Securities and Exchange Commission
                                Washington, D.C. 20549
                                           
                                      FORM 10-K
                                           
                    ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D)
                        OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                                           
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996      Commission File Number 1-5620
                                           
                             SAFEGUARD SCIENTIFICS, INC.
                ------------------------------------------------------
                (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
                                           
      Pennsylvania                                   23-1609753
      ------------                                   ----------
(State or other jurisdiction of                   (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                  Identification Number)
               
    800 The Safeguard Building
 435 Devon Park Drive, Wayne, PA                           19087
 -------------------------------                           -----
(Address of principal executive offices)                 (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:       (610) 293-0600
                                                          --------------

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

                                       Name of each exchange
    Title of Each Class                on which registered 
    -------------------                -------------------
    Common Stock ($.10 par value)      New York Stock Exchange

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:      NONE

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      X         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 any 
amendment to this Form 10-K.  [_____]

Aggregate market value of voting stock held by non-affiliates (based on the 
closing price on the New York Stock Exchange) on March 20, 1997 was 
approximately $481 million.  For purposes of determining this amount only, 
Registrant has defined affiliates as including (a) the executive officers 
named in Part III of this 10-K report, (b) all directors of Registrant, and 
(c) each shareholder that has informed Registrant by March 20, 1997 that it 
is the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the outstanding common stock of 
Registrant.

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the Registrant's classes 
of Common Stock, as of March 20, 1997:

                        Common Stock: 31,417,483 shares



DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

The following documents are incorporated by reference in this Form 10-K:

PART I

Item 1(b)          Page 33 of the Annual Report to Shareholders for the year 
                   ended December 31, 1996, which page is filed as part of 
                   Exhibit 13 hereto.


PART II

Items 5, 6, 
7 and 8            Pages 28 to 45 of the Annual Report to Shareholders for the 
                   year ended December 31, 1996, which pages are filed as 
                   part of Exhibit 13 hereto.


PART III

Items 10, 11,
12 and 13          Definitive Proxy Statement relative to the May 8, 1997 
                   annual meeting of shareholders of Registrant, to be filed 
                   within 120 days after the end of the year covered by this  
                   Form 10-K Report.

PART IV

Item 14(a)         Pages 33 to 45 of the Annual Report to Shareholders for the
Consolidated       year ended December 31, 1996, which pages are filed as 
Financial          part of Exhibit 13 hereto.
Statements

                                        PART I

ITEM 1.  BUSINESS

(a) GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUSINESS

OVERVIEW

Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. ("Safeguard" or the "Company") is engaged 
primarily in the business of identifying, acquiring interests in, and 
developing partnership companies, most of which are engaged in information 
technology businesses, broadly defined to include all activities related to 
the acquisition, warehousing, processing and dissemination of information and 
related technology to improve business and personal productivity. The most 
significant of Safeguard's partnership companies are engaged in the delivery 
of personal computer services, including procurement and configuration of 
personal computers, application software and related products, network 
integration, and technical support.  In addition, partnership companies in 
the information technology industry are engaged in outsourcing and the 
development and sale of strategic business software and services, imaging 
equipment and software and telecommunications technology. The Company also 
has a division that provides specialty metal finishing.

Safeguard develops these partnership companies by providing active strategic 
management, operating guidance, acquisition and disposition assistance, board 
and management recruitment, and innovative financing. The Company realizes 
value for its shareholders by the appreciation of the Company's Common Stock, 
by taking partnership companies public (generally through an offer to 
Safeguard shareholders of rights to purchase stock of the partnership company 
in its initial public offering [a "rights offering"]), through the continued 

                                       2




operations of partnership companies and through the sale of partnership 
companies. The partnership company generally sells newly-issued shares in a 
rights offering, although Safeguard sometimes sells some of its shares in the 
rights offering as well.  In either case, after taking a partnership company 
public, Safeguard generally retains a significant ownership interest and 
board representation, and continues to provide strategic, managerial, and 
operational support. During the four years ended December 31, 1996, 
Safeguard's shareholders were given the opportunity to participate in rights 
offerings for Cambridge Technology Partners (Massachusetts), Inc., Coherent 
Communications Systems Corporation, USDATA Corporation, Integrated Systems 
Consulting Group, Inc., and Sanchez Computer Associates, Inc.  In February 
1997 a rights offering commenced for Diamond Technology Partners, 
Incorporated which is expected to be completed in March 1997.

STRATEGY

Safeguard seeks to identify companies which are capable of being market 
leaders in segments of the information technology industry and which are at a 
stage of development that would benefit from Safeguard's business development 
and management support, financing, and market knowledge. Safeguard generally 
invests in companies in which it can purchase a large enough stake to enable 
it to have significant influence over the management and policies of the 
company and to realize a large enough return to compensate it for its 
investment of management time and effort, as well as capital.

Safeguard gains exposure to emerging companies through its reputation as a 
historically successful developer of information technology companies, its 
relationship with seven venture capital and private equity funds, Radnor 
Venture Partners, Technology Leaders I, Technology Leaders II, TL Ventures 
III, SCP Private Equity Partners, Safeguard International Fund, and EnerTech 
Capital Partners, as well as through its sponsorship of such organizations as 
the Eastern Technology Council and entrepreneurial centers at Lehigh 
University, Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania. Safeguard 
considers its access to potential partnership companies to be good.

Emerging companies traditionally seek financing for growth from two primary 
sources: independent private venture capital funds and corporate strategic 
investors. Each of these sources has disadvantages for the emerging company. 
Venture capital funds generally are established for a limited term and their 
primary goal is to maximize their financial return within a short time frame. 
A venture capital fund often seeks to liquidate its investment in the 
emerging company by encouraging either an early initial public offering or a 
sale. In addition, traditional venture capital funds generally have limited 
resources available to provide managerial and operational support to an 
emerging company.

Corporate strategic investors are typically large corporations that invest in 
emerging companies to obtain access to a promising product or technology 
without incurring the initial cost of development or the diversion of 
managerial time and attention necessary to develop new products or 
technologies. Often these investments involve both financing support to the 
emerging company as well as an arrangement under which the strategic investor 
obtains access to the products or technology of the emerging company. While 
strategic investors are generally able to provide business development 
support, the rationale behind the investment of a strategic investor may be 
incompatible with the development of the emerging company. Strategic 
investors often discourage the emerging company from becoming a public 
company.

Safeguard believes that its relationship with its partnership companies 
offers the benefits of both the venture capital model and the strategic 
investor model without the related drawbacks. Safeguard has both the capital 
and managerial resources to provide financing and strategic, managerial, and 
operational support as needed by an emerging company. In addition, Safeguard 
encourages emerging companies to achieve the superior returns on investment 

                                       3




generally provided by public offerings, but only if and when it is 
appropriate for the development of the business of that emerging company. 
Because of Safeguard's unique process of taking partnership companies public 
through "rights offerings" to Safeguard shareholders, as described below, 
Safeguard continues to support its partnership companies after their initial 
public offerings. This support is often crucial to help a company adjust to 
the challenges imposed by the public financial markets.

Safeguard's corporate staff provides hands-on assistance to the managers of 
its partnership companies in the areas of management, financial, marketing, 
tax, risk management, human resources, legal and technical services. 
Safeguard has assisted partnership companies by providing or locating and 
structuring financing, identifying and implementing strategic initiatives, 
providing marketing assistance, identifying and recruiting executives, 
assisting in the development of equity incentive arrangements for executives 
and employees, and providing assistance in structuring, negotiating, 
documenting, financing, implementing and integrating mergers and 
acquisitions. Safeguard is committed to the use of management stock ownership 
and equity incentives as the principal means of aligning the interests of 
management of its partnership companies with the interests of Safeguard and 
its shareholders.

Safeguard also provides a supportive environment to the managers of its 
partnership companies by organizing numerous opportunities for them to 
interact with managers of other partnership companies to share strategies, 
ideas, and insights and to forge business relationships.  Twice a year 
Safeguard gathers the senior managers of all of its partnership companies, 
both private and public, for a "Senior Partners" conference.  Safeguard also 
convenes periodic "CFO Forums" for senior financial managers of the 
partnership companies and occasional sessions on more specific topics.

Safeguard's goal is to maximize the value of its partnership companies for 
Safeguard's shareholders, often through taking its partnership companies 
public through a rights offering at the appropriate time.  A rights offering 
is an initial public offering of a partnership company, directed to 
Safeguard's shareholders.  It involves the grant to Safeguard's shareholders 
of transferable rights to buy shares of the partnership company's stock at a 
price established by the partnership company, Safeguard, and the underwriter. 
Safeguard shareholders are able to exercise the rights, thereby 
participating in initial public offerings of high-growth technology companies 
which are usually reserved for large institutional investors, or they may 
sell the rights at the prevailing market price.  Safeguard generally retains 
significant ownership in its partnership companies after taking them public. 
Safeguard generally also retains significant participation on the company's 
board of directors.  Between Safeguard's direct continuing interest in its 
public partnership companies and the strong identification in the public 
financial markets of the companies as "Safeguard rights offering" companies, 
Safeguard retains a substantial interest in the continuing success of the 
companies after their IPOs, and substantial influence over their management 
and strategic direction. Growth in the value of the public partnership 
companies benefits Safeguard and also directly benefits its shareholders who 
continue to hold the shares purchased in the rights offering.

In recent years, Safeguard has leveraged its financial resources to increase 
the number and size of its partnership companies by acquiring substantial 
minority ownership interests rather than majority interests in many of its 
partnership companies.  In many of these cases, Safeguard, either alone or in 
conjunction with its associated venture funds, is the largest single 
shareholder, and exercises significant influence over the company. Safeguard 
also generally obtains significant board representation in these companies.  
Safeguard accounts for these companies under the equity method of accounting, 
recording its share of the company's net earnings or losses under the caption 
"Income from equity investments" in the consolidated statements of operations. 
Safeguard's equity investee companies have become increasingly important to 

                                       4


Safeguard's operations and success in recent years relative to its 
consolidated subsidiaries.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Consolidated net sales for 1996 were $2.1 billion, a 36% increase over 1995. 
The increase was primarily due to the growth of CompuCom Systems, Inc., the 
Company's largest business unit. CompuCom's share of the Company's 
consolidated net sales has risen steadily from 76% in 1990 to 97% in 1996.  
CompuCom is a leading provider of distributed desktop computer products and 
network integration services to large- and medium-sized businesses throughout 
the United States.   The Company took CompuCom public through a rights 
offering in 1985, and currently owns approximately 50% of the common stock 
and up to 60% of the voting interests in CompuCom.  

In 1996, Safeguard acquired interests in six new partnership companies. 
Safeguard intends to continue its strategy, begun in 1996, to seek to 
establish new relationships each year with only a select number of larger, 
later stage partnership companies and to acquire and retain a larger 
ownership percentage in the companies.

