UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

For the fiscal year ended January 31, 2016

OR

Commission File Number: 0-22823

QAD Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

100 Innovation Place
Santa Barbara, California 93108
(Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (805) 566-6000

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. o YES ☒ NO

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. o YES ☒ NO

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. ☒ YES o NO

Indicate by checkmark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate website, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). ☒ YES o NO

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of Registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or an amendment to this Form 10-K. o

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). o YES ☒ NO

As of July 31, 2015, the last business day of the Registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, there were 15,545,076 shares of the Registrant’s Class A common stock outstanding and 3,201,827 shares of the Registrant’s Class B common stock outstanding, and the aggregate market value of such shares held by non-affiliates of the Registrant (based on the closing sale price of such shares on the NASDAQ Global Market on July 31, 2015) was approximately $253 million. Shares of the Registrant’s common stock held by each executive officer and director and by each entity that owns 5% or more of the Registrant’s outstanding common stock have been excluded in that such persons may be deemed to be affiliates. This determination of affiliate status is not necessarily a conclusive determination for other purposes.

As of March 31, 2016, there were 15,600,527 shares of the Registrant’s Class A common stock outstanding and 3,204,217 shares of the Registrant’s Class B common stock outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Items 10 through 14 of Part III incorporate information by reference from the Definitive Proxy Statement for the Registrant’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on June 14, 2016.

QAD INC.
FISCAL YEAR 2016 FORM 10-K ANNUAL REPORT
TABLE OF CONTENTS

NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

In addition to historical information, this Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact should be construed as forward-looking statements, including statements that are preceded or accompanied by such words as “may,” “believe,” “could,” “anticipate,” “projects,” “estimates,” “will likely result,” “should,” “would,” “might,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend” and words of similar meaning or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations and assumptions regarding its business, the economy and future conditions. A number of risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, those discussed in Item 1A entitled “Risk Factors” which are incorporated herein by reference, and as may be updated in filings we make from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s opinions, expectations and projections only as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions about our business. We undertake no obligation to revise or update or publicly release the results of any revision or update to these forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws. Readers should carefully review the risk factors and other information described in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and the other documents we file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q to be filed by QAD in fiscal year 2017.

PART I

ABOUT QAD

We are a leading global provider of vertically-oriented, mission-critical enterprise software solutions for global manufacturing companies across the automotive, life sciences, consumer products, food and beverage, high technology and industrial products industries. Our mission is to deliver best-in-class software that enables our customers to operate more effectively on a global basis. QAD Enterprise Applications enables measurement and control of key business processes and supports operational requirements, including financials, manufacturing, demand and supply chain planning, customer management, business intelligence and business process management. We deliver our software solutions to our customers in a format that best meets their current and future needs in the cloud, on premise or blended. Increasingly, our customers are selecting either a cloud-based deployment or a blended deployment, which is a combination of on-premise and cloud-based software, as they expand their businesses globally and as they recognize the benefits of full featured ERP cloud-based software.

We generated $277.9 million of revenue for our fiscal year ended January 31, 2016 and $295.1 million of revenue for our fiscal year ended January 31, 2015, representing a decrease of 6%. In fiscal 2016, revenue decreased $20.0 million due to the strengthening of the U.S. dollar relative to foreign currencies and on a constant currency basis fiscal 2016 revenue increased $2.7 million when compared to the prior year. Subscription revenue generated $38.8 million in our fiscal year 2016 compared to $28.2 million in our fiscal year 2015, representing growth of 38% over the prior year. Our annualized subscription revenue run rate was approximately $46 million at January 31, 2016.

Over 2,000 manufacturing companies have deployed QAD solutions to run their businesses across approximately 4,000 sites globally. Today, our solutions are used by over 300,000 active users, of which approximately 20,000 are actively using our cloud solutions. We were founded in 1979 and are headquartered in Santa Barbara, California. We employ approximately 1,680 employees throughout our direct operations in 23 countries across the North America, EMEA, Asia Pacific and Latin America regions.

Our Target Vertical Markets

We focus our efforts on delivering mission-critical software solutions to enterprise customers in six core vertical markets within global manufacturing – automotive, life sciences, consumer products, food and beverage, high technology and industrial products:

Automotive: QAD solutions address the needs of global automotive manufacturing companies. Our solutions support industry practices such as the Materials Management Operational Guidelines/Logistics Evaluation

(“MMOG/LE”), used as a framework for supplier review by most global automotive original equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”). Our customer base includes companies serving the global automotive marketplace, especially the tier-1 suppliers in the supply chains of worldwide automotive OEMs worldwide. We deliver unique capabilities to support the collaboration requirements of the automotive OEM suppliers, including the strict quality requirements of OEM’s including Advanced Product Quality Process (“APQP”) and Production Part Approval Process (“PPAP”). Many of our customers use QAD Cloud EDI because it provides a scalable solution which standardizes Electronic Data Interchange (“EDI”) across their global enterprise. QAD Supplier Portal is another product commonly used by our automotive customers. It allows for electronic communication with tier-2 suppliers. QAD helps customers manage supply chain risk in accordance with MMOG/LE and the emerging requirements of ISO/TS-16949. QAD solutions are in use at many of the market-leading automotive parts companies throughout the world that manufacture a broad range of components used in interiors, electrical components, safety systems, bodies and drivetrains.

Life Sciences: QAD solutions support manufacturing companies in the life sciences sector, focusing on the requirements of medical device, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and biotechnology companies. QAD solutions help global life sciences companies manufacture products in accordance with current Good Manufacturing Practices (“cGMP”) and other standards required by regulators around the world. In addition to cGMP, QAD solutions support many business and regulatory processes specific to the life sciences industry, such as automated quality management, supply chain planning and serialization in support of requirements for Unique Device Identification and the Drug Quality and Security Act. Our customers’ products include such items as defibrillators, ventricular assist systems, artificial joints, prescription medications and contract manufacturing, surgical instruments and packaging for the life sciences industry. QAD’s Cloud ERP for Life Sciences provides life sciences clients with a qualified IT infrastructure as a key building block to help them ensure that they have a solid foundation upon which to base their software validation requirements.

Consumer Products: QAD solutions address the needs of global consumer product manufacturing companies. Consumer products companies manufacture a broad range of items that are purchased by end consumers through various retail channels such as: major retailers, Internet merchants, supermarkets and big-box stores. The manufacturing process for those items is varied and depends on the nature of the item; however, the fulfillment and distribution requirements have significant commonality. Major retailers manage very agile supply chains and are typically very demanding of their suppliers, as they strive to service ever-growing demand from consumers for speed of delivery and variety of products. For example, QAD solutions address the complex replenishment requirements of companies supplying the retail supply chain, including promotional pricing, demand planning, quality compliance and product configuration. Our customers manufacture a broad range of products such as electronics, appliances, home and garden products, cosmetics and jewelry, and sell their products across the globe.

Food and Beverage: The food and beverage industry includes many sub-sectors consisting of fresh, frozen and shelf-stable products. Our solutions support regulatory and quality initiatives such as the US Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), hazard analysis, and critical control point analysis, which handle the management of biological, chemical and physical hazards. Our solutions support the product cycle of the food and beverage industry from raw material production, procurement and handling to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product. QAD’s software is standards-focused to help companies ensure food safety and meet the regulatory requirements in the global markets where our customers operate. We also focus on inventory management throughout the entire supply chain, from procurement of raw materials through to the supermarket shelf. QAD provides solutions for food and beverage companies that manufacture a broad range of products and manage many of the world’s well-known brands. Our customers include global leaders in baking, daily fresh production, beverage production and full process production.

High Technology: QAD solutions are used by many high-technology companies that manufacture a diverse range of products including electronic components, smart cards, telecommunications equipment and test and measurement equipment. High-tech companies often face the challenges of very complex product structures with a need for traceability of parts and processes throughout their entire supply chain, as well as tight control of engineering changes. Many high-tech companies providing complex systems also face the challenge of managing installation and support of equipment after sale in addition to managing field engineering resources. QAD solutions address the requirements of manufacturing items with complex designs and multiple configurations. A high-tech manufacturer can use QAD’s solutions to configure product based on customers’ input; manufacture and assemble product according to a customized specification; and schedule, install and support equipment throughout its lifecycle.

Industrial Products: QAD solutions address the needs of companies making industrial products for many different markets. Companies in this broad market segment face a variety of challenges and have requirements to maintain many manufacturing methodologies, often within the same enterprise. Our solutions support multiple manufacturing methodologies in parallel, including lean manufacturing. The need for traceability of materials from source through to the finished product is often important to our customers, and QAD’s capabilities in traceability and serialization support this feature. QAD’s solutions are also used to support our customers’ needs for environmental compliance. Our customers manufacture products as diverse as machine tools; specialist ceramic materials used in aerospace and defense; and equipment used in the oil and gas industries. This broad segment accounts for the largest group of our customers.

Our focus on these six vertical markets gives us a competitive advantage by providing a solution developed specifically for our target customers, without the complexity and distraction of functionality they don’t want and don’t need. While some ERP vendors provide broader solutions built for many industries, our narrow industry focus allows our customers to implement with fewer configurations and customizations than our competitors require, which we believe typically results in less complex and therefore lower cost and faster implementations. We leverage our vertical market expertise in research and development to meet specific industry needs; in sales, to understand our customer’s unique requirements; in presales, to demonstrate how these requirements are handled in the software; and in services, to apply best practices in optimization of business processes and implementation of the software. Our options of cloud, on-premise and blended deployment enable customers operating in multiple countries to choose a full-featured ERP deployment option that best meets their unique needs.

OUR STRATEGY

QAD envisions a future in which all of our customers operate as Effective Enterprises. We define an Effective Enterprise as one where every business process is working at peak efficiency and is perfectly aligned to achieve our customers’ strategic goals. In support of our vision, we focus on providing complete solutions and expertise that help our customers improve the effectiveness of their business processes in areas such as financial reporting, customer management, manufacturing planning and execution, demand and supply chain planning, supply chain execution, service and support, enterprise asset management, enterprise quality management, transportation management, analytics, interoperability and internationalization. In addition, our software is designed to support global regulatory and business practice requirements that enable our customers to satisfy governmental and industry regulations, while incorporating industry best practices and providing real-time visibility and measurement, in support of continuous business process improvement initiatives.

We build solutions in specific industry segments within manufacturing in order to provide our customers the capabilities they need to run their enterprises effectively without the complexity and excess resource consumption associated with generalist solutions. We focus on those areas within the segments we target where we see potential for increased growth due to manufacturing expansion, cloud adoption, or emerging requirements that we can address.

We have a number of key strategies that we believe will support the achievement of our vision and help drive our continued growth:

Expand our leadership in fully-featured, flexible ERP in the cloud for manufacturing companies. We provide full-featured vertically-focused cloud and on-premise solutions which work well together and independently. Cloud is not simply a deployment option; it is a strategic choice that allows our customers to focus on their customers and products without the distraction of administering their ERP application or infrastructure. We intend to improve our position in the cloud based applications market by continuing to provide high quality offerings that encompass the enterprise class functionality our customers require. Some customers may be reluctant to migrate away from their current on-premise solution to an enterprise cloud computing solution since they have invested substantial resources to implement their current enterprise software into their businesses. However, we believe the industry has been moving, and will continue to move, to the cloud and we believe that QAD Cloud ERP is well positioned as a full-strength solution delivered in the cloud to support global manufacturing companies.

Our recurring revenue base consists of our maintenance and subscription revenues and comprises approximately 62% of revenues for the year ended January 31, 2016. These revenues are generally recurring in nature since they are derived primarily from maintenance, managed services, cloud and other SaaS offerings. We believe that the generally recurring nature of our maintenance and subscription revenues provides us with a more predictable and stable stream of revenues relative to license revenues.

Grow our customer base and expand our footprint within existing customers. We believe our expertise in the core vertical markets that we serve is well suited to meet the growing needs of global manufacturing companies. Our industry-specific solutions, combined with our cloud, on-premise and blended deployment options, enable manufacturing businesses to continue to manage their own growth in the manner that best meets their needs and strategy. Additionally, we believe new manufacturing companies, or companies created through a divestiture from a larger entity, that do not have an existing legacy ERP platform are more likely to adopt our cloud ERP solution when choosing and implementing a new ERP system to run their business. With over 2,000 customers across our core vertical markets and over 300,000 active users, we have an opportunity to increase revenue and deliver additional value to our existing installed base. As the global manufacturing economy grows, our existing customers' businesses will grow and our solutions are designed to help them manage this growth in an effective and efficient manner. We intend to continue to invest aggressively in our direct sales and marketing capabilities to highlight these advantages for prospective new customers.

Focus on global manufacturing and continued product development. Our solutions include capabilities that support operations in multiple geographies working in multiple languages and currencies; and comply with required local regulations and business practices. In today’s enviornment, manufacturing companies operate globally and are seeking a provider who can tailor solutions to the unique needs of their markets, deliver local and global services resources and support local languages while still offering a solution that is cost effective and easy to implement and use. QAD's existing global footprint is a key leverage point for meeting these needs. We are committed to continuous investment in research and development to ensure our products have the necessary capabilities to meet the needs of our global customers and enhance our competitive position in the vertical markets we serve.

Leverage expertise within key vertical markets. QAD employs staff with specific knowledge and experience in the industries in which our customers operate. We provide our solutions to six vertical markets within manufacturing and in those verticals we actively participate in several leading industry associations and pride ourselves on the deep expertise of our staff. Our industry knowledge continues to deepen through regular interaction with our customers. This collective experience and customer interaction allows QAD to develop solutions with specific capabilities that address our customers’ needs.

Enhance customer experience to deliver continuous value and maximize customer retention. We are committed to close engagement with our customers and believe our product and service offerings are integral to the operations of our customers' businesses. We have developed a comprehensive customer engagement process to help assess our customers’ business performance, identify areas for improvement, provide counsel and help deploy our solutions. We strive to engage with every customer on a regular basis, frequently conducting reviews of their business processes and presenting opportunities for improvement. Our deep vertical focus and strong, ongoing customer relationships drive continuous development of industry-specific functionality. As a result, we have maintained retention rates in excess of 90% annually.

QAD SOLUTIONS

QAD products and services support the business processes of global manufacturing companies in our target industries. We continually monitor emerging business requirements and practices as well as regulatory changes and incorporate them into our product and solutions strategies.

Our development focus emphasizes user experience. We strive to deliver solutions that offer comprehensive capabilities while being easy to learn and use. Our goal is to make all capabilities that a particular user needs available with only a few clicks, giving our end users significant gains in efficiency as well as making the user experience more enjoyable.

We have recently launched the “Channel Islands” program to develop a new user experience with enhanced usability for QAD Enterprise Applications. The user interface (“UI”) is written in HTML5 and it is accessible to the user with any standard browser providing seamless access across desktops and mobile devices. The new UI has the ability to co-exist with our existing .NET UI.

As part of the initiative to update the user experience, we restructured the underlying architecture of our solutions so that the business logic and the user interface are separate layers. All business logic is now addressable through standard, documented application program interfaces (“APIs”), which provide the ability to integrate with third-party applications or to easily change the UI. The first phases of this multi-year program have now been delivered.

One important advantage of the program has been a focus on modularity, providing the ability to upgrade the solution by suite, rather than upgrading the entire solution at one time. This enables us to deliver new functionality to our customers in smaller, more manageable segments that allow them to upgrade with less potential risk and operational disruption. The modularity allows us to improve the efficiency of our cloud operations using this simplified upgrade process.

The Channel Islands program supports the Internet of Things (“IoT”) where machines communicate with machines. As an example of the power of the IoT, our customers’ manufacturing equipment could automatically update our solution when products are completed, increasing accuracy and efficiency for the customer.

Smart phones and tablets continue to play an ever-increasing role in our day-to-day life, and our customers are embracing mobile computing to support more facets of their businesses. QAD delivers components of our solution for a variety of mobile platforms. Currently our mobile specific suite includes a requisition approval solution, a mobile business intelligence solution, mobile browse capability and mobile application monitoring tools to support system administrators. Our mobile browse capability allows users to view, filter and sort all data accessible through QAD browses within QAD Enterprise Applications using mobile devices. The Channel Islands UI delivered through the Channel Islands program provides access to QAD Enterprise Applications on mobile devices.

In support of our focus on business process efficiency, we have integrated the ability to generate business process maps for common business processes into our software using the QAD Process Editor tool. This tool simplifies implementations, maps common business processes and facilitates navigation throughout the entire product suite. Within our suite, we also have embedded business process management (“QAD BPM”). QAD BPM allows customers to visualize their business processes; monitor transactional throughput by user, role or stage; and modify those processes to make them more efficient. We see QAD BPM as a critical component in enabling companies to become Effective Enterprises. Using QAD BPM, companies can create business process models, assign task responsibilities and automate workflow, all of which reduce process execution time, improve visibility of active processes, identify bottlenecks and support process improvement.

QAD developed its solutions to allow simple integration with other systems our customers use within their organizations. For example, we enable seamless integration between QAD Enterprise Applications and common browser applications and spreadsheets. QAD solutions also integrate easily with other web applications and web services. Using our Q-Xtend toolset, customers can connect to different software, even when remote, and they can use industry-standard middleware products such as the IBM MQ™ series or the standard connectors built on the Dell Boomi AtomSphere integration platform. QAD resells Dell Boomi as QAD Boomi AtomSphere for integration between QAD Cloud ERP and third-party cloud applications. Robust APIs available through the Channel Islands Program along with QAD Automation Solutions provide additional capability for integration including integration with IoT.

To meet regulatory requirements and the needs of our customers, our cloud delivery centers are certified under the ISO 9001:2008 standard for quality management, the ISO 20,000:2011 standard for service management (SMS), the ISO 27001:2013 standard for information security management (ISMS), the FDA 21 CFR Part 11 requirements for quality management, and the SSAE 16 (SOC I—Type II) requirements for reporting and compliance controls.

