriate claim for and on behalf of the Holders of the
Notes.

        Section 4.5 Notice to Trustee. The Company shall give prompt written
notice in the form of an Officers' Certificate to a Responsible Officer of the
Trustee and to any paying agent of any fact known to the Company which would
prohibit the making of any payment of monies deposited by the Company to or by
the Trustee or any paying agent in respect of the Notes



                                      -22-

<PAGE>   29
pursuant to the provisions of this Article IV. Notwithstanding the provisions of
this Article IV or any other provision of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not
be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts which would prohibit the
making of any payment of monies deposited by the Company to or by the Trustee in
respect of the Notes pursuant to the provisions of this Article IV, unless and
until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received written notice
thereof at the Corporate Trust Office from the Company (in the form of an
Officers' Certificate) or a Representative of Senior Indebtedness or of a holder
or holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company or from any trustee thereof;
and before the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee, subject to the
provisions of Section 8.1, shall be entitled in all respects to assume that no
such facts exist; provided that if on a date not fewer than two Business Days
prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any such monies may become
payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of the
principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on any Note) the Trustee shall not
have received, with respect to such monies, the notice provided for in this
Section 4.5, then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding,
the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such monies deposited
by the Company and to apply the same to the purpose for which they were
received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary which may be
received by it on or after such prior date.

        Notwithstanding anything in this Article IV to the contrary, nothing
shall prevent any payment by the Trustee to the Holders of monies deposited with
it pursuant to Section 13.1, and any such payment shall not be subject to the
provisions of Section 4.1 or 4.2.

        The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 8.1, shall be entitled
to rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a Representative or a
Person representing himself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness of the Company
(or a trustee on behalf of such holder) to establish that such notice has been
given by a Representative or a holder of Senior Indebtedness of the Company or a
trustee on behalf of any such holder or holders. In the event that the Trustee
determines in good faith that further evidence is required with respect to the
right of any Person as a holder of Senior Indebtedness of the Company to
participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article IV, the
Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable
satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of Senior Indebtedness of the
Company held by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to
participate in such payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to the
rights of such Person under this Article IV, and if such evidence is not
furnished the Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial
determination as to the right of such Person to receive such payment.

        Section 4.6 Trustee's Relation to Senior Indebtedness of the Company.
The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the rights set
forth in this Article IV in respect of any Senior Indebtedness of the Company at
any time held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of Senior
Indebtedness of the Company, and nothing in this Indenture shall deprive the
Trustee of any of its rights as such holder.



                                      -23-

<PAGE>   30
        With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company, the
Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants and
obligations as are specifically set forth in this Article IV, and no implied
covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness of
the Company shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee. The Trustee
shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of Senior
Indebtedness of the Company and, subject to the provisions of Section 8.1, the
Trustee shall not be liable to any holder of Senior Indebtedness of the Company
if it shall pay over or deliver to Holders of Notes, the Company or any other
Person money or assets to which any holder of Senior Indebtedness of the Company
shall be entitled by virtue of this Article IV or otherwise.

        Section 4.7 No Impairment of Subordination. No right of any present or
future holder of any Senior Indebtedness of the Company to enforce subordination
as herein provided shall at any time in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any
act or failure to act on the part of the Company or by any act or failure to
act, in good faith, by any such holder, or by any noncompliance by the Company
with the terms, provisions and covenants of this Indenture, regardless of any
knowledge thereof which any such holder may have or otherwise be charged with.

        Section 4.8 Article Applicable to Paying Agents. If at any time any
paying agent other than the Trustee shall have been appointed by the Company and
be then acting hereunder, the term "Trustee" as used in this Article shall
(unless the context otherwise requires) be construed as extending to and
including such paying agent within its meaning as fully for all intents and
purposes as if such paying agent were named in this Article in addition to or in
place of the Trustee; provided, however, that the first paragraph of Section 4.5
shall not apply to the Company or any Affiliate of the Company if it or such
Affiliate acts as paying agent.

        Section 4.9 Senior Indebtedness of the Company Entitled to Rely. The
holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company (including, without limitation,
Designated Senior Indebtedness) shall have the right to rely upon this Article
IV, and no amendment or modification of the provisions contained herein shall
diminish the rights of such holders unless such holders shall have agreed in
writing thereto.

        Section 4.10 Certain Conversions Deemed Payment. For the purposes of
this Article IV only, (1) the issuance and delivery of junior securities upon
conversion of Notes in accordance with Article XV shall not be deemed to
constitute a payment or distribution on account of the principal of (or premium,
if any) or interest on Notes or on account of the purchase or other acquisition
of Notes, and (2) the payment, issuance or delivery of cash (except in
satisfaction of fractional shares pursuant to Section 15.3), property or
securities (other than junior securities) upon conversion of a Note shall be
deemed to constitute payment on account of the principal of such Note. For the
purposes of this Section 4.10, the term "junior securities" means (a) shares of
any stock of any class of the Company (including, without limitation, the Common
Stock of the Company), or (b) securities of the Company which are subordinated
in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness of the Company which may be
outstanding at the 



                                      -24-

<PAGE>   31
time of issuance or delivery of such securities to substantially the same extent
as, or to a greater extent than, the Notes are so subordinated as provided in
this Article IV. Nothing contained in this Article IV or elsewhere in this
Indenture or in the Notes is intended to or shall impair, as among the Company,
its creditors other than holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company and the
Holders, the right, which is absolute and unconditional, of the Holder of any
Note to convert such Note in accordance with Article XV.


                                    ARTICLE V

                       PARTICULAR COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY

        Section 5.1 Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest. The Company
covenants and agrees that it will duly and punctually pay or cause to be paid
the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on each of the Notes at the
places, at the respective times and in the manner provided herein and in the
Notes.

        Section 5.2 Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company will maintain
in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, an office or agency where the
Notes may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange or for
presentation for payment or for conversion, redemption or repurchase and where
notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Notes and this
Indenture may be served. The Company will give prompt written notice to the
Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or
agency not designated or appointed by the Trustee. If at any time the Company
shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to
furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders,
notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the
Trustee or the office of the Trustee or an Affiliate of the Trustee in the
Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York.

        The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other
offices or agencies where the Notes may be presented or surrendered for any or
all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided
that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company
of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan,
The City of New York, for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written
notice to the Trustee and the holders of any such designation or rescission and
of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.

        The Company hereby initially designates the Trustee as paying agent,
Note registrar and conversion agent and the Corporate Trust Office of the
Trustee and the office or agency of the Trustee in the Borough of Manhattan, The
City of New York (which shall initially be the office of State Street Bank and
Trust Company, N.A., located at 61 Broadway, 15th Floor, Corporate Trust Window,
New York, New York 10006) as one such office or agency of the Company for each
of the aforesaid purposes.



                                      -25-

<PAGE>   32
        So long as the Trustee is the Note registrar, the Trustee agrees to
mail, or cause to be mailed, the notice set forth in Section 8.10(a).

        Section 5.3 Appointments to Fill Vacancies in Trustee's Office. The
Company, whenever necessary to avoid or fill a vacancy in the office of Trustee,
will appoint, in the manner provided in Section 8.10, a Trustee, so that there
shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder.

        Section 5.4 Provisions as to Paying Agent.

               (a) If the Company shall appoint a paying agent other than the
        Trustee or if the Trustee shall appoint such a paying agent, it will
        cause such paying agent to execute and deliver to the Trustee an
        instrument in which such agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to
        the provisions of this Section 5.4:

                      (1) that it will hold all sums held by it as such agent
               for the payment of the principal of and premium, if any, or
               interest on the Notes (whether such sums have been paid to it by
               the Company or by any other obligor on the Notes) in trust for
               the benefit of the holders of the Notes;

                      (2) that it will give the Trustee notice of any failure by
               the Company (or by any other obligor on the Notes) to make any
               payment of the principal of and premium, if any, or interest on
               the Notes when the same shall be due and payable; and

                      (3) that at any time during the continuance of an Event of
               Default, upon request of the Trustee, it will forthwith pay to
               the Trustee all sums so held in trust.

               The Company shall, on or before each due date of the principal
        of, premium, if any, or interest on the Notes, deposit with the paying
        agent a sum sufficient to pay such principal, premium, if any, or
        interest, and (unless such paying agent is the Trustee) the Company will
        promptly notify the Trustee of any failure to take such action, provided
        that if such deposit is made on the due date, such deposit must be
        received by the paying agent by 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on such
        date.

               (b) If the Company shall act as its own paying agent, it will, on
        or before each due date of the principal of, premium, if any, or
        interest on the Notes, set aside, segregate and hold in trust for the
        benefit of the holders of the Notes a sum sufficient to pay such
        principal, premium, if any, or interest so becoming due and will notify
        the Trustee of any failure to take such action and of any failure by the
        Company (or any other obligor under the Notes) to make any payment of
        the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Notes when the
        same shall become due and payable.



                                      -26-

<PAGE>   33
               (c) Anything in this Section 5.4 to the contrary notwithstanding,
        the Company may, at any time, for the purpose of obtaining a
        satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, or for any other reason,
        pay or cause to be paid to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the
        Company or any paying agent hereunder as required by this Section 5.4,
        such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the trusts herein contained and
        upon such payment by the Company or any paying agent to the Trustee, the
        Company or such paying agent shall be released from all further
        liability with respect to such sums.

               (d) Anything in this Section 5.4 to the contrary notwithstanding,
        the agreement to hold sums in trust as provided in this Section 5.4 is
        subject to Sections 13.3 and 13.4.

        Section 5.5 Existence. Subject to Article XII, the Company will do or
cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and
effect its existence, rights (charter and statutory) and franchises; provided,
however, that the Company shall not be required to preserve any such right or
franchise if it shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer
desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company and that the loss
thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to the Holders.

        Section 5.6 Stay, Extension and Usury Laws. The Company covenants (to
the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it shall not at any time insist
upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage
of, any stay, extension or usury law or other law which would prohibit or
forgive the Company from paying all or any portion of the principal of or
interest on the Notes as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or at any
time hereafter in force, or which may affect the covenants or the performance of
this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent it may lawfully do so) hereby
expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it
will not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of
any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the
execution of every such power as though no such law has been enacted.

        Section 5.7 Statement by Officers as to Default. The Company will
deliver to the Trustee within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the
Company an Officers' Certificate in which one of the two officers signing such
certificate is either the principal executive officer, principal financial
officer or principal accounting officer at the Company stating that in the
course of performance by the signers of their duties as such officers of the
Company they would normally obtain knowledge of whether any default exists in
the performance and observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions of
this Indenture and whether the Company has kept, observed, performed and
fulfilled its obligations under this Indenture. Such Officers' Certificate shall
further state, as to each such officer signing such Officers' Certificate, to
the best of the knowledge of such officer, as of the date of such Officers'
Certificate, (a) whether any such default exists, (b) whether the Company (as
applicable) during the preceding fiscal year kept, observed, performed and
fulfilled each and every covenant and obligation of the Company under this
Indenture and (c) whether there was any default in the performance and
observance of any of



                                      -27-

<PAGE>   34
the terms, provisions or conditions of this Indenture during such preceding
fiscal year. If the officer or officers signing the Officers' Certificate know
of such a default, whether then existing or occurring during such preceding
fiscal year, the Officers' Certificate shall describe such default and its
status with particularity. The Company shall also promptly notify the Trustee if
the Company's fiscal year is changed so that the end thereof is on any date
other than the then current fiscal year end date.

        The Company will deliver to the Trustee, forthwith upon becoming aware
of any default in the performance or observance of any covenant, agreement or
condition contained in this Indenture, or any Event of Default, an Officers'
Certificate specifying with particularity such default or Event of Default and
further stating what action the Company has taken, is taking or proposes to take
with respect thereto.

        Any notice required to be given under this Section 5.7 shall be
delivered to the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office.

        Section 5.8 Further Instruments and Acts. Upon request of the Trustee,
the Company will execute and deliver such further instruments and do such
further acts as may be reasonably necessary or proper to carry out more
effectively the purposes of this Indenture.


                                   ARTICLE VI

            HOLDERS' LISTS AND REPORTS BY THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE

        Section 6.1 Holders' Lists. The Company covenants and agrees that it
will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee, semi-annually, not more
than fifteen (15) days after each February 15 and August 15 in each year
beginning with August 15, 1998, and at such other times as the Trustee may
request in writing, within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of any
such request (or such lesser time as the Trustee may reasonably request in order
to enable it to timely provide any notice to be provided by it hereunder), a
list in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and
addresses of the holders of Notes as of a date not more than fifteen (15) days
(or such other date as the Trustee may reasonably request in order to so provide
any such notices) prior to the time such information is furnished, except that
no such list need be furnished so long as the Trustee is acting as Note
registrar.

        Section 6.2 Preservation and Disclosure of Lists.

               (a) The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is
reasonably practicable, all information as to the names and addresses of the
holders of Notes contained in the most recent list furnished to it as provided
in Section 6.1 or maintained by the Trustee in its capacity as Note registrar,
if so acting. The Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided in
Section 6.1 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.



                                      -28-

<PAGE>   35
               (b) The rights of Holders to communicate with other holders of
Notes with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under the Notes and
the corresponding rights and duties of the Trustee, shall be as provided by the
Trust Indenture Act.

               (c) Every Holder, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with
the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any
agent of either of them shall be held accountable by reason of any disclosure of
information as to names and addresses of holders of Notes made pursuant to the
Trust Indenture Act.

        Section 6.3   Reports by Trustee.

               (a) Within sixty (60) days after May 15 of each year commencing
with the year 1998, the Trustee shall transmit to holders of Notes such reports
dated as of May 15 of the year in which such reports are made concerning the
Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as may be required pursuant to the
Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant thereto.

               (b) A copy of such report shall, at the time of such transmission
to holders of Notes, be filed by the Trustee with each stock exchange and
automated quotation system upon which the Notes are listed and with the Company.
The Company will notify the Trustee when the Notes are listed on any stock
exchange or automated quotation system and when any such listing is
discontinued.

        Section 6.4 Reports by Company. The Company shall file with the Trustee
and the Commission, and transmit to holders of Notes, such information,
documents and other reports and such summaries thereof, as may be required
pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided
pursuant to such Act; provided that any such information, documents or reports
required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act shall be filed with the Trustee within fifteen (15) days after the
same is so required to be filed with the Commission.


                                   ARTICLE VII

                              DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

        Section 7.1 Events of Default. In case one or more of the following
Events of Default (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it
shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant
to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation
of any administrative or governmental body) shall have occurred and be
continuing:



                                      -29-

<PAGE>   36
               (a) default in the payment of the principal of and premium, if
        any, on any of the Notes as and when the same shall become due and
        payable either at maturity or in connection with any redemption pursuant
        to Article III or repurchase pursuant to Article XVI, by declaration or
        otherwise, whether or not such payment is prohibited by the provisions
        of Article IV; or

               (b) default in the payment of any installment of interest upon
        any of the Notes as and when the same shall become due and payable, and
        continuance of such default for a period of thirty (30) days, whether or
        not such payment is prohibited by the subordination provisions of
        Article IV; or

               (c) failure on the part of the Company duly to observe or perform
        any other of the covenants or agreements on the part of the Company in
        the Notes or in this Indenture (other than a covenant or agreement a
        default in whose performance or whose breach is elsewhere in this
        Section specifically dealt with) continued for a period of sixty (60)
        days after the date on which written notice of such failure, requiring
        the Company to remedy the same, shall have been given to the Company by
        the Trustee, or to the Company and a Responsible Officer of the Trustee
        by the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the
        Notes at the time outstanding determined in accordance with Section 9.4;
        or

               (d) the Company shall commence a voluntary case or other
        proceeding seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief with
        respect to itself or its debts under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other
        similar law now or hereafter in effect or seeking the appointment of a
        trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of it
        or any substantial part of its property, or shall consent to any such
        relief or to the appointment of or taking possession by any such
        official in an involuntary case or other proceeding commenced against
        it, or shall make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, or
        shall fail generally to pay its debts as they become due; or

               (e) an involuntary case or other proceeding shall be commenced
        against the Company seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief
        with respect to it or its debts under any bankruptcy, insolvency or
        other similar law now or hereafter in effect or seeking the appointment
        of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official
        of it or any substantial part of its property, and such involuntary case
        or other proceeding shall remain undismissed and unstayed for a period
        of sixty (60) consecutive days;

then, and in each and every such case (other than an Event of Default specified
in Section 7.1(d) or (e)), unless the principal of all of the Notes shall have
already become due and payable, either the Trustee or the holders of not less
than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding hereunder
determined in accordance with Section 9.4, by notice in writing to the Company
(and to the Trustee if given by Holders), may declare the principal of and
premium, if



                                      -30-

<PAGE>   37
any, on all the Notes and the interest accrue thereon to be due and payable
immediately, and upon any such declaration the same shall become and shall be
immediately due and payable, anything in this Indenture or in the Notes
contained to the contrary notwithstanding. If an Event of Default specified in
Section 7.1(d) or (e) occurs and is continuing, the principal of, and premium,
if any, on all the Notes and the interest accrued thereon shall be immediately
due and payable. This provision, however, is subject to the condition that if,
at any time after the principal of the Notes shall have been so declared due and
payable, and before any judgment or decree for the payment of the monies due
shall have been obtained or entered as hereinafter provided, the Company shall
pay or shall deposit with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay all matured
installments of interest upon all Notes and the principal of and premium, if
any, on any and all Notes which shall have become due otherwise than by
acceleration (with interest on overdue installments of interest (to the extent
that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law) and on such
principal and premium, if any, at the rate borne by the Notes, to the date of
such payment or deposit) and amounts due to the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.6,
and if any and all defaults under this Indenture, other than the nonpayment of
principal of and premium, if any, and accrued interest on Notes which shall have
become due by acceleration, shall have been cured or waived pursuant to Section
7.7, then and in every such case the holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, by written notice to the Company
and to the Trustee, may waive all defaults or Events of Default and rescind and
annul such declaration and its consequences; but no such waiver or rescission
and annulment shall extend to or shall affect any subsequent default or Event of
Default, or shall impair any right consequent thereon. The Company shall notify
a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, promptly upon becoming aware thereof, of
any Event of Default.

        In case the Trustee shall have proceeded to enforce any right under this
Indenture and such proceedings shall have been discontinued or abandoned because
of such waiver or rescission and annulment or for any other reason or shall have
been determined adversely to the Trustee, then and in every such case the
Company, the holders of Notes, and the Trustee shall be restored respectively to
their several positions and rights hereunder, and all rights, remedies and
powers of the Company, the holders of Notes, and the Trustee shall continue as
though no such proceeding had been instituted.

        Section 7.2 Payments of Notes on Default; Suit Therefor. The Company
covenants that (a) in case default shall be made in the payment by the Company
of any installment of interest upon any of the Notes as and when the same shall
become due and payable, and such default shall have continued for a period of
thirty (30) days, or (b) in case default shall be made in the payment of the
principal of or premium, if any, on any of the Notes as and when the same shall
have become due and payable, whether at maturity of the Notes or in connection
with any redemption or repurchase, by declaration under this Indenture or
otherwise, then, upon demand of the Trustee, the Company will pay to the
Trustee, for the benefit of the holders of the Notes, the whole amount that then
shall have become due and payable on all such Notes for principal and premium,
if any, or interest, or both, as the case may be, with interest upon the overdue
principal and premium, if any, and (to the extent that payment of such interest
is enforceable



                                      -31-

<PAGE>   38
under applicable law) upon the overdue installments of interest at the rate
borne by the Notes; and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be
sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including reasonable
compensation to the Trustee, its agents, attorneys and counsel, and any expenses
or liabilities incurred by the Trustee hereunder other than through its
negligence or bad faith. Until such demand by the Trustee, the Company may pay
the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the Notes to the
registered holders, whether or not the Notes are overdue.