The Company successfully completed rights offerings in 1996 for Integrated 
Systems Consulting Group, Inc., a leading provider of custom software 
development and systems integration services to the pharmaceutical industry, 
and for Sanchez Computer Associates, Inc., a leading provider of electronic 
banking software products, including PROFILE-Registered Trademark-/Anyware, 
an electronic platform for direct banking services.

In February 1997, the Company commenced a rights offering for Diamond 
Technology Partners, Inc., a provider of business consulting services based 
on information technology.

In February 1996, Safeguard completed the private placement of $115 million 
of 6% Convertible Subordinated Notes ("Notes") due February 1, 2006 to J.P. 
Morgan Securities, Inc. J.P. Morgan resold the Notes to institutional buyers 
and in offshore transactions.  The Notes are convertible into Safeguard 
Common Stock at $28.985 per share.  As of March 1997, approximately $24 
million of the Notes had been converted into approximately 832 thousand 
shares of common stock.

Four new venture capital and private equity funds associated with the Company 
were formed in 1996, raising a total of $500 million of committed capital.  
In addition, Safeguard organized Internet Capital Group LLC to focus 
exclusively on investment opportunities in the Internet.

During 1996, CompuCom increased the capacity under its bank credit facilities 
from $175 million to $325 million, extended the maturity date generally to 
September 1999, and negotiated reductions in the effective interest rate of 
the facilities.

In 1996, Safeguard also extended its $100 million credit facility to May 
2000.  The Company anticipates increasing the availability under the credit 
facility in 1997.

The Company completed the sale of its commercial real estate operations to 
Brandywine Operating Partnership ("BOP"), a subsidiary of Brandywine Realty 
Trust (the "REIT"). The Company received common stock and warrants in the 
REIT and units in BOP which are convertible into common stock of the REIT. 
Nichols' real estate management operations were also merged into an affiliate 
of the REIT.  The REIT's Common Stock is publicly traded on the American 
Stock Exchange.

A number of partnership companies completed mergers and acquisitions to 
further their growth and achieve critical mass, including:  the merger of 
MicroDynamics Ltd. into FormMaker Software, Inc., which is currently in the 
process of 

                                       5



completing a merger with Information Sciences, Inc. to create a powerful 
document automation solutions provider to be known as DocuCorp International; 
the merger of Value Sourcing Group into Sentry Technology Group to achieve 
synergies between VSG's consulting services and Sentry's publishing and 
market research capabilities; Intellisource's acquisition of Supply Chain 
Solution; and Cambridge's acquisition of Ramos & Associates and NatSoft.

Several partnership companies released innovative new products, including 
Sanchez Computer Associates, which released Profile-Registered 
Trademark-/Anyware, an electronic banking software product; Tangram 
Enterprise Solutions, which released Asset Insight-TM-, an asset tracking and 
management software product; and USDATA, which released its new 
FactoryLink-Registered Trademark- Enterprise Control System-TM- on both 
Windows and UNIX platforms.

Pioneer Metal Finishing acquired land and obtained tax-exempt financing to 
begin construction on a new metal finishing facility in Monroe, Michigan.

XL Vision completed a spin-out of its MicroVision Medical Systems division 
into a new subsidiary, which then completed a private placement to XL 
Vision's shareholders to raise equity financing.  As a result of this 
innovative transaction, MicroVision is now an independent company with a 
strong management team focused on pursuing its exciting market opportunities 
in medical diagnostics and research.

The Company helped complete a debt workout for RMS Technologies involving a 
transfer of its principal business assets to a new entity, RMS Information 
Systems, with a substantially strengthened balance sheet, and an exit from 
RMS' money-losing business.  The transaction enables RMS to pursue growth in 
the commercial outsourcing, integration and facilities management markets. 

In March 1997, the Company announced that it has signed a letter of intent to 
sell a majority of the assets of Premier Solutions Ltd.

ITEM 1 (b).     FINANCIAL INFORMATION ABOUT INDUSTRY SEGMENTS

Information on net sales, operating profit, depreciation and amortization, 
capital expenditures and assets employed for each segment of the Company's 
business for the three-year period ended December 31, 1996 is contained under 
the caption "Financial Information--Industry Segments" on page 33 of the 
Company's Annual Report to Shareholders for the year ended December 31, 1996, 
which page is filed as part of Exhibit 13 hereto and is incorporated herein 
by reference.

ITEM 1 (c).  NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

OVERVIEW OF BUSINESS SEGMENTS

Safeguard and its majority owned subsidiaries have operations in two industry 
segments: Information Technology and Metal Finishing. During 1996 the Company 
sold its Commercial Real Estate operations.  Over 98% of the Company's sales 
in 1996 were in the Information Technology segment, which consists of: 
Microcomputer Systems and Services (the delivery of personal computer 
services, including procurement and configuration of personal computers, 
application software and related products, network integration, and technical 
support); and Information Solutions (the design, development and sale of 
systems software solutions for strategic business applications). In 
Microcomputer Systems and Services, the Company operates through its 
majority-owned subsidiary, CompuCom Systems, Inc. and its subsidiaries 
("CompuCom").  In Information Solutions, the Company operates through its 
majority owned subsidiaries, Premier Solutions Ltd. and its subsidiaries 
("Premier"), and Tangram Enterprise Solutions, Inc. ("Tangram"). CompuCom and 
Tangram are both publicly held companies, while Premier is privately held. 
The Company also actively participates in numerous additional private and 
public information technology companies in which it holds significant 
minority ownership interests.

                                       6



The Company's Metal Finishing segment provides specialty metal finishing 
services to a variety of industries. The Company also provides venture 
capital management services.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SEGMENT

Microcomputer Systems and Services

CompuCom is a leading provider of distributed desktop computer products and 
network integration services to large- and medium-sized businesses throughout 
the United States.  CompuCom helps its customers, which include primarily 
Fortune 1000 companies and other large businesses, manage information 
technology to achieve their business goals by providing a wide range of 
services in provisioning, support, and technology management. Products and 
services are sold by a direct sales force to over 5,000 business customers 
through approximately 40 sales and service centers located in and serving 
large metropolitan areas nationwide.

CompuCom is an authorized dealer of major distributed desktop computer 
products for a number of manufacturers, including Compaq Computer Corporation 
("Compaq"), International Business Machines Corporation ("IBM"), 
Hewlett-Packard Company ("HP"), Toshiba America Information Systems, and 
Apple Computer Corporation.  CompuCom also offers a broad selection of 
networking and related products, computer-related peripheral equipment and a 
range of computer equipment and software from a number of vendors, including 
3Com Corporation, Digital Equipment Corporation, Intel Corporation, Kingston 
Technology Corporation, Lotus Development Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, 
NEC Technologies, Inc., and Novell, Inc.  To further meet the needs of its 
customers, CompuCom provides a variety of services including LAN/WAN project 
services, consulting, network management, help desk, field engineering, and 
configuration and product procurement utilizing network applications such as 
Novell Netware, Windows NT Server, Windows and Windows 95, IBM's OS/2 Warp 
and LAN Server.

Net sales for CompuCom have grown at a compounded rate of 29% over the past 
five years, while net earnings have grown by 43% compounded annually over the 
same period. Excluding an after-tax, non-recurring, securities-related gain of 
$5.2 million in 1996, net earnings over that period have grown at a 
compounded rate of 37%.  CompuCom's strong sales and net earnings performance 
is a result of its continued focus on customer satisfaction, along with the 
enhancement of its product and services capabilities created by a strategy of 
growth through existing operations and strategic acquisitions.  CompuCom's 
target customers are becoming increasingly dependent on information 
technology to compete effectively in today's markets.  As a result, the 
decision making process that organizations face when planning, selecting and 
implementing technology solutions is becoming  more complex and requires many 
of these organizations to outsource the management and support of their 
technology needs.

CompuCom markets its product procurement, configuration, field engineering, 
network management, help desk services, and technology management services 
primarily through its direct sales force and service personnel, operating 
through approximately 40 sales and service centers. CompuCom focuses on 
meeting the business objectives of large corporate businesses, which 
accounted for the majority of CompuCom's net sales in 1996.  However, no one 
customer accounted for in excess of 10% of such sales.

CompuCom provides support to its customers primarily through its customer 
center, located in Dallas, Texas.  Customer center personnel, called inside 
sales representatives ("ISRs"), may be assigned to specific customers or 
geographic areas and are knowledgeable about computer technology.  Each ISR 
works closely with the customer and the CompuCom sales representative to keep 
up to date on the business needs of that customer, and to provide the 
customer with information about product availability, services, pricing, 
shipping and invoicing via a toll-free telephone number.  The primary goal of 
the customer center is to provide greater support to CompuCom's customers 
while allowing 

                                       7



CompuCom's direct sales force to focus on soliciting new business and 
providing the necessary support for the customer's more complex service 
needs.  As of December 31, 1996, CompuCom employed 240 full-time direct sales 
representatives and 450 customer center personnel, of whom approximately 325 
worked at the customer center in Dallas and approximately 125 worked on-site 
at certain customer locations.
                        
During 1996, services net sales increased 68% due to CompuCom's continued 
efforts to focus on increased sales of services to meet customer needs and to 
improve profitability.  These on-going efforts included: additional training 
was provided for system engineers; management provided greater support to the 
services group; additional corporate resources were allocated to support the 
services group; and the compensation plan of branch general managers and 
sales representatives placed greater emphasis on sales of services.  In 
addition, CompuCom emphasized the hiring of quality services personnel, 
increasing the number of its services employees from approximately 1,200 at 
the end of 1995 to almost 2,000 by year-end 1996.  To further enhance its 
service growth, CompuCom began in mid-1996 a campus recruiting campaign 
whereby CompuCom hired approximately 120 technology college graduates and 
placed them in a six-month engineering training program. CompuCom's sales 
from its services business currently represent 9% of its total sales. The 
services business is an integral part of CompuCom's strategy to provide 
customers with the value-added service solutions to meet their technology 
needs.

To further enhance the quality and efficiency of its information systems, 
CompuCom has developed a state-of-the-art data warehouse, which increases the 
ease with which CompuCom personnel can access historical information and 
create customized customer and vendor reports.  During 1996, CompuCom made 
significant enhancements to its data warehouse by implementing Internet-based 
capabilities, which give its customers the ability to directly access order 
status and shipment history.  This electronic commerce tool, which won a Best 
Practices award from the Data Warehouse Institute, also gives customers the 
ability to create custom-priced quotations for new orders from an 
Internet-based catalog of products, and gives CompuCom's principal vendors 
access to product sales history and inventory levels.  CompuCom plans to 
extend its Internet capabilities during 1997 by implementing Internet-based 
order placement and purchased asset lookup.  Plans also include improved 
product sales information reporting for principal vendors, real time open 
call status reporting for service customers, and implementation of a customer 
management and event tracking system to be used by customer center personnel.

