SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT


     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): OCTOBER 11, 1999

                        MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


    DELAWARE                       0-21184                      86-0629024
- ---------------                  -----------              ---------------------
(State or other                  (Commission                  (IRS Employer
jurisdiction of                  File Number)             Identification Number)
 incorporation)

              2355 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler, Arizona 85224-6199
              ----------------------------------------------------
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)


       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (480) 786-7200
                                                          ---------------
                                       N/A
          -------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)


ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS.

     Effective  October  11,  1999,  Microchip   Technology   Incorporated  (the
"Company")  adopted an Amended and Restated  Preferred  Shares Rights  Agreement
between the Company and Norwest  Bank,  Minnesota,  N.A.,  as Rights  Agent (the
"Amended Rights  Agreement").  The Amended Rights  Agreement amends and restates
the Preferred Share Rights  Agreement  adopted by the Company as of February 13,
1995 (the  "Prior  Rights  Agreement").  Under the Prior  Rights  Agreement,  on
February 13, 1995, the Company's  Board of Directors  declared a dividend of one
right (a "Right")  to purchase  one  one-hundredth  of a share of the  Company's
Series  A  Participating   Preferred  Stock  ("Series  A  Preferred")  for  each
outstanding share of Common Stock, $.001 par value, of the Company. The dividend
was payable on February  24, 1995 to  stockholders  of record as of the close of
business on that date.

     The Amended  Rights  Agreement  supersedes  the Prior  Rights  Agreement as
originally executed. Under the Amended Rights Agreement,  each Right enables the
holder to purchase  from the Company  one  one-hundredth  of a share of Series A
Preferred at a purchase  price of Two Hundred and Fifty dollars  ($250.00)  (the
"Purchase  Price"),  subject  to  adjustment.  Also,  under the  Amended  Rights
Agreement,  the  Rights  become  exercisable  upon the  earlier  of: (i) 10 days
following  the  public  announcement  that a person  or group of  affiliated  or
associated persons (an "Acquiring  Person") has acquired,  or obtained the right
to acquire,  beneficial  ownership of 15% or more of the  Company's  outstanding
Common Stock, or (ii) 10 days (or such later date as may be determined by action
of the Company's Board of Directors) following the commencement, or announcement
of an  intention to make a tender offer or exchange  offer the  consummation  of
which would  result in the  beneficial  ownership by a person or group of 15% or
more of the  outstanding  Common Shares.  Once  exercisable,  the holders of the
Rights will be entitled to receive,  upon  exercise  and payment of the Purchase
Price per Right, one one-hundredth of a share of the Series A Preferred.  Unless
the Rights have been earlier  redeemed,  in the event that an  Acquiring  Person
becomes  the  holder  of  15%  or  more  of  the  Company's  Common  Stock  then
outstanding,  then each holder of a Right that has not previously been exercised
(other  than  Rights  beneficially  owned by the  Acquiring  Person  which  will
thereafter be void) will  thereafter  have the right to receive,  upon exercise,
Common  Shares  equal to two times the  Purchase  Price.  Similarly,  unless the
Rights are  earlier  redeemed,  in the event  that,  after an  Acquiring  Person
becomes the beneficial  owner of 15% or more of the Company's  Common Stock then
outstanding,  (i)  the  Company  is  acquired  in a  merger  or  other  business
combination  transaction,  or (ii)  50% or more  of the  Company's  consolidated
assets or earning  power are sold (other than in a  transaction  in the ordinary
course of  business),  proper  provision  must be made so that each  holder of a
Right which has not previously  been exercised  (other than Rights  beneficially
owned by the Acquiring  Person which will  thereafter  be void) will  thereafter
have the  right  to  receive,  upon  exercise,  shares  of  common  stock of the
acquiring company having a value equal to two times the Purchase Price.

     The foregoing paragraph is only a general description of the Amended Rights
Plan and is  qualified  in its  entirety  by  reference  to the  Amended  Rights
Agreement which is included in this Report as Exhibit 4.1.

ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

     (c)  EXHIBITS

          4.1  Amended and Restated Preferred Shares Rights Agreement,  dated as
               of October 11, 1999 between Microchip Technology Incorporated and
               Norwest Bank Minnesota,  N.A.,  including the Amended Certificate
               of Designations,  the form of Rights  Certificate and the Summary
               of Rights attached thereto as Exhibits A, B and C, respectively.

                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  Report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


Dated: October 11, 1999                 MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED


                                        /s/ C. Philip Chapman
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                        C. Philip Chapman
                                        Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
                                        and Secretary (Duly Authorized Officer,
                                        and Principal Financial and Accounting
                                        Officer)

                          INDEX TO EXHIBITS FILED WITH
              THE CURRENT REPORT ON FORM 8-K DATED OCTOBER 11, 1999


EXHIBIT NO.                              DESCRIPTION
- -----------                              -----------
   4.1            Amended and Restated Preferred Shares Rights Agreement,  dated
                  as  of  October  11,   1999   between   Microchip   Technology
                  Incorporated and Norwest Bank Minnesota,  N.A.,  including the
                  Amended  Certificate  of  Designations,  the form of  Rights
                  Certificate  and the Summary of Rights  attached  thereto as
                  Exhibits A, B and C, respectively.