        In case the Company shall fail forthwith to pay such amounts upon such
demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, shall
be entitled and empowered to institute any actions or proceedings at law or in
equity for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, and may prosecute any
such action or proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce any such
judgment or final decree against the Company or any other obligor on the Notes
and collect in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or
any other obligor on the Notes wherever situated the monies adjudged or decreed
to be payable.

        In the case there shall be pending proceedings for the bankruptcy or for
the reorganization of the Company or any other obligor on the Notes under Title
11 of the United States Code, or any other applicable law, or in case a
receiver, assignee or trustee in bankruptcy or reorganization, liquidator,
sequestrator or similar official shall have been appointed for or taken
possession of the Company or such other obligor, the property of the Company or
such other obliger, or in the case of any other judicial proceedings relative to
the Company or such other obligor upon the Notes, or to the creditors or
property of the Company or such other obligor, the Trustee, irrespective of
whether the principal of the Notes shall then be due and payable as therein
expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee
shall have made any demand pursuant to the provisions of this Section 7.2, shall
be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceedings or otherwise, to
file and prove a claim or claims for the whole amount of principal, premium, if
any, and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Notes, and, in case of any
judicial proceedings, to file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents
as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee and
of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceedings relative to the Company or
any other obligor on the Notes, its or their creditors, or its or their
property, and to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or
deliverable on any such claims, and to distribute the same after the deduction
of any amounts due the Trustee under Section 8.6; and any receiver, assignee or
trustee in bankruptcy or reorganization, liquidator, custodian or similar
official is hereby authorized by each of the Holders to make such payments to
the Trustee, and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of
such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it
for reasonable compensation, expenses, advances and disbursements, including
counsel fees incurred by it up to the date of such distribution. To the extent
that such payment of reasonable compensation, expenses, advances and
disbursements out of the estate in any such proceedings shall be denied for any
reason, payment of the same shall be secured by a lien on, and shall be paid out
of, any and all distributions, dividends, monies, securities and other



                                      -32-

<PAGE>   39
property which the holders of the Notes may be entitled to receive in such
proceedings, whether in liquidation or under any plan of reorganization or
arrangement or otherwise.

        Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to
authorize or consent to or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of
reorganization or arrangement affecting the Notes or the rights of any Holder,
or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any
such proceeding, provided, however, that the Trustee may, on behalf of the
Holders, vote for the election of a trustee in bankruptcy or similar official
and may be a member of the creditor's committee established with respect to such
bankruptcy.

        All rights of action and of asserting claims under this Indenture, or
under any of the Notes, may be enforced by the Trustee without the possession of
any of the Notes, or the production thereof at any trial or other proceeding
relative thereto, and any such suit or proceeding instituted by the Trustee
shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any
recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable
compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents
and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the holders of the Notes.

        In any proceedings brought by the Trustee (and in any proceedings
involving the interpretation of any provision of this Indenture to which the
Trustee shall be a party) the Trustee shall be held to represent all the holders
of the Notes, and it shall not be necessary to make any holders of the Notes
parties to any such proceedings.

        Section 7.3 Application of Monies Collected by Trustee. Any monies
collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article VII shall be applied in the
order following, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee for the distribution
of such monies, upon presentation of the several Notes, and stamping thereon the
payment, if only partially paid, and upon surrender thereof, if fully paid:

               First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under
        Section 8.6;

               Second: Subject to the provisions of Article IV, in case the
        principal of the outstanding Notes shall not have become due and be
        unpaid, to the payment of interest on the Notes in default in the order
        of the maturity of the installments of such interest, with interest (to
        the extent that such interest has been collected by the Trustee) upon
        the overdue installments of interest at the rate borne by the Notes,
        such payments to be made ratably to the Persons entitled thereto;

               Third: Subject to the provisions of Article IV, in case the
        principal of the outstanding Notes shall have become due, by declaration
        or otherwise, and be unpaid, to the payment of the whole amount then
        owing and unpaid upon the Notes for principal and premium, if any, and
        interest, with interest on the overdue principal and premium, if any,
        and (to the extent that such interest has been collected by the Trustee)
        upon overdue


                                      -33-

<PAGE>   40
        installments of interest at the rate borne by the Notes; and in case
        such monies shall be insufficient to pay in full the whole amounts so
        due and unpaid upon the Notes, then to the payment of such principal and
        premium, if any, and interest without preference or priority of
        principal and premium, if any, over interest, or of interest over
        principal and premium, if any, or of any installment of interest over
        any other installment of interest, or of any Note over any other Note,
        ratably to the aggregate of such principal and premium, if any, and
        accrued and unpaid interest; and

               Fourth: Subject to the provisions of Article IV, to the payment
        of the remainder, if any, to the Company or any other Person lawfully
        entitled thereto.

        Section 7.4 Proceedings by Holder. No Holder of any Note shall have any
right by virtue of or by availing of any provision of this Indenture to
institute any suit, action or proceeding in equity or at law upon or under or
with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver, trustee,
liquidator, custodian or other similar official, or for any other remedy
hereunder, unless such holder previously shall have given to the Trustee written
notice of an Event of Default and of the continuance thereof, as hereinbefore
provided, and unless also the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate
principal amount of the Notes then outstanding shall have made written request
upon the Trustee to institute such action, suit or proceeding in its own name as
Trustee hereunder and shall have offered to the Trustee such reasonable security
or indemnity as it may require against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be
incurred therein or thereby, and the Trustee for sixty (60) days after its
receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity, shall have neglected or
refused to institute any such action, suit or proceeding and no direction
inconsistent with such written request shall have been given to the Trustee
pursuant to Section 7.7; it being understood and intended, and being expressly
covenanted by the taker and holder of every Note with every other taker and
holder and the Trustee, that no one or more holders of Notes shall have any
right in any manner whatever by virtue of or by availing of any provision of
this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other holder of
Notes, or to obtain or seek to obtain priority over or preference to any other
such holder, or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner
herein provided and for the equal, ratable and common benefit of all holders of
Notes (except as otherwise provided herein). For the protection and enforcement
of this Section 7.4, each and every Holder and the Trustee shall be entitled to
such relief as can be given either at law or in equity.

        Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any
Note shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive
payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on such Note on the
respective stated maturities expressed in such Note (or, in the case of
redemption or repurchase, on the Redemption Date or Repurchase Date, as the case
may be), and to convert such Note in accordance with Article XV, and to
institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment and right to convert, and
such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.



                                      -34-

<PAGE>   41
        Section 7.5 Proceedings by Trustee. In case of an Event of Default the
Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce the rights vested
in it by this Indenture by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee
shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any of such rights, either by
suit in equity or by action at law or by proceeding in bankruptcy or otherwise,
whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement contained in
this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in this Indenture,
or to enforce any other legal or equitable right vested in the Trustee by this
Indenture or by law.

        Section 7.6 Remedies Cumulative and Continuing. Except as provided in
the last paragraph of Section 2.6, all powers and remedies given by this Article
VII to the Trustee or to the Holders shall, to the extent permitted by law, be
deemed cumulative and not exclusive of any thereof or of any other powers and
remedies available to the Trustee or the holders of the Notes, by judicial
proceedings or otherwise, to enforce the performance or observance of the
covenants and agreements contained in this Indenture, and no delay or omission
of the Trustee or of any holder of any of the Notes to exercise any right or
power accruing upon any default or Event of Default occurring and continuing as
aforesaid shall impair any such right or power, or shall be construed to be a
waiver of any such default or any acquiescence therein; and, subject to the
provisions of Section 7.4, every power and remedy given by this Article VII or
by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and
as often as shall be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders.

        Section 7.7 Direction of Proceedings and Waiver of Defaults by Majority
of Holders. Subject to Section 8.2(d) the Holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding determined in accordance
with Section 9.4 shall have the right to direct the time, method, and place of
conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising
any trust or power conferred on the Trustee; provided, however, that (a) such
direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture,
and (b) the Trustee may, but shall have no obligation to, take any other action
deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction. The
holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time
outstanding determined in accordance with Section 9.4 may on behalf of the
holders of all of the Notes waive any past default or Event of Default hereunder
and its consequences except (i) a default in the payment of interest or premium,
if any, on, or the principal of, the Notes (including the payment of any
Redemption Price or Repurchase Price), (ii) a failure by the Company to convert
any Notes into Common Stock or (iii) a default in respect of a covenant or
provisions hereof which under Article XI cannot be modified or amended without
the consent of the holders of all Notes then outstanding. Upon any such waiver
the Company, the Trustee and the holders of the Notes shall be restored to their
former positions and rights hereunder; but no such waiver shall extend to any
subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent
thereon. Whenever any default or Event of Default hereunder shall have been
waived as permitted by this Section 7.7, said default or Event of Default shall
for all purposes of the Notes and this Indenture be deemed to have been cured
and to be not continuing; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or
other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.



                                      -35-

<PAGE>   42
        Section 7.8 Notice of Defaults. The Trustee shall, within ninety (90)
days after the occurrence of a default, mail to all Holders, as the names and
addresses of such holders appear upon the Note register, notice of all defaults
known to a Responsible Officer, unless such defaults shall have been cured or
waived before the giving of such notice; and provided that, except in the case
of default in the payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest
on any of the Notes, or in the payment of any redemption or repurchase
obligation, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so
long as a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the
Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the
best interest of the Holders.

        Section 7.9 Undertaking to Pay Costs. All parties to this Indenture
agree, and each holder of any Note by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to
have agreed, that any court may, in its discretion, require, in any suit for the
enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against
the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any
party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit and
that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including
reasonable attorneys' fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due
regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party
litigant; provided that the provisions of this Section 7.9 shall not apply to
any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or
group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of
the Notes at the time outstanding determined in accordance with Section 9.4, or
to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the
principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any Note on or after the due
date expressed in such Note or to any suit for the enforcement of the right to
convert any Note in accordance with the provisions of Article XV or to require
the Company to repurchase any Note in accordance with Article XVI.

        Section 7.10 Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the
Trustee or of any holder of any Note to exercise any right or remedy accruing
upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a
waiver of any such Event of Default or any acquiescence therein. Every right and
remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the holders of Notes
may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by
the Trustee or by the holders of Notes, as the case may be.


                                  ARTICLE VIII

                             CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE

        Section 8.1 Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee. The Trustee, prior
to the occurrence of an Event of Default and after the curing of all Events of
Default which may have occurred, undertakes to perform such duties and only such
duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture. In case an Event of
Default has occurred (which has not been cured or waived) the Trustee shall
exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use
the



                                      -36-

<PAGE>   43
same degree of care and skill in its exercise, as a prudent person would
exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person's own
affairs.

        No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the Trustee
from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or
its own willful misconduct, except that

               (a) prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default and after the
        curing or waiving of all Events of Default which may have occurred:

                      (1) the duties and obligations of the Trustee shall be
               determined solely by the express provisions of this Indenture and
               the Trust Indenture Act, and the Trustee shall not be liable
               except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are
               specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants
               or obligations shall be read into this Indenture and the Trust
               Indenture Act against the Trustee; and

                      (2) in the absence of bad faith and willful misconduct on
               the part of the Trustee, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to
               the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions
               expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to
               the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture;
               but, in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by
               any provisions hereof are specifically required to be furnished
               to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the
               same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements
               of this Indenture;

               (b) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment
        made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Officers of the Trustee,
        unless it shall be provided that the Trustee was negligent in
        ascertaining the pertinent facts;

               (c) the Trustee shall not be liable to any Holder with respect to
        any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in
        accordance with the direction of the holders of not less than a majority
        in principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding determined as
        provided in Section 9.4 relating to the time, method and place of
        conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or
        exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this
        Indenture; and

               (d) whether or not therein provided, every provision of this
        Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of, or
        affording protection to, the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions
        of this Section.

               None of the provisions contained in this Indenture shall require
the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal
financial liability in the performance of



                                      -37-

<PAGE>   44
any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if there is
reasonable ground for believing that the repayment of such funds or adequate
indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

        Section 8.2 Reliance on Documents, Opinions, Etc. Except as otherwise
provided in Section 8.1:

               (a) the Trustee may rely and shall be protected in acting upon
        any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report,
        notice, request, consent, order, bond, note, coupon or other paper or
        document believed by it in good faith to be genuine and to have been
        signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

               (b) any request, direction, order or demand of the Company
        mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers'
        Certificate (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein
        specifically prescribed); and any resolution of the Board of Directors
        may be evidenced to the Trustee by a copy thereof certified by the
        Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company;

               (c) the Trustee may consult with counsel and any advice or
        Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and
        protection in respect of any action taken or omitted by it hereunder in
        good faith and in accordance with such advice or Opinion of Counsel;

               (d) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of
        the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request,
        order or direction of any of the Holders pursuant to the provisions of
        this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee
        reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and
        liabilities which may be incurred therein or thereby;

               (e) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into
        the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement,
        instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order,
        bond, debenture or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its
        discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such
        facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine
        to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to
        examine the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by
        agent or attorney; provided, however, that if the payment within a
        reasonable time to the Trustee of the costs, expenses or liabilities
        likely to be incurred by it in the making of such investigation is, in
        the opinion of the Trustee, not reasonably assured to the Trustee by the
        security afforded to it by the terms of this Indenture, the Trustee may
        require reasonable indemnity from the Holders against such expenses or
        liability as a condition to so proceeding; the reasonable expenses of
        every such examination shall be paid by the Company or, if paid by the
        Trustee or any predecessor Trustee, shall be repaid by the Company upon
        demand; and


                                      -38-

<PAGE>   45
               (f) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder
        or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents
        or attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct
        or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed by it with
        due care hereunder.

        Section 8.3 No Responsibility for Recitals, Etc. The recitals contained
herein and in the Notes (except in the Trustee's certificate of authentication)
shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no
responsibility for the correctness of the same. The Trustee makes no
representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the
Notes. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the
Company of any Notes or the proceeds of any Notes authenticated and delivered by
the Trustee in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture.

        Section 8.4 Trustee, Paying Agents, Conversion Agents or Registrar May
Own Notes. The Trustee, any paying agent, any conversion agent or Note
registrar, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or
pledgee of Notes with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee,
paying agent, conversion agent or Note registrar.

        Section 8.5 Monies to Be Held in Trust. Subject to the provisions of
Section 13.4, all monies received by the Trustee shall, until used or applied as
herein provided, be held in trust for the purposes for which they were received.
Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other
funds except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be under no
liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as may be
agreed from time to time by the Company and the Trustee.

        Section 8.6 Compensation and Expenses of Trustee. The Company covenants
and agrees to pay to the Trustee from time to time, and the Trustee shall be
entitled to, reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder
in any capacity (which shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to
the compensation of a trustee of an express trust), and the Company will pay or
reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses,
disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustee in
accordance with any of the provisions of this Indenture (including the
reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its counsel and of
all persons not regularly in its employ) except any such expense, disbursement
or advance as may arise from its negligence or bad faith. The Company also
covenants to indemnify the Trustee in any capacity under this Indenture and its
agents and any authenticating agent for, and to hold them harmless against, any
loss, liability or expense incurred without negligence, willful misconduct,
recklessness or bad faith on the part of the Trustee or such agent or
authenticating agent, as the case may be, and arising out of or in connection
with the acceptance or administration of this trust or in any other capacity
hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending themselves against any
claim of liability in the premises. The obligations of the Company under this
Section 8.6 to compensate or indemnify the Trustee and to pay or reimburse the
Trustee for expenses, disbursements and advances shall be secured by a lien upon
all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except



                                      -39-

<PAGE>   46
funds held in trust for the benefit of the holders of particular Notes. The
obligation of the Company under this Section shall survive the satisfaction and
discharge of this Indenture.

        When the Trustee and its agents and any authenticating agent incur
expenses or render services after an Event of Default specified in Section
7.1(d) or (e) occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services are
intended to constitute expenses of administration under any bankruptcy,
insolvency or similar laws.

        Section 8.7 Officers' Certificate as Evidence. Except as otherwise
provided in Section 8.1, whenever in the administration of the provisions of
this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it necessary or desirable that a matter be
proved or established prior to taking or omitting any action hereunder, such
matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically
prescribed) may, in the absence of negligence, willful misconduct, recklessness
and bad faith on the part of the Trustee, be deemed to be conclusively proved
and established by an Officers' Certificate delivered to the Trustee, and such
Officers' Certificate, in the absence of negligence, willful misconduct,
recklessness and bad faith on the part of the Trustee, shall be full warrant to
the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it under the provisions of this
Indenture upon the faith thereof.

        Section 8.8 Conflicting Interests of Trustee. If the Trustee has or
shall acquire a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture
Act, the Trustee shall either eliminate such interest or resign, to the extent
and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust
Indenture Act and this Indenture.

        Section 8.9 Eligibility of Trustee. There shall at all times be a
Trustee hereunder which shall be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust
Indenture Act to act as such and has (or if the Trustee is a member of a bank
holding company, its bank holding company has) a combined capital and surplus of
at least $50,000,000. If such Person publishes reports of condition at least
annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of any supervising or examining
authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and
surplus of such Person shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as
set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time
the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this
Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect
hereinafter specified in this Article.

        Section 8.10 Resignation or Removal of Trustee.

               (a) The Trustee may at any time resign by giving written notice
        of such resignation to the Company and by mailing notice thereof to the
        holders of Notes at their addresses as they shall appear on the Note
        register. Upon receiving such notice of resignation, the Company shall
        promptly appoint a successor trustee by written instrument, in
        duplicate, executed by order of the Board of Directors, one copy of
        which instrument shall be delivered to the resigning Trustee and one
        copy to the successor



                                      -40-

<PAGE>   47
        trustee. If no successor trustee shall have been so appointed and have
        accepted appointment sixty (60) days after the mailing of such notice of
        resignation to the Holders, the resigning Trustee may petition any court
        of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor trustee, or
        any Holder who has been a bona fide holder of a Note or Notes for at
        least six months may, subject to the provisions of Section 7.9, on
        behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any such
        court for the appointment of a successor trustee. Such court may
        thereupon, after such notice, if any, as it may deem proper and
        prescribe, appoint a successor trustee.