CompuCom's two distribution centers are highly automated and employ advanced 
inventory management and order processing technologies that allow CompuCom to 
configure desktop computer products and receive, process and ship customer 
orders accurately and efficiently. During 1996, CompuCom tripled its 
configuration capacity by relocating its Eastern distribution center to a 
300,000 square foot facility in Paulsboro, New Jersey.

The distribution, configuration, and product services departments completed 
ISO 9002 certification in 1995. During 1996, CompuCom's returned merchandise 
center completed ISO 9002 certification.   ISO 9002 is part of the ISO 9000 
set of standards developed by the International Organization of 
Standardization ("ISO"), which represent common international business 
quality standards designed to help demonstrate the capability of a supplier 
to control the processes that determine the acceptability of the product 
being delivered.  

A major portion of CompuCom's sales are derived from sales of distributed 
desktop computer products.  During 1996, CompuCom's principal suppliers were 
Compaq, IBM and HP.  CompuCom's agreements with these vendors contain 
provisions providing for periodic renewals and permitting termination by the 
vendor without cause, generally upon 30 to 90 days written notice, depending 
upon the vendor.  Since 1987, Compaq, IBM and HP have regularly renewed their 
respective dealer agreements with CompuCom, although there can be no 
assurance that the regular renewals of CompuCom's dealer agreements will 
continue.  The 

                                       8



termination, or non-renewal, of CompuCom's Compaq, IBM, or HP dealer 
agreements, or all, would materially adversely affect CompuCom's business. 
CompuCom, however, is not aware of any reason for the termination, or 
non-renewal, of any of those dealer agreements and believes that its 
relationships with Compaq, IBM and  HP are satisfactory. 

CompuCom purchases products from Compaq, IBM and HP at pricing levels which 
CompuCom believes are the lowest prices available to those vendors' 
respective dealers with the exception of special bid pricing for specific 
large customer accounts.  All of CompuCom's principal suppliers require that 
CompuCom purchase certain minimum volumes of products in a specified period 
to maintain favorable pricing levels.  CompuCom also obtains favorable terms 
from Compaq, IBM and HP by participating in certain vendor programs offered 
by those suppliers.  CompuCom has certain selling, promotional and related 
expenses reimbursed by vendors under dealer programs offered by those and 
other suppliers.  However, there can be no assurance that any of these 
programs will continue in 1997 or that CompuCom will continue to participate 
in any of these programs at the same level as in 1996.

Sales of Compaq, IBM and HP products accounted for approximately 30%, 15% and 
11%, respectively, of 1996 net sales in the Information Technology segment 
compared to 27%, 15% and 10%, respectively, in 1995 and 24%, 18% and 10%, 
respectively, in 1994.

Due to the rapid delivery requirements of its customers and to assure itself 
of continuous allotment of products from suppliers, CompuCom maintains 
adequate levels of inventory funded through its credit facilities and vendor 
credit. Its major suppliers at times provide price protection programs to 
CompuCom that are intended to reduce the risk of inventory devaluation by 
absorbing temporary price reductions and long-term price declines associated 
with aging product life cycles.  CompuCom also has the option of returning a 
certain percentage of its current product inventories each quarter to these 
principal suppliers as it assesses each product's current and forecasted 
demand schedule. If such returns exceed certain specified levels, CompuCom 
may be charged restocking fees of up to 5%.  CompuCom did not incur any 
significant restocking fees in 1996. 

CompuCom is dependent upon the continued supply of products from its 
suppliers, particularly Compaq, IBM and HP.  Historically, certain suppliers 
occasionally experience shortages of select products that render components 
unavailable or necessitate product allocations among resellers.  While 
certain shortages existed throughout 1996, CompuCom believes the product 
availability issues are a result of the present dynamics of the desktop 
computer industry as a whole, which include high customer product demand, 
shortened product life cycles and increased frequency of new product 
introductions into the marketplace.  While there can be no assurance that 
product unavailability or product allocations, or both, will not increase in 
1997, the impact of such an interruption is not expected to be unduly 
troublesome due to the breadth of alternative product lines available to 
CompuCom and CompuCom's established programs to accelerate configuration and 
delivery times when such events occur.

CompuCom is engaged in fields within the desktop computer industry which are 
characterized by a high level of competition.  Many established desktop 
computer manufacturers (including some of CompuCom's own vendors), systems 
integrators and other resellers of distributed desktop computer or networking 
products, including Entex Corporation, InaCom Corp., Microage, Inc. and 
Vanstar Corporation, compete with CompuCom in the configuration and 
distribution of computer systems and equipment.  In addition, the desktop 
computer reseller industry is characterized by intense competition, primarily 
in the areas of price, product availability and breadth of product line.  In 
the highly fragmented computer services area, CompuCom competes with several 
larger competitors, other corporate resellers pursuing high-end services 
opportunities, as well as several smaller computer services companies.  Some 
of CompuCom's competitors have financial, technical, manufacturing, sales, 

                                       9



marketing and other resources that are substantially greater than those of 
CompuCom.  Although CompuCom believes it currently competes favorably within 
the desktop computer reseller industry, there can be no assurance that 
CompuCom will be able to continue to compete successfully with new or 
existing competition.

Product margins declined in the second half of the year, compared to the 
first half, primarily due to pricing to win new business and increased 
pricing pressures from competition.  CompuCom believes that gross margins 
will continue to be reactive to industry-wide changes.  Future profitability 
will depend on the ability to retain and hire quality service personnel while 
effectively managing the utilization of such personnel, competition, 
increased focus on providing technical service and support to customers, 
manufacturers' pricing strategies, and product availability, as well as 
CompuCom's control of operating expenses and effective utilization of vendor 
programs.

Information Solutions

The Company has two majority owned subsidiaries in the Information Solutions 
field at December 31, 1996: Tangram and Premier. In March 1997, the Company 
entered into a letter of intent to sell the majority of Premier's assets to 
Sungard Data Systems, Inc. ("Sungard"), subject to the satisfaction of 
certain conditions.

Tangram develops and markets asset tracking and management software and 
software distribution solutions that enable automated enterprise-wide 
information system management.  Tangram markets to Fortune 1000 companies and 
foreign equivalents and to government agencies that are managing 
heterogeneous enterprises and mission critical applications.

Tangram launched its newest product, Asset Insight-TM-, in mid-1996 in response 
to the widespread demand by large enterprises for an automated comprehensive 
means for tracking and managing computer hardware and software assets 
throughout the enterprise.  The Asset Insight Internet Subsystem was also 
introduced in 1996 to track and manage Internet usage throughout the enterprise.

Tangram's other offerings include the AM:PM-Registered Trademark- product 
line, which provides automatic software distribution, data distribution and 
collection, and software management throughout the enterprise; and its 
Arbiter-Registered Trademark- and Open Advantage-Registered Trademark- product 
lines, which provide enterprise-wide connectivity and interoperability 
between LAN-resident desktop computers and IBM mainframe computers.

In order to maximize the market penetration of Asset Insight, Tangram 
restructured its operations into two divisions: Enterprise Solutions, focused 
on marketing Asset Insight; and Consulting Solutions, focused on implementing 
customized solutions incorporating its AM:PM, Arbiter and Open Advantage 
products.

The Enterprise Solutions division markets and intends to market Asset Insight 
through value added resellers, systems integrators and information technology 
consultants. Tangram adopted this approach in order to leverage its sales and 
marketing resources to address the perceived widespread demand for Asset 
Insight as rapidly as possible. CompuCom was the first reseller for the 
Enterprise Solutions division.  The division has since signed up additional 
resellers, including Vanstar Corporation, which is a competitor of CompuCom, 
and RMS Information Systems, which is a Safeguard partnership company.  The 
Consulting Solutions division markets and sells its products and services 
directly to its customers in North America and through a network of 
independent distributors internationally.

Tangram believes that no product directly competitive with Asset Insight is 
currently available in the market.  Tangram anticipates that competitive 
products eventually will be developed, and it is expending significant 
amounts 

                                       10



to continue to develop and improve Asset Insight and to develop its 
distribution channels in order to establish and maintain a market leadership 
position.  In the broader market for asset management products and services, 
competition is intense, and many of Tangram's actual and potential 
competitors have substantially greater resources than Tangram. The software 
and solutions markets are subject to rapid change in technology, customer 
requirements, and the strategic direction of computer hardware manufacturers 
and operating system providers.  Tangram's future success will depend on its 
ability to establish a strong market for Asset Insight before competitive 
products are introduced, and to enhance its product line over time and adapt 
to changing market conditions in order to maintain a leadership position in 
the market for asset tracking and management solutions.

At March 10, 1997, Safeguard owns approximately 67% of Tangram's outstanding 
common stock.

Premier develops and markets sophisticated asset management systems solutions 
and professional services to the financial services industry worldwide. 
Premier's GLOBAL-PLUS-Registered Trademark- software provides complete 
multi-currency accounting and global custody processing capabilities, two of 
the demanding functions required by international asset management 
organizations. Premier's MAXIMIS-Registered Trademark- software provides a 
wide range of asset management and investment accounting solutions on 
multiple platforms and is targeted at investment advisors, insurance 
companies and pension funds.  Premier's NIDS division provides software 
products and solutions to the investment management industry.  Premier's 
CogniSource division, started in 1996, provides professional consulting 
services. Premier incurred significant losses in 1996, principally in the 
MAXIMIS product line.

A significant portion of Premier's 1996 sales were in Canada.  Target 
industries are major financial institutions, including traditional trust 
organizations, investment advisory firms, domestic and global custodians, 
international asset management organizations, insurance companies and large 
pension funds. 

In March 1997, Safeguard entered into a letter of intent to sell Premier's 
assets, excluding the MAXIMIS business, to Sungard. Completion of the sale is 
subject to the execution of a definitive agreement and federal antitrust 
clearance. Premier is also exploring the sale of its MAXIMIS business 
separately.

At March 10, 1997, Safeguard owns approximately 94% of Premier's outstanding 
common stock, and 85% of the outstanding voting stock.

Product Development Expenses

For Information Solutions, the Company spent $8.2 million, or approximately 
22% of Information Solutions net sales, for product development in 1996 (made 
up of $3.4 million by Tangram and $4.8 million by Premier), compared to $10.0 
million or approximately 25% of net sales in 1995 and $10.3 million or 19% of 
net sales in 1994.  The 1994 amount includes $2 million expended by Coherent 
for the first six months of the year before its rights offering, after which 
the Company ceased consolidating Coherent's results. Only an immaterial 
amount of product development expenditures were customer-sponsored.

