As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 16, 1997. Registration No. 333-__________ SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, DC 20549 FORM S-8 REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 CBT GROUP PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter) REPUBLIC OF IRELAND NONE (State or Other Jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) Incorporation or Organization) BEECH HILL, CLONSKEAGH DUBLIN 4 IRELAND (Address of Principal Executive Offices) CBT GROUP PLC 1994 SHARE OPTION PLAN (Full Title of the Plan) Gregory M. Priest Vice President and Chief Financial Officer CBT GROUP PLC 1005 Hamilton Court Menlo Park, CA 94025 (Name and Address of Agent for Service) (650) 614-5900 (Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service) ----------------------- Copy to: Alan K. Austin, Esq. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C. 650 Page Mill Road Palo Alto, CA 94304 ----------------------- CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE ========================================================================================================= Proposed Proposed Amount Maximum Maximum to be Offering Price Aggregate Amount of Title of Securities to be Registered Registered Per Share Offering Price Registration Fee - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ordinary Shares, nominal value IR37.5p per share(1) - - Ordinary Shares Reserved Under the 929,810(2) $68.31(3) $63,515,321(3) $19,248.00 1994 Share Option Plan Total $19,248.00 ======================================================================================================== (1) On May 15, 1996, the Registrant effected a two-for-one split of its outstanding American Depositary Shares ("ADSs") whereby each issued and outstanding ADS would represent one-half of one Ordinary Share. (2) Represents the total number of ADSs which may be issued in connection with the exercise of options to purchase 464,905 Ordinary Shares of the Registrant. (3) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(h) and 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), calculated on the basis of $68.31, which amount represents the average of the high and low prices for the Registrant's ADSs as reported on the Nasdaq National Market on September 11, 1997. The Registrant hereby incorporates by reference in this Registration Statement the contents of the Registrant's previously filed Registration Statements on Form S-8 (File Nos. 33-94300 and 333-06409). The following Exhibits are submitted as part of the Registration Statement: Exhibit Number Description -------------- ----------- 5.1 Opinion of counsel as to the legality of the securities being registered. 23.1 Consent of independent accountants. 23.2 Consent of counsel (contained in Exhibit 5.1). 24.1 Power of Attorney (see page 3 of this Registration Statement). 2 SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Menlo Park, State of California, on this 16 day of September, 1997. CBT GROUP PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY /s/ GREGORY M. PRIEST -------------------------------- Gregory M. Priest, Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints James J. Buckley and Gregory M. Priest jointly and severally, his attorneys-in-fact, each with full power of substitution, for him in any and all capacities, to sign any amendments to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and conforming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact, or his substitute or substitutes, may do or cause to be done by virtue thereof. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Company and in the capacities and on the dates indicated. SIGNATURE TITLE DATE - --------- ----- ---- /s/ WILLIAM G. MCCABE Chairman of the Board September 16, 1997 - ------------------------- William G. McCabe /s/ JAMES J. BUCKLEY President, Chief Executive Officer September 16, 1997 - ------------------------- (Principal Executive Officer) and James J. Buckley Director /s/ GREGORY M. PRIEST Vice President, Finance, Chief Financial September 16, 1997 - ------------------------- Officer (Principal Financial Officer), Gregory M. Priest Director and U.S. Representative /s/ JOHN P. HAYES Group Financial Controller (Principal September 16, 1997 - ------------------------- Accounting Officer) and Director John P. Hayes /s/ JOHN M. GRILLOS Director September 16, 1997 - ------------------------- John M. Grillos /s/ PATRICK J. MCDONAGH Director September 16, 1997 - ------------------------- Patrick J. McDonagh 3 INDEX TO EXHIBITS Exhibit Number Description -------------- ----------- 5.1 Opinion of counsel as to the legality of the securities being registered. 23.1 Consent of independent accountants. 23.2 Consent of counsel (contained in Exhibit 5.1). 24.1 Power of Attorney (see page 3 of this Registration Statement).