Earnings Call Open to Investors

Synopsys will hold a conference call for financial analysts and investors today at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time.  A live webcast of the call will be available at Synopsys' corporate website at www.synopsys.com.  A recording of the call will be available by calling +1-800-475-6701 (+1-320-365-3844 for international callers), access code 372275, beginning at 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time today, until 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on Dec. 9, 2015.  A webcast replay will also be available on the website from approximately 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time today through the time Synopsys announces its results for the first quarter fiscal year 2016 in February 2016.  Synopsys will post copies of the prepared remarks of Aart de Geus, chairman and co-chief executive officer, and Trac Pham, chief financial officer, on its website following today's call.  In addition, Synopsys makes additional information available in a financial supplement and corporate overview presentation posted on the corporate website.

Effectiveness of Information

The targets included in this release, the statements made during the earnings conference call and the information contained in the financial supplement and corporate overview presentation (available in the Investor Relations section of Synopsys' website at www.synopsys.com) represent Synopsys' expectations and beliefs as of the date of this release only.  Although this press release, copies of the prepared remarks of the co-chief executive officer and chief financial officer made during the call, the financial supplement, and corporate overview presentation will remain available on Synopsys' website through the date of the first quarter fiscal year 2016 earnings call in February 2016, their continued availability through such date does not mean that Synopsys is reaffirming or confirming their continued validity.  Synopsys does not currently intend to report on its progress during the first quarter of fiscal year 2016 or comment to analysts or investors on, or otherwise update, the targets given in this earnings release.

Availability of Final Financial Statements

Synopsys will include final financial statements for fiscal year 2015 in its annual report on Form 10-K to be filed by Dec. 31, 2015.

About Synopsys

Synopsys, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNPS) is the Silicon to Software™ partner for innovative companies developing the electronic products and software applications we rely on every day. As the world's 16th largest software company, Synopsys has a long history of being a global leader in electronic design automation (EDA) and semiconductor IP and is also growing its leadership in software quality and security solutions. Whether you're a system-on-chip (SoC) designer creating advanced semiconductors, or a software developer writing applications that require the highest quality and security, Synopsys has the solutions needed to deliver innovative, high-quality, secure products. Learn more at www.synopsys.com.  

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release and our upcoming earnings results conference call contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  Any statements that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements.  Forward-looking statements include but are not limited to: sections of this press release entitled "Financial Targets" and "Reconciliation of Target Non-GAAP Operating Results"; and statements regarding Synopsys' business, projected business results, business objectives, acquisitions, products, technologies, business model, new markets, customer demand for our technology, and our planned stock repurchase activity.  These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause our actual results, time frames or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied in our forward-looking statements.  Accordingly, we caution stockholders and prospective investors not to place undue reliance on these statements.  Such risks, uncertainties and factors include, but are not limited to:

• uncertainty in the growth of the semiconductor and electronics industry, and consolidation among our customers;
• continued uncertainty in the global economy and its potential impact on the semiconductor and electronics industries;
• increased competition in the market for Synopsys' products and services including through consolidation in the industry;
• changes in demand for Synopsys' products due to fluctuations in demand for its customers' products;
• the level of Synopsys' acquisition activity and our ability to realize the potential financial or strategic benefits of acquisitions we complete, including challenges in entering new markets in which Synopsys is not experienced and in the integration of the products and operations of acquired companies or assets into Synopsys' products and operations, which could result in possible delays in customer orders, potential loss of customers, key employees, partners or vendors, uncertain customer demand and support obligations for product offerings, and disruption of ongoing business operations and diversion of management attention;
• adverse changes in the relationships between Synopsys and key participants in the complex semiconductor ecosystem, including major foundries and intellectual property providers;
• with respect to the recently announced unauthorized third-party access of Synopsys' customer-facing license and product delivery system, higher than expected costs associated with the incident or enhanced procedures we may employ in the future, use or sale of the accessed products by unauthorized third parties and the resulting impact on our business, the reactions of customers, partners and various U.S. and foreign government regulators, and additional findings we or law enforcement may make including additional incidents that could be discovered;
• litigation;
• lower-than-anticipated new IC design starts;
• lower-than-anticipated purchases or delays in purchases of products or consulting services by Synopsys' customers, including delays in the renewal, or non-renewal, of Synopsys' license arrangements with major customers;
• changes in accounting principles or standards or in the way they are applied;
• changes in the mix of time-based licenses and upfront licenses;
• variability in the timing of revenue recognition due to factors such as payment terms and the timing and value of contract renewals and professional services projects;
• lower-than-expected orders; and
• failure of customers to pay license fees as scheduled.

In addition, Synopsys' actual expenses, earnings per share and tax rate on a GAAP and non-GAAP basis for the fiscal quarter ending Jan. 31, 2016; actual expenses, earnings per share, tax rate, and other projections on a GAAP and non-GAAP basis for fiscal year 2016; and cash flow from operations on a GAAP basis for fiscal year 2016 could differ materially from the targets stated under "Financial Targets" above for a number of reasons, including, but not limited to, (i) integration and other acquisition-related costs, (ii) application of the actual consolidated GAAP tax rate for such periods, which could differ from projections as a result of a number of factors, including the actual geographic mix of revenue during the quarter and year, tax law changes, actions by government authorities such as a failure to reinstate the U.S. federal research and development tax credit, or judgment by management, based upon the status of pending audits and settlements, to increase or decrease an income tax asset or liability, (iii) significant changes in Synopsys' geographic mix of revenue or in the tax laws of the major jurisdictions in which Synopsys operates, which could lead Synopsys to re-evaluate its normalized annual non-GAAP tax rate and adjust it from the rate given in this press release, (iv) fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, (v) a determination by Synopsys that any portion of its goodwill or intangible assets has become impaired, (vi) changes in the anticipated amount of employee stock-based compensation expense recognized in Synopsys' financial statements, (vii) actual change in the fair value of Synopsys' non-qualified deferred compensation plan obligations, (viii) increases or decreases to estimated capital expenditures, (ix) changes driven by new accounting rules, regulations, interpretations or guidance, (x) litigation, (xi) general economic conditions, and (xii) other risks as detailed in Synopsys' SEC filings, including those described in the "Risk Factors" section in its latest Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Furthermore, Synopsys' targets for outstanding shares in the first quarter and fiscal year 2016 could differ from the targets given in this press release as a result of higher than expected employee stock plan issuances or stock option exercises, acquisitions, and the extent of Synopsys' stock repurchase activity.

Synopsys is under no obligation to (and expressly disclaims any such obligation to) update or alter any of the forward-looking statements made in this earnings release, the conference call, the financial supplement, or the corporate overview presentation, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless otherwise required by law.