Other Segment Information

Export sales in the Information Technology segment for the three-year period 
ended December 31, 1996 were less than 5% of the segment's total sales in 
each of those years.  Backlog for this segment, most of which was accounted 
for at year-end by CompuCom, is not considered to be a meaningful indication 
of 

                                       11




future business prospects due to CompuCom's relatively short order 
fulfillment cycle.

METAL FINISHING SEGMENT

Pioneer Metal Finishing is engaged in the finishing of aluminum and other 
metal parts through operations conducted in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Green 
Bay, Wisconsin. During 1996, Pioneer sold its Phoenix, Arizona facility, 
which generally had been unprofitable for Pioneer.  Major technical processes 
include sulfuric, hardcoat and R-5 bright dip anodizing, chromate conversion, 
electroless nickel and the application of other specialty coatings.  Pioneer 
provides insulation, heat dispersal, decoration and protection to a wide 
range of metal parts, including highly sophisticated equipment and small 
parts with precision tolerance requirements for the computer, ordnance, 
automotive, cookware and recreational industries, electronic components and 
other applications. 

Metal finishing services are sold to a wide range of customers and industries 
by a direct sales force and independent representatives. Finishing is usually 
performed on customer-owned material. Because of transportation costs, most 
customers are located within a 200-300 mile radius of the finishing 
facilities.  In order to better serve and expand its customer base in the 
Midwest, Pioneer began construction in the fourth quarter of 1996 on a new 
metal finishing plant in Monroe, Michigan.  The plant is being financed with 
$8 million of tax exempt bonds, and is expected to be completed in the third 
quarter of 1997.

Pioneer competes with many other metal finishers serving its geographical 
areas, but Pioneer has established itself as a reputable industry leader and 
quality metal finisher. Prompt service, quality of work performed and 
geographic location are the most important competitive factors.

Backlog is not considered material to this business as work is generally 
processed in a one- to two-week period.

The Company believes that all facilities comply with existing environmental 
pollution control regulations, compliance with which in recent years has been 
an important competitive factor in the industry.

Safeguard owns 100% of Pioneer Metal Finishing.

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE SEGMENT

In 1996, Safeguard sold its commercial real estate operations to a 
partnership controlled by a publicly traded REIT in exchange for common stock 
and warrants in the REIT and units in the partnership which are convertible 
into common stock of the REIT. Safeguard recognized an after-tax gain of $1.3 
million from the sale.  See "RECENT DEVELOPMENTS" above.

The operations of the Company and its partnership companies, particularly the 
Metal Finishing segment, are subject to environmental laws and regulations. 
The Company does not believe that expenditures relating to those laws and 
regulations will have a material adverse effect on the business, financial 
condition or results of operations of the Company.

                                       12




OTHER PARTNERSHIP COMPANIES

Public Companies

Safeguard uses the equity method of accounting for companies in which it owns 
less than a majority of the outstanding voting securities but exercises 
significant influence.  Public partnership companies accounted for on the 
equity method in 1996 included Cambridge Technology Partners, Coherent 
Communications Systems, Sanchez Computer Associates, and USDATA.

Cambridge Technology Partners (Massachusetts), Inc. is an international 
professional services firm that works with clients to design, develop, and 
deploy client/server and Internet applications.  Cambridge's information 
technology development offerings also include third-party software 
implementation and management consulting services. Cambridge provides the 
majority of its services on a fixed-price, fixed-timetable model with client 
involvement at all stages of the process.  In performing its services, 
Cambridge employs a rapid development methodology which enables it to deliver 
results in unprecedented time frames - typically within three to twelve 
months.  Cambridge believes the solutions it delivers help provide clients 
with competitive advantages by focusing on high value-added areas such as 
distribution, sales and marketing, and customer management.

In 1996, Cambridge strengthened its software package implementation service 
offering through the acquisition of Ramos & Associates, Inc., which provides 
strategic information solutions and consulting services in the Enterprise 
Resource Planning services market.  Overall, Cambridge increased its employee 
headcount during 1996 from 1,278 to 1,824 at year-end in order to meet the 
growing U.S. and international demand for its services.  Cambridge's future 
success will depend in large part on its continuing ability to attract, 
retain, and motivate highly skilled employees.

Cambridge's information technology and management consulting services are 
offered at the enterprise-wide, specific business process and application 
software levels of an organization. Upon the completion of consulting 
services, Cambridge typically designs and develops one or more strategic 
software applications and then rolls-out such applications to the 
organization's end-users. These software applications are designed to achieve 
a competitive advantage, enhance the efficiency and functionality of specific 
business processes, and support financial goals. A client engagement for the 
design, development, and implementation of a strategic software application 
typically results in fees of $1 million to $3 million.  To date, Cambridge's 
revenues have been generated principally from its custom software design and 
development activities.  Because of the size of these assignments, clients 
may undertake projects on an irregular basis.  However, no customer accounted 
for more than 5% of net revenues in either 1996, 1995 or 1994.

At March 10, 1997, Safeguard owns approximately 18% of Cambridge's 
outstanding common stock, and warrants which could increase its ownership to 
19%.

Coherent Communications Systems Corporation develops, manufactures and 
markets voice quality enhancement products for wireless (including digital 
cellular and Personal Communication Systems  ("PCS")),  satellite-based 
Cable Communication Systems, and wireline telecommunications systems 
throughout the world. Coherent's principal product lines are transmission 
products and teleconference products. Coherent's products utilize a 
proprietary high speed reduced instruction set computer ("RISC") microchip 
along with its proprietary software to enhance the quality of voice 
communications during a telephone call in several ways, including eliminating 
echoes inherent in modern telecommunications systems and hands free telephone 
and teleconference usage. Coherent's products are compatible with domestic 
and foreign telecommunications systems.

The technological advances incorporated into telecommunications systems, such 
as wireless and digital transmission technology, speech compression, fiber 

                                       13




optic transmission lines and satellite links, make echo canceller products an 
essential component of most digital telecommunications networks. Coherent 
sells its transmission products to network operators and other end-users 
through its direct sales force and third-party distributors, and to 
telecommunications equipment manufacturers through its direct sales force.  
Users of Coherent's transmission products include telecommunications network 
operators throughout the world, such as British Telecommunications PLC, 
Deutsche Bundespost, AT&T Wireless, Kokusai Denshin Denwa Co., Ltd. , 
Telefonos de Mexico, SA, Teleglobe Canada Inc., PTT Telecom Logistics 
(Netherlands) and Telia Mobitel (Sweden).  Coherent historically has 
experienced its greatest success selling its transmission products 
internationally, where competition is based principally on technological 
characteristics.  Competition in the U.S. has been more price sensitive.  
However, Coherent believes that the release in 1996 of improved international 
standards and the increasing demands for improved transmission quality have 
made potential U.S. customers more concerned with cost effective performance. 
Coherent expanded its direct sales efforts in the U.S. during 1996 to 
capitalize on this trend.  As a result, Coherent nearly doubled its North 
American sales of transmission products from 1995, and overall North American 
sales increased from 25% of total net sales in 1995 to 31% of total net sales 
in 1996.  Coherent's strategy for future growth is to continue to develop new 
software products running on its echo canceller platforms to support new 
telecommunications technologies, and to continue to develop and expand 
strategic relationships with major telecommunications network operators, 
telecommunications equipment manufacturers, and telecommunications equipment 
distributors.

Coherent's teleconference products include Call Port-Registered Trademark-, 
which is an audio subsystem for desktop computers; Conference 
Master-Registered Trademark-, a high quality teleconferencing system; and 
Voicecrafter-TM-, an audio subsystem for video conferencing systems.  All 
teleconference products incorporate Coherent's echo cancellation technology 
and provide full-duplex, hands-free operation.

At March 10, 1997, Safeguard owns approximately 32% of Coherent's outstanding 
common stock.

Sanchez Computer Associates, Inc. completed its rights offering in December 
1996. Sanchez designs, develops, markets, implements, and supports a 
comprehensive software system called PROFILE-Registered Trademark- for 
financial services organizations worldwide.  Sanchez's highly flexible 
PROFILE family of products is comprised of three integrated modules which 
operate on open client-server platforms. Historically, Sanchez has 
experienced success installing PROFILE in emerging market banks, particularly 
in Central Europe, with little existing enterprise-wide automation.  Sanchez 
has recently begun to expand its target markets to the Asian-Pacific Rim, 
while also targeting large U.S. and Canadian banks looking to develop on-line 
retail banking business to be conducted via alternate distribution channels.  
Sanchez believes PROFILE can be the next generation infrastructure for direct 
banking, providing the flexibility for banks to deliver customized banking 
products over a wide variety of consumer interfaces, including over the 
Internet.

At March 10, 1997, Safeguard owns approximately 24% of Sanchez's outstanding 
common stock, and warrants which could increase its ownership to 26%.

USDATA Corporation provides a wide range of software components, hardware 
systems and services, design consulting and maintenance support used by its 
customers to improve the overall productivity of their businesses and to 
monitor automated processes. The real-time information provided by USDATA's 
products enables customers to reduce operating costs, improve product quality 
and increase overall throughput and productivity.

USDATA produces automation software tools that enable an organization's 
information systems to supervise, monitor and control manufacturing and other 
automated processes and to interface with management information systems.

                                       14



USDATA's family of software products, marketed under the name 
FactoryLink-Registered Trademark-, provides a powerful set of software tools 
designed for users who are technically competent but who may not be 
experienced software programmers.

USDATA is also engaged in the design and turnkey implementation of integrated 
third-party data collection systems that allow remote, real-time data 
collection using a variety of automatic identification techniques.  USDATA 
has executed a non-binding letter of intent to sell this portion of its 
business.

At March 10, 1997, Safeguard owns approximately 20% of USDATA's outstanding 
common stock, and warrants which could increase its ownership to 25%.

Diamond Technology Partners, Incorporated expects to complete its rights 
offering in March 1997.  Diamond is a management consulting firm that devises 
business strategies enabled by information technology and manages the 
implementation of those strategies. The distinguishing qualities of Diamond's 
consulting process are its ability to synthesize strategy with technology and 
deliver solutions with measurable results, which generally include the 
design, deployment, and integration of information technology solutions 
together with modification of business processes and organizational 
structures.  Diamond delivers its strategic consulting and information 
technology solutions through a single, integrated multi-disciplinary team.  
Upon completion of Diamond's rights offering, Safeguard will own 
approximately 8% of Diamond's outstanding common stock and warrants which 
could increase its ownership to 10%.  Diamond's Chairman and CEO controls a 
majority of the aggregate voting rights of the common stock.