               (b) In case at any time any of the following shall occur:

                      (1) the Trustee shall fail to comply with Section 8.8
               after written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder
               who has been a bona fide holder of a Note or Notes for at least
               six months, or

                      (2) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance
               with the provisions of Section 8.9 and shall fail to resign after
               written request therefor by the Company or by any such Holder, or

                      (3) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting, or shall
               be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent, or a receiver of the Trustee
               or of its property shall be appointed, or any public officer
               shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or
               affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or
               liquidation,

        then, in any such case, the Company may remove the Trustee and appoint a
        successor trustee by written instrument, in duplicate, executed by order
        of the Board of Directors, one copy of which instrument shall be
        delivered to the Trustee so removed and one copy to the successor
        trustee, or, subject to the provisions of Section 7.9, any Holder who
        has been a bona fide holder of a Note or Notes for at least six months
        may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition
        any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and
        the appointment of a successor trustee. Such court may thereupon, after
        such notice, if any, as it may deem proper and prescribe, remove the
        Trustee and appoint a successor trustee.

               (c) The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of
        the Notes at the time outstanding may at any time remove the Trustee and
        nominate a successor trustee which shall be deemed appointed as
        successor trustee unless within ten (10) days after notice to the
        Company of such nomination the Company objects thereto, in which case
        the Trustee so removed or any Holder, upon the terms and conditions and
        otherwise as in Section 8.10(a) provided, may petition any court of
        competent jurisdiction for an appointment of a successor trustee.




                                      -41-

<PAGE>   48
               (d) Any resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of
        a successor trustee pursuant to any of the provisions of this Section
        8.10 shall become effective upon acceptance of appointment by the
        successor trustee as provided in Section 8.11.

        Section 8.11 Acceptance by Successor Trustee. Any successor trustee
appointed as provided in Section 8.10 shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to
the Company and to its predecessor trustee an instrument accepting such
appointment hereunder, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the
predecessor trustee shall become effective and such successor trustee, without
any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights,
powers, duties and obligations of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as
if originally named as trustee herein; but, nevertheless, on the written request
of the Company or of the successor trustee, the trustee ceasing to act shall,
upon payment of any amounts then due it pursuant to the provisions of Section
8.6, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor trustee
all the rights and powers of the trustee so ceasing to act. Upon request of any
such successor trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments in
writing for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor
trustee all such rights and powers. Any trustee ceasing to act shall,
nevertheless, retain a lien upon all property and funds held or collected by
such trustee as such, except for funds held in trust for the benefit of holders
of particular Notes, to secure any amounts then due it pursuant to the
provisions of Section 8.6.

        No successor trustee shall accept appointment as provided in this
Section 8.11 unless at the time of such acceptance such successor trustee shall
be qualified under the provisions of Section 8.8 and be eligible under the
provisions of Section 8.9.

        Upon acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee as provided in
this Section 8.11, the Company shall mail or cause to be mailed notice of the
succession of the former trustee hereunder to the holders of Notes at their
addresses as they shall appear on the Note register. If the Company fails to
mail such notice within ten (10) days after acceptance of appointment by the
successor trustee, the successor trustee shall cause such notice to be mailed at
the expense of the Company.

        Section 8.12 Succession by Merger, Etc. Any corporation into which the
Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any
corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the
Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially
all of the corporate trust business of the Trustee, including the trust created
by this Indenture, shall be the successor to the Trustee hereunder without the
execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the
parties hereto, provided that in the case of any corporation succeeding to all
or substantially all of the trust business of the Trustee such corporation shall
be qualified under the provisions of Section 8.8 and eligible under the
provisions of Section 8.9.

        In case at the time such successor to the Trustee shall succeed to the
trusts created by this Indenture, any of the Notes shall have been authenticated
but not delivered, any such successor to



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<PAGE>   49
the Trustee may adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor
trustee or authenticating agent appointed by such predecessor trustee, and
deliver such Notes so authenticated; and in case at that time any of the Notes
shall not have been authenticated, any successor to the Trustee or an
authenticating agent appointed by such successor trustee may authenticate such
Notes either in the name of any predecessor trustee hereunder or in the name of
the successor trustee; and in all such cases such certificates shall have the
full force which it is anywhere in the Notes or in this Indenture provided that
the certificate of the Trustee shall have; provided, however, that the right to
adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor Trustee or to
authenticate Notes in the name of any predecessor Trustee shall apply only to
its successor or successors by merger, conversion or consolidation.

        Section 8.13 Limitation on Rights of Trustee as Creditor. If and when
the Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the Company (or any other obligor
upon the Notes), the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of the Trust
Indenture Act regarding the collection of the claims against the Company (or any
such other obligor).

                                   ARTICLE IX

                             CONCERNING THE HOLDERS

        Section 9.1 Action by Holders. Whenever in this Indenture it is provided
that the holders of a specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of the
Notes may take any action (including the making of any demand or request, the
giving of any notice, consent or waiver or the taking of any other action), the
fact that at the time of taking any such action, the holders of such specified
percentage have joined therein may be evidenced (a) by any instrument or any
number of instruments of similar tenor executed by Holders in person or by agent
or proxy appointed in writing, or (b) by the record of the holders of Notes
voting in favor thereof at any meeting of Holders duly called and held in
accordance with the provisions of Article X, or (c) by a combination of such
instrument or instruments and any such record of such a meeting of Holders.
Whenever the Company or the Trustee solicits the taking of any action by the
holders of the Notes, the Company or the Trustee may fix in advance of such
solicitation, a date as the record date for determining holders entitled to take
such action. The record date shall be not more than fifteen (15) days prior to
the date of commencement of solicitation of such action.

        Section 9.2 Proof of Execution by Holders. Subject to the provisions of
Sections 8.1, 8.2 and 10.5, proof of the execution of any instrument by a Holder
or his agent or proxy shall be sufficient if made in accordance with such
reasonable rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Trustee or in such
manner as shall be satisfactory to the Trustee. The holding of Notes shall be
proved by the Note register or by a certificate of the Note registrar.

        The record of any Holders' meeting shall be proved in the manner
provided in Section 10.6.



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<PAGE>   50
        Section 9.3 Who Are Deemed Absolute Owners. The Company, the Trustee,
any authenticating agent, any paying agent, any conversion agent and any Note
registrar may deem the Person in whose name such Note shall be registered upon
the Note register to be, and may treat him as, the absolute owner of such Note
(whether or not such Note shall be overdue and notwithstanding any notation of
ownership or other writing thereon) for the purpose of receiving payment of or
on account of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on such Note, for
conversion of such Note and for all other purposes; and neither the Company nor
the Trustee, nor any paying agent, nor any conversion agent nor any Note
registrar shall be affected by any notice to the contrary. All such payments so
made to any holder for the time being, or upon his order, shall be valid, and,
to the extent of the sum or sums so paid, effectual to satisfy and discharge the
liability for monies payable upon any such Note.

        Section 9.4 Company-Owned Notes Disregarded. In determining whether the
holders of the requisite aggregate principal amount of Notes have concurred in
any direction, consent, waiver or other action under this Indenture, Notes which
are owned by the Company or any other obligor on the Notes or by any Person
directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect
common control with the Company or any other obligor on the Notes shall be
disregarded and deemed not to be outstanding for the purpose of any such
determination; provided that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee
shall be protected in relying on any such direction, consent, waiver or other
action only Notes which a Responsible Officer knows are so owned shall be so
disregarded. Notes so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be
regarded as outstanding for the purposes of this Section 9.4 if the pledgee
shall establish to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee's right to vote
such Notes and that the pledgee is not the Company, any other obligor on the
Notes or a Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under
direct or indirect common control with the Company or any such other obligor. In
the case of a dispute as to such right, any decision by the Trustee taken upon
the advice of counsel shall be full protection to the Trustee. Upon request of
the Trustee, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee promptly an Officers'
Certificate listing and identifying all Notes, if any, known by the Company to
be owned or held by or for the account of any of the above described Persons;
and, subject to Section 8.1, the Trustee shall be entitled to accept such
Officers' Certificate as conclusive evidence of the facts therein set forth and
of the fact that all Notes not listed therein are outstanding for the purpose of
any such determination.

        Section 9.5 Revocation of Consents; Future Holders Bound. At any time
prior to (but not after) the evidencing to the Trustee, as provided in Section
9.1, of the taking of any action by the holders of the percentage in aggregate
principal amount of the Notes specified in this Indenture in connection with
such action, any holder of a Note which is shown by the evidence to be included
in the Notes the holders of which have consented to such action may, by filing
written notice with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office and upon proof of
holding as provided in Section 9.2, revoke such action so far as it concerns
such Note. Except as aforesaid, any such action taken by the holder of any Note
shall be conclusive and binding upon such holder and upon all future holders and
owners of such Note and of any Notes issued in exchange



                                      -44-

<PAGE>   51
or substitution therefor, irrespective of whether any notation in regard thereto
is made upon such Note or any Note issued in exchange or substitution therefor.


                                    ARTICLE X

                                HOLDERS' MEETINGS

        Section 10.1 Purpose of Meetings. A meeting of Holders may be called at
any time and from time to time pursuant to the provisions of this Article X for
any of the following purposes:

               (1) to give any notice to the Company or to the Trustee or to
        give any directions to the Trustee permitted under this Indenture, or to
        consent to the waiving of any default or Event of Default hereunder and
        its consequences, or to take any other action authorized to be taken by
        Holders pursuant to any of the provisions of Article VII;

               (2) to remove the Trustee and nominate a successor trustee
        pursuant to the provisions of Article VIII;

               (3) to consent to the execution of an indenture or indentures
        supplemental hereto pursuant to the provisions of Section 11.2;

               (4) to take any other action authorized to be taken by or on
        behalf of the holders of any specified aggregate principal amount of the
        Notes under any other provision of this Indenture or under applicable
        law; or

               (5) to take any other action authorized by this Indenture or
        under applicable law.

        Section 10.2 Call of Meetings by Trustee. The Trustee may at any time
call a meeting of Holders to take any action specified in Section 10.1, to be
held at such time and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New
York, or any other reasonably convenient city in the continental United States,
as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of the Holders, setting
forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action
proposed to be taken at such meeting and the establishment of any record date
pursuant to Section 9.1, shall be mailed to holders of Notes at their addresses
as they shall appear on the Note register. Such notice shall also be mailed to
the Company. Such notices shall be mailed not less than twenty (20) nor more
than ninety (90) days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

        Any meeting of Holders shall be valid without notice if the holders of
all Notes then outstanding are present in person or by proxy or if notice is
waived before or after the meeting by the holders of all Notes outstanding, and
if the Company and the Trustee are either present by duly authorized
representatives or have, before or after the meeting, waived notice.



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<PAGE>   52
        Section 10.3 Call of Meetings by Company or Holders. In case at any time
the Company, pursuant to a resolution of its Board of Directors, or the holders
of at least 10% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding,
shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of Holders, by written
request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at
the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have mailed the notice of such meeting
within twenty (20) days after receipt of such request, then the Company or such
Holders may determine the time and the place for such meeting and may call such
meeting to take any action authorized in Section 10.1, by mailing notice thereof
as provided in Section 10.2.

        Section 10.4 Qualifications for Voting. To be entitled to vote at any
meeting of Holders a Person shall (a) be a holder of one or more Notes on the
record date pertaining to such meeting or (b) be a Person appointed by an
instrument in writing as proxy by a holder of one or more Notes. The only
Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of
Holders shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel
and any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives
of the Company and its counsel.

        Section 10.5 Regulations. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this
Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem
advisable for any meeting of Holders, in regard to proof of the holding of Notes
and of the appointment of proxies, and in regard to the appointment and duties
of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates
and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the
conduct of the meeting as it shall think fit.

        The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary
chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the
Company or by Holders as provided in Section 10.3, in which case the Company or
the Holders calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner
appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of
the meeting shall be elected by vote of the holders of a majority in principal
amount of the Notes represented at the meeting and entitled to vote at the
meeting.

        Subject to the provisions of Section 9.4, at any meeting each Holder or
proxyholder shall be entitled to one vote for each $1,000 principal amount of
Notes held or represented by him; provided, however, that no vote shall be cast
or counted at any meeting in respect of any Note challenged as not outstanding
and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not outstanding. The chairman of
the meeting shall have no right to vote other than by virtue of Notes held by
him or instruments in writing as aforesaid duly designating him as the proxy to
vote on behalf of other Holders. Any meeting of Holders duly called pursuant to
the provisions of Section 10.2 or 10.3 may be adjourned from time to time by the
holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of Notes represented at
the meeting, whether or not constituting a quorum, and the meeting may be held
as so adjourned without further notice.



                                      -46-

<PAGE>   53
        Section 10.6 Voting. The vote upon any resolution submitted to any
meeting of Holders shall be by written ballot on which shall be subscribed the
signatures of the holders of Notes or of their representatives by proxy and the
principal amount of the Notes held or represented by them. The permanent
chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count
all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make
and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports in
duplicate of all votes cast at the meeting. A record in duplicate of the
proceedings of each meeting of Holders shall be prepared by the secretary of the
meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the
inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or
more Persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of
the meeting and showing that said notice was mailed as provided in Section 10.2.
The record shall show the principal amount of the Notes voting in favor of or
against any resolution. The record shall be signed and verified by the
affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one of the
duplicates shall be delivered to the Company and the other to the Trustee to be
preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted
at the meeting.

        Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the
matters therein stated.

        Section 10.7 No Delay of Rights by Meeting. Nothing in this Article X
contained shall be deemed or construed to authorize or permit, by reason of any
call of a meeting of Holders or any rights expressly or impliedly conferred
hereunder to make such call, any hindrance or delay in the exercise of any right
or rights conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders under any
of the provisions of this Indenture or of the Notes.


                                   ARTICLE XI

                             SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

        Section 11.1 Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without
the consent of the Holders, the Company, when authorized by the resolutions of
the Board of Directors, and the Trustee may from time to time and at any time
enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for one or more of the
following purposes:

               (a) to make provisions with respect to the conversion rights of
        the holders of Notes pursuant to the requirements of Section 15.6 and
        the repurchase obligations of the Company pursuant to 16.3;

               (b) subject to Article IV, to convey, transfer, assign, mortgage
        or pledge to the Trustee as security for the Notes, any property or
        assets;




                                      -47-

<PAGE>   54
               (c) to evidence the succession of another corporation to the
        Company, or successive successions, and the assumption by the successor
        corporation of the covenants, agreements and obligations of the Company
        pursuant to Article XII;

               (d) to add to the covenants of the Company such further
        covenants, restrictions or conditions as the Board of Directors and the
        Trustee shall consider to be for the benefit of the holders of Notes,
        and to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and continuance, of a
        default in any such additional covenants, restrictions or conditions a
        default or an Event of Default permitting the enforcement of all or any
        of the several remedies provided in this Indenture as herein set forth;
        provided, however, that in respect of any such additional covenant,
        restriction or condition such supplemental indenture may provide for a
        particular period of grace after default (which period may be shorter or
        longer than that allowed in the case of other defaults) or may provide
        for an immediate enforcement upon such default or may limit the remedies
        available to the Trustee upon such default;

               (e) to provide for the issuance under this Indenture of Notes in
        coupon form (including Notes registrable as to principal only) and to
        provide for exchange of such Notes with the Notes issued hereunder in
        fully registered form and to make all appropriate changes for such
        purpose;

               (f) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any
        provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture which may be
        defective or inconsistent with any other provision contained herein or
        in any supplemental indenture, or to make such other provisions in
        regard to matters or questions arising under this Indenture which shall
        not materially adversely affect the interests of the holders of the
        Notes;

               (g) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment
        hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Notes;

               (h) to modify, eliminate or add to the provisions of this
        Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to effect the
        qualification of this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act, or under
        any similar federal statute hereafter enacted; or

               (i) to permit or facilitate the issuance of Notes in
        uncertificated form.

        The Trustee is hereby authorized to join with the Company in the
execution of any such supplemental indenture, to make any further appropriate
agreements and stipulations which may be therein contained and to accept the
conveyance, transfer and assignment of any property thereunder, but the Trustee
shall not be obligated to, but may in its discretion, enter into any
supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee's own rights, duties or
immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.



                                      -48-

<PAGE>   55
        Any supplemental indenture authorized by the provisions of this Section
11.1 may be executed by the Company and the Trustee without the consent of the
holders of any of the Notes at the time outstanding, notwithstanding any of the
provisions of Section 11.2.

        Section 11.2 Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders. With the
consent (evidenced as provided in Article IX) of the holders of not less than a
majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding
(determined in accordance with Section 9.4), the Company, when authorized by the
resolutions of the Board of Directors, and the Trustee may from time to time and
at any time enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the
purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any
of the provisions of this Indenture or any supplemental indenture or of
modifying in any manner the rights of the holders of the Notes; provided,
however, that no such supplemental indenture shall (i) extend the fixed maturity
of any Note, reduce the rate or extend the time for payment of interest thereon,
reduce the principal amount thereof or premium, if any, thereon, reduce any
amount payable on redemption or repurchase thereof, impair or change in any
respect adverse to the Holders of Notes the obligation of the Company to make an
offer, to repurchase Notes, and repurchase Notes in accordance with such offer,
upon the happening of a Fundamental Change, impair or adversely affect the right
of any Holder to institute suit for the payment thereof, make the principal
thereof or interest or premium, if any, thereon payable in any coin or currency
other than that provided in the Notes, or impair or change in any respect
adverse to the Holders of the Notes the right to convert the Notes into Common
Stock subject to the terms set forth herein, including Section 15.6, or modify
the provisions of this Indenture with respect to the subordination of the Notes
in a manner adverse to the Holders, without the consent of the holder of each
Note so affected, or (ii) reduce the aforesaid percentage of Notes, the holders
of which are required to consent to any such supplemental indenture, without the
consent of the holders of all Notes then outstanding.

        Upon the request of the Company, accompanied by a copy of the
resolutions of the Board of Directors certified by its Secretary or Assistant
Secretary authorizing the execution of any such supplemental indenture, and upon
the filing with the Trustee of evidence of the consent of Holders as aforesaid,
the Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of such supplemental
indenture unless such supplemental indenture affects the Trustee's own rights,
duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in which case the
Trustee may in its discretion, but shall not be obligated to, enter into such
supplemental indenture.

        It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders under this
Section 11.2 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental
indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such consent shall approve the
substance thereof.

        Section 11.3 Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Any supplemental
indenture executed pursuant to the provisions of this Article XI shall comply
with the Trust Indenture Act, as then in effect. Upon the execution of any
supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Article XI, this
Indenture shall be and be deemed to be modified and amended in accordance



                                      -49-

<PAGE>   56
therewith and the respective rights, limitation of rights, obligations, duties
and immunities under this Indenture of the Trustee, the Company and the holders
of Notes shall thereafter be determined, exercised and enforced hereunder
subject in all respects to such modifications and amendments and all the terms
and conditions of any such supplemental indenture shall be and be deemed to be
part of the terms and conditions of this Indenture for any and all purposes.

        Section 11.4 Notation on Notes. Notes authenticated and delivered after
the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this
Article XI may (but need not) bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as
to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company or the
Trustee shall so determine, new Notes so modified as to conform, in the opinion
of the Trustee and the Board of Directors, to any modification of this Indenture
contained in any such supplemental indenture may (but need not), at the
Company's expense, be prepared and executed by the Company, authenticated by the
Trustee (or an authenticating agent duly appointed by the Trustee pursuant to
Section 17.11) and delivered in exchange for the Notes then outstanding, upon
surrender of such Notes then outstanding.