QAD Enterprise Applications

Our ERP suite, QAD Enterprise Applications, is an integrated suite of software applications, which supports the core business processes of global manufacturing companies, providing specific functionality to support the requirements of our targeted industries and the geographies our customers conduct business in. QAD Enterprise Applications allows customers to monitor, control and support their operations, whether operating a single plant or multiple sites, wherever they are located around the world.

QAD Enterprise Applications has strong capabilities for addressing global complexities in customers’ business models, such as compliance with local accounting practices and legislation, as well as internal reporting on global performance. QAD Enterprise Applications includes full support for multiple currencies, multiple languages and complex corporate structures such as multiple companies or divisions.

QAD Enterprise Applications is available on premise, in the cloud as QAD Cloud ERP and in a blended model combining both of these deployment alternatives. Blended deployment enables users to transact easily across business entities with a consistent interface and consistent functionality. Companies that have chosen the cloud as a strategic direction but who cannot or do not want to move all locations at one time find a blended deployment model

allows them to transition to the cloud with less risk. Another advantage of blended deployment is the ability for the finance function to view individual business unit results and run consolidations that cross both cloud and on premise sites seamlessly, while other users can transact and view inventory in multiple locations irrespective of whether any specific business entity is operating in the cloud or on premise.

QAD Enterprise Applications is comprised of the following software suites:

QAD Financials

QAD Financials provides comprehensive capabilities to manage and control finance and accounting processes at a local, regional and global level. The suite supports multi-company, multi-currency, multi-language and multi-tax jurisdictions, as well as consolidated reporting and budgeting controls. These capabilities give cross-functional stakeholders access to financial reports, enabling faster, more informed decision making while providing robust internal controls. Enterprise Financials includes IFRS and Multi-GAAP support, as well as extensive local tax capture, reporting capabilities and segregation of duties enforcement.

QAD Customer Management

QAD Customer Management enables global manufacturing companies to acquire new customers efficiently, grow revenue through multiple channels and retain customers through superior service and support. QAD Customer Management helps our customers measure the efficacy of marketing campaigns, manage the sales opportunity lifecycle and optimize order and fulfillment processes. Additionally, QAD Customer Management helps our customers anticipate their product demand and improve retention though multiple service channels and the Customer Self Service module. QAD Configurator has the ability to create unique products customized to customer requirements, enabling simple and cost effective controls for mass customization of products. The suite includes the ability to centralize sales order entry, including orders for configured items, and to ship the items from any facility or business entity. QAD Customer Self Service provides a web storefront for our customers to transact sales, which is fully and securely integrated with the rest of QAD Enterprise Applications.

QAD Manufacturing

QAD Manufacturing delivers comprehensive capabilities to support manufacturing business processes, from planning through execution, and provides visibility and control of materials and labor. The suite has capabilities in the areas of planning and scheduling, cost management, material control, shop floor control, quality management and reporting in various mixed-mode manufacturing environments. The manufacturing models supported include Discrete, Repetitive, Kanban (particularly relevant in lean manufacturing practices), Flow, Batch/Formula, Process, Co-products/By-products and Configured Products. The system also includes flexible item attributes that customers can use to track lot characteristics or test results. The Lot Trace Workbench provides insight into any products component genealogy and greatly simplifies product recalls. Automation Solutions allows customers to process inventory movement transactions using bar code equipment, and the solution includes the ability to simplify and combine multiple inventory movements to reduce the amount of data entry and increase accuracy.

QAD Manufacturing enables companies to deploy business processes consistent with their industry’s best practices. The integration between scheduling, planning, execution, quality and materials allows tight control and simple management of processes.

QAD Demand and Supply Chain Planning

QAD Demand and Supply Chain Planning (“QAD DSCP”) is a comprehensive group of applications built on a single unified model to fulfill the materials planning and logistics requirements of global companies. QAD DSCP is supported and developed by our DynaSys operating division. This solution set delivers functionality and capabilities that help enterprises optimize their supply chains to enhance customer satisfaction through timely deliveries. Enterprises can align supply and demand to support the delivery of the right product, to the right place, at the right time and at the most efficient cost. The suite utilizes the DynaSys Single Click Collaborative platform, with the entire planning model running in a memory-resident database supporting real-time planning. The suite supports planning for demand, production, procurement, distribution and global sales and operations planning. Customers have used this solution with data sets that exceed a million SKUs.

QAD Demand and Supply Chain Planning addresses both simple and complex networks and customers have the ability to add more advanced functionality as the enterprise grows. Collaborative portals are available for both demand and supply sides to help ensure rapid communication of demand or supply fluctuations and to enable collaborative planning.

QAD Supply Chain Execution

QAD's Supply Chain Execution suite includes tools to support inventory and warehouse management in either simple or complex warehousing environments. QAD Warehousing supports complex warehouse-management techniques such as bulk, batch and wave picking, as well as multiple put away methods including calculations based on required space. It manages reusable packaging and containers to help eliminate waste and reduce costs. Additionally, QAD Enterprise Applications manages consignment inventory for both consignors and consignees, and supports strategic sourcing and purchasing. The system manages distribution requirements planning to optimize and balance inventories at multiple distribution centers to enable quick and cost effective demand fulfillment. QAD also offers QAD Supplier Portal and QAD EDI for facilitation of communication and collaboration with members of a supply chain. These two solutions are offered on a subscription basis only.

QAD Transportation Management

QAD markets transportation solutions directly to our existing customers as part of QAD Enterprise Applications, and to the general market through our Precision division. QAD Transportation Management facilitates correct documentation and control for moving shipments across borders. Transportation Management allows companies to manage and optimize outside carriers for shipments including parcel, less than truckload, full truckload and container shipments whether using land, sea or air carriers. Compliance and risk management enables companies to comply with regulations concerning denied parties and controls of dangerous substances.

QAD Service and Support

QAD Service and Support enables exceptional after-sale customer service and support for companies that commission and support complex systems. The integration from customer demand through manufacturing to installation and support affords companies great efficiency in managing their business processes. QAD Service and Support handles service calls, manages service queues and organizes mobile field resources to promote customer satisfaction. It also provides extensive project management support, helping organizations track materials and labor against warranty and service work; compare actual costs to budget; and generate appropriate invoicing.

QAD Enterprise Asset Management

QAD Enterprise Asset Management (“EAM”) helps companies manage maintenance and installation of capital equipment. The solution supports both planned and unplanned equipment maintenance based on elapsed time or completed quantities. It includes the ability to track calibrations, labor and required parts used for maintenance. In addition, it has project accounting capabilities to plan, track and control detailed project budget and spending data for capital expense projects such as refits or building and commissioning new plants. EAM also includes functionality to manage rotable (renewable) inventory. EAM functionality helps manufacturers achieve a balance between having the right equipment available and minimizing their equipment investment. It ensures critical spare parts are on hand as needed and monitors company expense and approval policies with regard to capital plant and equipment.

QAD Analytics

QAD Enterprise Applications provides decision makers and company stakeholders with key data to measure performance against company and strategic goals. QAD Analytics helps customers perform complex analyses, make informed decisions and improve performance management by highlighting areas that need improvement and enabling drill down to source data. The QAD Analytics suite consists of multiple analysis and data extraction tools all working in harmony to provide user-defined analysis such as consolidated reporting or reporting by geography, product line or cost center.

The suite consists of QAD Reporting Framework, which provides powerful yet simple reporting and real-time visibility with ad hoc inquiries; Operational Metrics, which enables companies to define and monitor key performance indicators using data tracked within the system; and QAD Business Intelligence, which allows for dynamic analysis and trend reporting across multiple data sources. With Mobile Framework, customers can also access QAD Business Intelligence using mobile devices. Additionally, we offer a mobile browse function that allows users to view, filter and sort all data accessible to QAD Browses using mobile devices.

QAD Enterprise Quality Management

QAD provides enterprise-class quality management and regulatory compliance solutions to global companies in many market segments, including QAD’s target markets. The suite supports customers’ compliance with industry specific quality standards. In the automotive vertical, QAD’s solution delivers automation of Advanced Product Quality Planning (“APQP”) methodologies, including Production Part Approval Process (“PPAP”), process flow and approvals. In the life sciences vertical, customers benefit from critical functionality supporting corrective and preventative action and non conformance reporting. The suite also features manufacturing quality solutions for audit, risk management, document control, gage calibration, inspection and statistical process control. Our CEBOS division supports and develops QAD’s Enterprise Quality Management suite.

QAD Interoperability

QAD Enterprise Applications uses a services-oriented architecture, allowing customers to integrate QAD Enterprise Applications with other non-QAD core business applications easily. Through our QAD Q-Xtend toolset, we promote open interoperability with comprehensive application program interfaces (“APIs”) and published events. These offer QAD customers a choice of solutions in their operating environments. In addition, we resell the Dell Boomi integration platform as QAD Boomi AtomSphere. This provides a comprehensive platform for managing integrations to many cloud and on premise products, making whole enterprise integration easier for QAD customers.

QAD Internationalization

QAD supports companies that manufacture and distribute their products around the world. When a global company expands its operations, it often needs to accommodate local languages, local accounting standards and local business practices. Operating in different countries also requires access to specific local software, such as that used to interface to banks in their country of operation. QAD supports the requirements of 47 different countries with its internationalization capabilities.

Customer Support and Product Updates Provided via Our Maintenance and Cloud Offerings

Customer support services include internet and telephone access to technical support personnel located in our global support centers. Through our support service, we provide the resources, tools and expertise needed to maximize the use of our Enterprise Applications. Customers active on mainternance or cloud are also entitled to receive product upgrades and enhancements on a when-and-if available basis. Customer support services and product enhancements are provided to our on-premise customers via our maintenance offering and to our cloud customers as part of their monthly subscription fee.

As part of our maintenance and cloud offerings, we provide access to an extensive knowledge database, online training materials, a virtual training environment, remote diagnostics and our software download center via our online support site. Our global support professionals in our support centers around the world focus on quickly resolving customers’ issues, maintaining optimal system performance and providing uninterrupted service for complete customer satisfaction. In addition, we provide other products, including operational metrics, workbenches and monitoring tools. Customers have access to these products at no additional fee, provided they have a current maintenance or cloud agreement in place with QAD.

QAD also has a global cloud operations group dedicated to support QAD Cloud ERP. Located primarily in the U.S. and India, they manage the day-to-day operations of our cloud solutions as well as act as the control point for activities related to elements of the cloud. The global cloud operations group maintains our cloud environment, including customizations, conversions and upgrades to QAD Cloud ERP.

Generally, our on-premise customers purchase maintenance when they acquire new licenses and our maintenance retention rate is more than 90%. Our maintenance and other revenue represented 48%, 48% and 52% of our total revenues in fiscal 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Our maintenance revenue can be impacted by customers converting to QAD Cloud ERP. When customers convert to QAD Cloud ERP, they no longer contract for maintenance as those support services and unspecified updates are included as a component of the subscription offering. Our cloud revenue represented approximately 11%, 8% and 6% of our total revenues in fiscal 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and our cloud customer retention rate is also in excess of 90%. We track our retention rate by calculating the annualized revenue of customer sites with contracts expected to be renewed during the period compared to the annualized revenue associated with the customer sites that have canceled during the period. The percentage of revenue not canceled is our retention rate.

QAD Global Services

QAD’s Global Services group supports customers in the deployment and ongoing use of QAD solutions to assist customers in their pursuit of becoming Effective Enterprises.

QAD Global Services engages with our customers across the entire ERP solution life cycle through planning, design, implementation and management. Whether in the cloud or on-premise, our Global Services group assists our customers with initial deployments, upgrades to more current versions, migration of on-premise deployments to the cloud, conversion and transfer of historical data, ongoing system and process optimization, and user training and education.

QAD’s Global Services group includes 425 consultants located throughout the world, augmented by a global network of certified partners. Our consulting ecosystem spans over 80 countries. QAD consultants and partners are trained on our best practice implementation methodologies and have obtained certifications of proficiency in multiple areas. We offer a complete portfolio of services, delivered to consistent standards across the globe. Working in tandem with our partners, we support national, multi national and global projects on behalf of QAD customers.

In support of QAD’s vision of all customers becoming Effective Enterprises, QAD has developed a framework of Key Performance Indicators (“KPIs”) used by QAD Global Services to measure pre- and post- implementation performance of business processes and to aid in the diagnosis of opportunities for continuous improvement. The QAD KPI framework is made available to all customers and is monitored using the QAD analytics suite.

QAD’s principal methodology for deployment of solutions is called QAD Easy On Boarding (“EOB”). EOB has been designed to make deployment of QAD solutions on-premise or in the cloud standardized and efficient. EOB features predefined industry process models built into the products themselves as well as implementation guides and scripts, all based on our experience with best practice standards. With EOB, ERP implementation can be faster than more traditional approaches.

QAD Global Services focuses on assisting customers in the following activities:

Implementations and Migrations – Supporting customers with the initial implementation of QAD Enterprise Applications. QAD Global Services has particular expertise in global implementations harnessing the entire QAD Global Services ecosystem to provide ‘on the ground’ support wherever customers need, or by leveraging QAD’s global shared resource centers. QAD Global Services deploys our applications both on-premise and in the cloud. In addition, QAD Global Services has the experience to assist new customers in migration from other ERP systems. This service includes data conversions as well as process design change management.

Upgrades – Assisting customers in the process of upgrading their QAD Enterprise Applications to the latest version accelerates time to benefit, increases new functionality and applies usability best practices.

Conversions – The process of converting from on-premise solutions to the cloud is a standardized process for QAD Global Services.

Integration – QAD Global Services has the expertise and experience to quickly integrate QAD solutions with other systems.

Systems Management – QAD Global Services delivers a range of services to support technical management of systems and performance monitoring for those customers who choose on-premise deployment.

Training and Education – QAD Global Services offers a full range of services leveraging QAD’s learning management system. Users can access multimedia training on all QAD offerings and take advantage of pre-defined learning plans for all of the roles that QAD users typically perform. Global Services also provides customized courses taught on-site to meet specific customer needs and are available to end users, IT professionals, department managers, partners and consultants.

Application Management – QAD is available to manage customer systems and through our Application Management Services we support customers’ system management, administration and performance needs.

Business Process Improvement – QAD has developed a range of predefined diagnostic offerings, called Q-Scans. Q-Scans enable QAD to engage in highly efficient diagnosis of key business processes and functional areas and provide recommendations to customers for continuous improvement.

Pre-Defined Consulting Engagements – These are diagnostic and prescriptive consultations that cover many areas including customization, analytics and various areas of compliance such as FDA, MMOG/LE and SOX.

QAD’s network of employees, consultants and partners knows QAD Software best. They diagnose issues preventing businesses from running efficiently and prescribe steps to maximize the benefits of QAD Enterprise Applications. These QAD experts offer what outside consultants cannot - a combination of a deep understanding of the industries in which our customers operate, the functionality of the QAD solution portfolio and the proven experience of helping customers leverage our software to become more Effective Enterprises. We offer a full range of program management, project management, industry consulting and technical services certified in our products and QAD Global Services methodologies.

QAD GLOBAL PARTNER NETWORK

The QAD Global Partner Network is an ecosystem of strategic partnerships and alliances with solution providers, consultants, software and database developers, technology providers, independent software vendors, system integrators and service organizations worldwide. QAD has approximately 130 partners of varying size and complexity, delivering sales support, solutions and services. From major territories to remote geographies, QAD cultivates long-term relationships with partners that deliver value to our customers through their industry knowledge and expertise.

TECHNOLOGY

QAD Enterprise Applications was designed to achieve our vision for global manufacturing companies to effectively run their business processes at peak efficiency, in alignment with their company strategic goals. We have chosen the best technologies to aspire to our vision, focusing on user experience, integration, business services, analytics, databases and deployment flexibility. We embrace ‘openness’ as a core principle of our designs, aiming to allow customers freedom of choice with regard to device, operating systems and hardware platforms when deploying their software applications. The core of QAD Enterprise Applications is built on a services-oriented architecture, which allows QAD Enterprise Applications’ components to communicate with one another through industry-standard messaging techniques like Representation State Transfer (“REST”) services. This allows customers to exploit the full benefit of QAD’s open architecture for their businesses.

QAD Enterprise Applications core business logic has been developed in the OpenEdge programming environment and relational database provided by Progress Software Corporation. Our solutions also include components of Oracle’s Java environment for integration into web and mobile infrastructure. We offer a rich user experience using the Microsoft .NET framework. QAD Enterprise Applications supports most commercial operating systems, including most common LINUX-derived operating systems, Windows Server System and most proprietary versions of UNIX including Hewlett Packard’s HP/UX and IBM’s AIX. Where practical, QAD uses open industry standards to collaborate and integrate QAD Enterprise Applications with other systems.

QAD’s enterprise architecture provides significant flexibility for global companies in deploying QAD Enterprise Applications. Our enterprise architecture allows companies to separate the legal structure of their business from physical operating locations or to separate both of these from the software instances and computer hardware that support them. With QAD enterprise architecture, customers can choose which sites are a part of which companies, which sites are supported on any instance of the application, or which sites operate as one instance. Customers can also choose centralized, decentralized or hybrid computing architectures with parts of their enterprise running from both central resources and local resources.

QAD combines our technologies to provide a comprehensive cloud solution for our customers. Our cloud architecture encompasses infrastructure provisioning and application deployment, management, monitoring and security; providing a world class development operations (“DevOps”) practice built around Information Technology Infrastructure Library (“ITIL”) standards.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

The technology industry is characterized by rapid technological change in computer hardware, mobile devices, operating systems and applications, and the rapid expansion of the Internet of Things. In addition, our customers’ requirements and preferences rapidly evolve, as do their expectations of the performance and user experience of our software. We maintain a global research and development organization that provides new product enhancements to the market on a semiannual basis in order to swiftly respond to these changes.