Integrated Systems Consulting Group, Inc. ("ISCG") completed its rights 
offering in May 1996.  ISCG provides consulting services that address its 
clients' information processing needs through technologically advanced 
solutions, including client-server architecture, graphical user interface 
based applications, relational and object-oriented databases and 
cross-platform applications integration.  ISCG delivers consulting services 
principally in software applications development, but also in systems and 
network management.  ISCG focuses its marketing efforts on the pharmaceutical 
industry.  ISCG has extensive experience in the development, implementation, 
integration and management of information systems used in the drug 
development process.  It uses this experience and expertise to help 
pharmaceutical companies shorten the time required for developing, clinical 
testing, and submission of FDA applications for new drugs.  At March 10, 
1997, Safeguard owns approximately 7% of ISCG's outstanding common stock and 
warrants which could increase its ownership to 9%.  ISCG's Chairman and CEO 
owns approximately 38% of the outstanding common stock.

National Media Corporation is the world's largest infomercial company, using 
transactional television to sell innovative consumer products.  With its 
international subsidiary, Quantum International, Ltd., the company reaches 
364 million television households in more than 70 countries.  At March 10, 
1997, Safeguard owns preferred stock convertible into 2% of National Media's 
outstanding common stock and warrants which could increase its ownership to 
9%.

Private Companies

Diablo Research Corporation is a contract engineering company with expertise 
in radio frequency technology and applications, CEBUS technology for home 
automation and fixed wireless applications for the telecommunications 
industry.  At March 10, 1997, Safeguard owns approximately 20% of Diablo's 
outstanding voting capital stock.

FormMaker Software, Inc. provides multi-platform, enterprise-wide document 
automation solutions for document-intensive industries with mission-critical, 
complex and high-volume needs.  FormMaker also provides consulting, 
implementation, training and outsourcing services.  Another Safeguard 

                                       15




partnership company, Micro Dynamics Ltd., a document imaging systems company, 
merged into FormMaker during 1996.  FormMaker has agreed to merge with Image 
Sciences, Inc., subject to satisfaction of certain conditions including 
shareholder approval.  The resulting company will be renamed DocuCorp 
International.  At March 10, 1997, Safeguard owns approximately 46% of 
FormMaker's outstanding common stock, and warrants which could increase its 
ownership to 48%, before the effect of the pending merger. If the merger is 
completed, Safeguard will own 22% of DocuCorp's outstanding common stock, 
and warrants which could increase its ownership to 24%.

Intellisource, Inc. provides outsourcing services ranging from advisory help 
to turnkey solutions, enabling customers to gain the benefits of 
reengineering support tasks while freeing resources for core competitive 
activities.  The company's subsidiary, Supply Chain Solutions, provides 
"SCORE" software for supply chain management solutions.  At March 10, 1997, 
Safeguard owns approximately 12% of Intellisource's outstanding common stock, 
and non-voting preferred stock which could be converted to increase 
Safeguard's ownership to 65%.

Internet Capital Group, LLC was established by Safeguard in 1996 to identify, 
invest in, and develop early to mid-stage Internet-related companies in the 
target areas of enabling tools and technology businesses, software 
application developers, content providers, and ongoing enterprises whose 
business model is enhanced by the Internet. Internet Capital Group has 
received commitments for $40 million of funding, of which Safeguard has 
committed 33% of that amount.

MultiGen, Inc. develops and markets the leading real-time 3D authoring 
software that is used to create, edit, and view scenes for visual simulation, 
entertainment, CAD visualization, and virtual reality applications.  The 
company's newest products include the MultiGen-Registered Trademark- Series 
II and its innovative real-time 3D virtual reality scene builder, 
SmartScene-TM-.  At March 10, 1997, Safeguard owns approximately 28% of 
MultiGen's outstanding common stock.

MicroVision Medical Systems, Inc. has developed an automated intelligent 
microscopy system which uses proprietary imaging technologies for a wide 
variety of diagnostic and research applications.  MicroVision intends to 
introduce its system to the healthcare market to identify cells with specific 
characteristics within a sample of cells by detecting color produced by the 
reaction between common laboratory stains and the cells.  The system software 
can be configured to identify different stains, thereby allowing the system 
to be adapted to identify a broad range of target cellular conditions.  
MicroVision intends to establish its system as the preferred platform for 
multiple diagnostic applications.  At March 10, 1997, Safeguard owns common 
stock and convertible preferred stock of MicroVision which constitutes 
approximately 40% of MicroVision's outstanding capital stock.

OAO International Corporation provides global, full-service information 
technology solutions and outsourcing services through industry-specific 
partnerships.  OAO's expertise lies in enterprise system management, 
distributed systems management, help desk services, and software engineering. 
 It has teamed with such companies as IBM Global Services, Digital Equipment 
Corporation, and Perot Systems.  At March 10, 1997, Safeguard owns 50% of 
OAO's outstanding common stock, subject to an option held by OAO's founder 
which could reduce Safeguard's ownership to 40%.

RMS Information Systems provides design, development, integration, and 
operation of telecommunications, network services and facilities management 
for voice, data, and video systems, principally to governmental agencies.  At 
the end of 1996, RMS was restructured through a transfer of its principal 
business assets to a new entity to eliminate a part of its outstanding debt 
burden, to exit a money-losing business, and to facilitate its strategy of 
pursuing business in the commercial markets. At March 10, 1997, Safeguard 
owns 20% of RMS' outstanding common stock.

Sentry Technology Group resulted from a 1996 merger between Value Sourcing 
Group and Sentry Technology Group. The company provides information 
technology market research, management consulting, and communications 
services for IT buyers and sellers.  Sentry publishes Software Magazine and 
Client/Server Computing, two monthly magazines with an aggregate circulation 
to 250,000 CIOs 

                                       16




and senior IT executives worldwide.  At March 10, 1997, Safeguard owns 
approximately 49% of Sentry's outstanding common stock.

Whisper Communications, Inc. has developed a two-way, fixed-base automated 
meter reading technology which will allow utilities to remotely read meters 
(gas, water, or electric) via the use of radio frequency technology and a 
wireless communications backbone.  At March 10, 1997, Safeguard owns 
preferred stock convertible into approximately 18% of Whisper's common stock.

XL Vision, Inc. specializes in producing application-specific electronic 
imaging solutions to meet specific customer needs and identifiable market 
needs.  XL Vision's product lines under development include PhotoVision-TM-, 
an automatic identification system for use with credit cards, ATM cards and 
ID cards; and Enhanced Vision Systems-TM-, proprietary thermal infrared 
imaging systems capable of "seeing" in darkness, fog or haze.  XL Vision spun 
out MicroVision Medical Systems, Inc. as a separate company during 1996, and 
is preparing to spin out Enhanced Vision Systems during the first half of 
1997.  At March 10, 1996, Safeguard owns 13% of XL Vision's outstanding 
common stock, and convertible preferred stock which could increase its 
ownership to 66%.

Safeguard's ownership percentages in certain of the partnership companies 
described above include shares which Safeguard has granted to certain of its 
executives under its long term incentive plan.  These grants are subject to 
certain restrictions, and Safeguard continues to control the voting of these 
shares until the restrictions lapse.

Safeguard also participates in managing seven venture capital and private 
equity funds. These funds invest in early stage, rapidly growing and/or 
established businesses, and have co-invested in certain of the Company's 
partnership companies. The following table lists these funds. While 
Safeguard's focus is on the information technology industry, the funds also 
invest in health care, life sciences, service-related companies, technology 
companies in the energy utilities markets, basic industries, and later stage 
companies in various industries. Radnor Venture Partners, Technology Leaders 
I, and Technology Leaders II are fully invested (including reserves set aside 
for follow-on investments).

Venture Capital and Private Equity Funds


                                    Capital        % Owned by         Year
Name of Fund                      Commitments      Safeguard(1)    Established
- ------------                      -----------      ------------    -----------

Radnor Venture Partners           $33,000,000           14%           1988
Technology Leaders I               61,000,000            3%           1992
Technology Leaders II             113,000,000            4%           1994
TL Ventures III                   285,000,000            4%           1996
EnerTech Capital Partners          50,000,000            6%           1996
Safeguard International Fund       75,000,000           13%(2)        1996
SCP Private Equity Partners        88,000,000           10%(2)        1996


(1) Represents the percentage of the outstanding limited partnership 
interests in each fund owned by Safeguard. In addition, Safeguard owns 
interests in the general partners of these funds which have carried interests 
in the funds' profits.

(2) Estimated pending final fund closing.

EMPLOYEES

Safeguard and its consolidated subsidiaries have approximately 4,600 
employees, of which approximately 81% are employed by CompuCom. The Company 
believes relations with employees are good.

ITEM 1(d).    FINANCIAL INFORMATION ABOUT FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC OPERATIONS AND 
              EXPORT SALES

The Company does not believe that foreign or geographic area sales are 
material or significant to an understanding of its business and operations 

                                      17




during the three-year period ended December 31, 1996.  Where appropriate, 
information concerning the Company's export sales is discussed in Item 1(c) 
"Narrative Description of Business."

ITEM 1(e).    EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Information about the Company's executive officers can be found in Part III 
of this report under "Item 10. Directors and Executive Officers of 
Registrant."  None of the officers have fixed term employment agreements.

ITEM 2.  PROPERTIES

The Company owns its corporate headquarters and administrative offices 
located in Wayne, Pennsylvania.  The headquarters building is subject to a 
$3.6 million mortgage bearing interest at 9.75%, which amortizes over a 30 
year term and is callable by the lender at any time beginning in 2002. The 
principal properties of the Company consisted of the following as of March 
10, 1997:
 
 INDUSTRY SEGMENT/LOCATION        TYPE OF FACILITY        LEASE EXPIRES
 
 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
 
    MICROCOMPUTER SYSTEMS AND SERVICES (COMPUCOM)
         Dallas, TX             Executive/Admin. Offices         *
         Paulsboro, NJ          Distribution Center              2001(1)
         Stockton, CA           Distribution Center              1999(2)
         Dallas, TX             Customer Center                  2000
         Dallas, TX             Sales and Service                1998
         Dallas, TX             Future Corporate/Operations      *   (3)
 
    INFORMATION SOLUTIONS
         Cary, NC (Tangram)     Office/Distribution              2004
         Malvern, PA (Premier)  Office/Distribution              1998(4)
 
 METAL FINISHING (Pioneer)
         Minneapolis, MN        Manufacturing/Office             *
         Green Bay, WI          Manufacturing/Office             *
         Monroe, MI             Manufacturing/Office             *   (5)

(*) Owned facility.

(1) CompuCom has a cancellation option exercisable at any time after August 
    1999.

(2) CompuCom has a cancellation option exercisable in May of each year.