        Section 11.5 Evidence of Compliance of Supplemental Indenture to Be
Furnished Trustee. The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Sections 8.1 and
8.2, shall be entitled to receive an Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of
Counsel as conclusive evidence that any supplemental indenture executed pursuant
hereto complies with the requirements of this Article XI.


                                   ARTICLE XII

                          MERGER, SALE OR CONSOLIDATION

        Section 12.1  Limitation on Merger, Sale or Consolidation.

        The Company shall not consolidate with or merge into any other Person or
transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any
Person, and shall not transfer and assign all its obligations of, and position
as, the Company hereunder, except for a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the surviving party, unless:

               (a) the Person formed by such consolidation or into which the
        Company is merged or which acquires by conveyance, lease or transfer the
        properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety, or to
        which obligations of, and position as, the Company hereunder are
        transferred and assigned (the "Successor") (i) shall be a corporation,
        limited liability company, partnership or trust organized and existing
        under the laws of the United States of America or any political
        subdivision thereof, and (ii) shall expressly assume, by an indenture
        supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form
        satisfactory to the Trustee, due and punctual payment of the



                                      -50-

<PAGE>   57
        principal of premium, of any, and interest on all of the Notes and the
        performance of every covenant of this Indenture and in the Notes on the
        part of the Company to be performed or observed;

               (b) no default and no Event of Default shall have occurred and be
        continuing as a result of such consolidation, merger, transfer or lease;
        and

               (c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers'
        Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such
        consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer, or such transfer and
        assignment, and such supplemental indenture comply with this Article and
        that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such
        transaction have been compiled with.

        Section 12.2 Successor Corporation to Be Substituted. In case of any
such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance or lease and upon the assumption by
the Successor, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee
and satisfactory in form to the Trustee, of the due and punctual payment of the
principal of and premium, if any, and interest on all of the Notes and the due
and punctual performance of all of the covenants and conditions of this
Indenture to be performed by the Company, such Successor shall succeed to and be
substituted for the Company, with the same effect as if it had been named herein
as the party of the first part. Such Successor thereupon may cause to be signed,
and may issue either in its own name or in the name of HNC Software Inc. any or
all of the Notes issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not have been signed
by the Company and delivered to the Trustee; and, upon the order of such
Successor instead of the Company and subject to all the terms, conditions and
limitations in this Indenture prescribed, the Trustee shall authenticate and
shall deliver, or cause to be authenticated and delivered, any Notes which
previously shall have been signed and delivered by the officers of the Company
to the Trustee for authentication, and any Notes which such successor
corporation thereafter shall cause to be signed and delivered to the Trustee for
that purpose. All the Notes so issued shall in all respects have the same legal
rank and benefit under this Indenture as the Notes theretofore or thereafter
issued in accordance with the terms of this Indenture as though all of such
Notes had been issued at the date of the execution hereof. In the event of any
such consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance (but not in the event of such
lease), the Person named as the "Company" in the first paragraph of this
Indenture, or any successor which shall thereafter have become such in the
manner prescribed in this Article XII and which shall have transferred its
rights and obligations hereunder to another successor in the manner prescribed
in this Article XII, may be dissolved, wound up and liquidated at any time
thereafter and such Person shall be released from its liabilities as obligor and
maker of the Notes and from its obligations under this Indenture.

        In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance or lease,
such changes in phraseology and form (but not in substance) may be made in the
Notes thereafter to be issued as may be appropriate.



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<PAGE>   58
                                  ARTICLE XIII

                     SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE

        Section 13.1 Discharge of Indenture. When (a) the Company shall deliver
to the Trustee for cancellation all Notes theretofore authenticated (other than
any Notes which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and in lieu of or in
substitution for which other Notes shall have been authenticated and delivered)
and not theretofore canceled, or (b) all the Notes not theretofore canceled or
delivered to the Trustee for cancellation shall have become due and payable, or
are by their terms to become due and payable within one year or are to be called
for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee
for the giving of notice of redemption, and the Company shall deposit with the
Trustee, in trust, funds sufficient to pay at maturity or upon redemption of all
of the outstanding Notes (other than any Notes which shall have been mutilated,
destroyed, lost or stolen and in lieu of or in substitution for which other
Notes shall have been authenticated and delivered) not theretofore canceled or
delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including principal and premium, if
any, and interest due or to become due to such date of maturity or redemption
date, as the case may be, and if in either case the Company shall also pay or
cause to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company, then this
Indenture shall cease to be of further effect (except as to (i) remaining rights
of registration of transfer, substitution and exchange and conversion of Notes,
(ii) rights hereunder of Holders to receive payments of principal of and
premium, if any, and interest on the Notes and the other rights, duties and
obligations of Holders, as beneficiaries hereof with respect to the amounts, if
any, so deposited with the Trustee and (iii) the rights, obligations and
immunities of the Trustee hereunder), and the Trustee, on demand of the Company
accompanied by an Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel as required by
Section 17.5 and at the cost and expense of the Company, shall execute proper
instruments acknowledging satisfaction of and discharging this Indenture; the
Company, however, hereby agrees to reimburse the Trustee for any costs or
expenses thereafter reasonably and properly incurred by the Trustee and to
compensate the Trustee for any services thereafter reasonably and properly
rendered by the Trustee in connection with this Indenture or the Notes.

        Section 13.2 Deposited Monies to Be Held in Trust by Trustee. Subject to
Section 13.4, all monies deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 13.1
shall be held in trust and applied by it to the payment, notwithstanding the
provisions of Article IV, either directly or through any paying agent (including
the Company if acting as its own paying agent), to the holders of the particular
Notes for the payment or redemption of which such monies have been deposited
with the Trustee, of all sums due and to become due thereon for principal and
interest and premium, if any.

        Section 13.3 Paying Agent to Repay Monies Held. Upon the satisfaction
and discharge of this Indenture, all monies then held by any paying agent of the
Notes (other than the Trustee) shall, upon demand of the Company or the Trustee,
be repaid to it or paid to the Trustee, and



                                      -52-

<PAGE>   59
thereupon such paying agent shall be released from all further liability with
respect to such monies.

        Section 13.4 Return of Unclaimed Monies. Subject to the requirements of
applicable law, any monies deposited with or paid to the Trustee for payment of
the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on Notes and not applied but
remaining unclaimed by the holders of Notes for two years after the date upon
which the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on such Notes, as the case
may be, shall have become due and payable, shall be repaid to the Company by the
Trustee on demand and all liability of the Trustee shall thereupon cease with
respect to such monies; and the holder of any of the Notes shall thereafter look
only to the Company for any payment which such holder may be entitled to collect
unless an applicable abandoned property law designates another Person.

        Section 13.5 Reinstatement. If (i) the Trustee or the paying agent is
unable to apply any money in accordance with Section 13.2 by reason of any order
or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or
otherwise prohibiting such application and (ii) the holders of at least a
majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes so request by written
notice to the Trustee, the Company's obligations under this Indenture and the
Notes shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant
to Section 13.1 until such time as the Trustee or the paying agent is permitted
to apply all such money in accordance with Section 13.2; provided, however, that
if the Company makes any payment of interest or premium, if any, on or principal
of any Note following the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be
subrogated to the rights of the holders of such Notes to receive such payment
from the money held by the Trustee or paying agent.


                                   ARTICLE XIV

                    IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS,
                             OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

        Section 14.1 Indenture and Notes Solely Corporate Obligations. No
recourse for the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on
any Note, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, and no
recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the Company in
this Indenture or in any supplemental indenture or in any Note, or because of
the creation of any indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against any
incorporator, stockholder, employee, agent, officer or director or Subsidiary,
as such, past, present or future, of the Company or of any successor
corporation, either directly or through the Company or any successor
corporation, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or
by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly
understood that all such liability is hereby expressly waived and released as a
condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and
the issue of the Notes.



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<PAGE>   60
                                   ARTICLE XV

                               CONVERSION OF NOTES

        Section 15.1 Conversion Privilege and Conversion Price. Subject to and
upon compliance with the provisions of this Article XV, at the option of the
Holder thereof, the Holder of any Note is entitled at his option, at any time
prior to the close of business on March 1, 2003, subject to prior redemption or
repurchase, to convert such Note or portions thereof (in denominations of $1,000
or integral multiples thereof) into fully paid and nonassessable shares
(calculated as to each conversion to the nearest 1/100th of a share) of Common
Stock of the Company at the Conversion Price, determined as hereinafter
provided, in effect at the time of conversion. In case a Note or portion thereof
is called for redemption, such conversion right in respect of the Note or
portion called for redemption shall expire at the close of business on the
Business Day prior to the Redemption Date, unless the Company defaults in making
the payment of the Redemption Price in which case the right to convert the Note
or portion thereof shall terminate on the date such default is cured and such
Note or portion thereof is redeemed. A Note for which a Holder has delivered a
Fundamental Change repurchase notice pursuant to Section 16.2 exercising the
option of such Holder to require the Company to repurchase such Note may be
converted only if such notice is withdrawn by a written notice of withdrawal
delivered by the Holder to the Company prior to the close of business on the
Business Day preceding the Repurchase Date.

        The price at which shares of Common Stock shall be delivered upon
conversion (herein called the "Conversion Price") shall be initially U.S.$_____
per share of Common Stock. The Conversion Price shall be adjusted in certain
instances as provided in this Article XV.

        Section 15.2 Exercise of Conversion Privilege. To convert a Note into
shares of Common Stock, a Holder must (i) complete and manually sign the
conversion notice in the form provided on the Note (or complete and manually
sign a facsimile thereof) and deliver such notice to an office or agency
maintained by the Company for conversion of Notes pursuant to Section 5.2 (ii)
surrender the Note at such office, (iii) if required, furnish appropriate
endorsements and transfer documents, (iv) if required, pay all transfer or
similar taxes, and (v) if required, pay funds equal to interest payable on the
next interest payment date. The date on which all of the foregoing requirements
have been satisfied is the date of surrender for conversion. Each Note
surrendered for conversion (in whole or in part) during the period from the
close of business on any Regular Record Date to the close of business on the
Business Day prior to the next succeeding interest payment date (except Notes
called for redemption pursuant to a notice of redemption mailed to the Holders
in accordance with Section 3.5) shall be accompanied by payment in New York
Clearing House funds or other funds acceptable to the Company of an amount equal
to the interest payable on such interest payment date on the principal amount of
such Note (or part thereof, as the case may be) being surrendered for
conversion; provided however that no such payment need be made if there shall
exist at the time of conversion a default in the payment of interest on the
Notes. No such payment will be



                                      -54-

<PAGE>   61
required with respect to interest payable on March 1, 2001. Except as provided
in this 15.2, no payment or other adjustment shall be made for interest accrued
on any Note converted or for dividends on any Shares issued upon conversion of
such Note as provided in this Article. The Company's delivery to the Holder of
the number of shares of Common Stock (and cash in lieu of fractions thereof, as
provided in this Indenture) into which a Note is convertible will be deemed to
satisfy the Company's obligation to pay the principal amount of the Note.

        Notes shall be deemed to have been converted immediately prior to the
close of business on the day of surrender of such Notes for conversion, in
accordance with the foregoing provisions, and at such time the rights of the
Holders of such Notes as Holders shall cease, and the Person or Persons entitled
to receive the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion shall be treated
for all purposes as the record holder or holders of such Common Stock at such
time. As promptly as practicable on or after the conversion date, the Company
shall issue and deliver to the Trustee, for delivery to the Holder, a
certificate or certificates for the number of full shares of Common Stock
issuable upon conversion, together with payment in lieu of any fraction of a
share, as provided in Section 15.3.

        In the case of any Note which is converted in part only, upon such
conversion the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and
deliver to the Holder thereof, at the expense of the Company, a new Note or
Notes of authorized denominations in an aggregate principal amount equal to the
unconverted portion of the principal amount of such Note. A Note may be
converted in part, but only if the principal amount of such Note to be converted
is any integral multiple of U.S.$1,000 and the principal amount of such security
to remain outstanding after such conversion is equal to U.S.$1,000 or any
integral multiple thereof.

        Section 15.3 Fractions of Shares. No fractional shares of Common Stock
shall be issued upon conversion of any Notes. If more than one Note shall be
surrendered for conversion at one time by the same Holder, the number of full
shares which shall be issuable upon conversion thereof shall be computed on the
basis of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes (or specified portions
thereof) so surrendered. Instead of any fractional share of Common Stock which
would otherwise be issuable upon conversion of any Notes (or specified portions
thereof), the Company shall calculate and pay a cash adjustment in respect of
such fraction (calculated to the nearest 1/100th of a share) in an amount equal
to the same fraction of the Current Market Price per share of Common Stock
(calculated in accordance with Section 15.4(8) below) at the close of business
on the last Business Day prior to the date of conversion.

        Section 15.4 Adjustment of Conversion Price. The Conversion Price shall
be subject to adjustments from time to time as follows:

                      (1) In case the Company shall hereafter pay a dividend or
make a distribution to all holders of the outstanding Common Stock in shares of
Common Stock, the Conversion Price in effect at the opening of business on the
date following the date fixed for the determination of stockholders entitled to
receive such dividend or other distribution shall be



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<PAGE>   62
reduced by multiplying such Conversion Price by a fraction, the numerator of
which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at the close of
business on the date fixed for such determination and the denominator of which
shall be the sum of such number of shares and the total number of shares
constituting such dividend or other distribution, such reduction to become
effective immediately after the opening of business on the day following the
date fixed for such determination. If any dividend or distribution of the type
described in this Section 15.4 is declared but not so paid or made, the
Conversion Price shall again be adjusted to the Conversion Price which would
then be in effect if such dividend or distribution had not been declared.

                      (2) In case the Company shall issue rights or warrants to
all holders of its outstanding Common Stock entitling them (for a period
expiring within 45 days after the date fixed for determination of stockholders
entitled to receive such rights or warrants) to subscribe for or purchase Common
Stock at a price per share less than the Current Market Price on the date fixed
for determination of stockholders entitled to receive such rights or warrants,
the Conversion Price shall be adjusted so that the same shall equal the price
determined by multiplying the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to
the date fixed for determination of shareholders entitled to receive such rights
or warrants by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares
of Common Stock outstanding at the close of business on the date fixed for
determination of stockholders entitled to receive such rights and warrants plus
the number of shares which the aggregate offering price of the total number of
shares so offered would purchase at such Current Market Price, and the
denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
on the date fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to receive such
rights and warrants plus the total number of additional shares of Common Stock
offered for subscription or purchase. Such adjustment shall be successively made
whenever any such rights and warrants are issued, and shall become effective
immediately after the opening of business on the day following the date fixed
for determination of stockholders entitled to receive such rights or warrants.
To the extent that shares of Common Stock are not delivered after the expiration
of such rights or warrants, the Conversion Price shall be readjusted to the
Conversion Price which would then be in effect had the adjustments made upon the
issuance of such rights or warrants been made on the basis of delivery of only
the number of shares of Common Stock actually delivered. In the event that such
rights or warrants are not so issued, the Conversion Price shall again be
adjusted to be the Conversion Price which would then be in effect if such date
fixed for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such rights or
warrants had not been fixed. In determining whether any rights or warrants
entitle the holders to subscribe for or purchase Common Stock at less than such
Current Market Price, and in determining the aggregate offering price of such
Common Stock, there shall be taken into account any consideration received by
the Company for such rights or warrants, the value of such consideration, if
other than cash, to be determined by the Board of Directors.

                      (3) In case outstanding Common Stock shall be subdivided
into a greater number of shares of Common Stock, the Conversion Price in effect
at the opening of business on the day following the day upon which such
subdivision becomes effective shall be



                                      -56-

<PAGE>   63
proportionately reduced, and conversely, in case outstanding shares of Common
Stock shall be combined into a smaller number of shares of Common Stock, the
Conversion Price in effect at the opening of business on the day following the
day upon which such combination becomes effective shall be proportionately
increased.

                      (4) In case the Company shall, by dividend or otherwise,
distribute to all holders of its Common Stock shares of any class of capital
stock of the Company (other than any dividends or distributions to which Section
15.4(1) applies) or evidences of its indebtedness or assets (including
securities, but excluding any rights or warrants referred to in Section 15.4(2),
and excluding any dividend or distribution (x) paid exclusively in cash or (y)
referred to in Section 15.4(1) (any of the foregoing hereinafter in this Section
15.4(4) called the "Distribution Notes")), then, in each such case, the
Conversion Price shall be reduced so that the same shall be equal to the price
determined by multiplying the Conversion Price in effect on the Distribution
Record Date with respect to such distribution by a fraction the numerator of
which shall be the Current Market Price per share of Common Stock on such
Distribution Record Date less the fair market value (as determined by the Board
of Directors whose determination shall be conclusive and described in a
resolution of the Board of Directors) on the Distribution Record Date of the
portion of the Distribution Notes so distributed applicable to one share of
Common Stock and the denominator of which shall be the Current Market Price per
share of Common Stock, such reduction to become effective immediately prior to
the opening of business on the day following such Distribution Record Date;
provided, however, that in the event the then fair market value (as so
determined) of the portion of the Distribution Notes so distributed applicable
to one share of Common Stock is equal to or greater than the Current Market
Price per share of the Common Stock on the Distribution Record Date, in lieu of
the foregoing adjustment, adequate provision shall be made so that each Holder
shall have the right to receive upon conversion the amount of Distribution Notes
such Holder would have received had such Holder converted each Note on the
Distribution Record Date. In the event that such dividend or distribution is not
so paid or made, the Conversion Price shall again be adjusted to be the
Conversion Price which would then be in effect if such dividend or distribution
had not been declared. If the Company's Board of Directors determines the fair
market value of any distribution for purposes of this Section 15.4(4) by
reference to the actual or when issued trading market for any securities, it
must in doing so consider the prices in such market over the same period used in
computing the Current Market Price of the Common Stock.

        In the event that the Company implements a stockholder rights plan, such
rights plan shall provide that upon conversion of the Notes the Holders will
receive, in addition to the Common Stock issuable upon such conversion, the
rights issued under such rights plan (notwithstanding the occurrence of an event
causing such rights to separate from the Common Stock at or prior to the time of
conversion). Any distribution of rights or warrants pursuant to a stockholder
rights plan complying with the requirements set forth in the immediately
preceding sentence of this paragraph shall not constitute a distribution of
rights or warrants for the purposes of this Section 15.4.



