Applix Adopts Shareholder Rights Plan.

Business/Technology Editors

WESTBORO, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 18, 2000

Applix, Inc. (NASDAQ:APLX), a leading global provider of eBusiness solutions and office productivity software, announced today that its Board of Directors has adopted a Shareholder Rights Plan in which preferred stock purchase rights will be distributed as a dividend at the rate of one Right for each share of the company's Common Stock outstanding as of the close of business on October 2, 2000.

"The Rights Plan is designed to allow all Applix shareholders to realize the long-term value of their investment in the company and to protect stockholders in the event of an unfair, coercive offer to acquire the company," said Alan Goldsworthy, Chief Executive Officer of Applix. The Rights will expire on September 18, 2010 unless earlier redeemed or exchanged.

According to Mr. Goldsworthy, "The Rights Plan will not restrict consideration by the Board of any offer on terms favorable to all shareholders, but it is intended to protect the interests of shareholders in the event Applix is confronted with coercive or unfair takeover tactics." He noted that such tactics include "a partial or two-tiered tender offer that does not treat all shareholders equally, the acquisition in the open market or otherwise of shares constituting control without offering fair value to all shareholders, or other abusive takeover tactics." "These tactics," he added, "can unfairly pressure shareholders, squeeze them out of their investment without giving them any real choice and deprive them of the full value of their shares." Mr. Goldsworthy noted that similar plans have been adopted by over 2,500 public companies.

Each right will entitle the holders of Common Stock of Applix to purchase one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of Applix at an exercise price of $42.00. Each one-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock is designed to be economically equivalent to one share of Applix Common Stock. The Rights will be exercisable, in general, only if a person or group has acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the Common Stock of Applix or announces a tender or exchange offer that would result in such person or group owning 15% or more of the Common Stock of Applix.

If any person becomes the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the Shares of Common Stock of Applix, except pursuant to a tender or exchange offer for all shares at a fair price as determined by the Board of Directors, each Right not owned by the 15% shareholder will enable its holder to purchase that number of shares of Applix's Common Stock which equals the exercise price of the Right divided by one-half the current market price of the Applix Common Stock at the date of occurrence of the event. In addition, if Applix is involved in a merger or other business combination transaction with another person or group in which it is not the surviving corporation or in connection with which its Common Stock is changed or converted, or it sells or transfers 50% or more of its assets or earning power to another person, each Right (except Rights owned by a 15% shareholder) that has not previously been exercised will entitle its holder to purchase that number of shares of Common Stock of such other person which equals the exercise price of the Right divided by one-half of the current market price of such Common Stock at the date of the occurrence of the event.

Applix will generally be entitled to redeem the Rights at $.001 per Right at any time until the 10th business day following public announcement that a 15% stock position has been acquired.

About Applix

Applix, Inc. (NASDAQ:APLX), headquartered in Westboro, MA, is a global provider of eBusiness solutions including Internet-based customer relationship management, customer analytics and planning software, and interactive customer communities. As a single source of integrated solutions, Applix enables multi-national and multi-divisional eBusinesses to capture information from every corner of their extended enterprise - internal and external customers, partners and suppliers - to analyze, plan, measure and respond to changing customer requirements and business dynamics, all in real-time. With an innovative approach of combining its core solutions, iEnterprise (iCRM) and iTM1 (iPlanning), Applix aims to be the global leader of Demand Chain Management, providing the measurement and management of customer demand to drive profitable decision-making across the enterprise. Applix maintains offices in eight countries and has over 4,000 customers worldwide. For more information on Applix, please visit http://www.applix.com.

Notes to Investors

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Specifically, comments related to the demand for, revenue from and acceptance of the Company's products and the Company's position in the markets, may be considered forward-looking and subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to: the rate of growth in market demand for the products; the acceptance of the Company's products; intense competitive conditions; rapid technological change; frequent new product introductions; and evolving domestic and international standards, which may render existing products and services obsolete. Refer to the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999 for a list of factors as discussed under "Risk Factors". Applix does not undertake - and specifically declines any obligation - to publicly release the result of any revision which may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

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