(3) CompuCom purchased this facility in 1996 and is currently renovating the  
    facility for future occupancy by most of its current Dallas operations.

(4) Premier has a cancellation option exercisable at any time.

(5) Pioneer purchased land in 1996 and is constructing a new metal finishing  
    facility.

CompuCom's executive office building in Dallas, Texas is subject to a $3.9 
million ten-year mortgage which matures in 2003.  CompuCom's new corporate 
and operations campus was purchased for approximately $26 million which has 
been funded on an interim basis through its bank credit facility pending 
permanent mortgage financing. Pioneer has a variable rate industrial revenue 
bond mortgage on its Green Bay property with a principal balance of $1.9 
million as of December, 31, 1996, which matures in 2002. Pioneer has a 
variable rate industrial revenue bond mortgage on its Monroe property to 
finance construction in an ultimate principal amount of $8 million, maturing 
in 2008.

                                       18




In the opinion of management, the properties and plants are in good condition 
and repair and are adequate for the particular operations for which they are 
used.  The extent of utilization of manufacturing facilities varies from 
plant to plant. CompuCom's new 300,000 square foot New Jersey distribution 
center doubles its previous warehouse space and contains a state-of-the-art 
90,000 square foot configuration center, triple the size of the previous 
configuration space. CompuCom's new Dallas property contains 250,000 square 
feet of office space in two buildings on 20 acres.  CompuCom is renovating 
this space for use as its new corporate and operations campus, and will 
relocate most of its Dallas area operations to this facility with expansion 
capacity for future growth.  The other existing facilities of the Company 
generally are capable of supporting increased activity without any 
significant capital expenditures.

ITEM 3.  LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

The Company and its subsidiaries are involved in various claims and legal 
actions arising in the ordinary course of business.  In the opinion of 
management, the ultimate disposition of these matters will not have a 
material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial position or 
results of operations. 
    
ITEM 4.  SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

No matter was submitted to a vote of security holders, through the 
solicitation of proxies or otherwise, during the fourth quarter of 1996.

                                       PART II
                                           
ITEM 5.  MARKET FOR THE REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER 
         MATTERS

The Company incorporates by reference the information contained under the 
caption "Common Stock Data" on page 45 of its Annual Report to Shareholders 
for the year ended December 31, 1996 which page is filed as part of Exhibit 
13 hereto.

ITEM 6.  SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

The Company incorporates by reference the information contained under this 
caption on page 28 of its Annual Report to Shareholders for the year ended 
December 31, 1996 which page is filed as part of Exhibit 13 hereto.

ITEM 7.  MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND 
         RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The Company incorporates by reference the information contained under this 
caption on pages 28 through 32 of its Annual Report to Shareholders for the 
year ended December 31, 1996 which pages are filed as part of Exhibit 13 
hereto.

ITEM 8.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

The Company incorporates by reference the information on pages 33 through 45 
of its Annual Report to Shareholders for the year ended December 31, 1996 
which pages are filed as part of Exhibit 13 hereto.

ITEM 9.  CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND 
         FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

None.

                                       PART III

                                       19



                                           
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS:
        
The following persons were executive officers of the Registrant at March 20, 
1997:

                                   HAS BEEN AN
                                     OFFICER
NAME                    AGE           SINCE      POSITION

Warren V. Musser        70             1953      Chairman of the Board and 
                                                 Chief Executive Officer
Donald R. Caldwell(1)   50             1993      President and Chief Operating 
                                                 Officer
Edward R. Anderson(2)   50             1994      President and Chief Executive
                                                 Officer, CompuCom Systems, 
                                                 Inc.
Jerry L. Johnson(3)     49             1995      Senior Vice President--
                                                 Operations
Thomas C. Lynch(4)      54             1995      Senior Vice President
Michael W. Miles(5)     39             1996      Vice President and Chief
                                                 Financial Officer
James A. Ounsworth      54             1991      Senior Vice President, General
                                                 Counsel and Secretary
Glenn T. Rieger(6)      38             1993      Vice President
Charles A. Root         64             1984       Executive Vice President

(1) Mr. Caldwell has served as President of the Company since February 1996 
    and as Executive Vice President from March 1993 to February 1996.  Prior 
    to joining the Company, from 1991 through 1993, Mr. Caldwell was President 
    of Valley Forge Capital Group, Ltd., a business mergers and acquisition 
    advisory firm that he founded.  From 1990 through 1991, Mr. Caldwell was 
    Chief Administrative Officer of Cambridge Technology Partners 
    (Massachusetts), Inc., a provider of systems integration, consulting and 
    custom system development services.

(2) Mr. Anderson has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of 
    CompuCom Systems, Inc. since January 1994 and served as Chief Operating 
    Officer from August 1993 through December 1993.  Prior to joining CompuCom,
    Mr. Anderson served from May 1988 to July 1993 as President and Chief 
    Operating Officer of Computerland Corporation (now known as Vanstar), a 
    computer reseller.

(3) Mr. Johnson served at US West, a Regional Bell Operating Company, from 1985
    through 1995, most recently as Vice President of Network Technology 
    Services.

(4) In 1995 Mr. Lynch retired from the U.S. Navy as an Admiral after 31 years,
    including serving as Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy from 1991 
    through 1994 and the Director, Navy Roles and Missions from 1994 through 
    1995. 

(5) Mr. Miles has served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since 
    January 1997 and has been with the Company since 1984 in various financial 
    positions, most recently as Vice President and Corporate Controller.

(6) Mr. Rieger has served as a Vice President of the Company since January 
    1994. Prior to joining the Company, from 1991 through 1993, Mr. Rieger was 
    a Managing Director of Valley Forge Capital Group, Ltd., a business 
    mergers and acquisition advisory firm.

                                       20




DIRECTORS:

The Company incorporates by reference the information contained under the 
caption "ELECTION OF DIRECTORS" in its definitive Proxy Statement relative to 
its May 8, 1997 annual meeting of shareholders, to be filed within 120 days 
after the end of the year covered by this Form 10-K Report pursuant to 
Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of l934, as amended.

DISCLOSURE OF DELINQUENT FILERS PURSUANT TO ITEM 405 OF REGULATION S-K:

The Company incorporates by reference the information contained under the 
caption "SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE" in its 
definitive Proxy Statement relative to its May 8, 1997 annual meeting of 
shareholders, to be filed within 120 days after the end of the year covered 
by this Form 10-K Report pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities 
Exchange Act of l934, as amended.

ITEM 11.      EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

The Company incorporates by reference the information contained under the 
captions "Directors' Compensation," "Compensation Committee Interlocks and 
Insider Participation" and "EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION" in its definitive Proxy 
Statement relative to its May 8, 1997 annual meeting of shareholders, to be 
filed within 120 days after the end of the year covered by this Form 10-K 
Report pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of l934, 
as amended.

ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

The Company incorporates by reference the information contained under the 
caption "SECURITIES OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT" in 
its definitive Proxy Statement relative to its May 8, 1997 annual meeting of 
shareholders, to be filed within 120 days after the end of the year covered 
by this Form 10-K Report pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities 
Exchange Act of l934, as amended.

ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

The Company incorporates by reference the information contained under the 
captions "Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation" and 
"CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS" in its definitive Proxy Statement relative to its May 
8, 1997 annual meeting of shareholders, to be filed within 120 days after the 
end of the year covered by this Form 10-K Report pursuant to Regulation 14A 
under the Securities Exchange Act of l934, as amended.

                                       PART IV
                                           
ITEM 14.   EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K

(a)  Financial Statements and Schedules 

    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS *
         INDUSTRY SEGMENTS   
         BALANCE SHEETS - December 31, 1996 and 1995
         OPERATIONS - years ended December 31, 1996, 1995, and 1994
         CASH FLOWS - years ended December 31, 1996, 1995, and 1994
         SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY - years ended December 31, 1996, 1995, 
           and 1994     
         NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS   
         INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT            
         STAEMENT OF MANAGEMENT'S FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
         QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA                 

                                       21



________

*   Incorporated by reference from pages 33 through 45 of the Company's 
    Annual Report to Shareholders for the year ended December 31, 1996, which 
    pages are filed as part of Exhibit 13 hereto.

    FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
         INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT            
         Schedule I          -    Condensed Consolidated Financial Information
                                  of Registrant               
         Schedule II         -    Valuation and Qualifying Accounts

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT
 
The Board of Directors and Shareholders
Safeguard Scientifics, Inc.:
 
Under date of February 7, 1997, we reported on the consolidated balance 
sheets of Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 
1996 and 1995, and the related consolidated statements of operations, cash 
flows and shareholders' equity for each of the years in the three-year period 
ended December 31, 1996, as contained in the 1996 annual report to 
shareholders. These consolidated financial statements and our report thereon 
are incorporated by reference in the annual report on Form 10-K for the year 
1996. In connection with our audits of the aforementioned consolidated 
financial statements, we also audited the related consolidated financial 
statement schedules as listed in the accompanying index. These financial 
statement schedules are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our 
responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statement 
schedules based on our audits.
 
In our opinion, such financial statement schedules, when considered in 
relation to the basic consolidated financial statements taken as a whole, 
present fairly, in all material respects, the information set forth therein. 