                                      -57-

<PAGE>   64
        Rights or warrants distributed by the Company to all holders of Common
Stock entitling the holders thereof to subscribe for or purchase shares of the
Company's capital stock (either initially or under certain circumstances), which
rights or warrants, until the occurrence of a specified event or events
("Trigger Event"): (i) are deemed to be transferred with such shares of Common
Stock; (ii) are not exercisable; and (iii) are also issued in respect of future
issuances of shares of Common Stock, shall be deemed not to have been
distributed for purposes of this Section 15.4 (and no adjustment to the
Conversion Price under this Section 15.4 will be required) until the occurrence
of the earliest Trigger Event, whereupon such rights and warrants shall be
deemed to have been distributed and an appropriate adjustment (if any is
required) to the Conversion Price shall be made under this Section 15.4(4). If
any such right or warrant, including any such existing rights or warrants
distributed prior to the date of this Indenture, are subject to events, upon the
occurrence of which such rights or warrants become exercisable to purchase
different securities, evidences of indebtedness or other assets, then the date
of the occurrence of any and each such event shall be deemed to be the date of
distribution and record date with respect to new rights or warrants with such
rights (and a termination or expiration of the existing rights or warrants
without exercise by any of the holders thereof). In addition, in the event of
any distribution (or deemed distribution) of rights or warrants, or any Trigger
Event or other event (of the type described in the preceding sentence) with
respect thereto that was counted for purposes of calculating a distribution
amount for which an adjustment to the Conversion Price under this Section 15.4
was made, (1) in the case of any such rights or warrants which shall all have
been redeemed or repurchased without exercise by any holders thereof, the
Conversion Price shall be readjusted upon such final redemption or repurchase to
give effect to such distribution or Trigger Event, as the case may be, as though
it were a cash distribution, equal to the per share redemption or repurchase
price received by a holder or holders of shares of Common Stock with respect to
such rights or warrants (assuming such holder had retained such rights or
warrants), made to all holders of shares of Common Stock as of the date of such
redemption or repurchase, and (2) in the case of such rights or warrants which
shall have expired or been terminated without exercise by any holders thereof,
the Conversion Price shall be readjusted as if such rights and warrants had not
been issued.

        Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that the Company shall
distribute rights or warrants to subscribe for additional shares of the Common
Stock (other than rights or warrants described in Section 15.4(2)), pro rata to
holders of Common Stock, the Company may, in lieu of making any adjustment
pursuant to this Section 15.4(4), make proper provision so that each holder of a
Note who converts such Note (or any portion thereof) after the Distribution
Record Date for such distribution and prior to the expiration or redemption of
such rights or warrants shall be entitled to receive upon such conversion, in
addition to the shares of Common Stock issuable upon such conversion (the
"Conversion Shares"), a number of rights or warrants to be determined as
follows: (i) if such conversion occurs on or prior to the date for the
distribution to the holders of such rights or warrants of separate certificates
evidencing such rights or warrants (the "Distribution Date"), the same number of
rights or warrants to which a holder of a number of shares of Common Stock equal
to the number of Conversion Shares is entitled at the time of such conversion in
accordance with the terms and provisions of and applicable to such rights or



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<PAGE>   65
warrants; and (ii) if such conversion occurs after the Distribution Date, the
same number of rights or warrants to which a holder of the number of shares of
Common Stock into which the principal amount of the Note so converted was
convertible immediately prior to the Distribution Date would have been entitled
on the Distribution Date in accordance with the terms and provisions of, and
applicable to such rights or warrants.

        For purposes of this Section 15.4(4) and Sections 15.4(1) and (2), any
dividend or distribution to which this Section 15.4(4) is applicable that also
includes shares of Common Stock, or rights or warrants to subscribe for or
purchase shares of Common Stock (or both), shall be deemed instead to be (1) a
dividend or distribution of the evidences of indebtedness, assets or shares of
capital stock other than such shares of Common Stock or rights or warrants (and
any Conversion Price reduction required by this Section 15.4(4) with respect to
such dividend or distribution shall then be made) immediately followed by (2) a
dividend or distribution of such shares of Common Stock or such rights or
warrants (and any further Conversion Price reduction required by Sections
15.4(1) and (2) with respect to such dividend or distribution shall then be
made), except (A) the Distribution Record Date of such dividend or distribution
shall be substituted as "the date fixed for the determination of shareholders
entitled to receive such dividend or other distribution" and "the date fixed for
such determination" within the meaning of Sections 15.4(1) and (2) and (B) any
shares of Common Stock included in such dividend or distribution shall not be
deemed "outstanding at the close of business on the date fixed for such
determination" within the meaning of Section 15.4(1).

                      (5) In case the Company shall, by dividend or otherwise,
distribute to all holders of its Common Stock cash (excluding (x) any quarterly
cash dividend on the Common Stock to the extent the aggregate cash dividend per
share of Common Stock in any quarterly period does not exceed the greater of (A)
the amount per share of Common Stock of the next preceding quarterly cash
dividend on the Common Stock to the extent that such preceding quarterly
dividend did not require any adjustment of the Conversion Price pursuant to this
Section 15.4(5) (as adjusted to reflect subdivisions or combinations of the
Common Stock), and (B) 3.75% of the arithmetic average of the Closing Prices
(determined as set forth in Section 15.4(8)(a)) during the ten Trading Days
immediately prior to the date of declaration of such dividend, (y) any dividend
or distribution in connection with the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of
the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary and (z) any cash that is
distributed as part of a distribution requiring a Conversion Price adjustment
pursuant to Section 15.4(4)), then, in such case, the Conversion Price shall be
reduced so that the same shall equal the price determined by multiplying the
Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to the close of business on such
Distribution Record Date by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the
Current Market Price of the Common Stock on the Distribution Record Date less
the amount of cash so distributed (and not excluded as provided above)
applicable to one share of Common Stock and the denominator shall be such
Current Market Price of the Common Stock, such reduction to be effective
immediately prior to the opening of business on the day following the
Distribution Record Date; provided, however, that in the event the portion of
the cash so distributed applicable to one share of Common Stock is equal to or
greater than the Current



                                      -59-

<PAGE>   66
Market Price of the Common Stock on the Distribution Record Date, in lieu of the
foregoing adjustment, adequate provision shall be made so that each Holder shall
have the right to receive upon conversion the amount of cash such Holder would
have received had such Holder converted each Note on the Distribution Record
Date. In the event that such dividend or distribution is not so paid or made,
the Conversion Price shall again be adjusted to be the Conversion Price which
would then be in effect if such dividend or distribution had not been declared.
If any adjustment is required to be made as set forth in this Section 15.4(5) as
a result of a distribution that is a quarterly dividend, such adjustment shall
be based upon the amount by which such distribution exceeds the amount of the
quarterly cash dividend permitted to be excluded pursuant hereto. If an
adjustment is required to be made as set forth in this Section 15.4(5) above as
a result of a distribution that is not a quarterly dividend, such adjustment
shall be based upon the full amount of the distribution.

                      (6) In case a tender or exchange offer made by the Company
for all or any portion of the Common Stock shall expire and such tender or
exchange offer (as amended upon the expiration thereof) shall require the
payment to stockholders of consideration per share of Common Stock having a fair
market value (as determined by the Board of Directors, whose determination shall
be conclusive and described in a Board Resolution) that as of the last time (the
"Expiration Time") tenders or exchanges may be made pursuant to such tender or
exchange offer (as it may be amended) that exceeds the Current Market Price per
share of the Common Stock on the Trading Day next succeeding the Expiration
Time, the Conversion Price shall be reduced so that the same shall equal the
price determined by multiplying the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior
to the Expiration Time by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number
of shares of Common Stock outstanding (including any tendered or exchanged
shares) on the Expiration Time multiplied by the Current Market Price of the
Common Stock on the Trading Day next succeeding the Expiration Time and the
denominator shall be the sum of (x) the fair market value (determined as
aforesaid) of the aggregate consideration payable to stockholders based on the
acceptance (up to any maximum specified in the terms of the tender or exchange
offer) of all shares validly tendered or exchanged and not withdrawn as of the
Expiration Time (the shares deemed so accepted, up to any such maximum, being
referred to as the "Purchased Shares") and (y) the product of the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding (less any Purchased Shares) on the Expiration
Time and the Current Market Price of the Common Stock on the Trading Day next
succeeding the Expiration Time, such reduction to become effective immediately
prior to the opening of business on the day following the Expiration Time. In
the event that the Company is obligated to purchase shares pursuant to any such
tender or exchange offer, but the Company is permanently prevented by applicable
law from effecting any such purchases or all such purchases are rescinded, the
Conversion Price shall again be adjusted to be the Conversion Price which would
then be in effect if such tender or exchange offer had not been made.

                      (7) In case of a tender or exchange offer made by a Person
other than the Company for an amount which increases the offeror's ownership of
Common Stock to more than 25% of the total shares of the Common Stock
outstanding and which provides for the



                                      -60-

<PAGE>   67
payment by such Person of cash and other consideration per share of Common Stock
having a fair market value (as determined by the Board of Directors, whose
determination shall be conclusive, and described in a resolution of the Board)
at the last time (the "Tender Expiration Time") tenders or exchanges may be made
pursuant to such tender or exchange offer (as it shall have been amended) that
exceeds the Current Market Price of the Common Stock on the Trading Day next
succeeding the Tender Expiration Time, and in which, as of the Tender Expiration
Time the Board of Directors is not recommending rejection of the offer, the
Conversion Price shall be reduced so that the same shall equal the price
determined by multiplying the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to
the Tender Expiration Time by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding (including any tendered or
exchanged shares) on the Tender Expiration Time multiplied by the Current Market
Price of the Common Stock on the Trading Day next succeeding the Tender
Expiration Time and the denominator shall be the sum of (x) the fair market
value (determined as aforesaid) of the aggregate consideration payable to
stockholders based on the acceptance (up to any maximum specified in the terms
of the tender or exchange offer) of all shares validly tendered or exchanged and
not withdrawn as of the Tender Expiration Time (the shares deemed so accepted,
up to any such maximum, being referred to as the "Accepted Purchased Shares")
and (y) the product of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding (less
any Accepted Purchased Shares) on the Tender Expiration Time and the Current
Market Price of the Common Stock on the Trading Day next succeeding the Tender
Expiration Time, such reduction to become effective immediately prior to the
opening of business on the day following the Tender Expiration Time. In the
event that such Person is obligated to purchase shares pursuant to any such
tender or exchange offer, but such Person is permanently prevented by applicable
law from effecting any such purchases or all such purchases are rescinded, the
Conversion Price shall again be adjusted to be the Conversion Price which would
then be in effect if such tender or exchange offer had not been made.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the adjustment described in this Section 15.4(7)
shall not be made if, as of the Tender Expiration Time, the offering documents
with respect to such offer disclose a plan or intention to cause the Company to
engage in a consolidation or merger of the Company or a sale of all or
substantially all of the Company's assets.

                      (8) For purposes of this Section 15.4, the following terms
shall have the meaning indicated:

               (a) "Closing Price" with respect to any securities on any day
        shall mean the closing sale price regular way on such day or, in case no
        such sale takes place on such day, the average of the reported closing
        bid and asked prices, regular way, in each case on the New York Stock
        Exchange, or, if such security is not listed or admitted to trading on
        such Exchange, on the principal security exchange or quotation system in
        the United States on which such security is quoted or listed or admitted
        to trading, or, the average of the closing bid and asked prices of such
        security on the over-the-counter market on the day in question as
        reported by the Nasdaq National Market or a similar generally accepted
        reporting service, or if not so available, in such manner as furnished
        by any New York Stock Exchange member firm selected from time to time by
        the Board of Directors



                                      -61-

<PAGE>   68
        for that purpose, or a price determined in good faith by the Board of
        Directors or, to the extent permitted by applicable law, a duly
        authorized committee thereof, whose determination shall be conclusive.

               (b) "Current Market Price" shall mean the average of the daily
        Closing Prices per share of Common Stock for the ten consecutive Trading
        Days immediately prior to the date in question; provided, however, that
        (1) if the "ex" date (as hereinafter defined) for any event (other than
        the issuance or distribution or Fundamental Change requiring such
        computation) that requires an adjustment to the Conversion Price
        pursuant to Section 15.4(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6) or (7) occurs
        during such ten consecutive Trading Days, the Closing Price for each
        Trading Day prior to the "ex" date for such other event shall be
        adjusted by multiplying such Closing Price by the same fraction by which
        the Conversion Price is so required to be adjusted as a result of such
        other event, (2) if the "ex" date for any event (other than the
        issuance, distribution or Fundamental Change requiring such computation)
        that requires an adjustment to the Conversion Price pursuant to Section
        15.4(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6) or (7) occurs on or after the "ex" date
        for the issuance or distribution requiring such computation and prior to
        the day in question, the Closing Price for each Trading Day on and after
        the "ex" date for such other event shall be adjusted by multiplying such
        Closing Price by the reciprocal of the fraction by which the Conversion
        Price is so required to be adjusted as a result of such other event, and
        (3) if the "ex" date for the issuance, distribution or Fundamental
        Change requiring such computation is prior to the day in question, after
        taking into account any adjustment required pursuant to clause (1) or
        (2) of this proviso, the Closing Price for each Trading Day on or after
        such "ex" date shall be adjusted by adding thereto the amount of any
        cash and the fair market value (as determined by the Board of Directors
        in a manner consistent with any determination of such value for purposes
        of Section 15.4(4), (6) or (7), whose determination shall be conclusive
        and described in a resolution of the Board of Directors) of the
        evidences of indebtedness, shares of capital stock or assets being
        distributed applicable to one share of Common Stock as of the close of
        business on the day before such "ex" date. For purposes of any
        computation under Section 15.4(6) or (7), the Current Market Price of
        the Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the
        daily Closing Prices per share of Common Stock for such day and the next
        two succeeding Trading Days; provided, however, that if the "ex" date
        for any event (other than the tender or exchange offer requiring such
        computation) that requires an adjustment to the Conversion Price
        pursuant to Section 15.4(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6) or (7) occurs on or
        after the Expiration Time or Tender Expiration Time, as the case may be,
        for the tender or exchange offer requiring such computation and prior to
        the day in question, the Closing Price for each Trading Day on and after
        the "ex" date for such other event shall be adjusted by multiplying such
        Closing Price by the reciprocal of the fraction by which the Conversion
        Price is so required to be adjusted as a result of such other event. For
        purposes of this paragraph, the term "ex" date, (1) when used with
        respect to any issuance or distribution, means the first date on which
        the Common Stock trades regular way on the relevant exchange or in the
        relevant market from which the Closing Price was



                                      -62-

<PAGE>   69
        obtained without the right to receive such issuance or distribution, (2)
        when used with respect to any subdivision or combination of shares of
        Common Stock, means the first date on which the Common Stock trades
        regular way on such exchange or in such market after the time at which
        such subdivision or combination becomes effective, and (3) when used
        with respect to any tender or exchange offer means the first date on
        which the Common Stock trades regular way on such exchange or in such
        market after the Expiration Time or Tender Expiration Time, as the case
        may be, of such offer.

               (c) "fair market value" shall mean the amount which a willing
        buyer would pay a willing seller in an arm's length transaction.

               (d) "Distribution Record Date" shall mean, with respect to any
        dividend, distribution or other transaction or event in which the
        holders of Common Stock have the right to receive any cash, securities
        or other property or in which the Common Stock (or other applicable
        security) is exchanged for or converted into any combination of cash,
        securities or other property, the date fixed for determination of
        stockholders entitled to receive such cash, securities or other property
        (whether such date is fixed by the Board of Directors or by statute,
        contract or otherwise).

               (e) "Trading Day" shall mean (x) if the applicable security is
        listed or admitted for trading on the New York Stock Exchange or another
        national security exchange, a day on which the New York Stock Exchange
        or another national security exchange is open for business or (y) if the
        applicable security is quoted on the Nasdaq National Market, a day on
        which trades may be made on thereon or (z) if the applicable security is
        not so listed, admitted for trading or quoted, any day other than a
        Saturday or Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State
        of New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to
        close.

                      (9) No adjustment in the Conversion Price shall be
required unless such adjustment (plus any adjustments not previously made by
reason of this paragraph (9)) would require an increase or decrease of at least
one percent in such price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by
reason of this paragraph (9) are not required to be made shall be carried
forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations
under this Article shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest
one-hundredth of a share, as the case may be.

                      (10) The Company may, at its option, make such reductions
in the Conversion Price as the Board deems advisable, in addition to those
required by paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6) or (7) of this Section 15.4
in order to avoid or diminish any income tax to any holders of Common Stock or
rights to purchase Common Stock resulting from any dividend or distribution on
Common Stock (or rights to acquire such shares) or from any event treated as
such for income tax purposes, resulting from any dividend or distribution of
shares or issuance of



                                      -63-

<PAGE>   70
rights or warrants to purchase or subscribe for shares or from any event treated
as such for income tax purposes.

        To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Company from time to time
may reduce the Conversion Price by any amount for any period of time if the
period is (i) at least twenty (20) days, (ii) the reduction is irrevocable
during the period and (iii) the Board shall have made a determination that such
reduction would be in the best interests of the Company, which determination
shall be conclusive. Whenever the Conversion Price is reduced pursuant to the
preceding sentence, the Company shall give notice of the reduction to the
Holders of Notes at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date the reduced
Conversion Price takes effect, and such notice shall state the reduced
Conversion Price and the period during which it will be in effect.

                      (11) No adjustment of the Conversion Price will result in
zero or a negative number.

        Section 15.5 Notice of Adjustments of Conversion Price. Whenever the
Conversion Price is adjusted as herein provided:

                      (1) the Company shall compute the adjusted Conversion
               Price in accordance with Section 15.4 and shall prepare a
               certificate signed by the President, Treasurer or Chief Financial
               Officer of the Company setting forth the adjusted Conversion
               Price and showing in reasonable detail the facts upon which such
               adjustment is based, and such certificate shall promptly be filed
               with the Trustee; and

                      (2) a notice stating that the Conversion Price has been
               adjusted and setting forth the adjusted Conversion Price shall
               promptly be prepared and as soon as practicable thereafter, such
               notice shall be provided by the Company to all Holders.

The Trustee shall not be under any duty or responsibility with respect to any
such certificate or the information and calculations contained therein, except
to exhibit the same to any Holder of Notes desiring inspection thereof at its
office during normal business hours.

        Section 15.6  Notice of Certain Corporate Action.  In case:

               (a) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other
        distribution) on all or substantially all of its Common Stock payable
        (i) otherwise than exclusively in cash or (ii) exclusively in cash in an
        amount that would require any adjustment pursuant to Section 15.4; or

               (b) the Company shall authorize the granting to the holders of
        its Common Stock of rights, options or warrants to subscribe for or
        purchase any shares of capital



                                      -64-

<PAGE>   71
        stock of any class or of any other rights that would require any
        adjustment pursuant to Section 15.4; or

               (c) of any reclassification of the Common Stock of the Company
        (other than a subdivision or combination of its outstanding Common
        Stock), or of any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a
        party and for which approval of any stockholders of the Company is
        required, or of the sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the
        assets of the Company; or

               (d) of the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or
        winding up of the Company; or

               (e) the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company shall commence a
        tender offer for all or a portion of the Company's outstanding Common
        Stock (or shall amend any such tender offer);

then the Company shall cause to be filed at each office or agency maintained for
the purpose of conversion of Notes pursuant to Section 5.2, and shall cause to
be provided to all Holders, at least 20 days (or 10 days in any case specified
in clause (a) or (b) above) prior to the applicable record, expiration or
effective date hereinafter specified, a notice stating (x) the date on which a
record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, rights,
options or warrants, or, if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which
the holders of Common Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend,
distribution, rights, options or warrants are to be determined, (y) the date on
which the right to make tenders under such tender offer expires or (z) the date
on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, share exchange,
conveyance, transfer, sale, dissolution, liquidation or winding up is expected
to become effective, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of
shares of Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of
Common Stock for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, share exchange, conveyance, transfer,
sale, lease, dissolution, liquidation or winding up. If at the time the Trustee
shall not be the conversion agent, a copy of such notice and any notice referred
to in the following paragraph shall also forthwith be filed by the Company with
the Trustee.