The software industry is undergoing a transition from selling licenses to on-premise customers to selling cloud-based solutions which include more social and mobile computing capabilities. In fiscal 2016 we continued to transition our business model by expanding our cloud-based offerings with a robust set of monitoring and management tools and introduced our latest user experience in the sales processing area of the product suite to a select set of cloud based early-adopter customers. This offering is designed to give our customers even more value and flexibility to use our product suite with a secure browser from anywhere the user has connectivity. It also allows our customers to connect our suite to other applications through web services with a rich set of API’s.

We dedicate considerable technical and financial resources to research and development to continually enhance and expand our product suite in support of the vertical markets that we serve. For example, in fiscal 2016, we continued our internationalization program in support of the expansion of our global customers. As we ended fiscal 2016 we were supporting our customers in over 70 countries with a single solution managed and maintained by QAD’s research and development organization. We added major functionality in all areas of the product and have enhanced our shop floor automation offering.

We operate a global research and development organization comprised of 370 R&D employees located in offices in the United States, India, China, Ireland, Australia, France, Belgium, Spain and Great Britain. Our research and development expenses totaled $41.2 million, $42.3 million and $41.2 million in fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Our software is primarily developed internally; however, we also use independent firms and contractors to perform some of our product development activities when we require additional resources or specific skills or knowledge. As needed, we acquire products or technology developed by others by purchasing or licensing products and technology from third parties. We continually review these investments in an effort to ensure that we are generating sufficient revenue or gaining a competitive advantage to justify their costs. We routinely translate our product suite into fourteen languages and through our internationalization program we support mandatory governmental regulations and reporting requirements for over 70 countries. This is all accomplished through a single offering for our customers in the cloud or on premise, allowing them to run their businesses using a consistent business model with a deployment model of their choice.

We plan to continue to manage significant product development operations internationally over the next several years. We believe that our ability to conduct research and development at various locations throughout the world allows us to optimize product development, lower costs, and integrate local market knowledge into our development activities. We continually assess the significant costs and challenges, including intellectual property protection, against the benefits of our international development activities.

SALES AND MARKETING

QAD sells its products and services through direct and indirect sales channels located throughout the regions of North America; Latin America; Europe, Middle East and Africa (“EMEA”); and Asia Pacific. Each region leverages global standards and systems to enhance consistency when interacting with global customers. Additionally, we have a global strategic accounts team, which is responsible for managing QAD’s largest global customers across regions. Our sales cycle varies depending on the specific application being sold; the size and complexity of the customer’s business and information technology environment; and other factors.

Our direct sales organization includes approximately 70 commissioned sales people. Incentive pay is a significant portion of the total compensation package for our sales staff. We continually align our sales organization and business strategies with market conditions to maintain an effective sales process. We cultivate the industries we serve within each territory through marketing, local product development and sales training.

Our indirect sales channel consists of approximately 40 distributors and sales agents worldwide. We do not grant exclusive rights to any of our distributors or sales agents. Our distributors and sales agents primarily sell independently to companies within their geographic territory, but may also work in conjunction with our direct sales organization. We also identify global sales opportunities through our relationships with implementation service providers, hardware vendors and other third parties.

Our marketing strategy is to differentiate our offering by focusing on our role in providing value by helping our customers achieve the vision of the Effective Enterprise. Our main marketing objective is to leverage the measurable success in business outcomes our customers have achieved to increase awareness and drive leads. We do this by openly and consistently communicating with QAD customers, prospects, partners, investors and other key audiences. We reach these audiences through many channels, including globally integrated marketing campaigns, which are

frequently executed at the regional and local levels; media and analyst relations; customer events; web-based communications; social media; sales tool development and field support.

COMPETITION

The markets for our on-premise and cloud offerings are highly competitive, fragmented and subject to rapid changes in technology as new products and services are introduced and new companies emerge, expand or are acquired. We compete with both enterprise software application vendors and cloud computing application services providers.

In the on-premise space, we compete primarily with larger ERP vendors, such as SAP, Oracle and Infor who hold significant market share of the traditional ERP marketplace. These companies have broad market footprints developing applications targeted at many industries, not just manufacturing, and often focus heavily on positioning their size as an advantage. We typically differentiate against these companies based on the specific industry focus of our solutions as well as our customer focus. Internationally, we face competition from local companies as well as the large ERP competitors, many of which have products tailored for those local markets.

In the cloud space, we compete with both large ERP vendors and cloud computing application service providers. Smaller cloud computing ERP vendors have so far targeted the lower end of the manufacturing supply chain market where companies operate in a single plant or single currency environment focusing mainly in the U.S. domestic market. Most ERP vendors today have some focus on cloud solutions, in addition to on-premise sales, which creates an environment in which we face competition from a variety of vendors that address one or more of our applications. In addition, other vendors that provide services in different markets may develop solutions in our target markets and some potential customers may elect to develop their own internal solutions.

We believe the key competitive factors in our markets are:

EMPLOYEES

As of January 31, 2016, we had 1,680 full-time employees, including 780 in support, subscription and professional services, 370 in research and development, 310 in sales and marketing and 220 in administration. Generally, our employees are not represented by collective bargaining agreements. However, certain employees in our Netherlands, France and Belgium subsidiaries are represented by statutory works councils as required under local law. Employees of our Brazilian subsidiary are represented by a collective bargaining agreement with the Data Processing Union.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

We rely on a combination of trademark, copyright, trade secret and patent laws in the United States and other jurisdictions, as well as confidentiality procedures and contractual provisions to protect our proprietary technology

and our brands and we maintain programs to protect and grow our rights. We also enter into confidentiality and proprietary rights agreements with our employees, consultants and other third parties and control access to software, services, documentation and other proprietary information.

SEASONALITY

Our fourth quarter has historically been our strongest quarter for new business and maintenance renewals. For a more detailed discussion, see the “Seasonal Nature of Deferred Revenue, Accounts Receivable and Operating Cash Flow” discussion in Management’s Discussion and Analysis.

SEGMENT REPORTING

We operate in a single reporting segment. Geographical financial information for fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014 is presented in Note 12 within the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

AVAILABLE INFORMATION

Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, are available free of charge on our website at www.qad.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after such reports have been electronically filed or otherwise furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. We are not including the information contained on our website as part of, or incorporating it by reference into, this annual report on Form 10-K.

Risks associated with our cloud service offerings

Defects and disruptions in our services could diminish demand for our service and subject us to liability.

Our cloud service offerings are complex and incorporate a variety of hardware and proprietary and third-party software, and may have errors or defects that could result in unanticipated downtime for our customers and harm to our reputation and our business. We have from time to time found defects in our services and new defects may be discovered in the future, especially in connection with the integration of new technologies and the introduction of new services. As a result, we could lose future sales and existing customers could elect to not renew or make warranty or other claims against us and potentially expose us to the expense and risk of litigation.

Our revenue and profitability will be adversely affected if we do not properly manage our cloud service offerings.

The pricing and other terms of some of our cloud agreements require us to make estimates and assumptions at the time we enter into these contracts that could differ from actual results. Early termination, increased costs or unanticipated delays could have a material adverse effect on our profit margin and generate negative cash flow. Further, if we experience delays in implementing new cloud customers (whether due to product defects, system complexities or other factors) then customers may delay the deployment of additional users and sites, which could adversely affect our revenue growth. If we fail to meet our system availability commitments or other customer obligations then we may be required to give credits or refund fees, and we may be subject to litigation and loss of customer business. For example, if we were to miss our system availability commitments then we are obligated under our customer contracts to issue one day’s credit against future fees for each hour of system unavailability. We expend significant resources to improve the reliability and security of our cloud offerings and the cost of these investments could reduce our operating margins.

We may be unable to accurately predict growth in our cloud business.

Our cloud customers typically enter into subscription agreements with a term of 12 to 60 months. Our customers have no obligation to renew their subscriptions after the expiration of their initial subscription period, and some customers elect not to renew. Growth in our cloud business may be affected by our ability to maintain high retention rates and sell additional features and services to our current customers, which could depend on a number of factors, including customers’ satisfaction with our products and services, the prices of our offerings and general economic conditions. We cannot provide assurance that our subscriptions will be renewed at the same or higher levels of

service, for the same number of users or for the same duration of time, if at all, or that we will be able to accurately predict future customer retention rates. If our customers do not renew their subscriptions or if they renew on terms less favorable to us, the rate at which our cloud business grows may decline and our revenue may be reduced.

We rely on third-party hosting and other service providers.

We currently serve our customers from third-party data center hosting facilities located in the United States and other countries. We do not control the operation of any of these facilities, and they are vulnerable to damage or interruption from earthquakes, floods, fires, power loss, telecommunications failures and similar events. They may also be subject to breaches of computer hardware and software security, break-ins, sabotage, intentional acts of vandalism and similar misconduct. Despite precautions taken at these facilities, the occurrence of a natural disaster or an act of terrorism, a decision to close the facilities without adequate notice or other unanticipated problems at these facilities could result in lengthy interruptions in our service. Even with our disaster recovery precautions, our services could be interrupted. Any loss or interruption of these services could significantly increase our expenses and/or result in errors or a failure of our services which could adversely affect our business. In addition, these vendor services may not continue to be available at reasonable prices or on commercially reasonable terms, or at all.

We may be exposed to liability and loss from security breaches.

Our cloud services involve the storage and transmission of customers’ proprietary information, and security breaches could expose us to a risk of loss of this information, litigation and possible liability. These security measures may be breached in numerous ways, including remote or on-site break-ins by computer hackers or employee error during transfer of data to additional data centers or at any time, and result in unauthorized access to our own and our customers’ data, intellectual property and other confidential business information. Additionally, third parties may attempt to induce employees or customers into disclosing sensitive information such as user names, passwords or other information in order to gain access to our own and our customers’ data, intellectual property and other confidential business information. Because the techniques used to obtain unauthorized access, or to sabotage systems, change frequently and generally are not recognized until launched against a target, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or to implement adequate preventative measures. Any security breach could result in a loss of confidence in the security of our service, damage our reputation, disrupt our business, lead to legal liability and adversely impact our future sales which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Our solutions could be used to collect and store personal information of our customers’ employees or customers, and therefore privacy concerns could result in additional cost and liability to us or inhibit sales of our solutions.

Regulatory focus on privacy issues continues to increase and worldwide laws and regulations concerning the handling of personal information are expanding and becoming more complex. Many federal, state and foreign government bodies and agencies have adopted, or are considering adopting, laws and regulations regarding the collection, use, disclosure and retention of personal information. These and other requirements could reduce demand for our products and solutions or restrict our ability to store and process data or, in some cases, impact our ability to offer our products and solutions in certain locations or our customers' ability to deploy our solutions globally. This impact may be more significant in countries with legislation that requires data to remain localized “in country”, as this could require us or our customers to establish data storage in other jurisdictions or apply local operational processes that are difficult and costly to integrate with global processes.

Internationally, virtually every jurisdiction in which we operate has established its own data security and privacy legal framework with which we or our customers must comply, including the Data Protection Directive established in the European Union and the Federal Data Protection Act passed in Germany. The European Court of Justice recently invalidated the U.S.-EU Safe Harbor framework that had been in place since 2000, which allowed companies to meet certain legal requirements for the transfer of personal data from the EU to the U.S. While the European Commission has introduced the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield as a new legal mechanism for transatlantic data flows replacing the U.S.-EU Safe Harbor framework, the invalidation of the U.S.-EU Safe Harbor framework has increased the risk of additional regulation, costs of compliance and limitations on data transfer for us and our customers. The costs of compliance with such international laws, regulations and standards may limit the use and adoption of, and reduce overall demand for, our solutions, lead to significant fines, penalties or liabilities for noncompliance, or slow the pace at which we close sales, thereby harming our business.

The market for cloud services may not develop as quickly as we expect.

The market for enterprise cloud computing application services is not as mature as the market for traditional enterprise software, and it is uncertain whether these services will achieve and sustain high levels of demand and market acceptance. Our success will depend on the willingness of customers to increase their use of enterprise cloud computing application services in general, and for ERP applications in particular. Some enterprises may be unwilling to use enterprise cloud computing application services because they have concerns regarding security risks, international transfers of data, evolving regulation, government or other third-party access to data, use of outsourced services providers, and unwillingness to abandon past infrastructure investments. If the market for enterprise cloud computing application services does not evolve in the way we anticipate or if customers do not recognize the benefits of our cloud solutions over traditional on-premise enterprise software products, and as a result we are unable to increase sales of subscriptions to our cloud offerings, then our revenues may not grow or may decline and our operating results would be harmed.

Our focus on cloud services may result in the loss of other business opportunities and negatively impact our revenue growth.

We have focused our sales force, management team and other personnel toward growing our cloud business. This strategic direction and redirection of resources could potentially result in the loss of sales opportunities in our traditional license, maintenance and services businesses. If our cloud business does not grow in accordance with our expectations and we are not able to cover the shortfall with other sales opportunities, then our business could be harmed. Although the subscription model used for our cloud business is designed to create a recurring revenue stream that is more predictable, the shift to this model may reduce our license sales, spread revenue over a longer period and negatively affect future maintenance and services revenue.

Risks associated with rapid technological change and complexity

The market for our products and services is characterized by rapid technological change.

Customer requirements for products can change rapidly as a result of innovation or change within the computer hardware and software industries, the introduction of new products and technologies and the emergence of, adoption of, or changes to, industry standards. Our future success, including with our cloud service offerings, will depend upon our ability to continue to enhance our current product line and to develop and introduce new products and services that keep pace with technological developments, satisfy increasingly sophisticated customer requirements, keep pace with industry and compliance standards and achieve market acceptance. Our failure to successfully develop or acquire and market product enhancements or new products could have a material adverse effect on our business. Developing software and cloud offerings is expensive. We will continue to make significant investments in research and development, and we may not realize significant new revenue from these investments for several years, if at all.

New software releases and enhancements may adversely affect our software sales.

The actual or anticipated introduction of new products, technologies and industry standards can render existing products obsolete or unmarketable or result in delays in the purchase of those products. Significant delays in launching new products may also jeopardize our ability to compete. Failure by us to anticipate or respond to developments in technology or customer requirements, significant delays in the introduction of new products or failure by us to maintain overall customer satisfaction could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Services engagements are increasingly complex and pose additional risks.

Services engagements may involve increased technological complexity, customer customization requests and other challenges, including in connection with our cloud environments, and demand a significant number of specialized technical resources. Our failure to successfully address these issues could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Risks associated with our revenue, expenses and pricing

Because of significant fluctuations in our revenue, period-to-period comparisons of our revenue or profit may not be meaningful.

Our quarterly and annual operating results have fluctuated in the past and may do so in the future. Such fluctuations have resulted from the seasonality of our customers’ manufacturing businesses and budget cycles and other factors. Moreover, there can be no assurance that our revenue will grow in future periods or that we will be profitable on a quarterly or annual basis.

A significant portion of our revenue in any quarter may be derived from a limited number of large, non-recurring license sales.

We may experience large individual license sales, which may cause significant variations in license fees being reported on a quarterly basis. We also believe that the purchase of our products is discretionary and may involve a significant commitment of a customer’s capital resources. Therefore, a downturn in any significant customer’s business could have a significant adverse impact on our revenue and profit. Further, we have historically recognized a substantial portion of our license revenue from sales booked and shipped in the last month of a quarter and, as a result, the magnitude of quarterly fluctuations in license fees may not become evident until the end of a particular quarter. Our revenue from license fees in any quarter is substantially dependent on orders booked and shipped in that quarter. We are unlikely to be able to generate revenue from alternative sources if we discover a shortfall near the end of a quarter.

Our financial forecasts are subject to uncertainty to the extent they are based on estimated sales forecasts.

Our revenues, and particularly our new software license revenue, are difficult to forecast, and, as a result, our financial forecasts are subject to uncertainty. Specifically, our sales forecasts are based on estimates that our sales personnel make regarding the likelihood of potential sales, including their expected closing date and fee amounts. If these estimates are inaccurate then our financial forecasts may also be inaccurate.

The margins in our services business may fluctuate.

Services revenue is dependent upon the timing and size of customer orders to provide the services, as well as upon our related license and subscription sales. In addition, certain engagements may involve fixed price arrangements and significant staffing which require us to make estimates and assumptions at the time we enter into these contracts. Variances between these estimates and assumptions and actual results could have an adverse effect on our profit margin and generate negative cash flow and negative services margins. To the extent that we are not successful in securing orders from customers to provide services, or to the extent we are not successful in achieving the expected margin on such services, our results of operations may be adversely affected.

The margins in our cloud service offerings may fluctuate.

Our cloud service offerings may involve fixed price arrangements, fixed and up-front costs and significant staffing which require us to make estimates and assumptions at the time we enter into these contracts. Variances between these estimates and assumptions and actual results could have an adverse effect on our profit margin and/or generate negative cash flow. To the extent that we are not successful in securing orders from customers to provide cloud services, or to the extent we are not successful in achieving the expected margin on such solutions, our results may be adversely affected.

Because we recognize revenue from cloud services over the term of the subscription, downturns or upturns in new business may not be immediately reflected in our operating results.

We generally recognize revenue from customers ratably over the terms of their subscription agreements. As a result, most of the revenue we report in each quarter is the result of subscription agreements entered into during previous quarters. Consequently, a decline in new or renewed subscriptions in any one quarter may not be reflected in our revenue results for that quarter. Any such decline, however, will negatively affect our revenue in future quarters. Accordingly, the effect of significant downturns in sales and market acceptance of our service, and potential changes in our attrition rate may not be fully reflected in our results of operations until future periods. Our subscription model also makes it difficult for us to rapidly increase our revenue through additional sales in any period, as revenue from new customers must be recognized over the applicable subscription term.

A significant portion of our revenue is derived from maintenance renewals with our existing installed base of customers.