/s/ KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
February 7, 1997


                                    22

                       Safeguard Scientifics, Inc.
                               Schedule I
                   Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
                         December 31, 1996 and 1995 
                               (In thousands)
 


ASSETS                                             1996          1995
- ---------------                                 ----------    ----------
                                                        
CURRENT ASSETS
 Cash and cash equivalents................      $    8,019    $  1,999
 Receivables less allowances 
  ($25-1996; $136-1995)...................           4,140       3,538
 Notes and other receivables..............           9,403       4,259
 Inventories..............................             992       1,262
 Other current assets.....................           8,127       8,562
                                                -----------  ----------
  Total current assets.....................         30,681      19,620
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, NET.......           20,707      20,852
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE, NET..............                       17,787
OTHER ASSETS
 Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries
  and affiliates..........................         241,490     224,890
 Notes and other receivables..............          14,989       6,147
 Other....................................           9,846       1,873
                                                  ----------  ----------
                                                   266,325     232,910
                                                  ----------  ----------
                                                $  317,713    $291,169
                                                  ----------  ----------
                                                  ----------  ----------





LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY                 1996        1995
- -----------------------------------------         ----------  ----------
                                                        
CURRENT LIABILITIES
 Current debt obligations....................     $  3,560    $  1,815
 Current commercial real estate debt.........                    3,103
 Accounts payable............................        1,730       1,162
 Accrued expenses............................       16,702      10,113
                                                 ----------  ----------
  Total current liabilities...................      21,992      16,193
LONG TERM DEBT..............................        12,591      79,216
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE DEBT.................                    17,380
DEFERRED TAXES..............................        10,860      22,899
OTHER LIABILITIES...........................         1,128       1,172
CONVERTIBLE SUBORDINATED NOTES..............       102,131
SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
 Common stock................................        3,280       3,280
 Additional paid-in capital..................       35,566      20,709
 Retained earnings...........................      129,970     110,043
 Treasury stock, at cost.....................       (7,165)    (10,471)
 Net unrealized appreciation on investments..        7,360      30,748
                                               -------------  ----------
                                                   169,011     154,309
                                               -------------  -----------
                                                $  317,713    $291,169
                                               -------------  -----------
                                               -------------  -----------


                                  23

                             Safeguard Scientifics, Inc.
                                     Schedule I
                 Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
                    Years Ended December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994
                       (In thousands except per share amounts)



                                                  1996       1995       1994
                                               ----------  ---------  ---------
                                                             
REVENUES
 Net sales.............................         $  30,286  $  35,628  $  35,024
 Gains on sales of securities, net.....            26,011     17,464     21,789
 Other income..........................            10,273      9,210      7,323
                                                ---------  ---------  ---------
  Total revenues........................           66,570     62,302     64,136
COSTS AND EXPENSES
 Cost of sales.........................            19,223     23,899     22,054
 Selling...............................             1,248      1,378      1,307
 General and administrative............            21,464     17,683     14,334
 Depreciation and amortization.........             3,818      4,536      4,383
 Interest..............................             8,623      6,643      5,141
 Equity in income of unconsolidated 
  subsidiaries and affiliates, net 
  of taxes.............................           (12,345)   (12,655)    (2,378)
                                                 ---------  ---------  ---------
  Total costs and expenses..............           42,031     41,484     44,841
                                                 ---------  ---------  ---------
EARNINGS BEFORE TAXES ON INCOME.......             24,539     20,818     19,295
Provision for taxes on income.........              4,612      2,555      3,555
                                                 ---------  ---------  ---------
NET EARNINGS..........................           $ 19,927   $ 18,263   $ 15,740
                                                 ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                 ---------  ---------  ---------
EARNINGS PER SHARE
 Primary...............................           $   .61   $    .57   $    .51
 Fully diluted.........................           $   .61   $    .53   $    .47
AVERAGE COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING
 Primary...............................            31,348     30,734     29,439
 Fully diluted.........................            31,348     30,908     29,679


                                          24

                              Safeguard Scientifics, Inc.
                                      Schedule I
                      Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
                        Years Ended December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994
                                     (In thousands)



                                                   1996       1995       1994
                                                ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                             
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
 Net earnings.................................. $  19,927  $  18,263  $  15,740
 Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to cash
  from operating activities
 Depreciation and amortization.................     3,818      4,536      4,383
 Deferred income taxes.........................       109      1,891      3,006
 Equity in income of unconsolidated subsidiaries
  and affiliates, net..........................   (12,345)   (12,655)    (2,378)
 Gains on sales of securities, net.............   (26,011)   (17,464)   (21,789)
                                                 ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                  (14,502)    (5,429)    (1,038)
Cash provided (used) by changes in working
 capital items
 Receivables...................................    (5,746)       422     (5,239)
 Inventories...................................       270         29       (103)
 Accrued liabilities and other.................     5,354     (7,587)     1,132
                                                 ---------  ---------  ---------
Cash (used) by operating activities............   (14,624)   (12,565)    (5,248)
Proceeds from sales of securities, net.........    41,982     24,952     16,953
                                                 ---------  ---------  ---------
Cash provided by operating activities and
 sales of securities, net......................    27,358     12,387     11,705

OTHER INVESTING ACTIVITIES
 Investments and notes acquired, net..........    (64,110)   (28,638)   (49,343)
 Capital expenditures.........................     (5,985)    (3,068)    (2,375)
 Other, net...................................     (5,592)               (1,302)
                                                 ---------  ---------  ---------
Cash (used) by other investing activities.....    (75,687)   (31,706)   (53,020)

FINANCING ACTIVITIES
 Net borrowings (repayments) on revolving 
  credit facilities...........................    (63,425)    16,351     17,927
 Net borrowings (repayments) on term debt.....        455     (1,035)    21,717
 Issuance of convertible subordinated notes, 
  net.........................................    112,109
 Repurchase of common stock...................                   (33)      (551)
 Stock options exercised......................      5,210      3,771      1,358
                                                 ---------  ---------  ---------
Cash provided by financing activities.........     54,349     19,054     40,451
                                                 ---------  ---------  ---------
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH 
 EQUIVALENTS..................................      6,020       (265)      (864)
Cash and cash equivalents--beginning of year..      1,999      2,264      3,128
                                                 ---------  ---------  ---------
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS--END OF YEAR........  $   8,019  $   1,999  $   2,264
                                                 ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                 ---------  ---------  ---------

                                       25

                NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
NOTE 1-DEBT
 


                                               1996       1995
                                            ---------  ---------
                                                (In thousands)    
                                                 
                                               
Revolving credit facility.................              $ 47,800
Notes payable to equity investee 
 companies................................                23,589
Industrial development revenue bonds, due 
 in installments through 2008.............   $ 9,870       2,210
Mortgage note, 9.75%, payable monthly 
 through 2002.............................     3,487       3,516
Other.....................................     2,794       3,916
                                            ----------  ---------
                                               16,151     81,031
Current debt obligations.................      (3,560)    (1,815)
                                            ----------  ---------
Long-term debt...........................    $ 12,591   $ 79,216
                                            ----------  ----------
                                            ----------  ----------


Aggregate maturities of long-term debt during future years are as follows (in 
millions): $3.6-1997; $.9-1998; $1.0-1999; $1.0-2000; $1.0-2001 and 
$8.7-thereafter.
 
Interest paid in 1996, 1995 and 1994 was $6.3 million, $6.6 million, and $4.9 
million, respectively, of which $1.1 million, $2.0 million and $2.7 million 
in 1996, 1995, and 1994, respectively, related to commercial real estate 
debt, and $3.4 million in 1996 related to convertible subordinated notes.
 
In connection with investments in certain unconsolidated subsidiaries and 
investee companies, the Company is contingently obligated for approximately 
$28 million in bank loan and other guarantees and $59 million for possible 
future investments, including committed capital to various venture funds and 
private equity partnerships.
 
NOTE 2-RECLASSIFICATIONS

Certain amounts previously reported in the condensed consolidated financial 
statements have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.

                                      26

                  SAFEGUARD SCIENTIFICS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                 SCHEDULE II--VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS
                                (In thousands)




                                                       BALANCE     ADDITIONS
                                                      BEGINNING   CHARGED TO   DEDUCTIONS                  BALANCE
DESCRIPTION                                            OF YEAR    OPERATIONS       (1)         OTHER     END OF YEAR
- ---------------------------------------------------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
                                                                                          
Allowance for doubtful accounts
  Year ended December 31, 1994.....................   $   5,480    $   3,378    $   1,669   $  (723)(2)  $   6,466
  Year ended December 31, 1995.....................   $   6,466    $   1,277    $     968   $(4,131)(3)  $   2,644
  Year ended December 31, 1996.....................   $   2,644    $   1,472    $     995   $   (33)(4)  $   3,088
Inventory reserves
  Year ended December 31, 1994.....................   $  15,400    $  15,049    $  18,627   $(1,148)(2)  $  10,674
  Year ended December 31, 1995.....................   $  10,674    $  13,333    $  13,581   $  (902)(3)  $   9,524
  Year ended December 31, 1996.....................   $   9,524    $  15,529    $  16,119   $            $   8,934



(1) Net write-offs.
 
(2) Sale and deconsolidation of Micro Decisionware and Coherent, respectively.
 
(3) Deconsolidation of Center Core.
 
(4) Sale of the Phoenix location of Pioneer Metal Finishing and the Commerical 
    Real Estate operations.

                                          27

(b) Reports on Form 8-K

No reports on Form 8-K were filed during the fourth quarter of 1996.

(c) Exhibits

The following is a list of exhibits required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K 
filed as part of this Report.  Where so indicated by footnote, exhibits which 
were previously filed are incorporated by reference.  For exhibits 
incorporated by reference, the location of the exhibit in the previous filing 
is indicated in parentheses.

3.1     Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company*

3.2     By-laws of the Company, as amended (6)(Exhibit 3.2)

4.1**   1979 Stock Option Plan (1)(Exhibit 10)

4.2**   1980 Stock Option Plan (1)(Exhibit 10)(5)(Exhibit 10.5)

4.3**   1990 Stock Option Plan, as amended*

4.4**   Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee Directors (11) (Exhibit 4.8)

4.5**   Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. Amended and Restated Stock Savings Plan
        (14) (Exhibit 4.9)

4.6**   First Amendment to Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. Stock Savings Plan*

4.7**   Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. Stock Savings Plan Trust Agreement
        (5)(Exhibit 4.2)

4.8     Trust Indenture Agreement dated February 1, 1996 (17) (Exhibit 10.34)

4.9     Purchase Agreement dated February 1, 1996 between Safeguard 
        Scientifics, Inc. and JP Morgan Securities, Inc. (17) Exhibit 10.35)

10.1**  Safeguard Scientifics Money Purchase Pension Plan (6)(Exhibit 10.3)

10.2**  First Amendment to Safeguard Scientifics Money Purchase Pension Plan
        (11) (Exhibit 10.2)

10.3**  Second Amendment to Safeguard Scientifics Money Purchase Pension Plan
        (14) (Exhibit 10.3)

10.4**   Third Amendment to Safeguard Scientifics Money Pension Plan (17)
         (Exhibit 10.4)

                                       28

10.5**   Safeguard Scientifics Money Purchase Pension Plan Trust Agreement
         (6)(Exhibit 10.4)

10.6**   Safeguard Management Incentive Compensation Plan (7)(Exhibit 10.3)

10.7**   Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. Long Term Incentive Plan, as amended and
         restated effective June 15, 1994 (14) (Exhibit 10.6)

10.8**   Form of Promissory Notes dated December 22, 1994 given by certain
         executives for advances by the Company of income tax withholdings on
         restricted stock grants (14) (Exhibit 10.7)

10.9**   Form of Promissory Notes dated January 3, 1995 given by certain
         executives for advances by the Company of income tax withholdings on
         restricted stock grants (14) (Exhibit 10.8)

10.10**  Form of Promissory Notes dated December 12, 1995 and December 20, 1995
         given by certain executives for advances by the Company of income tax
         withholdings on restricted stock grants. (17) (Exhibit 10.10)

10.11**  Form of Promissory Notes dated February 12, 1997 given by certain
         executives for advances by the Company of income tax withholdings on
         restricted stock grants*