        The preceding paragraph to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company
shall cause to be filed at each office or agency maintained for the purpose of
conversion of Notes pursuant to Section 5.2, and shall cause to be provided to
all Holders, notice of any tender offer by the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company for all or any portion of the Common Stock at or about the time that
such notice of tender offer is provided to the public generally (such notice to
be sent to all Holders within five days after receipt of such notice by the
Trustee from the Company).



                                      -65-

<PAGE>   72
        Section 15.7 Company to Provide Common Stock. The Company shall ensure
that the Company has, free from preemptive rights, out of its authorized but
unissued Common Stock, the full number of shares of Common Stock for the purpose
of effecting the conversion of Notes.

        Section 15.8 Taxes on Conversions. The Company will pay any and all
taxes and duties that may be payable in respect of the issue or delivery of
Common Stock on conversion of Notes pursuant hereto. The Company shall not,
however, be required to pay any tax or duty which may be payable in respect of
any transfer involved in the issue and delivery of Common Stock in a name other
than that of the Holder of the Note or Notes to be converted, and no such issue
or delivery shall be made unless and until the Person requesting such issue has
paid to the Company the amount of any such tax or duty, or has established to
the satisfaction of the Company that such tax or duty has been paid.

        Section 15.9 Company Covenants as to Common Stock. The Company covenants
that all Common Stock which may be delivered upon conversion of Notes, upon such
delivery, will have been duly authorized and validly issued and will be fully
paid and nonassessable and, except as provided in Section 15.8, the Company will
pay all taxes, liens and charges with respect to the issue thereof.

        Before taking any action which would cause an adjustment reducing the
Conversion Price below the then par value, if any, of the shares of Common Stock
issuable upon conversion of the Notes, the Company will take all corporate
action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the
Company may validly and legally issue shares of such Common Stock at such
adjusted Conversion Price.

        The Company covenants that if any shares of Common Stock to be provided
for the purpose of conversion of Notes hereunder require registration with or
approval of any governmental authority under any federal or state law before
such shares may be validly issued upon conversion, the Company will in good
faith and as expeditiously as possible endeavor to secure such registration or
approval, as the case may be.

        The Company further covenants that if at any time the Common Stock shall
be listed on the Nasdaq National Market or any other national securities
exchange or automated quotation system the Company will, if permitted by the
rules of such exchange or automated quotation system, list and keep listed, so
long as the Common Stock shall be so listed on such exchange or automated
quotation systems, all Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Notes;
provided, however, that if rules of such exchange or automated quotation system
permit the Company to defer the listing of such Common Stock until the first
conversion of the Notes into Common Stock in accordance with the provisions of
this Indenture, the Company covenants to list such Common Stock issuable upon
conversion of the Notes in accordance with the requirements of such exchange or
automated quotation system at such time.



                                      -66-

<PAGE>   73
        Section 15.10 Cancellation of Converted Notes. All Notes delivered for
conversion shall be delivered to the Trustee which shall dispose of the same as
provided in Section 2.8.

        Section 15.11 Effect of Reclassification, Consolidation, Merger or Sale.
If any of the following events occur, namely (i) any reclassification of Common
Stock (other than a subdivision or combination to which Section 15.4(3)
applies), (ii) any consolidation, merger or combination of the Company with
another corporation as a result of which holders of Common Stock shall be
entitled to receive stock, securities or other property or assets (including
cash) with respect to or in exchange for such Common Stock, or (iii) any sale or
conveyance of the properties and assets of the Company as, or substantially as,
an entirety to any other corporation as a result of which holders of Common
Stock shall be entitled to receive stock, other securities or other property or
assets (including cash) with respect to or in exchange for such Common Stock,
then the Company or the successor or purchasing corporation, as the case may be,
shall execute with the Trustee a supplemental indenture (which shall comply with
the Trust Indenture Act as in force at the date of execution of such
supplemental indenture) providing that such Note shall be convertible into the
kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities or property or assets
(including cash) that the holder of such Note would have owned or been entitled
to receive upon such reclassification, change, consolidation, merger,
combination, sale or conveyance by a holder of a number of shares of Common
Stock issuable upon conversion of such Notes (assuming, for such purposes, a
sufficient number of authorized shares of Common Stock available to convert all
such Notes) immediately prior to such reclassification, change, consolidation,
merger, combination, sale or conveyance assuming such holder of Common Stock is
(i) not a Person with which the Company consolidated or into which the Company
merged or which merged into the Company or to which such sale or transfer was
made, as the case may be (a "Constituent Person"), or an Affiliate of a
Constituent Person, and (ii) failed to exercise his rights of election, if any,
as to the kind or amount of securities, cash or other property receivable upon
such reclassification, change, consolidation, merger, combination, sale or
conveyance (provided that, if the kind or amount of securities, cash or other
property receivable upon such reclassification, change, consolidation, merger,
combination, sale or conveyance is not the same for each share of Common Stock
in respect of which such rights of election shall not have been exercised
("Non-electing Share")), then for the purposes of this Section 15.11 the kind
and amount of securities, cash or other property receivable upon such
reclassification, change, consolidation, merger, combination, sale or conveyance
for each Non-electing Share shall be deemed to be the kind and amount so
receivable per share by a plurality of the non-electing shares. Such
supplemental indenture shall provide for adjustments which, for events
subsequent to the effective date of such supplemental indenture, shall be as
nearly equivalent as may be practicable to the adjustments provided for in this
Article. The above provisions of this Section 12.11 shall similarly apply to
successive reclassifications, changes, consolidations, mergers, combinations,
sales or conveyances. Notice of the execution of such a supplemental indenture
shall be given by the Company to the Holder of each Note as provided in Section
1.6 promptly upon such execution.



                                      -67-

<PAGE>   74
        Neither the Trustee, any paying agent nor any conversion agent shall be
under any responsibility to determine the correctness of any provisions
contained in any such supplemental indenture relating either to the kind or
amount of shares of stock or other securities or property or cash receivable by
Holders of Notes upon the conversion of their Notes after any such
reclassification, change, consolidation, merger, combination, sale or conveyance
or to any such adjustment, but may accept as conclusive evidence of the
correctness of any such provisions, and shall be protected in relying upon, an
Opinion of Counsel with respect thereto, which the Company shall cause to be
furnished to the Trustee.


        Section 15.12 Responsibility of Trustee for Conversion Provisions. The
Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 8.1, shall not at any time be
under any duty or responsibility to any Holder of Notes to determine whether any
facts exist which may require any adjustment of the Conversion Price, or with
respect to the nature or extent of any such adjustment when made, or with
respect to the method employed, or herein or in any supplemental indenture
provided to be employed, in making the same, or whether a supplemental indenture
need be entered into. The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 8.1,
shall not be accountable with respect to the validity or value (or the kind or
amount) of any Common Stock, or of any other securities or property or cash,
which may at any time be issued or delivered upon the conversion of any Note;
and it or they do not make any representation with respect thereto. The Trustee,
subject to the provisions of Section 8.1, shall not be responsible for any
failure of the Company to make or calculate any cash payment or to issue,
transfer or deliver any Common Stock or share certificates or other securities
or property or cash upon the surrender of any Note for the purpose of
conversion; and the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 8.1, shall not
be responsible for any failure of the Company to comply with any of the
covenants of the Company contained in this Article. Unless and until a
Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received a notice of an adjustment
of the Conversion Price delivered pursuant to Section 15.5, the Trustee shall
not be deemed to have knowledge of any such adjustment and may assume without
inquiry that the last Conversion Price of which it has knowledge remains in
effect.


                                   ARTICLE XVI

                      REPURCHASE UPON A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE

        Section 16.1 Right to Require Repurchase. In the event that a
Fundamental Change (as hereinafter defined) shall occur, then each Holder shall
have the right, at the Holder's option, to require the Company to repurchase,
and upon the exercise of such right the Company shall repurchase, all of such
Holder's Notes, or any portion of the principal amount thereof that is equal to
U.S.$1,000 or any integral multiple thereof (provided that no single Note may be
repurchased in part unless the portion of the principal amount of such Note to
be Outstanding after such repurchase is equal to U.S.$1,000 or integral
multiples of U.S.$1,000 in excess thereof), on the date (the "Repurchase Date")
that is 45 days after the date of the Company



                                      -68-

<PAGE>   75
Notice (as defined in Section 16.2) at the following prices (expressed as
percentages of the principal amount thereof) (the "Repurchase Price") in the
event of a Fundamental Change occurring during the 12-month period beginning
March 1 of the years set forth below (plus interest accrued to, but excluding,
the Repurchase Date):


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Year                      Repurchase Price
- ----                      ----------------
<S>                       <C>
1998                              %
1999
2000
</TABLE>

and thereafter at the Redemption Price that would then be applicable as set
forth on the reverse of the form of Note for the years therein indicated,
attached hereto as Exhibit A; provided that if the Applicable Price with respect
to the Fundamental Change is less than the Reference Market Price, the Company
shall repurchase such Notes at a price equal to the foregoing Repurchase Price
multiplied by the fraction obtained by dividing the Applicable Price by the
Reference Market Price; and provided, further, that if the Repurchase Date is
March 1 or September 1, then the interest payable on the Repurchase Date shall
be paid to the holder or record of the Note on the immediately preceding Record
Date. Such right to require the repurchase of the Notes shall not continue after
a discharge of the Company from its obligations with respect to the Notes in
accordance with Article XIII, unless a Fundamental Change shall have occurred
prior to such discharge. Whenever in this Indenture there is a reference, in any
context, to the principal of any Note as of any time, such reference shall be
deemed to include reference to the Repurchase Price payable in respect of such
Note to the extent that such Repurchase Price is, was or would be so payable at
such time, and express mention of the Repurchase Price in any provision of this
Indenture shall not be construed as excluding the Repurchase Price in those
provisions of this Indenture when such express mention is not made.

        Section 16.2  Notices; Method of Exercising Repurchase Right, Etc.

               (a) Unless the Company shall have theretofore called for
redemption all of the outstanding Notes, on or before the 30th day after the
occurrence of a Fundamental Change, the Company or, at the request and expense
of the Company, the Trustee, shall give to all Holders of Notes, notice (the
"Company Notice") of the occurrence of the Fundamental Change and of the
repurchase right set forth herein arising as a result thereof. The Company shall
also deliver a copy of such notice of a repurchase right to the Trustee.

               Each notice of a repurchase right shall state:

                      (1) the Repurchase Date,

                      (2) the date by which the repurchase right must be
exercised,

                      (3) the Repurchase Price,




                                      -69-

<PAGE>   76
                      (4) a description of the procedure which a Holder must
follow to exercise a repurchase right, and the place or places where such Notes
are to be surrendered for payment of the Repurchase Price and accrued interest,
if any,

                      (5) that on the Repurchase Date the Repurchase Price, and
accrued interest, if any, will become due and payable upon each such Note
designated by the Holder to be repurchased, and that interest thereon shall
cease to accrue on and after said date, and

                      (6) the Conversion Price then in effect, the date on which
the right to convert the principal amount of the Notes to be repurchased will
terminate and the place or places where such Notes may be surrendered for
conversion.

        If any of the foregoing provisions or other provisions of this Article
are inconsistent with applicable law, such law shall govern.

               (b) To exercise a repurchase right, a Holder shall deliver to the
Trustee or any paying agent on or before the 30th day after the date of the
Company Notice (i) written notice of the Holder's exercise of such right, which
notice shall set forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of the Notes
to be repurchased (and, if any Note is to be repurchased in part, the serial
number thereof, the portion of the principal amount thereof to be repurchased
and the name of the Person in which the portion thereof to remain outstanding
after such repurchase is to be registered) and a statement that an election to
exercise the repurchase right is being made thereby, and (ii) the Notes with
respect to which the repurchase right is being exercised. Such written notice
shall be irrevocable, except that the right of the Holder to convert the Notes
with respect to which the repurchase right is being exercised shall continue
until the close of business on the Business Day prior to the Repurchase Date as
set forth in the immediate succeeding sentence. A Note for which a Holder has
delivered a repurchase notice exercising the option of such Holder to require
the Company to repurchase such Note may be converted only if such notice is
withdrawn by a written notice of withdrawal delivered by the Holder to the
Company prior to the close of business on the Business Day preceding the
Repurchase Date.

               (c) In the event a repurchase right shall be exercised in
accordance with the terms hereof, the Company shall pay or cause to be paid to
the Trustee or the paying agent the Repurchase Price in cash, as provided above,
for payment to the Holder on the Repurchase Date together with accrued and
unpaid interest to (but excluding) the Repurchase Date payable with respect to
the Notes as to which their purchase right has been exercised; provided,
however, that installments of interest that mature on to the Repurchase Date
shall be payable in cash, in the case of Notes, to the Holders of such Notes, or
one or more Predecessor Notes, registered as such at the close of business on
the relevant Regular Record Date.

               (d) If any Note (or portion thereof) surrendered for repurchase
shall not be so paid on the Repurchase Date, the principal amount of such Note
(or portion thereof, as the case may be) shall, until paid, bear interest to the
extent permitted by applicable law from the



                                      -70-

<PAGE>   77
Repurchase Date at the rate of _____% per annum, and each Note shall remain
convertible into Common Stock until the principal of such Note (or portion
thereof, as the case may be) shall have been paid or duly provided for.

               (e) Any Note which is to be repurchased only in part shall be
surrendered to the Trustee (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due
endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the
Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney
duly authorized in writing), and the Company shall execute, and the Trustee
shall authenticate and make available for delivery to the Holder of such Note
without service charge, a new Note or Notes, containing identical terms and
conditions, each in an authorized denomination in aggregate principal amount
equal to and in exchange for the unrepurchased portion of the principal of the
Note so surrendered.

               (f) All securities delivered for repurchase shall be delivered to
the Trustee, the paying agent or any other agents (as shall be set forth in the
Company Notice) to be canceled by or at the direction of the Trustee, which
shall dispose of the same as provided in Section 2.8.

        Section 16.3 Merger, Consolidation, etc. In the case of any merger,
consolidation, sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Company to which Section 15.11 applies, in which the Common Stock of the Company
is changed or exchanged as a result into the right to receive shares of stock
and other securities or property or assets (including cash) which includes
Common Stock of the Company or common stock of another Person that are, or upon
issuance will be, traded on a United States national securities exchange or
approved for trading on an established automated over-the-counter trading market
in the United States and such shares constitute at the time such change or
exchange becomes effective in excess of 50% of the aggregate fair market value
of such shares of stock and other securities, property and assets (including
cash) (as determined by the Company, which determination shall be conclusive and
binding), then the Company and the Person resulting from such merger or
consolidation or which acquires the properties or assets (including cash) of the
Company, as the case may be, shall execute and deliver to the Trustee a
supplemental indenture (which shall comply with the Trust Indenture Act as in
force at the date of execution of such supplemental indenture) modifying the
provisions of this Indenture relating to the right of Holders to cause the
Company to repurchase the Notes following a Fundamental Change, including,
without limitation, the applicable provisions of this Article XVI and the
definitions of the Common Stock and Fundamental Change, as appropriate, and such
other related definitions set forth herein, as determined in good faith by the
Company (which determination shall be conclusive and binding), to make such
provisions apply in the event of a subsequent Fundamental Change to the common
stock and the issuer thereof if different from the Company and the Common Stock
of the Company (in lieu of the Company and Common Stock of the Company).



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<PAGE>   78
                                  ARTICLE XVII

                            MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

        Section 17.1 Provisions Binding on Company's Successors. All the
covenants, stipulations, promises and agreements of the Company in this
Indenture contained shall bind its successors and assigns whether so expressed
or not.

        Section 17.2 Official Acts by Successor Corporation. Any act or
proceeding by any provision of this Indenture authorized or required to be done
or performed by any board, committee or officer of the Company shall and may be
done and performed with like force and effect by the like board, committee or
officer of any corporation that shall at the time be the lawful sole successor
of the Company.

        Section 17.3 Addresses for Notices, Etc. Any notice or demand which by
any provision of this Indenture is required or permitted to be given or served
by the Trustee or by the holders of Notes on the Company shall be deemed to have
been sufficiently given or made, for all purposes if given or served by being
sent by overnight courier, or deposited postage prepaid by registered or
certified mail in a post office letter box addressed (until another address is
filed by the Company with the Trustee) to HNC Software Inc., 5930 Cornerstone
Court West, San Diego, California, 92121, Attention: Raymond V. Thomas. Any
notice, direction, request or demand hereunder to or upon the Trustee shall be
deemed to have been sufficiently given or made, for all purposes, if given or
served by being sent by overnight courier, or deposited postage prepaid by
registered or certified mail in a post office letter box addressed to the
Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, which office is, at the date as of which
this Indenture is dated, located at 633 West 5th Street, 12th Floor, Los
Angeles, California 90071, Attention: Corporate Trust Division (HNC Software
Inc. __% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2003).

        The Trustee, by notice to the Company, may designate additional or
different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.

        Any notice or communication mailed to a Holder shall be mailed to him by
first class mail, postage prepaid, at his address as it appears on the Note
register and shall be sufficiently given to him if so mailed within the time
prescribed.

        In any case where notice to Holders of Notes is given by mail, neither
the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any
particular Holder of a Note shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with
respect to other Holders of Notes given as provided above. In case by reason of
the suspension of or irregularities in regular mail service or by reason of any
other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such
notification to Holders of Notes as shall be made with the approval of the
Trustee, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, shall constitute a
sufficient notification to such Holders for every purpose hereunder.



                                      -72-

<PAGE>   79
        Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may
be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either
before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such
notice. Waivers of notice by Holders of Notes shall be filed with the Trustee,
but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action
taken in reliance upon such waiver.

        Section 17.4 Governing Law. The laws of the State of New York shall
govern this Indenture and the Notes, without regard to the principles of
conflicts of laws.

        Section 17.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent;
Certificates to Trustee. Upon any application or demand by the Company to the
Trustee to take any action under any of the provisions of this Indenture, the
Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate stating that all
conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the
proposed action have been complied with, and an Opinion of Counsel, stating
that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been
complied with.

        Each certificate or opinion provided for in this Indenture and delivered
to the Trustee with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided
for in this Indenture shall include (1) a statement that the Person making such
certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition; (2) a brief
statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon
which the statement or opinion contained in such certificate or opinion is
based; (3) a statement that, in the opinion of such Person, he has made such
examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an
informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been
complied with; and (4) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such
Person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

        Section 17.6 Legal Holidays. In any case where the date of maturity of
interest on or principal of the Notes or the date fixed for redemption or
repurchase of any Note will not be a Business Day, then payment of such interest
on or principal of the Notes need not be made on such date, but may be made on
the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on
the date of maturity or the date fixed for redemption or repurchase, and no
interest shall accrue for the period from and after such date.

        Section 17.7 No Note Interest Created. Nothing in this Indenture or in
the Notes, expressed or implied, shall be construed to constitute a security
interest under the Uniform Commercial Code or similar legislation, as now or
hereafter enacted and in effect, in any jurisdiction.

        Section 17.8 Trust Indenture Act. If and to the extent that any
provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with another
provision included in this Indenture which is required to be included in this
Indenture by any of Section 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act,
such required provision shall control. If any provision of this Indenture
modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust Indenture Act that may be so
modified or excluded, the



                                      -73-

<PAGE>   80
latter provision shall be deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified or
excluded, as the case may be.