Significant portions of our maintenance revenues are generated from our installed base of customers. Maintenance and support agreements with these customers are traditionally renewed on an annual basis at the customer’s discretion, and there is normally no requirement that a customer renew or that a customer pay new license or service fees to us following the initial purchase. Further, it is our strategy to convert existing customers to our cloud services offering, which, if successful, will reduce maintenance renewals. If our existing customers do not renew their maintenance agreements or fail to purchase new user licenses or product enhancements or additional services at historical levels, our revenues and results of operations could be adversely affected.

Our maintenance retention rate is dependent upon a number of factors such as our ability to continue to develop and maintain our products, our ability to continue to recruit and retain qualified personnel to assist our customers, and our ability to promote the value of maintenance for our products to our customers.

Our maintenance retention rate is also dependent upon factors beyond our control such as technology changes and their adoption by our customers, budgeting decisions by our customers, changes in our customers’ strategy or ownership and plans by our customers to replace our products with competing products. If our maintenance retention rate were to decrease, our revenue and results of operations would be adversely affected.

We encounter pressure to make concessions on our pricing and pricing models.

We are occasionally obliged to offer deep discounts and other favorable terms in order to match or exceed the product and service offerings of our competitors. If we do not adapt our pricing models to reflect changes in customer demand, or if customer demand is adversely impacted by our failure to adapt our pricing models, our revenues could decrease. Further, broad-based changes to our pricing models could adversely affect our revenues and operating results as our sales force implements, and our customers and accounting practices adjust to, the new pricing models.

We may have exposure to additional tax liabilities.

As a multinational organization, we are subject to income taxes as well as non-income taxes in the United States and in various foreign jurisdictions. Significant judgment is required in determining our worldwide income tax provision and other tax liabilities. Although we believe that our tax estimates are reasonable, the final determination of tax audits or tax disputes may differ from what is reflected in our historical income tax provisions and accruals.

Our tax rate could be adversely affected by several factors, many of which are outside of our control, including:

If we are deemed to owe additional taxes, our results of operations may be adversely affected.

We report our results based on the amount of taxes owed in the various tax jurisdictions in which we operate.

Periodically, we may receive notices that a tax authority in a particular jurisdiction believes that we owe a greater amount of tax than we have reported, in which case, we may engage in discussions or possible dispute resolutions with these tax authorities. If the ultimate determination of our taxes owed in any of these jurisdictions is for an amount in excess of the tax provision we have recorded or reserved for, our operating results, cash flows, and financial condition could be adversely affected. We are also subject to non-income taxes, such as payroll, sales, use, value-added, net worth, property and goods and services taxes, in the United States and in various foreign jurisdictions. Audits or disputes relating to non-income taxes may result in additional liabilities that could negatively affect our operating results, cash flows and financial condition.

Our personnel restructurings may incur significant expense and be disruptive.

We have in the past restructured our workforce on a company-wide, business function or geographic basis in connection with strategic changes, cost containment and other purposes. Such restructurings, and in particular reductions in the workforce, may result in significant severance and other expenses and may also reduce productivity.

Initiatives to upgrade our internal information technology systems involve risks which could disrupt our operations, increase our costs or harm our business.

We rely on our internal information technology systems for development, marketing, support, sales, accounting and financial reporting and other operations. We regularly implement business process improvements to optimize the performance of these systems. Such improvements require significant capital investments and personnel resources. Difficulties in implementation could disrupt our operations, increase our costs or otherwise harm our business. In particular, we are in the process of implementing upgrades to our internal information technology systems supporting financial operations, which we expect will have a pervasive impact on our business processes and information systems across a significant portion of our operations. As a result, we may experience significant changes in our operational processes and internal controls as our implementation progresses. If we are unable to successfully implement these upgrades, including harmonizing our systems, processes and data, our ability to conduct routine business functions could be negatively impacted and significant disruptions to our business could occur. In addition, such difficulties could cause us to incur material unanticipated expenses, including additional costs of implementation or costs of conducting business, or result in errors and delays in invoicing customers, collecting cash, paying vendors and financial reporting.

Risks associated with our sales cycle

Our products involve a long sales cycle and the timing of sales is difficult to predict. Because the licensing of our primary products generally involves a significant commitment of capital or a long-term commitment by our customers, the sales cycle associated with a customer’s purchase of our products is generally lengthy.

This cycle varies from customer to customer and is subject to a number of significant risks over which we have little or no control. The evaluation process that our customers follow generally involves many of their personnel and requires complex demonstrations and presentations to satisfy their needs. Significant effort is required by us to support this approach, whether we are ultimately successful or not. If sales forecasted for a particular quarter are not realized in that quarter, then we are unlikely to be able to generate revenue from alternative sources in time to compensate for the shortfall. As a result, a lost or delayed sale could have a material adverse effect on our quarterly and annual operating results.

Risks associated with our solutions

We may experience defects in our software products and services.

Software products frequently contain defects, including security flaws, especially when first introduced or when new versions are released. The detection and correction of errors and security flaws can be time consuming and costly. Defects in our software products, or in the software of third parties, could affect the ability of our products to work with other hardware or software products. Our software product errors could delay the development or release of new products or new versions of products and could adversely affect market acceptance of our products. Errors and security flaws may also adversely affect our ability to conduct our cloud operations. Such defects, together with third-party products, software customizations and other factors outside our control, may also impair our ability to complete services implementations on time and within budget. Customers who rely on our software products and services for applications that are critical to their businesses may have a greater sensitivity to product errors and security vulnerabilities than customers for software products generally. Software product errors and security flaws in our products or services could expose us to product liability, performance and warranty claims as well as harm our reputation, which could adversely impact our future sales of products and services.

Dependence on third-party suppliers

We are dependent on Progress Software Corporation.

The majority of QAD Enterprise Applications are written in a programming language that is proprietary to Progress Software Corporation, or “Progress.” These QAD Enterprise Applications do not run within programming environments other than Progress and therefore our customers must acquire rights to Progress software in order to use these QAD Enterprise Applications. We have an agreement with Progress under which Progress licenses us to distribute and use Progress software related to our products. This agreement remains in effect unless terminated either by a written three-year advance notice or due to a material breach that is not remedied. If Progress were to provide notice that it was terminating its agreement with us, this could have a material adverse effect on our business and prospects.

Our success is dependent upon our continuing relationship with Progress.

Our success is also dependent upon Progress continuing to develop, support and enhance its programming language, its toolset and its database, as well as the continued market acceptance of Progress products. A change in Progress’ control, management or direction may adversely impact our relationship with Progress and our ability to rely on Progress products in our business. We have in the past, and may in the future, experience product release delays because of delays in the release of Progress products or product enhancements. Any of these delays could have a material adverse effect on our business.

We are dependent on other third-party suppliers.

We resell certain software which we license from third parties other than Progress. There can be no assurance that these third-party software arrangements and licenses will continue to be available to us on terms that provide us with the third-party software we require, provide adequate functionality in our products on terms that adequately protect our proprietary rights or are commercially favorable to us.

Certain QAD Enterprise Applications are developed using embedded programming tools from Microsoft and Sun Microsystems (owned by our competitor Oracle) for the Microsoft .NET framework and Java Programming environments, respectively. We rely on these environments’ continued compatibility with customers’ desktop and server operating systems. In the event that this compatibility is limited, some of our customers may not be able to easily upgrade their QAD software. If the present method of licensing the .NET framework as part of Microsoft’s Desktop Operating systems is changed and a separate price were applied to the .NET framework, our expenses could increase substantially. Similarly, if Oracle decided to charge fees or otherwise change the historical licensing terms for Java technology, our expenses could increase substantially. For both of the .Net and Java elements, we rely on market acceptance and maintenance of these environments and we may be adversely affected if these were withdrawn or superseded in the market.

Our partner agreements, including development, product acquisition and reseller agreements, contain confidentiality, indemnity and non-disclosure provisions for the third party and end user. Failure to establish or maintain successful relationships with these third parties or failure of these parties to develop and support their software, provide appropriate services and fulfill confidentiality, indemnity and non-disclosure obligations could have an adverse effect on us. We have been in the past, and expect to be in the future, party to disputes about ownership, license scope and royalty or fee terms with respect to intellectual property. Failure to prevail in any such dispute could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Risks associated with our proprietary rights and customer contracts

Our intellectual property may be at risk as a result of a variety of different factors.

We rely on a combination of protections provided by applicable copyright, trademark, patent and trade secret laws, as well as on confidentiality procedures and licensing arrangements, to establish and protect our rights in our software and related materials and information. We enter into licensing agreements with each of our On-Premise customers and these agreements provide for the non-exclusive use of QAD Enterprise Applications. Our license contracts contain confidentiality and non-disclosure provisions, a limited warranty covering our applications and indemnification for the customer from infringement actions related to our applications. In addition, we generally license our software to end-users in both object code (machine-readable) and source code (human-readable) formats. While this practice facilitates customization, making software available in source code also makes it possible for others to copy or modify our software for impermissible purposes.

Despite our efforts, it may be possible for others to copy portions of our products, reverse engineer them or obtain and use information that we regard as proprietary, all of which could adversely affect our competitive position. Furthermore, there can be no assurance that our competitors will not independently develop technology similar to ours. In addition, the laws of certain countries do not protect our proprietary rights to the same extent as the laws of the United States.

The success of our business is highly dependent on maintenance of intellectual property rights.

The unauthorized use of our intellectual property rights may increase the cost of protecting these rights or reduce our revenues. We may initiate, or be subject to, claims or litigation for infringement of proprietary rights or to establish the validity of our proprietary rights, which could result in significant expense to us, cause product shipment delays, require us to enter royalty or licensing agreements and divert the efforts of our technical and management personnel from productive tasks, whether or not such litigation were determined in our favor.

We may be exposed to claims for infringement or misuse of intellectual property rights and/or breach of license agreement provisions.

Third parties may initiate proceedings against us claiming infringement or other misuse of their intellectual property rights and/or breach of our agreements with them. The likelihood of such claims may increase as new patents continue to be issued and the use of open source and other third-party code becomes more prevalent; and may also increase if we acquire businesses or expand into new markets in the future. Any such claims, regardless of validity, may cause us to:

We may be exposed to product liability claims and other liability.

While our customer agreements typically contain provisions designed to limit our exposure to product liability claims and other liability, we may still be exposed to liability in the event such provisions may not apply.

We have an errors and omissions insurance policy which may not totally protect us.

The Company has an errors and omissions insurance policy. However, this insurance may not continue to be available to us on commercially reasonable terms or at all, or a claim otherwise covered by our insurance may exceed our coverage limits. We may be subject to product liability claims or errors or omissions claims that could have an adverse effect on us. Moreover, defending a suit, regardless of its merits, could entail substantial expense and require the time and attention of key management personnel.

Risks associated with our market and the economy

The market in which we participate is highly competitive and if we do not compete effectively our operating results could be harmed.

The market for enterprise software solutions is highly competitive and subject to changing technology, shifting customer needs and introductions of new products and services. Many of our current and potential competitors enjoy substantial competitive advantages, such as greater name recognition, larger marketing budgets and substantially greater financial, technical and other resources. In addition, many of our current and potential competitors have established marketing relationships and access to larger customer bases. A number of companies offer products that are similar to our products and target the same markets. Any of these competitors may be able to respond more quickly to new or changing opportunities, technologies and market trends (such as cloud computing), and devote greater resources to the development, promotion and sale of their products. Our competitors may also offer extended

payment terms or price reductions for their products and services, either of which could materially and adversely affect our ability to compete successfully. There can be no assurance that we will be able to compete successfully against current and future competitors or that the competitive pressures that we may face will not materially adversely affect our business, revenue and results of operations.

We are dependent upon achieving success in certain concentrated markets.

We have made a strategic decision to concentrate our product development, as well as our sales and marketing efforts, in certain vertical manufacturing industry segments: automotive, life sciences, consumer products, food and beverage, high technology and industrial products. We also concentrate our efforts on certain geographies, where costs to stay in compliance with local requirements could be extensive and require a large amount of resources. An important element of our strategy is the achievement of technological and market leadership recognition for our software products in these segments and geographies. The failure of our products to achieve or maintain substantial market acceptance in one or more of these segments or geographies could have an adverse effect on us. If any of these targeted industry segments or geographies experience a material slowdown or reduced growth, those conditions could adversely affect the demand for our products.

Unfavorable economic conditions may adversely impact our business, operating results and financial condition.

Our operations and performance are subject to the risks arising from worldwide economic conditions, which are themselves impacted by other events, such as financial crises, natural disasters and political turmoil. In particular, the negative impact of economic conditions on manufacturing companies could have a substantial adverse effect on our sales, because our products are focused on supporting manufacturing companies. Ongoing uncertainty about current global economic conditions may result in reductions in sales of our products, longer sales cycles, slower adoption of new technologies and increased price competition as manufacturing companies may delay, reduce or forego spending in response to declining asset values, tight credit, high unemployment, natural disasters, political unrest and negative financial news. Such economic conditions may also result in our customers extending their payment periods or experiencing reduced ability to pay amounts owed to us. Uncertainty about current global economic conditions could also increase the volatility of our stock price. If any of the foregoing occurs, our results of operations may be adversely affected.

Risks associated with our third-party relationships

We are dependent upon the development and maintenance of sales, services and marketing channels.

We sell and support our products through direct and indirect sales, services and support organizations throughout the world. We also maintain relationships with a number of consulting and systems integration organizations that we believe are important to our worldwide sales, marketing, service and support activities and to the implementation of our products. We believe this strategy allows for additional flexibility in ensuring our customers’ needs for services are met in a cost effective, timely and high quality manner. Our services providers generally do not receive fees for the sale of our software products unless they participate actively in a sale as a sales agent or a distributor. We are aware that these third-party service providers do not work exclusively with our products and in many instances have similar, and often more established, relationships with our principal competitors. If these third parties exclusively pursue products or technology other than QAD software products or technology, or if these third parties fail to adequately support QAD software products and technology or increase support for competitive products or technology, we could be adversely affected.

Risks associated with acquisitions we may make

We may make acquisitions or investments in new businesses, products or technologies that involve additional risks.

As part of our business strategy, we have made, and expect to continue to make, acquisitions of businesses or investments in companies that offer complementary products, services and technologies. Such acquisitions or investments involve a number of risks which could adversely affect our business or operating results, including:

These factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and operating results. In addition such acquisitions may cause our future quarterly financial results to fluctuate due to costs related to an acquisition, such as the elimination of redundant expenses or write-offs of impaired assets recorded in connection with acquisitions. Also, consideration paid for any future acquisitions could include our stock. As a result, future acquisitions could cause dilution to existing stockholders and to earnings per share, though the likelihood of voting dilution is limited by the ability of the Company to use low-vote Class A common stock. Furthermore, we may incur significant debt to pay for future acquisitions or investments or our use of cash to pay for acquisitions may limit other potential uses of our cash, including stock repurchases, dividend payments and retirement of outstanding indebtedness.

Risks associated with our international operations

Our operations are international in scope, exposing us to additional risk.

We derive over half of our total revenue from sales outside the United States. A significant aspect of our strategy is to focus on developing business in emerging markets. Our operating results could be negatively impacted by a variety of factors affecting our foreign operations, many of which are beyond our control. These factors include currency fluctuations, economic, political or regulatory conditions in a specific country or region, trade protection measures and other regulatory requirements. Additional risks inherent in international business activities generally include, among others:

We may experience foreign currency gains and losses.

We conduct a portion of our business in currencies other than the United States dollar. Our revenues and operating results may be negatively affected by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. Changes in the value of major foreign currencies, including the euro, Brazilian real, Mexican peso, British pound and Swiss franc relative to the United States dollar can significantly and adversely affect our revenues, expenses and operating results.

Changes in accounting principles, or interpretations thereof, could have a significant impact on our financial position and results of operations.

We prepare our Consolidated Financial Statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). A change in these principles can have a significant impact on our reported results and may even retroactively affect previously reported transactions. The adoption of new or revised accounting principles may require that we make significant changes to our systems, processes and controls.

The U.S.-based Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) is currently working together with the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”) on several projects to further align accounting principles and facilitate more comparable financial reporting between companies who are required to follow GAAP under SEC regulations and those who are required to follow International Financial Reporting Standards outside of the United States. These efforts by the FASB and IASB may result in different accounting principles under GAAP that may result in materially different financial results for us in areas including, but not limited to, principles for recognizing revenue and lease accounting. Additionally, significant changes to GAAP resulting from the FASB’s and IASB’s efforts may require that we change how we process, analyze and report financial information and that we change financial reporting controls.

We are exposed to fluctuations in the market values of our investments

Given the global nature of our business, we have investments both domestically and internationally. Credit ratings and market values of these investments can be negatively impacted by liquidity, credit deterioration or losses, financial results, foreign exchange rates, or other factors. As a result, the value or liquidity of our cash equivalents and marketable securities could decline, thus adversely affecting our financial condition and operating results.

The market for our Class A and Class B common stock is volatile

Our stock price could become more volatile and investments could lose value.

The market price of our common stock and the number of shares of each class traded each day has experienced significant fluctuations and may continue to fluctuate significantly. The market price for our common stock may be affected by a number of factors, including, but not limited to:

The dual class structure of our common stock as contained in our charter documents could adversely impact the market for our common stock.

Our dual-class stock structure could adversely impact the market for our stock. The liquidity of our common stock may be adversely impacted by our dual-class structure because each class has less of a public float than it would if we had a single class of common stock. In addition, there are fewer Class B shares than Class A shares and Class B shares may be less desirable to the public due to the 20% higher dividend on Class A shares. Also, the holding of lower voting Class A common stock may not be permitted by the investment policies of certain institutional investors or may be less attractive to managers of certain institutional investors.

If research analysts do not publish research about our business or if they issue unfavorable commentary or downgrade our common stock, our stock price and trading volume could decline.