10.12**  Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan (2)(Exhibit
         10.12)

10.13    Credit Agreement, dated as of September 13, 1996, between Safeguard
         Scientifics, Inc., Safeguard Scientifics (Delaware), Inc. and PNC
         Bank, N.A. (exhibits omitted) (19) (Exhibit 10.1)

10.14    Credit Agreement, dated as of September 26, 1996, between NationsBank
         of Texas, N.A. and CompuCom Systems, Inc. (exhibits and schedules
         omitted) (19) (Exhibit 10.2)

10.15    Amended and Restated Master Security and Administration Agreement,
         dated as of September 25, 1996, among CompuCom Systems, Inc.,
         NationsBank of Texas, N.A., CSI Funding, Inc. and Enterprise Funding
         Corporation (exhibits omitted) (19) (Exhibit 10.3)

10.16    Amendment No. 1 dated December 5, 1996 to Amended and Restated Master
         Security Agreement among CompuCom Systems, Inc., NationsBank of Texas,
         CSI Funding, Inc. and Enterprise Funding Corporation*

10.17    Receivables Purchase Agreement dated April 1, 1996 between CompuCom
         Systems, Inc. and CSI Funding, Inc. (exhibits omitted) (18) (Exhibit
         10.6)

10.18    First Amendment to Receivables Purchase Agreement, dated as of
         September 25, 1996, between CompuCom Systems, Inc. and CSI Funding,
         Inc. (exhibits omitted) (19) (Exhibit 10.4)

10.19    Transfer and Administration Agreement, dated as of April 1, 1996,
         among CSI Funding, Inc., CompuCom Systems, Inc., Enterprise Funding
         Corporation and NationsBank, N.A. (exhibits omitted) (18) (Exhibit
         10.7)

10.20    First Amendment to Transfer and Administration Agreement, dated as of
         September 25, 1996, among CSI Funding, Inc., 

                                       29


         CompuCom Systems, Inc., Enterprise Funding Corporation and 
         NationsBank, N.A. (exhibits omitted) (19) (Exhibit 10.5)

10.21    Amendment No. 2 dated December 5, 1996 to Transfer and Administration
         Agreement among CSI Funding, Inc., CompuCom Systems, Inc., Enterprise
         Funding Corporation and NationsBank, N.A.*

10.22**  Promissory Note dated February 12, 1997 from Edward Anderson to
         CompuCom Systems, Inc.*

10.23**  Pledge Agreement dated August 31, 1994 between Edward Anderson and
         CompuCom Systems, Inc. (14) (Exhibit 10.27)

11       Computation of Per Share Earnings*

13       Pages 28 to 45 of Annual Report to Shareholders for year ended 
         December 31, 1996*

21       List of Subsidiaries*

23       Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, independent auditors*

27       Financial Data Schedule*

________________________________

*   Filed herewith.

**  These exhibits relate to compensatory plans, contracts or arrangements in 
    which directors and/or executive officers of the registrant may 
    participate.

(1)  Filed on March 30, 1981 as an exhibit to the Annual Report on Form 10-K 
     (No. 1-5620) and incorporated herein by reference.

(2)  Filed on March 30, 1987 as an exhibit to Annual Report on Form 10-K (No. 
     1-5620) and incorporated herein by reference.

(3)  Filed on April 8, 1988 as an exhibit to Form 8-K (No. 1-5620) and 
     incorporated herein by reference.

(4)  Filed on March 29, 1991 as an exhibit to Form 10-K (No. 1-5620) and 
     incorporated herein by reference.

(5)  Filed on December 13, 1991 as an exhibit to Form 8-K (No. 1-5620) and  
     incorporated herein by reference.

(6)  Filed on March 30, 1992 as an exhibit to Form 10-K (No. 1-5620) and 
     incorporated herein by reference.

(7)  Filed on March 31, 1993 as an exhibit to Form 10-K (No. 1-5620) and 
     incorporated herein by reference.

(8)  Filed on April 9, 1993 as an exhibit to Form 8 Amendment to Form 10-K 
     (No. 1-5620) and incorporated herein by reference.

(9)  Filed on October 22, 1993 as an exhibit to Form 8-K (No. 1-5620) and     
     incorporated herein by reference.

(10) Filed on November 15, 1993 as an exhibit to Form 10-Q (No. 1-5620) and
     incorporated herein by reference.

(11) Filed on March 30, 1994 as an exhibit to Form 10-K (No. 1-5620) and 
     incorporated herein by reference.

(12) Filed on August 15, 1994 as an exhibit to Form 10-Q (No. 1-5620) and 
     incorporated herein by reference.

(13) Filed on October 17, 1994 as an exhibit to Form 8-K (No. 1-5620) and 
     incorporated herein by reference.

(14) Filed on March 30, 1995 as an exhibit to Form 10-K (No. 1-5620) and 
     incorporated herein by reference.

(15) Filed on August 14, 1995 as an exhibit to Form 10-Q (No. 1-5620) and     
     incorporated herein by reference.

(16) Filed on November 14, 1995 as an exhibit to Form 10-Q (No. 1-5620) and   
     incorporated by reference herein.

                                       30


(17) Filed on April 1, 1996 as an exhibit to Form 10-K (No. 1-5620) and 
     incorporated herein by reference.

(18) Filed on May 15, 1996 as an exhibit to Form 10-Q (No. 1-5620) and 
     incorporated herein by reference.

(19) Filed on November 12, 1996 as an exhibit to Form 10-Q (No. 1-5620) and   
     incorporated herein by reference.

                                       31

                                      SIGNATURES

    Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed 
on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Dated:   March 24, 1997               SAFEGUARD SCIENTIFICS, INC.

                                      By: /s/ Warren V. Musser
                                          ----------------------------------
                                          Warren V. Musser, Chairman and Chief
                                          Executive Officer

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this 
report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the 
Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Dated:  March 24, 1997               /s/ Warren V. Musser
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Warren V. Musser, Chairman and Chief 
                                     Executive Officer (Principal Executive
                                     Officer)

Dated:  March 25, 1997               /s/ Michael W. Miles
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Michael W. Miles, Vice President and Chief
                                     Financial Officer (Principal Financial and
                                     Accounting Officer)

Dated:  March 26, 1997               /s/ Vincent G. Bell, Jr.
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Vincent G. Bell, Jr., Director

Dated:  March 27, 1997               /s/ Donald R. Caldwell      
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Donald R. Caldwell, Director

Dated:  March 25, 1997               /s/ Robert A. Fox
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Robert A. Fox, Director

Dated:  March 25, 1997               /s/ Delbert W. Johnson           
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Delbert W. Johnson, Director

Dated:  March 21, 1997               /s/ Robert E. Keith, Jr.      
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Robert E. Keith, Jr., Director          

Dated:  March 24, 1997               /s/ Peter Likins           
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Peter Likins, Director

Dated:  March 26, 1997               /s/ Jack L. Messman      
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Jack L. Messman, Director

Dated:  March 25, 1997               /s/ Russell E. Palmer           
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Russell E. Palmer, Director

Dated:  March 27, 1997               /s/ John W. Poduska Sr.          
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     John W. Poduska Sr., Director

Dated:  March 25, 1997               /s/ Heinz Schimmelbusch           
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Heinz Schimmelbusch, Director

Dated:  March 23, 1997               /s/ Hubert J. P. Schoemaker           
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Hubert J. P. Schoemaker, Director

                                  32





                                                       

                  SAFEGUARD SCIENTIFICS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                 SCHEDULE II--VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS
                                (In thousands)




                                                       BALANCE     ADDITIONS
                                                      BEGINNING   CHARGED TO   DEDUCTIONS                  BALANCE
DESCRIPTION                                            OF YEAR    OPERATIONS       (1)         OTHER     END OF YEAR
- ---------------------------------------------------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
                                                                                          
Allowance for doubtful accounts
  Year ended December 31, 1994.....................   $   5,480    $   3,378    $   1,669   $  (723)(2)  $   6,466
  Year ended December 31, 1995.....................   $   6,466    $   1,277    $     968   $(4,131)(3)  $   2,644
  Year ended December 31, 1996.....................   $   2,644    $   1,472    $     995   $   (33)(4)  $   3,088
Inventory reserves
  Year ended December 31, 1994.....................   $  15,400    $  15,049    $  18,627   $(1,148)(2)  $  10,674
  Year ended December 31, 1995.....................   $  10,674    $  13,333    $  13,581   $  (902)(3)  $   9,524
  Year ended December 31, 1996.....................   $   9,524    $  15,529    $  16,119   $            $   8,934



(1) Net write-offs.
 
(2) Sale and deconsolidation of Micro Decisionware and Coherent, respectively.
 
(3) Deconsolidation of Center Core.
 
(4) Sale of the Phoenix location of Pioneer Metal Finishing and the Commerical 
    Real Estate operations.

                                       27




                      


                                      SIGNATURES

    Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed 
on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Dated:   March 24, 1997               SAFEGUARD SCIENTIFICS, INC.

                                      By: /s/ Warren V. Musser
                                          ----------------------------------
                                          Warren V. Musser, Chairman and Chief
                                          Executive Officer

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this 
report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the 
Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Dated:  March 24, 1997               /s/ Warren V. Musser
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Warren V. Musser, Chairman and Chief 
                                     Executive Officer (Principal Executive
                                     Officer)

Dated:  March 25, 1997               /s/ Michael W. Miles
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Michael W. Miles, Vice President and Chief
                                     Financial Officer (Principal Financial and
                                     Accounting Officer)

Dated:  March 26, 1997               /s/ Vincent G. Bell, Jr.
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Vincent G. Bell, Jr., Director

Dated:  March 27, 1997               /s/ Donald R. Caldwell      
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Donald R. Caldwell, Director

Dated:  March 25, 1997               /s/ Robert A. Fox
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Robert A. Fox, Director

Dated:  March 25, 1997               /s/ Delbert W. Johnson           
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Delbert W. Johnson, Director

Dated:  March 21, 1997               /s/ Robert E. Keith, Jr.      
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Robert E. Keith, Jr., Director          

Dated:  March 24, 1997               /s/ Peter Likins           
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Peter Likins, Director

Dated:  March 26, 1997               /s/ Jack L. Messman      
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Jack L. Messman, Director

Dated:  March 25, 1997               /s/ Russell E. Palmer           
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Russell E. Palmer, Director

Dated:  March 27, 1997               /s/ John W. Poduska Sr.          
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     John W. Poduska Sr., Director

Dated:  March 25, 1997               /s/ Heinz Schimmelbusch           
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Heinz Schimmelbusch, Director

Dated:  March 23, 1997               /s/ Hubert J. P. Schoemaker           
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Hubert J. P. Schoemaker, Director

                                       32