        Section 17.9 Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture or in the
Notes, expressed or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties
hereto, any paying agent, any authenticating agent, any Note registrar, any
conversion agent and their successors hereunder, the holders of Notes and the
holders of Senior Indebtedness, any benefit or any legal or equitable right,
remedy or claim under this Indenture.

        Section 17.10 Table of Contents, Headings, Etc. The table of contents
and the titles and headings of the articles and sections of this Indenture have
been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part
hereof, and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions
hereof.

        Section 17.11 Authenticating Agent. The Trustee may appoint an
authenticating agent which shall be authorized to act on its behalf and subject
to its direction in the authentication and delivery of Notes in connection with
the original issuance thereof and transfers and exchanges of Notes hereunder,
including under Sections 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 3.7, 15.2 and 16.2 as fully to all
intents and purposes as though the authenticating agent had been expressly
authorized by this Indenture and those Sections to authenticate and deliver
Notes. For all purposes of this Indenture, the authentication and delivery of
Notes by the authenticating agent shall be deemed to be authentication and
delivery of such Notes "by the Trustee" and a certificate of authentication
executed on behalf of the Trustee by an authenticating agent shall be deemed to
satisfy any requirement hereunder or in the Notes for the Trustee's certificate
of authentication. Such authenticating agent shall at all times be a Person
eligible to serve as trustee hereunder pursuant to Section 8.9.

        Any corporation into which any authenticating agent may be merged or
converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting
from any merger, consolidation or conversion to which any authenticating agent
shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate trust business
of any authenticating agent, shall be the successor of the authenticating agent
hereunder, if such successor corporation is otherwise eligible under this
Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the
part of the parties hereto or the authenticating agent or such successor
corporation.

        Any authenticating agent may at any time resign by giving written notice
of resignation to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at any time
terminate the agency of any authenticating agent by giving written notice of
termination to such authenticating agent and to the Company. Upon receiving such
a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time any
authenticating agent shall cease to be eligible under this Section, the Trustee
shall promptly appoint a successor authenticating agent (which may be the
Trustee), shall give written notice of such appointment to the Company and shall
mail notice of such appointment to all holders of Notes as the names and
addresses of such holders appear on the Note register.



                                      -74-

<PAGE>   81
        The Trustee agrees to pay to the authenticating agent from time to time
reasonable compensation for its services (to the extent pre-approved by the
Company in writing), and the Trustee shall be entitled to be reimbursed for such
pre-approved payments, subject to Section 8.6.

        The provisions of Sections 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 9.3 and this Section 17.11
shall be applicable to any authenticating agent.

        Section 17.12 Execution in Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed
in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but such
counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

        State Street Bank and Trust Company of California, N.A. hereby accepts
the trusts in this Indenture declared and provided, upon the terms and
conditions hereinabove set forth.



                                      -75-

<PAGE>   82
        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be
duly signed all as of the date first written above.


                                HNC SOFTWARE INC.


                                By:________________________________________

                                Title: ____________________________________



                                STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST
                                COMPANY OF CALIFORNIA, N.A.,
                                as Trustee


                                By:________________________________________

                                Title: ____________________________________



                                      -76-

<PAGE>   83
                            EXHIBIT A - FORM OF NOTE


                             [FORM OF FACE OF NOTE]



No.___________                                                   $______________
                                                           CUSIP: ______________

                                HNC SOFTWARE INC.

                   ___% Convertible Subordinated Note Due 2003

        HNC SOFTWARE INC., a corporation duly organized and validly existing
under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called the "Company", which term
includes any successor corporation under the Indenture referred to on the
reverse hereof), for value received hereby promises to pay to
_____________________, or registered assigns, the principal sum of______________
______________________________ Dollars on March 1, 2003, and to pay interest on
said principal sum semiannually on March 1 and September 1 of each year,
commencing September 1, 1998, at the rate per annum specified in the title of
this Note, accrued from the March 1 or September 1, as the case may be, next
preceding the date of this Note to which interest has been paid or duly provided
for, unless the date of this Note is a date to which interest has been paid or
duly provided for, in which case interest shall accrue from the date of this
Note, or unless no interest has been paid or duly provided for on this Note, in
which case interest shall accrue from March ___, 1998, until payment of said
principal sum has been made or duly provided for. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
if the date hereof is after any February 15 or August 15, as the case may be,
and before the following March 1 or September 1, this Note shall bear interest
from such March 1 or September 1, respectively; provided, however, that if the
Company shall default in the payment of interest due on such March 1 or
September 1, then this Note shall bear interest from the next preceding March 1
or September 1 to which interest has been paid or duly provided for or, if no
interest has been paid or duly provided for on this Note, from March __, 1998.
The interest so payable on any March 1 or September 1 will be paid to the Person
in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Notes) is registered at the
close of business on the record date, which shall be the February 15 or August
15 (whether or not a Business Day) next preceding such March 1 or September 1,
respectively; provided that any such interest not punctually paid or duly
provided for shall be payable as provided in the Indenture. Payment of the
principal of and interest accrued on this Note shall be made at the office or
agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in the Borough of Manhattan,
The City of New York, or, at the option of the holder of this Note, at the
Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, in such coin or currency of the United
States of America as at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the
payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that at the option of
the Company, payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the registered
address of



                                       A-1

<PAGE>   84
the Person entitled thereto; provided that, with respect to any Holder of Notes
with an aggregate principal amount equal to or in excess of $1,000,000, at the
request of such Holder in writing, interest on such Holder's Notes shall be paid
by wire transfer in immediately available funds in accordance with the wire
transfer instruction supplied by such Holder to the Trustee and paying agent (if
different from the Trustee).

        Reference is made to the further provisions of this Note set forth on
the reverse hereof, including, without limitation, provisions subordinating the
payment of principal of and premium, if any, and interest on this Note to the
prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness as defined in the Indenture and
provisions giving the holder of this Note the right to convert this Note into
Common Stock of the Company on the terms and subject to the limitations referred
to on the reverse hereof and as more fully specified in the Indenture. Such
further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as though fully
set forth at this place.

        This Note shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the
State of New York, and for all purposes shall be construed in accordance with
and governed by the laws of said State.

        This Note shall not be valid or become obligatory for any purpose until
the certificate of authentication hereon shall have been manually signed by the
Trustee or a duly authorized authenticating agent under the Indenture.

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Note to be duly executed
under its corporate seal.

                                HNC SOFTWARE INC.


Dated:____________________
                                By:________________________________________

                                Title: ____________________________________


                                Attest:


                                ____________________________________________
                                Secretary



                                       A-2

<PAGE>   85
                     [FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION]

                     TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION


        This is one of the Notes described in the within-named Indenture.


                             STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
                             OF CALIFORNIA, N.A., as Trustee



                             By:_____________________________________________
                                Authorized Signatory

                             [By:____________________________________________
                                 As Authentication Agent (if different 
                                 from Trustee)]

                            [FORM OF REVERSE OF NOTE]

                                HNC SOFTWARE INC.

                   [ %] Convertible Subordinated Note Due 2003


        This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Notes of the Company,
designated as its [___%] Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2003 (herein called
the "Notes"), limited to the aggregate principal amount of $100,000,000 all
issued or to be issued under and pursuant to an Indenture dated as of March 1,
1998 (herein called the "Indenture"), between the Company and State Street Bank
and Trust Company of California, N.A. (herein called the "Trustee"), to which
Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a
description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and
immunities thereunder of the Trustee, the Company and the holders of the Notes.

        In case an Event of Default, as defined in the Indenture, shall have
occurred and be continuing, the principal of and accrued interest on all Notes
may be declared, and upon said declaration shall become, due and payable in the
manner, with the effect and subject to the conditions provided in the Indenture.

        The Indenture contains provisions permitting the Company and the
Trustee, with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority of the
aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding, evidenced as in
the Indenture provided, to execute supplemental



                                       A-3

<PAGE>   86
indentures adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any
of the provisions of the Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or modifying
in any manner the rights of the holders of the Notes; provided, however, that no
such supplemental indenture shall (i) extend the fixed maturity of any Note, or
reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of interest thereon, or reduce the
principal amount thereof or premium, if any, thereon, or reduce any amount
payable on redemption or repurchase thereof, impair or change in any respect
adverse to the Holders of Notes the obligation of the Company to make an offer
to repurchase Notes and repurchase Notes in accordance with such offer upon the
happening of a Fundamental Change (as defined in the Indenture), or impair or
adversely affect the right of any Holder to institute suit for the payment
thereof, or make the principal thereof or interest or premium, if any, thereon
payable in any coin or currency other than that provided in the Notes, or impair
or change in any respect adverse to the Holders of the Notes the right to
convert the Notes into Common Stock subject to the terms set forth in the
Indenture, including Section 15.11 thereof, or modify the provisions of the
Indenture with respect to the subordination of the Notes in a manner adverse to
the Holders, without the consent of the holder of each Note so affected or (ii)
reduce the aforesaid percentage of Notes, the holders of which are required to
consent to any such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the holders
of all Notes then outstanding. It is also provided in the Indenture that the
holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time
outstanding may on behalf of the holders of all of the Notes waive any past
default or Event of Default under the Indenture and its consequences except a
default in the payment of interest or any premium on or the principal of any of
the Notes, a default in the payment of Redemption Price pursuant to Article III
or Repurchase Price pursuant to Article XVI or a failure by the Company to
convert any Notes into Common Stock of the Company. Any such consent or waiver
by the holder of this Note (unless revoked as provided in the Indenture) shall
be conclusive and binding upon such holder and upon all future holders and
owners of this Note and any Notes which may be issued in exchange or
substitution hereof, irrespective of whether or not any notation thereof is made
upon this Note or such other Notes.

        The indebtedness evidenced by the Notes is, to the extent and in the
manner provided in the Indenture, expressly subordinate and subject in right of
payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness of the Company,
as defined in the Indenture, whether outstanding at the date of the Indenture or
thereafter incurred, and this Note is issued subject to the provisions of the
Indenture with respect to such subordination. Each holder of this Note, by
accepting the same, agrees to and shall be bound by such provisions and
authorizes the Trustee on his behalf to take such action as may be necessary or
appropriate to effectuate the subordination so provided and appoints the Trustee
his attorney in fact for such purpose.

        No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or of
the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is
absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and any premium and interest
on this Note at the place, at the respective times, at the rate and in the coin
or currency herein prescribed.



                                       A-4

<PAGE>   87
        Interest on the Notes shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year
comprised of twelve 30-day months.

        The Notes are issuable in registered form without coupons in
denominations of $1,000 principal amount and integral multiples thereof. At the
office or agency of the Company referred to on the face hereof, and in the
manner and subject to the limitations provided in the Indenture, without payment
of any service charge but with payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or
other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any
registration or exchange of Notes, Notes may be exchanged for a like aggregate
principal amount of Notes of other authorized denominations.

        The Notes will not be redeemable at the option of the Company prior to
March 6, 2001. On or after such date and prior to maturity the Notes may be
redeemed at the option of the Company as a whole, or from time to time in part,
upon mailing a notice of such redemption not less than 20 nor more than 60 days
before the Redemption Date to the holders of Notes at their last registered
addresses, all as provided in the Indenture, at the following Redemption Prices
(expressed as percentages of the principal amount), together in each case with
accrued interest to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption.

        If redeemed during the 12-month period beginning March 1, 2001
(beginning March 6, 2001 and ending February 28, 2002, in the case of the first
such period):


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Year                       Percentage
- ----                       ----------
<S>                        <C>
2001                            %
2002
</TABLE>

and 100% at March 1, 2003; provided that any semi-annual payment of interest
becoming due on the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of record on
the Regular Record Date of the Notes being redeemed. The Notes are not subject
to redemption through the operation of any sinking fund.

        Upon the occurrence of a Fundamental Change, as defined in the
Indenture, prior to March 1, 2003, the Holder has the right, at such holder's
option, to require the Company to repurchase this Note or any portion of the
principal amount hereof that is an integral multiple of $1,000 on the date (the
"Repurchase Date") that is 45 days after the date of the Company Notice (as
defined in the Indenture) at a price (the "Repurchase Price") (expressed as a
percentage of the principal amount) equal to (i) ___% if the Repurchase Date is
during the 12-month period beginning March 1, 1998, (ii) ___% if the Repurchase
Date is during the 12-month period beginning March 1, 1999, (iii) ___% if the
Repurchase Date is during the 12-month period beginning March 1, 2000 and (iv)
thereafter at the redemption price set forth in the preceding paragraph which
would be applicable to a redemption at the option of the Company on the
Repurchase Date; provided that, if the Applicable Price (as defined in the
Indenture) is less than 



                                       A-5

<PAGE>   88
the Reference Market Price (as defined in the Indenture), the Company shall
repurchase such Notes at a price equal to the foregoing redemption price
multiplied by the fraction obtained by dividing the Applicable Price by the
Reference Market Price. In each case, the Company shall also pay accrued
interest on the repurchased Notes to, but excluding, the Repurchase Date,
provided, however, that if the Repurchase Date is March 1 or September 1, then
the interest payable on the Repurchase Date shall be paid to the holder of
record of the Note on the immediately preceding Record Date. The Company shall
mail to all holders of record of the Notes a notice of the occurrence of a
Fundamental Change and of the repurchase right arising as a result thereof on or
before 30 calendar days after the occurrence of such Fundamental Change.

        Subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the holder hereof has the
right, at its option, at any time after issuance of the Notes and prior to the
close of business on March 1, 2003, or, as to all or any portion hereof called
for redemption, prior to the close of business on the Business Day next
preceding the date fixed for redemption (unless the Company shall default in
payment due upon redemption), to convert the principal hereof or any portion of
such principal which is $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof, into that number
of fully paid and non-assessable shares of the Company's Common Stock, as said
shares shall be constituted at the date of conversion, obtained by dividing the
principal amount of this Note or portion thereof to be converted by the
conversion price of $ as such conversion price is adjusted from time to time as
provided in the Indenture, upon surrender of this Note, together with a
conversion notice as provided in the Indenture and this Note, to the Company at
the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in the Borough
of Manhattan, The City of New York, or at the option of such holder, the
Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and, unless the shares issuable on
conversion are to be issued in the same name as this Note, duly endorsed by, or
accompanied by instruments of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company duly
executed by, the holder or by his duly authorized attorney. No adjustment in
respect of interest or dividends will be made upon any conversion; provided,
however, that if this Note shall be surrendered for conversion during the period
from the close of business on any Regular Record Date for the payment of
interest through the close of business on the Business Day prior to the next
succeeding interest payment date, this Note (unless it or the portion thereof
being converted shall have been called for redemption pursuant to a notice of
redemption mailed to the Holders in accordance with the Indenture) must be
accompanied by an amount, in funds acceptable to the Company, equal to the
interest otherwise payable on such interest payment date on the principal amount
being converted. No fractional shares of Common Stock will be issued upon any
conversion, but an adjustment in cash will be paid to the holder, as provided in
the Indenture, in respect of any fraction of a share which would otherwise be
issuable upon the surrender of any Note or Notes for conversion.

        Any Notes called for redemption, unless surrendered for conversion on or
before the close of business on the last Business Day prior to the Redemption
Date, may be deemed to be purchased from the holder of such Notes at an amount
equal to the applicable Redemption Price, together with accrued interest to (but
excluding) the Redemption Date, by one or more investment bankers or other
purchasers who may agree with the Company to purchase such 



                                       A-6

<PAGE>   89

Notes from the holders thereof and convert them into Common Stock of the Company
and to make payment for such Notes as aforesaid to the Trustee in trust for such
holders.

        Upon due presentment for registration of transfer of this Note at the
office or agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New
York, or at the option of the holder of this Note, at the Corporate Trust Office
of the Trustee, a new Note or Notes of authorized denominations for an equal
aggregate principal amount will be issued to the transferee in exchange thereof,
subject to the limitations provided in the Indenture, without charge except for
any tax or other governmental charge imposed in connection therewith.

        The Company, the Trustee, any authenticating agent, any paying agent,
any conversion agent and any Note registrar may deem and treat the registered
holder hereof as the absolute owner of this Note (whether or not this Note shall
be overdue and notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing
hereon), for the purpose of receiving payment hereof, or on account hereof, for
the conversion hereof and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor
the Trustee nor any other authenticating agent nor any paying agent nor any
other conversion agent nor any Note registrar shall be affected by any notice to
the contrary. All payments made to or upon the order of such registered holder
shall, to the extent of the sum or sums paid, satisfy and discharge liability
for monies payable on this Note.

        No recourse for the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or
interest on this Note, or for any claim based hereon or otherwise in respect
hereof, and no recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of
the Company in the Indenture or any indenture supplemental thereto or in any
Note, or because of the creation of any indebtedness represented thereby, shall
be had against any incorporator, stockholder, employee, agent, officer, director
or Subsidiary, as defined in the Indenture, as such, past, present or future, of
the Company or of any successor corporation, either directly or through the
Company or any successor corporation, whether by virtue of any constitution,
statute or rule of law or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or
otherwise, all such liability being, by the acceptance hereof and as part of the
consideration for the issue hereof, expressly waived and released.

        Terms used in this Note and defined in the Indenture are used herein as
therein defined.



                                       A-7

<PAGE>   90
                                  ABBREVIATIONS


        The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription of the face of
this Note, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according
to applicable laws or regulations:

TEN COM -  as tenants in common        UNIF GIFT MIN ACT -

TEN ENT -  as tenants by the           _________________ Custodian
           entireties                             (Cust)

JT TEN  -  as joint tenants with       _________________ under
           right of survivorship                  (Minor)
           and not as tenants in
           common
                                       Uniform Gifts to
                                       Minors Act_________________
                                                           (State)

              Additional abbreviations may also be used though not
                               in the above list.



                                       A-8

<PAGE>   91
                           [FORM OF CONVERSION NOTICE]

                                CONVERSION NOTICE


To:     HNC SOFTWARE INC.

        The undersigned registered owner of this Note hereby irrevocably
exercises the option to convert this Note, or the portion hereof (which is
$1,000 principal amount or an integral multiple thereof) below designated, into
shares of Common Stock in accordance with the terms of the Indenture referred to
in this Note, and directs that the shares issuable and deliverable upon such
conversion, together with any check in payment for fractional shares and any
Notes representing any unconverted principal amount hereof, be issued and
delivered to the registered holder hereof unless a different name has been
indicated below. If shares or any portion of this Note not converted are to be
issued in the name of a Person other than the undersigned, the undersigned will
pay all transfer taxes payable with respect thereto. Any amount required to be
paid to the undersigned on account of interest accompanies this Note.

Dated:_________________



                                            ___________________________________

                                            ___________________________________
                                            Signature(s)


Signature(s) must be guaranteed by an eligible Guarantor Institution (banks,
stock brokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions) with membership
in an approved signature guarantee medallion program pursuant to Securities and
Exchange Commission Rule 17Ad-15 if shares of Common Stock are to be issued, or
Notes are to be delivered, other than to and in the name of the registered
holder.



________________________________
Signature Guarantee


                                       A-9

<PAGE>   92
Fill in for registration of shares if to be issued, and Notes if to be
delivered, other than to and in the name of the registered holder:




________________________________
(Name)


________________________________
(Street Address)


________________________________
(City, State and Zip Code)

Please print name and address


                                       Principal amount to be converted
                                       (if less than all): $_____,000


                                       ______________________________________
                                       Social Security or Other
                                       Taxpayer Identification Number


                                      A-10

<PAGE>   93
                       [FORM OF OPTION TO ELECT REPURCHASE
                           UPON A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE]

To:     HNC Software Inc.