The trading market for our common stock depends in part on the research and reports that research analysts publish about us and our business. If we do not maintain adequate research coverage, or if one or more analysts who

covers us downgrades our stock or publishes inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, the price of our common stock could decline. If one or more of the research analysts ceases coverage of our company or fails to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our common stock could decrease, which could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline.

We are obligated to maintain proper and effective internal control over financial reporting. We may not complete our analysis of our internal control over financial reporting in a timely manner, or this internal control may not be determined to be effective, which may adversely affect investor confidence in our company and, as a result, the value of our common stock.

We are required, pursuant to the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), to furnish a report by management on, among other things, the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. This assessment will need to include disclosure of any material weaknesses identified by our management in our internal control over financial reporting, as well as a statement that our auditors have issued an attestation report on our internal controls.

While we were able to determine in our management’s report for fiscal 2016 that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, as well as provide an unqualified attestation report from our independent registered public accounting firm to that effect, we may not be able to complete our evaluation, testing, and any required remediation in a timely fashion or our independent registered public accounting firm may not be able to formally attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting in the future. During the evaluation and testing process, if we identify one or more material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting that we are unable to remediate before the end of the same fiscal year in which the material weakness is identified, we will be unable to assert that our internal controls are effective. If we are unable to assert that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, or if our auditors are unable to attest to the effectiveness of our internal controls or determine we have a material weakness in our internal controls, we could lose investor confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, which would cause the price of our common stock to decline.

If we are unable to pay quarterly dividends, our reputation and stock price may be harmed.

Our payment of dividends may require the use of a significant portion of our cash earnings. As a result, we may not retain a sufficient amount of cash to fund our operations or finance future growth opportunities, new product development initiatives and unanticipated capital expenditures which could adversely affect our financial performance. Additionally, our board of directors may, at its discretion, decrease or entirely discontinue the payment of dividends at any time. Our ability to pay dividends will depend on our ability to generate sufficient cash flows from operations in the future. This ability may be subject to certain economic, financial, competitive and other factors that are beyond our control. Any failure to pay dividends may negatively impact our reputation and investor confidence in use and may negatively impact the price of our common stock.

Our common stock ownership is concentrated

The dual class structure of our common stock as contained in our charter documents has the effect of concentrating voting control with certain stockholders, including Karl Lopker and Pamela Lopker, thus limiting our other stockholders’ ability to influence corporate matters.

Our Class B common stock has one vote per share and our Class A common stock has 1/20^th vote per share. Stockholders who hold shares of our Class B common stock together held approximately 80% of the voting power of our outstanding capital stock as of January 31, 2016. As of January 31, 2016, Karl Lopker and Pamela Lopker jointly and beneficially owned approximately 43% of the outstanding shares of our Class A and Class B common stock, representing approximately 60% of the voting power of our outstanding capital stock. Currently they have sufficient voting control to determine the outcome of a stockholder vote concerning:

In addition, the holders of our Class B common stock collectively will continue to be able to control all matters submitted to our stockholders for approval even if their stock holdings represent less than 50% of the outstanding shares of our common stock. Because of the 20-to-1 voting ratio between our Class B and Class A common stock,

the holders of our Class B common stock collectively will continue to control a majority of the combined voting power of our common stock even when the shares of Class B common stock represent as little as 5% of all outstanding shares of our Class A common stock. This concentrated control will limit the ability of our Class A stockholders to influence corporate matters for the foreseeable future, and, as a result, the market price of our Class A common stock could be adversely affected.

This concentrated control limits the ability of our other stockholders to influence corporate matters and also limits the liquidity of the shares owned by other stockholders. Should the interests of Karl Lopker and Pamela Lopker differ from those of other stockholders, the other stockholders may not be afforded the protections of having a majority of directors on the board who are independent from our principal stockholders or our management. For example, Karl Lopker’s and Pamela Lopker’s concentrated control could discourage others from initiating potential merger, takeover or other change of control transactions; and, transactions could be pursued that our other stockholders do not view as beneficial. As a result, the market price of our Class A and Class B common stock could be adversely affected.

We are not required to comply with certain corporate governance rules of NASDAQ that would otherwise apply to us as a company listed on NASDAQ because we are a controlled company.

Specifically, we are not required to have a majority of independent directors or a compensation committee comprised solely of independent directors; select, or recommend for the board’s selection, director nominees by a majority of independent directors or a nominating committee comprised solely of independent directors; determine officer compensation by a compensation committee comprised solely of independent directors or by a majority of the board upon recommendation of a compensation committee comprised solely of independent directors; and satisfy certain responsibilities of the compensation committee prior to retaining or receiving advice from a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other advisor to the compensation committee.

Provisions in the Company's charter documents or Delaware law could discourage a takeover that stockholders may consider favorable.

Our Certificate of Incorporation contains certain other provisions that may have an “anti-takeover” effect. The Certificate of Incorporation contains authority for the Board to issue up to 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock without stockholder approval. Although the Company has no present intention to issue any such shares, we could issue such shares in a manner that deters or seeks to prevent an unsolicited bid for us. The Certificate of Incorporation also does not provide for cumulative voting and, accordingly, a significant minority stockholder could not necessarily elect any designee to the board of directors. In addition, Section 203 of the Delaware Corporation Law may discourage, delay, or prevent a change in control of us by imposing certain restrictions on various business combinations. Furthermore, our dual class structure concentrates the voting power of our stock in a small group of stockholders who would have the ability to control the outcome of a stockholder vote. As a result of these provisions in the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, including our dual class structure, and Delaware law, our stockholders may be deprived of an opportunity to sell their shares at a premium over prevailing market prices and it would be more difficult to replace our directors and management.

We are dependent upon highly skilled personnel

Our performance depends on the talents and efforts of highly skilled employees, including the continued service of a relatively small number of key technical and senior management personnel. In particular, our Chairman of the Board and President, Pamela Lopker, and Chief Executive Officer, Karl Lopker, are critical to overall management of QAD, maintenance of our culture and setting our strategic direction. All of our executive officers and key employees are at-will employees and we do not have key-person insurance covering any of our employees. Our future success depends on our continuing ability to attract and retain highly skilled personnel in all areas of our organization. Competition for such personnel is intense and many of our competitors are larger and have greater financial resources for attracting skilled personnel. The loss of key technical and senior management personnel or the inability to attract and retain additional qualified personnel could have an adverse effect on our continued ability to compete effectively.

We have hired personnel in countries where advanced technical expertise and other expertise are available at lower costs to improve our cost structure. We may experience increased competition for employees in these countries as the trend toward globalization continues, which may negatively affect our employee retention efforts and increase our expenses in an effort to offer a competitive compensation program.

None.

QAD’s corporate headquarters are located in Santa Barbara, California. The corporate headquarters are owned by QAD and consist of approximately 120,000 square feet situated on 28 acres of land.

In addition to the corporate headquarters, QAD owns a facility in Dublin, Ireland and leases over 25 offices throughout the world with lease agreements ending on various dates through fiscal year 2026. QAD’s leased properties include offices in the United States, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Spain, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Australia, China, India, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Brazil and Mexico. QAD will seek to review lease commitments in the future as may be required. QAD anticipates that its current domestic and international facilities are substantially sufficient to meet its needs for at least the next twelve months.

We are not party to any material legal proceedings. We are from time to time party, either as plaintiff or defendant, to various legal proceedings and claims which arise in the ordinary course of business. While the outcome of these claims cannot be predicted with certainty, management does not believe that the outcome of any of these legal matters will have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position or results of operations.

Not applicable.

PART II

QAD common stock has been traded on the NASDAQ Global Market (“NASDAQ”) since our initial public offering in August 1997 under the symbol “QADI” through December 14, 2010. On December 14, 2010, QAD shareholders approved a recapitalization plan pursuant to which the Company established two classes of common stock (the “Recapitalization”). Our Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock are traded on the NASDAQ under the symbols “QADA” and “QADB”, respectively. The following table reflects the range of high and low sale prices of our Common Stock as reported by NASDAQ:

Holders

As of March 31, 2016, there were approximately 223 shareholders of record of our Class A common stock and approximately 192 shareholders of record of our Class B common stock. Because many of our shares of common stock are held by brokers or other institutions on behalf of stockholders, we are unable to estimate the total number of stockholders represented by the record holders.

Dividends

We declared four quarterly cash dividends in fiscal 2016 of $0.072 and $0.06 per share of Class A and Class B stock, respectively. Continuing quarterly cash dividends are subject to profitability measures, liquidity requirements of QAD and Board discretion.

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

None.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

None.

STOCKHOLDER RETURN PERFORMANCE GRAPH

The line graph below compares the annual percentage change in the cumulative total stockholder return on QAD’s common stock with the cumulative total return of the NASDAQ Composite Total Return Index and the NASDAQ Computer Index, on an annual basis, for the period beginning January 31, 2011 and ending January 31, 2016.

The graph assumes that $100 was invested in QAD common stock on January 31, 2011 and that all dividends were reinvested. Historic stock price performance has been restated to reflect the effect of the Recapitalization for all periods presented. Historic stock price performance should not be considered indicative of future stock price performance.

The following Share Performance Graph shall not be deemed to be “filed” with the Securities and Exchange Commission, nor shall such information be incorporated by reference into any future filings under the Securities Act of 1933 or Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each as amended, except to the extent that the Company specifically incorporates it by reference into such filing.

COMPARISON OF CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN
AMONG QAD INC., THE NASDAQ COMPOSITE TOTAL RETURN INDEX,
AND THE NASDAQ COMPUTER INDEX

INTRODUCTION

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

BUSINESS OVERVIEW

QAD Inc. (“QAD”, the “Company”, “we” or “us”) is a leading global provider of vertically-oriented, mission-critical enterprise software solutions for global manufacturing companies across the automotive, life sciences, consumer products, food and beverage, high technology and industrial products industries. Our mission is to deliver best-in-class software that allows our customers to operate more effectively on a global basis. QAD Enterprise Applications enables measurement and control of key business processes and supports operational requirements. We deliver our software solutions to our customers in a format that best meets their current and future needs - either in the cloud, on premise, or blended. Increasingly, our customers are selecting a cloud-based deployment as they expand their businesses globally and as they recognize the benefits of full featured ERP cloud-based software.

At the core of our solutions is our enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) suite called QAD Enterprise Applications or MFG/PRO. Our ERP suite is also deployed in the cloud as QAD Cloud ERP. QAD Enterprise Applications supports the core business processes of our global manufacturing customers, including key functions in the following areas: financials, customer management, manufacturing, demand and supply chain planning, supply chain execution, transportation management, service and support, enterprise asset management, analytics, enterprise quality management, interoperability, process and performance, and internationalization. We also focus on the foundation and technology of our applications, such as user interface and usability.

We have four principal sources of revenue:

We operate primarily in the following four geographic regions: North America, Latin America, EMEA and Asia Pacific. In fiscal 2016, approximately 46% of our total revenue was generated in North America, 30% in EMEA, 17% in Asia Pacific and 7% in Latin America. The majority of our revenue is generated from global customers who have operations in multiple countries throughout the world. License and subscription revenues are assigned to the geographic regions based on both the proportion of users in each region and sales effort. Maintenance revenue is allocated to the region where the end user is located. Services revenue is assigned based on the region where the services are performed. A significant portion of our revenue and expenses are derived from international operations which are primarily conducted in foreign currencies. As a result, changes in the value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar have impacted our results of operations and may impact our future results of operations. At January 31, 2016, we employed approximately 1,680 employees worldwide, of which 630 employees were based in North America, 500 employees in EMEA, 470 employees in Asia Pacific and 80 employees in Latin America.

Our customer base and our target markets are primarily global manufacturing companies; therefore, our results are heavily influenced by the state of the manufacturing economy on a global basis. As a result, our management team monitors several economic indicators, with particular attention to the Global and Country Purchasing Managers’ Indexes (“PMI”). The PMI is a survey conducted on a monthly basis by polling businesses that represent the makeup of respective sectors. Since most of our customers are manufacturers, our revenue has historically correlated with fluctuations in the manufacturing PMI. Global macro economic trends and manufacturing spending are important barometers for our business, and the health of the U.S., Western European and Asian economies have a meaningful impact on our financial results.

Our business model is evolving as evidenced by subscription fees exceeding license fees in fiscal 2016. We continue to assess current business offerings and introduce more flexible license and service offerings in the cloud which have ratable revenue streams. The accounting impact of these cloud offerings and other business decisions are expected to result in an increase in the percentage of our recurring revenue, making for more predictable revenue over time, while correspondingly reducing our upfront perpetual license revenue stream. Recurring revenue, which we define as subscription revenue and maintenance revenue, made up approximately 62% of total revenue in fiscal 2016. Over time, we expect our business model transition to expand our customer base by eliminating higher up-front licensing costs and providing more flexibility in how customers gain access to and pay for our products. We expect this business model transition will increase our long-term revenue growth rate by increasing total subscriptions and customer value over time.

FISCAL 2016 OPERATING RESULTS

To provide a framework for assessing how our underlying businesses performed excluding the effect of foreign currency fluctuations, we compare the changes in results from one period to another period using constant currency. In order to calculate our constant currency results, we apply the current foreign currency exchange rates to the prior period results. In the tables below, we present the change based on actual results in reported currency and in constant currency (in thousands):

In fiscal 2016, our total revenue was adversely impacted by the strengthening of the U.S. dollar relative to other currencies. Approximately 54% of our total revenue is generated outside the U.S. and we expect that a significant portion of our business will continue to be conducted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, particularly the euro. Total revenue for fiscal 2016 decreased by 6% to $277.9 million, including an adverse currency impact of $19.9 million. In constant currency, total revenue increased by $2.7 million, driven primarily by higher subscription revenue from our cloud offering. Income from operations declined to $10.2 million, including an adverse currency impact of $4.5 million. In constant currency, income from operations declined by $1.3 million primarily due to lower services margins.

License Revenue. License revenue is derived from software license fees that customers pay for our core product, QAD Enterprise Applications, and any add-on modules they purchase. In fiscal 2016, license revenue decreased by 27% to $29.9 million. On a constant currency basis license revenue decreased by $8.5 million, or 21%. During fiscal 2016 the number of license orders was consistent with the prior year, yet the deal size was lower. As we focus more on selling our products in the cloud and as cloud revenue increases we expect license revenue to decline.

At times, our license revenue is impacted by deferrals. When we enter into a multi-element transaction with fixed fee services or when we sell licenses for additional users under a pricing model that does not satisfy vendor specific objective evidence (“VSOE”) requirements, we may be required to recognize license revenue ratably over the longer of the maintenance period or expected services implementation timeframe rather than recognizing license revenue at the time of sale. Additionally, if at the time of the license sale we have not finalized the services agreement, we will defer the entire arrangement until the services agreement is signed.

Our success in closing license deals for existing customers, new customers that are affiliates of existing customers, and customers that have employees with historical experience working with QAD tends to be higher than with new customers that have no QAD affiliations. As a result, we place increased focus on these opportunities. A majority of our license revenue is generated from existing customers and their affiliates. We believe global economic

volatility will continue to shape customers’ and prospects’ buying decisions, making it difficult to forecast sales cycles for our products and the timing of large software license sales. In addition, we encourage and promote sales of our products in the cloud and as cloud revenue increases, we expect license revenue to decrease.

Subscription Revenue. Subscription revenue consists of monthly fees from customers to access our products via the cloud and other subscription offerings. Our cloud offering typically includes access to QAD software, hosting, support and product updates, if and when available. Included in subscription revenue are the fees for transition services such as set up, configuration, database conversion and migration. Sales of our QAD Cloud ERP represented over 80% of our total subscription revenue in fiscal 2016 and 2015. In fiscal 2016, subscription revenue increased by 38% to $38.8 million. Our annualized subscription revenue run rate was approximately $46 million. On a constant currency basis subscription revenue increased by $11.5 million, or 41%. During fiscal 2016 we have grown our user count in the cloud from last year by almost 50%. Growing our cloud solution and offering our products as SaaS continues to be a key strategic and growth initiative for us.

Our cloud customers include a mix of existing customers who have converted from our on-premise model and new customer implementations of our cloud solution. New customers typically generate less revenue up front as compared to customers who are converting to cloud. New customers increase the number of users as their sites go live over time. Existing customers are already using our product at the time of conversion to the cloud, therefore all sites and users are live from the conversion date. Subscription revenue is generally billed on a quarterly or annual basis and recognized ratably over the term of the agreement, typically 12 to 60 months. We expect cloud revenue in fiscal 2017 will continue to grow at a rate of approximately 30%.

Maintenance Revenue. We offer support services 24 hours a day, seven days a week in addition to providing software upgrades, which include additional or improved functionality, when and if available. In fiscal 2016, maintenance revenue decreased by 6% to $132.2 million which included an adverse currency impact of $9.7 million. On a constant currency basis maintenance revenue increased by $1.1 million, or 1%.

Maintenance revenue fluctuations are influenced by: (1) new license revenue growth; (2) annual renewal of support contracts; (3) fluctuations in currency rates; (4) adjustments to revenue as a result of revenue recognition rules; and (5) customer conversions to QAD Cloud ERP. The vast majority of our customers renew their annual support contracts. Over the last three years, our annual retention rate of customers subscribing to maintenance has been greater than 90%. We track our retention rate by determining the number of customer sites with active contracts as of the end of the previous reporting period and compare this to the number of customers that renewed, or are in the process of renewing, their contracts as of the current period end. Maintenance revenue is generally billed on an annual basis and recognized ratably over the term of the agreement, typically twelve months. As we convert more of our existing customers to the cloud we may experience a corresponding negative effect on maintenance revenue. When customers convert to QAD Cloud ERP they no longer pay separately for maintenance as those support services are included as a component of the subscription offering.

