Stock-based compensation expense. We incur expense related to stock-based compensation included in our GAAP presentation of cost of maintenance and service; research and development expense; and selling, general and administrative expense. This non-GAAP adjustment also includes excess payroll tax expense related to stock-based compensation. Stock-based compensation expense (benefit) incurred in connection with our deferred compensation plan held in a rabbi trust includes an offsetting benefit (charge) recorded in other income (expense). Although stock-based compensation is an expense and viewed as a form of compensation, we exclude these expenses for the purpose of calculating non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP gross profit margin, non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP operating profit margin, non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share when we evaluate our continuing operational performance. We similarly exclude income (expense) related to assets held in a rabbi trust in connection with our deferred compensation plan. Specifically, we exclude stock-based compensation and income (expense) related to assets held in the deferred compensation plan rabbi trust during our annual budgeting process and our quarterly and annual assessments of our performance. The annual budgeting process is the primary mechanism whereby we allocate resources to various initiatives and operational requirements. Additionally, the annual review by our board of directors during which it compares our historical business model and profitability to the planned business model and profitability for the forthcoming year excludes the impact of stock-based compensation. In evaluating the performance of our senior management and department managers, charges related to stock-based compensation are excluded from expenditure and profitability results. In fact, we record stock-based compensation expense into a stand-alone cost center for which no single operational manager is responsible or accountable. In this way, we can review, on a period-to-period basis, each manager's performance and assess financial discipline over operational expenditures without the effect of stock-based compensation. We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors because they allow investors to (a) evaluate our operating results and the effectiveness of the methodology used by us to review our operating results, and (b) review historical comparability in our financial reporting as well as comparability with competitors' operating results.

Transaction expenses related to business combinations. We incur expenses for professional services rendered in connection with business combinations, which are included in our GAAP presentation of selling, general and administrative expense. These expenses are generally not tax-deductible. We exclude these acquisition-related transaction expenses, derived from announced acquisitions, for the purpose of calculating non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP operating profit margin, non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share when we evaluate our continuing operational performance, as we generally would not have otherwise incurred these expenses in the periods presented as a part of our operations. We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors because they allow investors to (a) evaluate our operating results and the effectiveness of the methodology used by us to review our operating results, and (b) review historical comparability in our financial reporting as well as comparability with competitors' operating results.

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. We recorded impacts to our income tax provision related to the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, specifically for the transition tax related to unrepatriated cash and the impacts of the tax rate change on net deferred tax assets. We exclude these impacts for the purpose of calculating non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share when we evaluate our continuing operational performance, as (i) the charges are not expected to recur as part of our normal operations and (ii) the charges resulted from the extremely infrequent event of major U.S. tax reform, the last such reform having occurred in 1986. We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors because they allow investors to (a) evaluate our operating results and the effectiveness of the methodology used by us to review our operating results, and (b) review historical comparability in our financial reporting.

Non-GAAP tax provision. We utilize a normalized non-GAAP annual effective tax rate (AETR) to calculate non-GAAP measures. This methodology provides better consistency across interim reporting periods by eliminating the effects of non-recurring items and aligning the non-GAAP tax rate with our expected geographic earnings mix. To project this rate, we analyzed our historic and projected non-GAAP earnings mix by geography along with other factors such as our current tax structure, recurring tax credits and incentives, and expected tax positions. On an annual basis we will re-evaluate this rate for significant items that may materially affect our projections.

Non-GAAP financial measures are not in accordance with, or an alternative for, GAAP. Our non-GAAP financial measures are not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for comparable GAAP financial measures and should be read only in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP.

We have provided a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures as listed below:

About Ansys

If you've ever seen a rocket launch, flown on an airplane, driven a car, used a computer, touched a mobile device, crossed a bridge or put on wearable technology, chances are you've used a product where Ansys software played a critical role in its creation. Ansys is the global leader in engineering simulation. Through our strategy of Pervasive Engineering Simulation, we help the world's most innovative companies deliver radically better products to their customers. By offering the best and broadest portfolio of engineering simulation software, we help them solve the most complex design challenges and create products limited only by imagination. Founded in 1970, Ansys is headquartered south of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Visit https://www.ansys.com for more information.

Forward-Looking Information

This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements that provide current expectations or forecasts of future events based on certain assumptions. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and factors relating to our business which could cause our actual results to differ materially from the expectations expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Many of these risks, uncertainties, and factors are currently amplified by, and may continue to be amplified by, the COVID-19 pandemic. Forward-looking statements use words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “outlook,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” or other words of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements include those about market opportunity, including our total addressable market. Risks, uncertainties, and factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by these forward-looking statements include: current and potential future impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy and our business, financial position, results of operations and cash flows; adverse changes in global economic and/or political conditions; declines in our customers’ businesses resulting in adverse changes in customer procurement patterns; disruptions in accounts receivable and cash flow due to customers’ liquidity challenges and commercial deterioration; uncertainties regarding demand for our products and services in the future and our customers’ acceptance of new products, including those arising from the need of customers to utilize our products from remote locations; plans for future capital spending; delays or declines in anticipated sales due to reduced or altered sales and marketing interactions with customers; disruptions in the global economy and financial markets that may limit or delay availability of credit under existing or new credit facilities, or that may limit our ability to obtain credit or financing on acceptable terms or at all; investments in complementary companies, products, services and technologies; our ability to complete and successfully integrate our acquisitions and realize the financial and business benefits of the transactions; political, economic, regulatory and public health and safety risks and uncertainties in the countries and regions in which we operate; impacts from tariffs, trade sanctions, export license requirements or other trade barriers; the effect of changes in currency exchange rates and changes in interest rates; potential variations in our sales forecasts compared to actual sales; the volatility of our stock price; failures or errors in our products and services; our industry’s rapidly changing technology; the quality of our products, including the strength of features, functionality and integrated multi-physics capabilities; lease license volatility; higher than anticipated costs for research and development or slowdown in our research and development activities; increased pricing pressure as a result of the competitive environment in which we operate; our ability to recruit and retain key personnel including any delays in recruitment caused by restrictions on travel and in person interactions and the absence of key personnel or teams due to illness or recuperation; our ability to protect our proprietary technology; cybersecurity threats or other security breaches, including in relation to an increased level of our activity that is occurring from remote global off-site locations; disclosure and misuse of employee or customer data whether as a result of a cybersecurity incident or otherwise; implementation of our new IT systems; investments in global sales and marketing organizations and global business infrastructure; dependence on our channel partners for the distribution of our products; increased volatility in our revenue due to the timing, duration and value of multi-year lease contracts; our reliance on high renewal rates for annual lease and maintenance contracts; operational disruptions generally or specifically in connection with transitions to and from remote work environments, or the failure of our technological infrastructure; the outcome of contingencies, including legal proceedings and government or regulatory investigations and service tax audit cases; uncertainty regarding income tax estimates in the jurisdictions in which we operate; changes in accounting principles or standards; the effect of changes in tax laws and regulations in the jurisdictions in which we operate; the uncertainty of estimates relating to the impact on reported revenue related to the acquisition accounting treatment of deferred revenue; and other risks and uncertainties described in our reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We caution readers not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.