We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Novell, Inc. as of October 31, 1999 and October 31, 1998, and the related consolidated statements of operations, shareholders' equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended October 31, 1999. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of Novell, Inc. at October 31, 1999 and October 31, 1998, and the consolidated results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended October 31, 1999, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
San Jose, California
November 19, 1999