Professional Services Revenue. Our professional services business includes technical and application consulting and training, implementations, migrations and upgrades related to our solutions. In fiscal 2016, our professional services revenue decreased by 10% to $76.2 million. Currency had an adverse impact on fiscal 2016 professional services revenue of $6.7 million. On a constant currency basis professional services revenue decreased by $1.8 million, or 2%. A significant portion of our professional services revenue is generated from upgrade projects for existing customers. These projects are discretionary in nature and are affected by general economic conditions in the manufacturing industry and our customers' businesses. As a result, global economic uncertainty can cause on-going projects to slow down, resulting in reduced monthly spend for our customers, while new projects can get delayed until conditions start to improve. We started seeing this effect in the second half of fiscal 2016, and will continue to monitor the global economic environment and, as necessary, adjust both our resources and areas of focus. We manage our partners and subcontractors to supplement our internal resources, which provides us with the flexibility to contend with these fluctuations in demand and helps us mitigate low utilization rates in slow times. We believe this also helps us extend our global reach by keeping a higher number of partners engaged and knowledgeable about our product.

Our professional services organization provides our customers with expertise and assistance in planning and implementing our solutions whether in the cloud or on-premise. Consultants typically assist customers with the initial installation of a system, the conversion and transfer of the customer’s historical data into our software, and ongoing training, education, and system upgrades. We believe our professional services help customers implement our

software efficiently, support a customer’s success with our solution, strengthen our customer relationships, and add to our industry-specific knowledge base for use in future implementations and product innovations. Our professional services margins tend to range from about breakeven to 10%. We believe we offer competitive rates and view our professional services organization as a department supporting the implementation and deployment of our products and improving the overall customer experience. Professional services margins lower our overall operating margin as professional services margins are inherently lower than margins for our license, maintenance and subscription revenues. Professional services revenue may be impacted by currency fluctuations; however, since we generally use local resources our costs are also impacted by similar currency fluctuations, providing a natural hedge. As a result, our margins are not significantly impacted by currency fluctuations.

Although our professional services are optional, many of our customers use these services for some of their planning, implementation, or related needs. Professional services are typically rendered under time and materials-based contracts with services typically billed on an hourly basis. Professional services are sometimes rendered under fixed-fee based contracts with payments due on specific dates or milestones.

Professional services revenue growth is contingent upon license and subscription revenue growth and customer upgrade cycles, which are influenced by the strength of general economic and business conditions and the competitive position of our software products. Our professional services business has competitive exposure to offshore providers which could create the risk of pricing pressure, fewer customer orders and reduced gross margins.

Cash Flow and Financial Condition. In fiscal 2016, we generated cash flow from operating activities of $23.3 million. Subsequent to the close of our public offering of 2 million shares of our Class A stock in fiscal 2015, the offering underwriters exercised in full an option to purchase additional shares in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. As a result, a further 450,000 shares of Class A common stock were issued in fiscal 2016 generating approximately $8.4 million in additional net proceeds after underwriting discounts, commissions and offering expenses.

Our cash and equivalents at January 31, 2016 totaled $137.7 million, with the only debt on our balance sheet of $14.7 million related to the mortgage of our headquarters. Our primary uses of cash have been funding investment in research and development and funding operations to drive revenue and earnings growth. In addition, we use cash for acquisitions, dividend payments, share repurchase programs and other equity-related transactions.

In fiscal 2017, we anticipate that our priorities for use of cash will be developing sales and services resources and continued investment in research and development to drive and support growth and profitability. We will continue to evaluate acquisition opportunities that are complementary to our product footprint, solutions delivery and technology direction. We will also continue to assess share repurchases and dividend payments. We do not anticipate additional borrowing requirements in fiscal 2017.

Seasonal Nature of Deferred Revenue, Accounts Receivable and Operating Cash Flow. Deferred revenue primarily consists of billings to customers for maintenance and subscription. When renewing maintenance we generally invoice our customers in annual cycles and when renewing subscription we generally invoice our customers quarterly or annually. We typically issue renewal invoices in advance of the renewal period. Depending on timing, the initial invoice and the subsequent renewal invoice may occur in different quarters. This may result in an increase in deferred revenue and accounts receivable. There is a disproportionate weighting towards annual billings in the fourth quarter, primarily as a result of large enterprise account buying patterns. Our fourth quarter has historically been our strongest quarter for new business and renewals. The year on year compounding effect of this seasonality in both billing patterns and overall new and renewal business causes the value of invoices that we generate in the fourth quarter for both new business and renewals to increase as a proportion of our total annual billings.

The sequential quarterly changes in accounts receivable, related deferred revenue and operating cash flow during the first three quarters of our fiscal year are not necessarily indicative of the billing activity that occurs in the fourth quarter as displayed below (in thousands):

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The SEC defines “critical accounting policies” as those that require application of management’s most difficult, subjective, or complex judgments. These policies often require us to make estimates about the effects of matters that are inherently uncertain and are subject to change in subsequent periods.

We consider the following policies to be critical because of the significance of these items to our operating results and the estimation processes and management judgment involved in each:

Our senior management has reviewed these critical accounting policies and related disclosures. Historically, estimates described in our critical accounting policies that have required significant judgment and estimation on the part of management have been reasonably accurate.

Revenue. We offer our software using two models, a traditional on-premise licensing model and a cloud delivery model. The traditional model involves the sale or license of software on a perpetual basis to customers who take possession of the software and install and maintain the software on their own hardware. Under the cloud delivery model we provide access to our software on a hosted basis as a service and customers generally do not have the contractual right to take possession of the software; we sometimes refers to this as a SaaS model. A majority of our customers have purchased on-premise licenses and we recognize revenue associated with these sales in accordance with the accounting guidance contained in ASC 985-605, Software Revenue. Additionally, delivery of software and services under the SaaS model is typically over a contractual term of 12 to 60 months and we recognize revenue associated with these offerings, which we call subscription revenue in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income, in accordance with the accounting guidance contained in ASC 605-25, Revenue Recognition - Multiple-Deliverable Revenue Arrangements. Whether sales are made via an on-premise model or a SaaS model, the arrangement typically consists of multiple elements, including revenue from one or more of the following elements: license of software products, support services, hosting, consulting, development, training, or other professional services. We evaluate each element in a multiple-element arrangement to determine whether it represents a separate unit of accounting. An element constitutes a separate unit of accounting when the item has standalone value and delivery of any undelivered elements is probable and within our control. Subscription and support services have standalone value because they are routinely sold separately by us. Consulting services and other services have standalone value because we have sold consulting services separately and there are several third party

vendors that routinely provide similar consulting services to our customers on a standalone basis. Software license arrangements that do not require significant modification or customization of the underlying software do not have standalone value but are recognized using the residual method.

Software Revenue Recognition (On-Premise Model)

The majority of our software is sold or licensed in multiple-element arrangements that include support services and often consulting services or other elements. For software license arrangements that do not require significant modification or customization of the underlying software, we recognize revenue when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists including a signed statement of work for any related consulting services engagements, delivery has occurred, the fee is fixed or determinable, and collectability is probable. Delivery is considered to have occurred upon electronic transfer of the license key that provides immediate availability of the product to the purchaser. Determining whether and when some of these criteria have been satisfied often involves assumptions and judgments that can have a significant impact on the timing and amount of revenue we report. Revenue is presented net of sales, use and value-added taxes collected from our customers.

Our typical payment terms vary by region. Occasionally, payment terms of up to one year may be granted for software license fees to customers with an established history of collections without concessions. Should we grant payment terms greater than one year or terms that are not in accordance with established history for similar arrangements, revenue would be recognized as payments become due and payable assuming all other criteria for software revenue recognition have been met.

Provided all other revenue recognition criteria have been met, we recognize license revenue on delivery using the residual method when VSOE exists for all of the undelivered elements (for example, support services, consulting, or other services) in the arrangement. We allocate revenue to each undelivered element based on VSOE, which is the price charged when that element is sold separately or, for elements not yet sold separately, the price established by our management if it is probable that the price will not change before the element is sold separately. We allocate revenue to undelivered support services (maintenance) based on rates charged to renew the support services annually after an initial period, which demonstrates a consistent relationship of maintenance pricing as a percentage of the contractual license fee. We allocate revenue to undelivered consulting services based on time and materials rates of stand-alone services engagements by role and by country. We review VSOE at least annually. If we were to be unable to establish or maintain VSOE for one or more undelivered elements within a multiple-element software arrangement, it could adversely impact revenues, results of operations and financial position because we may have to defer all or a portion of the revenue or recognize revenue ratably.

Multiple-element software arrangements for which VSOE does not exist for all undelivered elements typically occur when we introduce a new product or product bundles for which we have not established VSOE for support services or fixed fee consulting or other services. In these instances, revenue is deferred and recognized ratably over the longer of the support services (maintenance period) or consulting services engagement, assuming there are no specified future deliverables. In the instances in which it has been determined that revenue on these bundled arrangements will be recognized ratably due to lack of VSOE, at the time of recognition, we allocate revenue from these bundled arrangement fees to all of the non-license revenue categories based on VSOE of similar support services or consulting services. The remaining arrangement fees, if any, are then allocated to software license fee revenues. The associated costs primarily consist of payroll and related costs to perform both the consulting services and provide support services and royalty expense related to the license and maintenance revenue. These costs are expensed as incurred and included in cost of maintenance, subscription and other revenue, cost of professional services and cost of license fees.

Revenue from support services and product updates, referred to as maintenance revenue, is recognized ratably over the term of the maintenance period, which in most instances is one year. Software license updates provide customers with rights to unspecified software product updates, maintenance releases and patches released during the term of the support period on a when-and-if available basis. Product support includes Internet access to technical content, as well as Internet and telephone access to technical support personnel. Our customers generally purchase both product support and license updates when they acquire new software licenses. In addition, a majority of customers renew their support services contracts annually.

Revenue from consulting services, which we call professional services in the Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income, are typically comprised of implementation, development, training or other consulting services. Consulting services are generally sold on a time-and-materials basis and can include services

ranging from software installation to data conversion and building non-complex interfaces to allow the software to operate in integrated environments. Consulting engagements can range anywhere from one day to several months and are based strictly on the customer’s requirements and complexities and are independent of the functionality of our software. Our software, as delivered, can generally be used by the customer for the customer’s purpose upon installation. Further, implementation and integration services provided are generally not essential to the functionality of the software, as delivered, and do not result in any material changes to the underlying software code. On occasion, we enter into fixed fee arrangements in which customer payments are tied to achievement of specific milestones. In fixed fee arrangements, revenue is recognized as services are performed as measured by costs incurred to date, as compared to total estimated costs to be incurred to complete the work. In milestone achievement arrangements, we recognize revenue as the respective milestones are achieved.

We occasionally resell third party systems as part of an end-to-end solution requested by our customers. Hardware revenue is recognized on a gross basis in accordance with the guidance contained in ASC 605-45, Revenue Recognition – Principal Agent Considerations and when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred, the fee is fixed or determinable and collection is considered reasonably assured. We consider delivery to occur when the product is shipped and title and risk of loss have passed to the customer.

Although infrequent, when an arrangement does not qualify for separate unit of accounting of the software license and consulting transactions, the software license revenue is recognized together with the consulting services based on contract accounting using either the percentage-of-completion or completed-contract method. Arrangements that do not qualify for separate accounting of the software license fee and consulting services typically occur when we are requested to customize software or when we view the installation of our software as high risk in the customer’s environment. This requires us to make estimates about the total cost to complete the project and the stage of completion. The assumptions, estimates, and uncertainties inherent in determining the stage of completion affect the timing and amounts of revenues and expenses reported. Changes in estimates of progress toward completion and of contract revenues and contract costs are accounted for using the cumulative catch up approach. In certain arrangements, we do not have a sufficient basis to estimate the costs of providing support services. As a result, revenue is typically recognized on a percent completion basis up to the amount of costs incurred (zero margin). Once the consulting services are complete and support services are the only undelivered item, the remaining revenue is recognized evenly over the remaining support period. If we do not have a sufficient basis to measure the progress of completion or to estimate the total contract revenues and costs, revenue is recognized when the project is complete and, if applicable, final acceptance is received from the customer. We allocate these bundled arrangement fees to support services and consulting services revenues based on VSOE. The remaining arrangement fees are then allocated to software license fee revenues. The associated costs primarily consist of payroll and related costs to perform the consulting and support services and royalty expense. These costs are expensed as incurred and are included in cost of maintenance and other revenue, cost of subscription fees, cost of professional services and cost of license fees.

We execute arrangements through indirect sales channels via sales agents and distributors in which the indirect sales channels are authorized to market its software products to end users. In arrangements with sales agents, revenue is recognized on a sell-through basis once an order is received from the end user, collectability from the end user is probable, a signed license agreement from the end user has been received, delivery has been made to the end user and all other revenue recognition criteria have been satisfied. Sales agents are compensated on a commission basis. Distributor arrangements are those in which the resellers are authorized to market and distribute our software products to end users in specified territories and the distributor bears the risk of collection from the end user customer. We recognize revenue from transactions with distributors when the distributor submits a written purchase commitment, collectability from the distributor is probable, a signed license agreement is received from the distributor and delivery has occurred to the distributor, provided that all other revenue recognition criteria have been satisfied. Revenue from distributor transactions is recorded on a net basis (the amount actually received by us from the distributor). We do not offer rights of return, product rotation or price protection to any of our distributors.

Subscription Revenue Recognition

We recognize the following fees in subscription revenue from the SaaS model: i) subscription fees from customers accessing our cloud and our other subscription offerings, ii) transition fees for services such as set up, configuration, database conversion and migration, and iii) support fees on hosted products. Our subscription arrangements do not generally provide customers with the right to take possession of the subscribed software.

We commence revenue recognition when there is persuasive evidence of an arrangement, the service is being provided to the customer, the collection of the fees is reasonably assured and the amount of fees to be paid by the customer is fixed or determinable.

Subscription revenue is recognized ratably over the initial subscription period committed to by the customer commencing when the customer has been given access to the environment. Transition fees are recognized over the estimated life of the customer relationship once the customer is live. The initial subscription period is typically 12 to 60 months. Our subscription services are non-cancelable, though customers typically have the right to terminate their contracts if we materially fail to perform. We generally invoice our customers in advance in quarterly or annual installments and typical payment terms provide that customers pay us within 30 days of invoice.

Other professional services are typically sold on a time-and-materials basis and consist of fees from consultation services such as configuration of features, implementing at various customer sites, testing and training. These services are considered to have stand-alone value to the customer because we have sold professional services separately and there are several third-party vendors that routinely provide similar professional services to our customers on a stand-alone basis. Accordingly, professional services are a separate unit of accounting and the associated services revenue is recognized as the services are performed and earned.

We may enter into multiple-element arrangements that may include a combination of our subscription offering and other professional services. We allocate revenue to each element in an arrangement based on a selling price hierarchy in accordance with ASC 605-25, Revenue Recognition - Multiple Deliverable Revenue Arrangements. In order to treat deliverables in a multiple-deliverable arrangement as separate units of accounting, the deliverables must have standalone value upon delivery. We determine the relative selling price for a deliverable based on its VSOE, if available, or Estimated Selling Price (“ESP”), if VSOE is not available. We have determined that third-party evidence (“TPE”) is not a practical alternative due to differences in our service offerings compared to other parties and the availability of relevant third-party pricing information. The determination for ESP is made through consultation with and approval by management taking into consideration the go-to-market strategy. As our go-to-market strategies evolve, there may be modifications of pricing practices in the future, which could result in changes in both VSOE and ESP.

For multiple-element arrangements that may include a combination of our subscription offerings and other professional services, the total arrangement fee is allocated to each element based on the VSOE / ESP value of each element. After allocation, the revenue associated with the subscription offering and other professional services are recognized as described above.

Allowance for Bad Debt. Trade accounts receivable are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear interest. We review the collectability of our accounts receivable each period by analyzing balances based on age and record specific allowances for any balances that we determine may not be fully collectible due to inability of the customers to pay. We also provide for a general reserve based on historical data including analysis of write-offs and other known factors. Provisions to the allowance for bad debt are included as bad debt expense in “General and Administrative” expense. Judgment is required in adjusting our receivables to amounts we believe are realizable, especially when a customer is experiencing financial difficulty or is in bankruptcy. Although we use the best information available in making our estimates, we may incur additional bad debt expense in future periods which could have a material effect on earnings in any given quarter should additional allowances for doubtful accounts be necessary. The determination to write-off specific accounts receivable balances is made based on likelihood of collection and past due status. Past due status is based on invoice date and terms specific to each customer.

Allowance for Sales Returns. We do not generally provide a contractual right of return; however, in the course of business we have occasionally allowed sales returns and allowances. We record a provision against revenue for estimated sales returns and allowances in the same period the related revenues are recorded or when current information indicates additional amounts are required. These estimates are based on historical experience, specifically identified customers and other known factors. Although we use the best information available in making our estimates, we may incur additional provisions against revenue in future periods which could have a material effect on earnings in any given quarter should additional allowances for sales returns be necessary.

The accounts receivable allowance for doubtful accounts is comprised of both the allowance for bad debts and the allowance for sales returns.

Capitalized Software Development Costs. We capitalize software development costs incurred once technological feasibility has been achieved in the form of a working model. These costs are primarily related to the localization and translation of our products. A working model is defined as an operative version of the computer software product that is completed in the same software language as the product to be ultimately marketed, performs all the major functions planned for the product and is ready for initial customer testing. We also capitalize software purchased from third parties or through business combinations as acquired software technology if such software has reached technological feasibility. Capitalized software costs are amortized on a product-by-product basis and charged to “Cost of license fees.” The amortization of capitalized software costs is the greater of the straight-line basis over three years, the expected useful life, or computed using a ratio of current revenue for a product compared to the estimated total of current and future revenues for that product. We periodically compare the unamortized capitalized software costs to the estimated net realizable value of the associated product. The amount by which the unamortized capitalized software costs of a particular software product exceed the estimated net realizable value of that asset is reported as a charge to the consolidated statement of income and comprehensive income. This review requires management judgment regarding future cash flows. If these estimates or their related assumptions require updating in the future, we may incur substantial losses due to the write-down or write-off of these assets.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets – Impairment Assessments. When we acquire a business, a portion of the purchase consideration is typically allocated to acquired technology and other identifiable intangible assets, such as customer relationships and developed technology. The excess of the purchase consideration over the net of the acquisition-date fair value of identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed is recorded as goodwill. The amounts allocated to acquired technology and other intangible assets represent our estimates of their fair values at the acquisition date. We amortize the acquired technology and other intangible assets with finite lives over their estimated useful lives. The estimation of acquisition-date fair values of intangible assets and their useful lives requires us to make assumptions and judgments, including but not limited to an evaluation of macroeconomic conditions as they relate to our business, industry and market trends, projections of future cash flows and appropriate discount rates.