        The undersigned registered owner of this Note hereby acknowledges
receipt of a notice from HNC Software Inc. (the "Company") as to the occurrence
of a Fundamental Change with respect to the Company and requests and instructs
the Company to repay the entire principal amount of this Note, or the portion
thereof (which is $1,000 principal amount or an integral multiple thereof) below
designated, in accordance with the terms of the Indenture referred to in this
Note, together with accrued interest to such date, to the registered holder
hereof.

Dated:______________________





                                            __________________________________

                                            __________________________________
                                            Signature(s)



                                            __________________________________
                                            Social Security or Other
                                            Taxpayer Identification Number



                                            Principal amount to be repaid
                                            (if less than all): $_____,000

 
                                            NOTICE: The above signatures of the
                                            holder(s) hereof must correspond
                                            with the name as written upon the
                                            face of the Note in every particular
                                            without alteration or enlargement or
                                            any change whatever.



                                      A-11

<PAGE>   94
                              [FORM OF ASSIGNMENT]


        For value received __________________________ hereby sell(s), assign(s)
and transfer(s) unto ________________________________ (Please insert social
security or other identifying number of assignee) the within Note, and hereby
irrevocably constitutes and appoints___________________________________________
attorney to transfer the said Note on the books of the Company, with full power
of substitution in the premises.

Dated:_______________________



______________________________
Signature(s)

Signature(s) must be guaranteed by an eligible Guarantor Institution (banks,
stock brokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions) with membership
in an approved signature guarantee medallion program pursuant to Securities and
Exchange Commission Rule 17Ad-15


_______________________________
Signature Guarantee

NOTICE: The signature on the conversion notice, the option to elect repurchase
upon a Fundamental Change or the assignment must correspond with the name as
written upon the face of the Note in every particular without alteration or
enlargement or any change whatever.



                                      A-12


<PAGE>   1
                                                                    EXHIBIT 5.01


                                February 26, 1998


HNC Software Inc.
5930 Cornerstone Court West
San Diego, California 92121

Gentlemen/Ladies:

      At your request, we have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-3
(File Number 333-46419) (the "Registration Statement") filed by you with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on  February 17,
1998 in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, of (a) up to $100,000,000 aggregate principal amount of your ___%
Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2003 (the "Notes") and (b) the shares of
Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share (the "New Shares") issuable upon
conversion of the Notes. The Notes are to be issued under an Indenture between
you and the First National Bank of Boston as trustee (the "Indenture"). The
Notes are to be sold to the underwriters named in the Registration Statement for
resale to the public.

      In rendering this opinion, we have examined the following:

      (1)   your Registration Statement, together with the Exhibits filed as a
            part thereof;

      (2)   the Prospectuses prepared in connection with the Registration
            Statement;

      (3)   the Indenture between you and the First National Bank of Boston as
            trustee;

      (4)   the Opinion Letter of Winthrop, Stimson, Putnam & Roberts dated
            February 26, 1998;

      (5)   the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors held on 
            February 13, 1998 and February 25, 1998;

      (6)   a Management Certificate addressed to us and dated of even date
            herewith executed by the Company containing certain factual and
            other representations;

      (7)   a list of the Company's stockholders, dated December 16, 1997,
            issued by the Company's transfer agent, Boston EquiServe Limited
            Partnership, and a list of outstanding options, warrants,
            convertible securities and other rights to purchase the Company's
            securities; and
<PAGE>   2
HNC Software Inc.
February 26, 1998
Page 2


      (8)   your registration statement on Form 8-A (File Number 0-26146) filed
            with the Commission on May 26, 1995, together with the order of
            effectiveness issued by the Commission therefor on June 20, 1995.

      In our examination of documents for purposes of this opinion, we have
assumed, and express no opinion as to, the genuineness of all signatures on
original documents, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as
originals, the conformity to originals of all documents submitted to us as
copies, the legal capacity of all natural persons executing the same, the lack
of any undisclosed terminations, modifications, waivers or amendments to any
documents reviewed by us and the due execution and delivery of all documents
where due execution and delivery are prerequisites to the effectiveness thereof.
We have confirmed the continued effectiveness of the Company's registration
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, by a telephone call to
the offices of the Commission.

      As to matters of fact relevant to this opinion, we have relied solely upon
our examination of the documents referred to above and have assumed the current
accuracy and completeness of the information referred to above. We have made no
independent investigation or other attempt to verify the accuracy of any of such
information or to determine the existence or non-existence of any other factual
matters; however, we are not aware of any facts that would lead us to believe
that the opinion expressed herein is not accurate.

      We are admitted to practice law in the State of California. Except for the
matters referred to in the last sentence of this paragraph, the opinions
expressed herein are limited to the existing laws of the State of California and
the Delaware General Corporation Law. In rendering the opinions expressed herein
relating to matters governed by the laws of the State of New York, we have
relied solely on the opinion of Winthrop, Stimson, Putnam & Roberts described
above.

      Based upon the foregoing, it is our opinion that (a) up to $100,000,000
aggregate principal amount of the Notes that may be issued and sold by you, when
issued and sold in the manner referred to in the Registration Statement and the
Indenture, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and will be
binding obligations of HNC Software Inc. and (b) the New Shares issued upon
conversion of the Notes in the manner referred to in the Registration Statement,
the Notes and the Indenture will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.

      We consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement and further consent to all references to us, if any, in the
Registration Statement, the Prospectuses constituting a part thereof and any
amendments thereto.

<PAGE>   3
HNC Software Inc.
February 26, 1998
Page 3


      This opinion speaks only as of its date and is intended solely for 
your use as an exhibit to the Registration Statement for the purpose of the
above sale of the Notes and is not to be relied upon for any other purpose.

                                    Very truly yours,


                                    FENWICK & WEST LLP


                                    

<PAGE>   1
                                                                    EXHIBIT 5.02


                                February 26, 1998


HNC Software Inc.
5930 Cornerstone Court West
San Diego, California 92121

Gentlemen/Ladies:

      At your request, we have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-3
(File Number 333-46419) (the "Registration Statement") filed by you with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on February 17, 1998 in
connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
of an aggregate of 2,415,000 shares of your Common Stock (the "Stock"),
2,395,000 of which are presently issued and outstanding and will be sold by
certain selling stockholders (the "Selling Stockholders").

      In rendering this opinion, we have examined the following:

      (1)   your Registration Statement together with the Exhibits filed as a
            part thereof;

      (2)   the Prospectuses prepared in connection with the Registration
            Statement;

      (3)   your registration statement on Form 8-A (File Number 0-26146) filed
            with the Commission on May 26, 1995, together with the order of
            effectiveness issued by the Commission therefor on June 20, 1995;

      (4)   the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors held on
            February 13, 1998 and February 25, 1998;

      (5)   a Management Certificate addressed to us and dated of even date
            herewith executed by the Company containing certain factual and
            other representations;

      (6)   a list of the Company's stockholders, dated December 16, 1997,
            issued by the Company's transfer agent, Boston EquiServe Limited
            Partnership, and a list of outstanding options, warrants,
            convertible securities and other rights to purchase the Company's
            securities; and

      (7)   the Custody Agreement, Transmittal Letter and Powers of Attorney
            signed by the Selling Stockholders in connection with the sale of
            Stock described in the Registration Statement.
<PAGE>   2
HNC Software Inc.
February 26, 1998
Page 2


      In our examination of documents for purposes of this opinion, we have
assumed, and express no opinion as to, the genuineness of all signatures on
original documents, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as
originals, the conformity to originals of all documents submitted to us as
copies, the legal capacity of all natural persons executing the same, the lack
of any undisclosed terminations, modifications, waivers or amendments to any
documents reviewed by us and the due execution and delivery of all documents
where due execution and delivery are prerequisites to the effectiveness thereof.
We have confirmed the continued effectiveness of the Company's registration
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, by a telephone call to
the offices of the Commission.

      As to matters of fact relevant to this opinion, we have relied solely upon
our examination of the documents referred to above and have assumed the current
accuracy and completeness of the information referred to above. We have made no
independent investigation or other attempt to verify the accuracy of any of such
information or to determine the existence or non-existence of any other factual
matters; however, we are not aware of any facts that would lead us to believe
that the opinion expressed herein is not accurate.

      Based upon the foregoing, it is our opinion that the up to 2,395,000
shares of Stock to be sold by the Selling Stockholders pursuant to the
Registration Statement are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and that
the 20,000 shares of Stock to be issued and sold by you, when issued and sold in
accordance in the manner referred to in the relevant Prospectus associated with
the Registration Statement, will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.

      We consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement and further consent to all references to us, if any, in the
Registration Statement, the Prospectuses constituting a part thereof and any
amendments thereto.

      This opinion speaks only as of its date and is intended solely for 
your use as an exhibit to the Registration Statement for the purpose of the
above sale of the Stock and is not to be relied upon for any other purpose.

                                    Very truly yours,


                                    FENWICK & WEST LLP

                                    

<PAGE>   1
 
                                                                   EXHIBIT 23.01
 
                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
 
   
We hereby consent to the use in the Prospectuses constituting part of this
Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated January 29, 1998, except
as to Note 11 which is as of February 13, 1998, relating to the financial
statements of HNC Software Inc., which appears in such Prospectuses. We also
consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectuses constituting part
of this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated January 29, 1998,
except as to Note 11 which is as of February 13, 1998, appearing on page 36 of
HNC Software Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended, for the year ended
December 31, 1997. We also consent to the incorporation by reference of our
report on the Financial Statement Schedule, which appears on page 62 of such
Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended. We also consent to the references to us
under the headings "Experts" and "Selected Consolidated Financial Data" in such
Prospectuses. However, it should be noted that Price Waterhouse LLP has not
prepared or certified such "Selected Consolidated Financial Data."
    
 
PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP
 
San Diego, California
   
February 25, 1998
    

<PAGE>   1
                                                                   EXHIBIT 25.01


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM T-1
                                    ---------

                       STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY UNDER THE
                        TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A
                    CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

                Check if an Application to Determine Eligibility
                   of a Trustee Pursuant to Section 305(b)(2)


             STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY OF CALIFORNIA, N.A.
               (Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

               United States                                  06-1143380
     (Jurisdiction of incorporation or                     (I.R.S. Employer
 organization if not a U.S. national bank)               Identification No.)

         633 West 5th Street, 12th Floor, Los Angeles, California 90071
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

           Lynda A. Vogel, Senior Vice President and Managing Director
         633 West 5th Street, 12th Floor, Los Angeles, California 90071
                                 (213) 362-7399
            (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)


                               HNC SOFTWARE, INC.
               (Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

                  Delaware                                    33-0248788
      (State or other jurisdiction of                      (I.R.S. Employer
       incorporation or organization)                    Identification No.)

                           5850 Cornerstone Court West
                           San Diego, California 93121
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

                         Convertible Subordinated Notes

                    % Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2003
          (proposed maximum aggregate offering price of $100,000,000)

<PAGE>   2
                                     GENERAL

ITEM 1. GENERAL INFORMATION.

        FURNISH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS TO THE TRUSTEE:

        (A) NAME AND ADDRESS OF EACH EXAMINING OR SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY TO WHICH
IT IS SUBJECT.

               Comptroller of the Currency, Western District Office, 50 Fremont
        Street, Suite 3900, San Francisco, California, 94105-2292

        (B)    WHETHER IT IS AUTHORIZED TO EXERCISE CORPORATE TRUST POWERS.
               Trustee is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

ITEM 2. AFFILIATIONS WITH OBLIGOR.

        IF THE OBLIGOR IS AN AFFILIATE OF THE TRUSTEE, DESCRIBE EACH SUCH
AFFILIATION.

               The obligor is not an affiliate of the trustee or of its parent,
State Street Bank and Trust Company.

               (See note on page 2.)

ITEM 3. THROUGH ITEM 15.     NOT APPLICABLE.

ITEM 16. LIST OF EXHIBITS.

        LIST BELOW ALL EXHIBITS FILED AS PART OF THIS STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY.

        1. A COPY OF THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF THE TRUSTEE AS NOW IN
        EFFECT.

               A copy of the Articles of Association of the trustee, as now in
        effect, is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission as
        Exhibits with corresponding exhibit numbers to the Form T-1of Oasis
        Residential, Inc., filed pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) of the Act, on
        November 18, 1996 (Registration No. 033-90488), and are incorporated
        herein by reference.

        2. A COPY OF THE CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORITY OF THE TRUSTEE TO COMMENCE
        BUSINESS, IF NOT CONTAINED IN THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION.

               A Certificate of Corporate Existence (with fiduciary powers) from
        the Comptroller of the Currency, Administrator of National Banks is on
        file with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibits with
        corresponding exhibit numbers to the Form T-1 of Oasis Residential,
        Inc., filed pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) of the Act, on November 18,
        1996 (Registration No. 033-90488), and are incorporated herein by
        reference.

        3. A COPY OF THE AUTHORIZATION OF THE TRUSTEE TO EXERCISE CORPORATE
        TRUST POWERS, IF SUCH AUTHORIZATION IS NOT CONTAINED IN THE DOCUMENTS
        SPECIFIED IN PARAGRAPH (1) OR (2), ABOVE.

               Authorization of the Trustee to exercise fiduciary powers
        (included in Exhibits 1 and 2; no separate instrument).

        4. A COPY OF THE EXISTING BY-LAWS OF THE TRUSTEE, OR INSTRUMENTS
        CORRESPONDING THERETO.

               A copy of the by-laws of the trustee, as now in effect, is on
        file with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibits with
        corresponding exhibit numbers to the Form T-1 of Oasis Residential,
        Inc., filed pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) of the Act, on November 18,
        1996 (Registration No. 033-90488), and are incorporated herein by
        reference.



                                       1
<PAGE>   3
        5. A COPY OF EACH INDENTURE REFERRED TO IN ITEM 4. IF THE OBLIGOR IS IN
        DEFAULT.

               Not applicable.

        6. THE CONSENTS OF UNITED STATES INSTITUTIONAL TRUSTEES REQUIRED BY
        SECTION 321(B) OF THE ACT.

                The consent of the trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act
                is annexed hereto as Exhibit 6 and made a part hereof.

        7. A COPY OF THE LATEST REPORT OF CONDITION OF THE TRUSTEE PUBLISHED
        PURSUANT TO LAW OR THE REQUIREMENTS OF ITS SUPERVISING OR EXAMINING
        AUTHORITY.

               A copy of the latest report of condition of the trustee published
        pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining
        authority is annexed hereto as Exhibit 7 and made a part hereof.


                                      NOTES

        In answering any item of this Statement of Eligibility which relates to
matters peculiarly within the knowledge of the obligor or any underwriter for
the obligor, the trustee has relied upon information furnished to it by the
obligor and the underwriters, and the trustee disclaims responsibility for the
accuracy or completeness of such information.

        The answer furnished to Item 2. of this statement will be amended, if
necessary, to reflect any facts which differ from those stated and which would
have been required to be stated if known at the date hereof.



                                    SIGNATURE


        Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended, the trustee, State Street Bank and Trust Company of California, N.A.,
organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, has duly
caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of Los Angeles, and
State of California, on the February 25, 1998.

                                       STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
                                       OF CALIFORNIA, N.A.

                                       By: /s/ JEANIE MAR
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          NAME:  JEANIE MAR
                                          TITLE: ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT


<PAGE>   4
                                    EXHIBIT 6


                             CONSENT OF THE TRUSTEE

        Pursuant to the requirements of Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture
Act of 1939, as amended, in connection with the proposed issuance by HNC
Software, Inc. of its     % Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2003, we hereby
consent that reports of examination by Federal, State, Territorial or District
authorities may be furnished by such authorities to the Securities and Exchange
Commission upon request therefor.

                                       STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
                                       OF CALIFORNIA, N.A.


                                       By: /s/ JEANIE MAR
                                          -----------------------------------
                                          NAME:  JEANIE MAR
                                          TITLE: ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT

DATED:  February 25, 1998

<PAGE>   5
                                    EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition and Income for A Bank With Domestic Offices
Only and Total Assess of Less Than $100 Million of State Street Bank and Trust
Company of California, a national banking association duly organized and
existing under and by virtue of the laws of the United States of America, at the
close of business December 31, 1997, published in accordance with a call made by
the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation pursuant to the required law: 12
U.S.C. Section 324 (State member banks); 12 U.S.C. Section 1817 (State nonmember
banks); and 12 U.S.C. Section 161 (National banks).


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                Thousands
                                                                                of Dollars 
<S>                                                                        <C>  <C>
ASSETS 
        Cash and balances due from depository institutions:
        Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin.....................   5,580
        Interest-bearing balances .............................................       0
Securities ....................................................................      38
Federal funds sold and securities purchased
        under agreements to resell in domestic offices
        of the bank and its Edge subsidiary ...................................       0

Loans and lease financing receivables:
        Loans and leases, net of unearned income ........................  0
        Allowance for loan and lease losses .............................  0
        Allocated transfer risk reserve..................................  0
        Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowances ...............       0
Assets held in trading accounts ...............................................       0
Premises and fixed assets .....................................................     276
Other real estate owned .......................................................       0
Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries ....................................       0
Customers' liability to this bank on acceptances outstanding ..................       0
Intangible assets .............................................................       0
Other assets...................................................................     726
                                                                                  -----

Total assets ..................................................................   6,620
                                                                                  =====


LIABILITIES

Deposits:
        In domestic offices ...................................................       0
               Noninterest-bearing ......................................  0
               Interest-bearing .........................................  0
        In foreign offices and Edge subsidiary ................................       0
               Noninterest-bearing ......................................  0
               Interest-bearing .........................................  0
Federal funds purchased and securities sold under
        agreements to repurchase in domestic offices of
        the bank and of its Edge subsidiary ...................................       0
Demand notes issued to the U.S. Treasury and Trading Liabilities ..............       0
Other borrowed money ..........................................................       0
Subordinated notes and debentures .............................................       0
Bank's liability on acceptances executed and outstanding ......................       0
Other liabilities .............................................................   3,076

Total liabilities .............................................................   3,076
                                                                                  =====

EQUITY CAPITAL
Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus..................................       0
Common stock ..................................................................     500
Surplus .......................................................................     750
Undivided profits and capital reserves/Net unrealized holding gains (losses)...   2,294
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments ...........................       0

Total equity capital ..........................................................   3,544
                                                                                  -----

Total liabilities and equity capital ..........................................   6,620
                                                                                  =====
</TABLE>





                                       4

<PAGE>   6

I, Kevin R. Wallace, Vice President and Comptroller of the above named bank do
hereby declare that this Report of Condition and Income for this report date
have been prepared in conformance with the instructions issued by the
appropriate Federal regulatory authority and is true to the best of my knowledge
and belief.

                                                   Kevin R. Wallace


We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this Report of
Condition and declare that it has been examined by us and to the best of our
knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions
issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and is true and correct.

                                                   Lynda A. Vogel
                                                   Donald W. Beatty
                                                   Stephen Rivero



                                       5


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