Autodesk Says FTC Is Taking a Look

Autodesk Inc., a leading maker of computer software used by architects and design engineers, disclosed that the Federal Trade Commission is investigating its business practices. The San Rafael-based firm said no charges have been filed and that it is cooperating with the probe. An FTC spokeswoman declined to comment. The firm said it does not believe its share of the annual $7-billion market for computer-aided design, or CAD, software poses any antitrust problem. Autodesk’s software--used for designing and drafting by architects--dominates that industry, according to analysts. CAD software is expected to account for about 70% of the company’s fiscal 1998 revenue. Autodesk had revenue of $181.9 million in its previous fiscal year. The FTC has looked at Autodesk’s business before in relation to its March 1997 acquisition of Softdesk Inc. Shares of Autodesk fell $1.13 to close at $45.13 on Nasdaq.