We review the carrying value of goodwill using the methodology prescribed in FASB Accounting Standards Codification 350 Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (“ASC 350”). We test goodwill for impairment annually in our fourth fiscal quarter or sooner should events or changes in circumstances indicate potential impairment as required under Accounting Standard Update No. 2011-08, “Testing Goodwill for Impairment” (“ASU 2011-08”). ASU 2011-08 provides for an optional assessment of qualitative factors of impairment (“optional assessment”) prior to necessitating a two-step quantitative impairment test. Should the optional assessment be utilized for any given fiscal year, qualitative factors to consider include cost factors; financial performance; legal, regulatory, contractual, political, business, or other factors; entity specific factors; industry and market considerations; macroeconomic conditions; and other relevant events and factors affecting the reporting unit. If, after assessing the totality of events or circumstances, it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is greater than its carrying value, then performing the two-step impairment test is unnecessary.

Under the two-step quantitative impairment test, we use discounted cash flow models which include assumptions regarding projected cash flows. Variances in these assumptions could have a significant impact on our conclusion as to whether goodwill is impaired, or the amount of any impairment charge. Impairment charges, if any, result from instances where the fair values of net assets associated with goodwill are less than their carrying values. As changes in business conditions and our assumptions occur, we may be required to record impairment charges.

Management evaluates the Company as a single reporting unit for business and operating purposes as almost all of our revenue streams are generated by the same underlying technology whether acquired, purchased or developed. In addition, the majority of our costs are, by their nature, shared costs that are not specifically identifiable to a geography or product line but relate to almost all products. As a result, there is a high degree of interdependency among our revenues and cash flows for levels below the consolidated entity and identifiable cash flows for a reporting unit separate from the consolidated entity are not meaningful.

For our annual impairment assessment in fiscal 2016, 2015 and 2014 we did not utilize the optional assessment. An impairment analysis was performed at the enterprise level which compared our market capitalization to our net assets as of the test date, November 30. As our market capitalization substantially exceeded our net assets, there was no indication of goodwill impairment for fiscal 2016, 2015 and 2014.

We make judgments about the recoverability of purchased finite lived intangible assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that an impairment may exist. Each fiscal year we evaluate the estimated remaining

useful lives of purchased intangible assets and whether events or changes in circumstances warrant a revision to the remaining periods of amortization. Recoverability of finite lived intangible assets is measured by comparison of the carrying amount of the asset to the future undiscounted cash flows the asset is expected to generate.

Assumptions and estimates about future values and remaining useful lives of our intangible assets are complex and subjective. They can be affected by a variety of factors, including external factors such as industry and economic trends and internal factors such as changes in our business strategy and our internal forecasts. Although we believe the historical assumptions and estimates we have made are reasonable and appropriate, different assumptions and estimates could materially impact our reported financial results. We did not recognize any intangible asset impairment charges in fiscal 2016, 2015 and 2014.

Valuation of Deferred Tax Assets and Tax Contingency Reserves. The carrying value of our deferred tax assets reflects an amount that is more likely than not to be realized. At January 31, 2016, we had $20.5 million of deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowances and uncertain tax positions, consisting of $35 million of gross deferred tax assets offset by valuation allowances of $13.5 million and uncertain tax positions of $1.0 million. QAD adopted ASU 2013-11 during the first quarter of fiscal year 2015. The new standard requires the netting of unrecognized tax benefits against deferred tax assets for a loss or credit that would apply in settlement of the uncertain tax position. In assessing the likelihood of realizing tax benefits associated with deferred tax assets and the need for a valuation allowance we consider the weight of all available evidence both positive and negative including expected future taxable income and tax planning strategies that are both prudent and feasible. There was a net increase of valuation allowances recorded in fiscal 2016 of $2.8 million.

We are subject to income taxes in the U.S. and in various foreign jurisdictions. Significant judgment is required in determining our worldwide income tax position. In the ordinary course of a global business, there are transactions and calculations where the ultimate tax outcome is uncertain. Our estimate of the potential outcome for any uncertain tax position requires judgment. For tax related contingencies, we account for uncertain tax positions based on a two-step approach: recognition and measurement. We recognize a tax position when we determine that it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained upon ultimate settlement with a taxing authority that has full knowledge of all relevant information. For those positions that do not meet the recognition threshold, no tax benefit is recognized in the financial statements. For those tax positions that meet the recognition threshold, we measure the tax position as the largest amount of benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. We record interest and penalties related to income tax liabilities as income tax expense. We have reserves to address tax positions that could be challenged by taxing authorities, even though we believe that the positions taken are appropriate. Our tax reserves are reviewed on a quarterly basis and adjusted as events occur that could affect our liability.

Stock-Based Compensation. We account for share-based payments (“equity awards”) to employees in accordance with ASC 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”), which requires that share-based payments (to the extent they are compensatory) be recognized in our Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income based on their fair values as measured at the grant date. The fair value of an equity award is recognized as stock-based compensation expense ratably over the vesting period of the equity award. Determining the fair value of stock-based awards at the grant date requires judgment and the fair value per share of historical grants of equity awards may not be indicative of the fair value per share for future grants of equity awards.

Fair Value of SARs

The fair value of stock-settled stock appreciation rights (“SARs”) is determined on the grant date of the award using the Black-Scholes-Merton valuation model. One of the inputs to the Black-Scholes-Merton valuation model is the fair market value on the date of the grant. As our stock price fluctuates, so does the fair value of our future SAR grants. Judgment is required in determining the remaining inputs to the Black-Scholes-Merton valuation model. Furthermore, the values underlying these inputs fluctuate, which impacts the fair value of our future SAR grants. These inputs include the expected life, volatility, the risk-free interest rate and the dividend rate. The following describes our policies with respect to determining these valuation inputs:

Expected Life – The expected life valuation input includes a computation that is based on historical vested SAR exercises and post-vest expiration patterns and an estimate of the expected life for SARs that were fully vested and outstanding. Furthermore, based on our historical pattern of SAR exercises and post-vest expiration patterns we determined that there are two discernible populations, which include QAD’s directors and officers and all other QAD employees. The estimate of the expected life for SARs that were fully vested and outstanding was determined as the

midpoint of a range as follows: the low end of the range assumes the fully vested and outstanding SARs are exercised or expire unexercised on the evaluation date and the high end of the range assumes that these SARs are exercised or expire unexercised upon contractual term.

Volatility – The volatility valuation input is based on the historical volatility of our common stock, which we believe is representative of the expected volatility over the expected life of options and SARs.

Risk Free Interest Rate – The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury constant maturities in effect at the time of grant for the expected term of the SAR.

Dividend Rate – The dividend rate is based on our historical dividend payments per share. Historically, have we paid quarterly dividends at a rate of $0.072 per share of Class A common stock and $0.060 per share of Class B common stock.

Fair Value of RSUs

The fair value of restricted stock units (“RSUs”) is determined on the grant date of the award as the market price of our common stock on the date of grant, reduced by the present value of estimated dividends foregone during the vesting period. As our stock price fluctuates, so does the fair value of our future RSU grants. Judgment is required in determining the present value of estimated dividends foregone during the vesting period. We estimate the dividends for purposes of this calculation based on our historical dividend payments per share, which has remained consistent over the last three years.

While we recognize as stock-based compensation expense the entire amount of the fair value of a vested equity award once it has vested, during the periods in which our equity awards are vesting, we are required to estimate equity awards that we expect will be canceled prior to vesting (“forfeitures”) and reduce the stock-based compensation expense recognized in a given period for the effects of estimated forfeitures over the expense recognition period (“forfeiture rate”). To determine the forfeiture rate, we examine the historical pattern of forfeitures, which we believe is indicative of future forfeitures, in an effort to determine if there were any discernible forfeiture patterns based on certain employee populations. From this analysis, we identified two employee populations that have different historical forfeiture rates. One population includes QAD directors and officers and the other population includes all other QAD employees. The impact of actual forfeitures, if significantly different from our estimated forfeitures, could materially affect our operating results. We evaluate the forfeiture rate annually or more frequently when there have been any significant changes in forfeiture activity.

We record deferred tax assets for equity awards that result in deductions on our income tax returns, based on the amount of stock-based compensation recognized and the fair values attributable to the vested portion of those equity awards. Because the deferred tax assets we record are based upon the stock-based compensation expenses in a particular jurisdiction, the aforementioned inputs that affect the fair values of our equity awards may also indirectly affect our income tax expense. In addition, differences between the deferred tax assets recognized for financial reporting purposes and the actual tax deduction reported on our income tax returns are recorded in “Additional Paid-in Capital.” If the tax deduction is less than the deferred tax asset, the calculated shortfall reduces our pool of excess tax benefits. If the pool of excess tax benefits is reduced to zero, then subsequent shortfalls would increase our income tax expense. Our pool of excess tax benefits is computed in accordance with the alternative transition method pursuant to ASC 718.

To the extent we change the terms of our employee stock-based compensation programs, experience fluctuations in the underlying criteria used to determine our equity award valuations and experience fluctuations in our patterns of forfeitures that differ from our current estimates, amongst other potential impacts, the stock-based compensation expense that we record in future periods and the tax benefits that we realize may differ significantly from what we have recorded in previous reporting periods.

RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS

For a full description of recent accounting pronouncements, including the expected dates of adoption and estimated effects on results of operations and financial condition, see Note 1 “Summary of Business and Significant Accounting Policies” within the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

We operate in several geographical regions as described in Note 12 “Business Segment Information” within the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. In order to present our results of operations without the effects of changes in foreign currency exchange rates, we provide certain financial information on a “constant currency basis”, which is in addition to the actual financial information presented in the following tables. In order to calculate our constant currency results, we apply the current foreign currency exchange rates to the prior period results.

Revenue

Total Revenue. On a constant currency basis, total revenue was $277.9 million and $275.2 million for fiscal 2016 and 2015, representing a $2.7 million, or 1%, increase from the prior year. When comparing categories within total revenue at constant rates, our results for fiscal 2016 included increases in subscription and maintenance revenue and decreases in license and professional services revenue. Our customers are widely dispersed and no single customer accounted for more than 10% of total revenue in any of the last three fiscal years. Revenue outside the North America region as a percentage of total revenue was 54% and 56% for fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively. Total revenue increased in our Latin America and Asia Pacific regions and decreased in our North America and EMEA regions during fiscal 2016 when compared to the same period last year. Our products are sold to manufacturing companies that operate mainly in the following six industries: automotive, consumer products, food and beverage, high technology, industrial products and life sciences. Given the similarities between consumer products and food and beverage as well as between high technology and industrial products, we aggregate them for management review. The following table presents revenue by industry for fiscal 2016, 2015 and 2014:

On a constant currency basis, total revenue was $295.1 million and $263.1 million for fiscal 2015 and 2014, representing a $32.0 million, or 12%, increase from the prior year. When comparing categories within total revenue at constant rates, our results for fiscal 2015 included increases in all revenue categories. Revenue outside the North America region as a percentage of total revenue was 56% and 57% for fiscal 2015 and 2014, respectively. Total revenue increased in all regions during fiscal 2015 when compared to the prior year.

License Revenue. On a constant currency basis, license revenue was $29.9 million and $38.4 million for fiscal 2016 and 2015, representing an $8.5 million, or 21%, decrease from the prior year. License revenue decreased in our North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific regions and increased in our Latin America region during fiscal 2016 when compared to the same period last year. One of the metrics that management uses to measure license revenue performance is the number of customers that have placed sizable license orders in the period. During fiscal 2016, 18 customers placed license orders totaling more than $0.3 million, none of which exceeded $1.0 million. This compared to fiscal 2015 in which 21 customers placed license orders totaling more than $0.3 million, five of which exceeded $1.0 million. We believe the size of deals was lower in fiscal 2016 due to greater economic uncertainty and lower growth of our customers as suggested by the lower manufacturing PMI. In addition, we are selling more of our products in the cloud and as cloud revenue increases we expect license revenue to decline.

On a constant currency basis, license revenue was $40.9 million and $35.7 million for fiscal 2015 and 2014, representing a $5.2 million, or 15%, increase from the prior year. License revenue increased in our North America, EMEA and Latin America regions and decreased in our Asia Pacific region during fiscal 2015 when compared to fiscal 2014. During fiscal 2015, 21 customers placed license orders totaling more than $0.3 million, five of which exceeded $1.0 million. This compared to fiscal 2014 in which 20 customers placed license orders totaling more than $0.3 million, one of which exceeded $1.0 million.

Subscription Revenue. On a constant currency basis, subscription revenue was $38.8 million and $27.3 million for fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively, representing an $11.5 million, or 41%, increase from the prior year. Subscription revenue increased across all regions during fiscal 2016 when compared to the prior year. The increase in subscription revenue was primarily due to sales of our QAD Cloud ERP product offering which represented over 80% of total subscription revenue in fiscal 2016 and 2015. QAD Cloud ERP revenue consists of new customers, QAD customers converting from on-premise and additional users and modules purchased by our existing cloud customers.

The following table presents cloud revenue by region for fiscal 2016, 2015 and 2014:

The following table presents cloud revenue by industry for fiscal 2016, 2015 and 2014:

We expect the growth rate of subscription revenue in the future to be primarily attributable to growth in sales of our QAD Cloud ERP product offering.

On a constant currency basis, subscription revenue was $28.2 million and $19.2 million for fiscal 2015 and 2014, respectively, representing a $9.0 million, or 47%, increase from the prior year. Subscription revenue increased in our North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific regions and decreased in our Latin America region during fiscal 2015

when compared to fiscal 2014. The increase in subscription revenue was primarily due to sales of our QAD Cloud ERP product offering which represented over 80% of total subscription revenue in fiscal 2015 and 2014. QAD Cloud ERP revenue consists of new customers, QAD customers converting from on-premise and additional users and modules purchased by our existing cloud customers.

Maintenance and Other Revenue. On a constant currency basis, maintenance and other revenue was $133.0 million and $131.6 million for fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively, representing a $1.4 million, or 1%, increase from the prior year. Maintenance and other revenue increased in our EMEA, Asia Pacific and Latin America regions and decreased in our North America region during fiscal 2016 when compared to the prior year. The increase in maintenance and other revenue was primarily attributable to sales of new licenses partially offset by the impact of customers converting to QAD Cloud ERP. When customers convert to QAD Cloud ERP they no longer pay for maintenance as those support services are included as a component of the subscription offering.

On a constant currency basis, maintenance and other revenue was $141.3 million and $138.0 million for fiscal 2015 and 2014, respectively, representing a $3.3 million, or 2%, increase from the prior year. Maintenance and other revenue increased in our EMEA, Asia Pacific and Latin America regions and remained relatively flat in our North America region during fiscal 2015 when compared to fiscal 2014. The increase in maintenance and other revenue was primarily attributable to license revenue growth partially offset by the impact of customers converting to QAD Cloud ERP.

We track our maintenance retention rate by calculating the annualized revenue of customer sites with contracts expected to be renewed during the period compared to the annualized revenue associated with the customer sites that have canceled during the period. The percentage of revenue not canceled is our retention rate. Our maintenance retention rate has remained in excess of 90% for fiscal 2016, 2015 and 2014.

Products are generally shipped as orders are received or within a short period thereafter. In addition, maintenance contracts tend to be one year and are invoiced annually at renewal. Accordingly, we have historically operated with little backlog. Because of the generally short cycle between order and shipment and the relatively low amount of subscription revenue, we believe that our backlog as of any particular date is not currently significant. Our total short-term deferred revenue as of January 31, 2016 was $97.9 million, of which $79.5 million was related to deferred maintenance and will be recognized over the period of the maintenance support. Deferred subscriptions totaled $14.6 million primarily related to hosting and cloud services we will provide over periods up to the next twelve months. Deferred services totaled $2.3 million and represents prepayments for our professional services where revenues for these services are recognized as we complete the performance obligations as well as services already provided but deferred due to software revenue recognition rules. The remaining short-term deferred revenue balance as of January 31, 2016 of $1.5 million primarily relates to deferred licenses where the majority of the balance is deferred as a result of undelivered products or specified enhancements, customer specific acceptance provisions and software license transactions that cannot be segmented from undelivered consulting or other services. On a constant currency basis, short-term deferred revenue as of January 31, 2016 was $101.4 million, compared to $102.7 million as of January 31, 2015. There was a $3.5 million total adverse impact to deferred revenue from foreign currency, of which $2.9 million related to deferred maintenance.

Professional Services Revenue. On a constant currency basis, professional services revenue was $76.2 million and $78.0 million for fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively, representing a $1.8 million, or 2%, decrease from the prior year. Professional services revenue decreased in our North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific regions and increased in our Latin America region during fiscal 2016 when compared to the prior year. The decrease in professional services revenue period over period can be attributed to engagements in which we recognized a lower amount of professional services revenue per customer. A significant portion of our professional services revenue is generated from discretionary upgrade projects for existing customers. These projects are affected by general economic conditions in the manufacturing industry and our customers' businesses. As a result, global economic uncertainty can cause on-going projects to slow down, resulting in reduced monthly spend for our customers, while new projects can get delayed until conditions start to improve.

On a constant currency basis, professional services revenue was $84.7 million and $70.3 million for fiscal 2015 and 2014, respectively, representing a $14.4 million, or 20%, increase from the prior year. Professional services revenue increased across all regions during fiscal 2015 when compared to fiscal 2014. The increase in professional

services revenue period over period can be attributed to engagements in which we recognized a higher amount of professional services revenue per customer, which we believe was a result of increased cloud subscriptions and license sales which has resulted in larger implementation or upgrade projects during the year.

Total Cost of Revenue

Cost of license fees includes license royalties, amortization of capitalized software costs and fulfillment. Cost of subscription includes salaries, benefits, bonuses of our cloud operations group, located in the U.S. and India; stock-based compensation for those employees; hardware and hosting costs; royalties; professional fees; travel; and an allocation of information technology and facilities costs. Cost of maintenance and other includes salaries, benefits and bonuses of our support group, stock-based compensation for those employees, travel expense, professional fees, fulfillment and an allocation of information technology and facilities costs. Cost of professional services includes salaries, benefits and bonuses costs of fulfilling service contracts, stock-based compensation for those employees, third-party contractor expense, travel expense for services employees and an allocation of information technology and facilities costs.

Total Cost of Revenue. On a constant currency basis, total cost of revenue (combined cost of license fees, cost of subscription, cost of maintenance and other and cost of professional services) was $126.6 million and $123.6 million for fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively, and as a percentage of total revenue was 46% for fiscal 2016 and 45% for fiscal 2015. The non-currency related increase in cost of revenue of $3.0 million, or 2%, in fiscal 2016 compared to fiscal 2015 was primarily due to higher personnel and hosting costs associated with higher subscription revenue; and higher services personnel costs partially offset by lower subcontractor costs. The increases in cost of subscription and professional services were partially offset by a decrease in license royalties related to a decline in license revenue. The change in revenue mix contributed to the increase in total cost of revenue as a percentage of total revenue. When we compare fiscal 2016 to fiscal 2015, the ratio of license revenue to subscription and services revenue decreased. Since subscription and services revenue carries higher costs than license revenue, the overall cost of revenue percentage increased.

On a constant currency basis, total cost of revenue was $131.6 million and $115.7 million for fiscal 2015 and 2014, respectively, and as a percentage of total revenue was 45% for fiscal 2015 and 44% for fiscal 2014. The non-currency related increase in cost of revenue of $15.9 million, or 14%, in fiscal 2015 compared to fiscal 2014 was primarily due to higher personnel expenses and hosting costs associated with higher subscription revenue; and higher personnel expenses and subcontractor costs associated with higher services revenue. The change in revenue mix

contributed to the increase in total cost of revenue as a percentage of total revenue. When we compare fiscal 2015 to fiscal 2014, the ratio of maintenance revenue to services and subscription revenue decreased. Since services and subscription revenue carry higher costs than maintenance revenue, the overall cost of revenue percentage increased.

Cost of License Fees. On a constant currency basis, cost of license fees was $3.6 million and $5.0 million for fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively, representing a decrease of $1.3 million, or 27%. Cost of license fees in fiscal 2016 compared to fiscal 2015 included lower royalties associated with lower license revenue and lower fulfillment costs. As a percent of revenue, royalty expense remained consistent year over year.

On a constant currency basis, cost of license fees was $5.0 million for both fiscal 2015 and 2014. Cost of license fees in fiscal 2015 compared to fiscal 2014 included slightly higher royalties associated with higher license revenue which was offset by slightly lower amortization of capitalized software development costs. As a percent of revenue, royalty expense remained consistent year over year.

Cost of Subscription. On a constant currency basis, cost of subscription was $20.6 million and $16.7 million for fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively, representing an increase of $3.9 million, or 23%. The non-currency related increase in cost of subscription of $3.9 million in fiscal 2016 compared to fiscal 2015 was primarily due to higher hosting costs of $1.9 million, higher salaries and related costs of $1.5 million as a result of higher headcount of approximately six people and higher information technology and facilities allocated costs of $0.4 million. Cost of subscription as a percentage of subscription revenue was 53% and 61% in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively. The improvement in subscription margin related to several factors. As our subscription business grows we have been able to achieve economies of scale in our cloud operations teams in the U.S. and India. We have also been improving our automation tools which have enhanced the efficiency of our operations. In addition, customers in the early stage of implementations require a higher degree of monitoring and service, and as a greater percentage of our cloud customers are reaching maturity, the overall effort required to support the cloud installed base decreases. We plan to improve our subscription margins over time, but we also anticipate fluctuations in our subscription margins as we make investments to support future growth.

On a constant currency basis, cost of subscription was $17.1 million and $12.4 million for fiscal 2015 and 2014, respectively, representing an increase of $4.7 million, or 38%. The non-currency related increase in cost of subscription of $4.7 million in fiscal 2015 compared to fiscal 2014 was primarily due to higher hosting costs of $2.5 million, higher salaries and related costs of $2.1 million as a result of higher headcount of approximately 31 people, higher information technology and facilities allocated costs of $0.5 million and higher bonuses of $0.4 million. Subscription costs benefited from higher cost relief related to staff who worked on services engagements of $0.9 million. Cost of subscription as a percentage of subscription revenue was 61% and 64% in fiscal 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Cost of Maintenance and Other. On a constant currency basis, cost of maintenance and other was $31.0 million for both fiscal 2016 and 2015. The year over year changes in cost of maintenance and other included lower royalties of $0.5 million partially offset by higher salaries and related costs of $0.4 million. Cost of maintenance and other as a percentage of maintenance and other revenue was 23% in both fiscal 2016 and 2015.

On a constant currency basis, cost of maintenance and other was $32.5 million and $32.2 million for fiscal 2015 and 2014, respectively, representing an increase of $0.3 million, or 1%. The non-currency related increase in cost of maintenance and other of $0.3 million in fiscal 2015 compared to fiscal 2014 was primarily due to higher salaries and related costs of $0.3 million and higher bonuses of $0.3 million partially offset by lower partner fees of $0.2 million. Cost of maintenance and other as a percentage of maintenance and other revenue was 23% in both fiscal 2015 and 2014.

Cost of Professional Services. On a constant currency basis, cost of professional services was $71.3 million and $71.0 million for fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively, representing an increase of $0.3 million. The non-currency related increase in cost of professional services of $0.3 million in fiscal 2016 compared to fiscal 2015 was due primarily to higher salaries and related costs of $3.0 million, as a result of higher headcount of approximately 19 people, and higher information technology and facilities allocated costs of $0.4 million partially offset by lower third-party contractor costs of $2.4 million and lower bonuses of $0.7 million. We continue to invest in our services business around Cloud EDI, automation solutions, quality management and supply chain. Cost of professional services as a percentage of professional services revenues was 94% for fiscal 2016 and 91% for fiscal 2015.

On a constant currency basis, cost of professional services was $77.0 million and $66.2 million for fiscal 2015 and 2014, respectively, representing an increase of $10.8 million, or 16%. The non-currency related increase in cost of professional services of $10.8 million in fiscal 2015 compared to fiscal 2014 was due primarily to higher third-party contractor costs of $3.6 million, higher salaries and related costs of $3.2 million, as a result of higher headcount of approximately 41 people, higher bonuses of $1.0 million and higher travel of $1.0 million. In addition, the increase in cost of professional services included higher personnel costs from other departments who worked on services engagements of $1.9 million. Cost of professional services as a percentage of professional services revenues was 91% for fiscal 2015 and 94% for fiscal 2014.

Sales and Marketing

Sales and marketing expense includes salaries, benefits, bonuses, stock-based compensation and travel expense for our sales and marketing employees in addition to costs of programs aimed at increasing revenue, such as trade shows, user group events, advertising and various sales and promotional programs. Sales and marketing expense also includes personnel costs of order processing, sales agent fees and an allocation of information technology and facilities costs. We pay and expense commissions for cloud deals at the time the contract is signed, whereas the related revenue is recognized in future periods.

On a constant currency basis, sales and marketing expense was $66.5 million and $65.6 million for fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively, representing an increase of $0.9 million, or 1%. The non-currency related increase in sales and marketing expense of $0.9 million in fiscal 2016 compared to fiscal 2015 was primarily due to higher salaries and related costs of $1.4 million, as a result of higher headcount of approximately 11 people, higher stock compensation of $0.6 million, higher travel of $0.5 million, higher expenses of $0.3 million related to our annual Explore user conference, higher professional fees of $0.2 million and higher information technology and facilities allocated costs of $0.2 million partially offset by lower commissions of $1.7 million and lower bonuses of $0.5 million.

On a constant currency basis, sales and marketing expense was $69.8 million and $65.1 million for fiscal 2015 and 2014, respectively, representing an increase of $4.7 million, or 7%. The non-currency related increase in sales and marketing expense of $4.7 million in fiscal 2015 compared to fiscal 2014 was primarily due to higher salaries and related costs of $2.2 million, as a result of higher headcount of approximately 22 people, higher travel of $1.1 million, higher commissions of $0.9 million, higher bonuses of $0.6 million, higher professional fees of $0.4 million and higher marketing costs of $0.3 million partially offset by lower sales agent fees of $0.4 million and lower severance of $0.3 million. Sales and marketing expense benefited from higher cost relief related to staff who worked on services engagements of $0.3 million.

Research and Development

Research and development is expensed as incurred and consists primarily of salaries, benefits, bonuses, stock-based compensation, training and travel expense for research and development employees and professional services, such as fees paid to software development firms and independent contractors. Research and development expense also includes an allocation of information technology and facilities costs, and is reduced by reimbursements from joint development projects. As part of our vertical focus we regularly seek to engage in joint development arrangements with our customers in order to enhance specific functionality and industry experience, although the number and size of joint development arrangements may fluctuate.

On a constant currency basis, research and development expense was $41.2 million and $40.3 million for fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively, representing an increase of $0.9 million, or 2%. The non-currency related increase in research and development expense of $0.9 million in fiscal 2016 compared to fiscal 2015 was primarily due to higher salaries and related costs of $0.6 million, as a result of higher headcount of approximately 6 people, and higher stock compensation of $0.4 million partially offset by lower bonuses of $0.9 million. In addition, research and development expense was negatively impacted by higher cost relief in the prior period of $0.7 million for costs related to staff who worked on service engagements.

On a constant currency basis, research and development expense was $42.3 million and $40.9 million for fiscal 2015 and 2014, respectively, representing an increase of $1.4 million, or 3%. The non-currency related increase in research and development expense of $1.4 million in fiscal 2015 compared to fiscal 2014 was primarily due to higher bonuses of $0.8 million, a one-time reversal of accrued business and value-added taxes in fiscal 2014 of $0.7 million due to governmental approval of an exemption certificate in one of our tax jurisdictions and higher salaries and related costs of $0.3 million. Research and development expense benefited from higher cost relief related to staff who worked on services engagements of $0.3 million.

General and Administrative

General and administrative expense includes salaries, benefits, bonuses, stock-based compensation and travel expense for our finance, human resources, legal and executive personnel, as well as professional fees for accounting and legal services, bad debt expense and an allocation of information technology and facilities costs.

On a constant currency basis, general and administrative expense was $32.7 million and $33.5 million for fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively, representing a decrease of $0.8 million, or 2%. The non-currency related decrease in general and administrative expense of $0.8 million in fiscal 2016 compared to fiscal 2015 was primarily due to lower professional fees of $0.8 million, lower bonuses of $0.8 million and lower costs associated with an internal system upgrade of $0.5 million partially offset by higher stock compensation of $1.0 million and higher severance of $0.2 million.

On a constant currency basis, general and administrative expense was $34.7 million and $31.9 million for fiscal 2015 and 2014, respectively, representing an increase of $2.8 million, or 9%. The non-currency related increase in general and administrative expense of $2.8 million in fiscal 2015 compared to fiscal 2014 was primarily due to higher professional fees of $0.9 million, higher bonuses of $0.8 million, higher salaries and related costs of $0.5 million and higher stock compensation expense of $0.4 million.

Amortization of Intangibles from Acquisitions

Amortization of intangibles from acquisitions totaled $0.7 million for each of the fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Amortization expense was due to the intangible assets acquired from our DynaSys and CEBOS acquisitions.

Total Other (Income) Expense

Total other (income) expense, net was ($0.4) million, $0.4 million and ($0.7) million for fiscal 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. When comparing fiscal 2016 to fiscal 2015, the favorable change is primarily related to an increase in the fair value of our interest rate swap of $0.8 million partially offset by lower foreign exchange gains of $0.4 million.

When comparing fiscal 2015 to fiscal 2014, the unfavorable change is primarily related to a decrease in the fair value of our interest rate swap of $1.5 million partially offset by higher foreign exchange gains of $0.8 million.

Interest rate swap valuations and foreign exchange gains and losses are subject to changes which are inherently unpredictable. Our interest rate swap is accounted for using mark-to-market accounting. Accordingly, changes in the fair value of the swap each reporting period are adjusted through earnings, subjecting us to non-cash volatility in our results of operations. The swap fixes the interest rate on our mortgage to 4.31% over the entire term of the mortgage and effectively lowered our interest rate from the previous mortgage rate of 6.5%. Although the agreement allows us to prepay the loan and exit the agreement early, we have no intention of doing so. As a result, we will have non-cash adjustments through earnings each reporting period. Over the term of the mortgage, however, the net impact of these mark-to-market adjustments on earnings will be zero.

Income Tax Expense

We recorded income tax expense of $1.6 million, $2.6 million and $3.8 million for fiscal 2016, 2015, and 2014 respectively. QAD’s effective tax rate was 15%, 17%, and 37% for fiscal 2016, 2015, and 2014, respectively. In total, our effective tax rate decreased in fiscal 2016 compared to fiscal 2015. This decrease can be attributed to the liquidation of an investment in a Japan legal entity, which gave us the ability to utilize expired net operating losses for Japanese tax purposes in the year of liquidation. The decrease in our effective tax rate that occurred in fiscal 2015

compared to fiscal 2014 was attributed to an increase in pre-tax book income in locations with lower effective tax rates, a decrease in non-deductible expenses including equity compensation and the release of unrecognized tax benefits due to statute of limitations expirations.

For further information regarding income taxes, see Note 3 “Income Taxes” within the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Regulation S-K Item 10(e), “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures in Commission Filings,” defines and prescribes the conditions for use of non-GAAP financial information. Our measures of non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA, non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA margins, non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP earnings per diluted share each meet the definition of a non-GAAP financial measure.

We define the non-GAAP measures as follows:

QAD’s management uses non-GAAP measures internally to evaluate the business and believes that presenting non-GAAP measures provides useful information to investors regarding the underlying business trends and performance of our ongoing operations as well as useful metrics for monitoring our performance and evaluating it against industry peers. The non-GAAP financial measures presented should be used in addition to, and in conjunction with, results presented in accordance with GAAP, and should not be relied upon to the exclusion of GAAP financial measures. Management strongly encourages investors to review our consolidated financial statements in their entirety and not to rely on any single financial measure in evaluating QAD.

QAD non-GAAP measures reflect adjustments based on the following items:

EBITDA: We report EBITDA as a non-GAAP metric by excluding the effect of net interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization from net income because doing so makes internal comparisons to our historical operating results more consistent. In addition, we believe providing an EBITDA calculation is a more useful comparison of our operating results to the operating results of our peers.

Stock-based compensation expense: We have excluded the effect of stock-based compensation expense from the non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA, non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP earnings per diluted share calculations. Although stock-based compensation expense is calculated in accordance with current GAAP and constitutes an ongoing and recurring expense, such expense is excluded from non-GAAP results because it is not an expense which generally requires cash settlement by QAD, and therefore is not used by us to assess the profitability of our operations. We also believe the exclusion of stock-based compensation expense provides a more useful comparison of our operating results to the operating results of our peers.

Amortization of purchased intangibles: We amortize purchased intangible assets in connection with our acquisitions. We have excluded the effect of amortization of purchased intangible assets, which include purchased technology, customer relationships, trade names and other intangible assets, from non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP earnings per diluted share calculations, because doing so makes internal comparisons to our historical operating results more consistent. In addition, we believe excluding amortization of purchased intangible assets provides a more useful comparison of our operating results to the operating results of our peers.

Change in fair value of the interest rate swap: We entered into an interest rate swap to mitigate our exposure to the variability of one month LIBOR for the floating rate debt related to the mortgage of our headquarters. We have

excluded the gain/loss adjustments to record the interest rate swap at fair value from non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA, non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP earnings per diluted share calculations. We believe that these fluctuations are not indicative of our operational costs or meaningful in evaluating comparative period results because we currently have no intention of exiting the debt agreement early; and therefore over the life of the debt the sum of the fair value adjustments will be zero.

Income tax adjustments: Beginning in fiscal 2016, we began to compute and utilize a fixed long-term projected non-GAAP tax rate in order to provide better consistency across the interim reporting periods by eliminating the effects of non-recurring and period-specific items such as changes in the tax valuation allowance and tax effects of acquisition-related costs, since each of these can vary in size and frequency. When projecting the long-term rate we evaluated four years of historical and expected results excluding the impact of the following non-cash items: stock-based compensation expense, amortization of purchased intangibles and the change in fair value of the interest rate swap. The projected rate assumes no new acquisitions and takes into account other factors including our current tax structure, our existing tax positions in various jurisdictions and key legislation in major jurisdictions where we operate. The non-GAAP tax rate is 25%. We intend to re-evaluate this long-term rate on an annual basis or if any significant events that may materially affect this long-term rate occur. This long-term rate could be subject to change for a variety of reasons, for example, significant changes in the geographic earnings mix, acquisition activity or fundamental tax law changes in major jurisdictions where we operate.

Our reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures of adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margins, non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP earnings per diluted share to the most comparable GAAP measures for fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014 are as follows (in thousands, except for share numbers):