History
Founded in December 1982, Adobe Inc is the brain child of former employees of Xerox Corporation’s Palo Alto (California) Research Center, John Warnock and Charles Geschke. While in Xerox, the two friends developed a programming language later known as PostScript that revolutionised the printing and publishing industries.
The company was officially incorporated in October 1983 as Adobe Systems Incorporated. Ever since, Adobe has been a pioneer of the software industry, creating a wide range of software products for creating and publishing content, including graphics and photography. Some of the most popular products include Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat Reader, and Adobe Creative Suite.
In 2018, Adobe Inc. Acquired Marketo as part of their strategy to widen its lead in customer experience across B2C and B2B. This acquisition brought together Adobe’s Experience Cloud analytics, content, personalisation and commerce capabilities with Marketo’s lead management and account-based marketing technology.
They also acquired Macromedia Freehand, Dreamweaver, and Director, which included programs like Shockwave and Flash.
Adobe has since discontinued several software products due to changing market conditions and impact on customers. Adobe Flash, for instance, was discontinued in 2020 due to the emergence of new standards like HTML5, WebGL, and WebAssembly, which served as viable alternatives for Flash content.
While Adobe has in the recent years made significant strides in the software industry in, it is not without its challenges. An example of this would be the cancellation of a $20billion deal for Figma due to regulatory rules in Europe.
Key Points
- Adobe Inc, established in 1982 by ex-Xerox employees, has been instrumental in the software industry, creating products like Photoshop and expanding through acquisitions like Marketo to enhance customer experience.
- Adobe’s stock surged by 80% in 2023, highlighting its solid market dominance and strategic financial moves like AI investment and stock repurchases.
- Adobe’s share price is influenced by exceeding Q4 2023 earnings expectations, the discontinuation of products like Adobe Muse CC, and the terminated Figma deal, with plans to invest in AI and buy back stock.
Adobe’s Share Price 2024
Here is how Adobe Inc has been performing on the stock market for the past year:
In 2023, Adobe’s share price saw significant growth. The stock reached its lowest point of the year at $318.60 on 24 February but made a remarkable recovery in the subsequent months. The upward trajectory culminated, reaching its one-year-high of $633.89 on 12 December.
This year, Adobe is off to a strong start, approaching the highs of 12 December 2023.
Adobe’s Stock Price History (Annual) [1] | ||||||
Year | Average Stock Price | Year Open | Year High | Year Low | Year Close | Annual % Change |
2022 | 396.1215 | 564.3700 | 564.3700 | 275.2000 | 336.5300 | -40.65% |
2021 | 560.6137 | 485.3400 | 688.3700 | 421.2000 | 567.0600 | 13.38% |
2020 | 415.9712 | 334.4300 | 533.8000 | 285.0000 | 500.1200 | 51.64% |
2019 | 279.3228 | 224.5700 | 331.2000 | 215.7000 | 329.8100 | 45.78% |
2018 | 235.0375 | 177.7000 | 275.4900 | 177.7000 | 226.2400 | 29.10% |
2017 | 143.9961 | 103.4800 | 185.4000 | 103.4800 | 175.2400 | 70.22% |
2016 | 97.3250 | 91.9700 | 110.8100 | 73.8500 | 102.9500 | 9.59% |
2015 | 80.9678 | 72.3400 | 95.5600 | 69.9900 | 93.9400 | 29.22% |
2014 | 67.4529 | 59.2900 | 76.0200 | 58.0900 | 72.7000 | 21.41% |
2013 | 46.8033 | 38.3400 | 60.8900 | 37.7300 | 59.8790 | 58.91% |
When Was Adobe Inc. Listed?
Adobe Inc. made its initial public offering (IPO) on the NASDAQ Stock Market on August 13, 1986.
About the stock: Adobe Inc.
Adobe Inc. Trading Information
- Primary exchange: NASDAQ
- Adobe Stock Symbol: ADBE
- Country: U.S.
- Currency: USD
- Trading hours:
- Main: 9.30am to 4pm ET, Mon to Fri
- Pre-market: 4am to 9.30am
- After-market: 4pm to 8pm
Business Segment [2]
Sector | Industry | Market Cap (As of 2 February 2024) | Revenue (2022) |
Technology | Software – Infrastructure | $279.237B | $17.606B |
Adobe Inc. operates in the technology sector specialising in software products within the digital media industry. With its diverse portfolio of products, Adobe is one of the largest software companies in the world, boasting a lion’s share of 59.07% in the market [3].
Stock Split History [4]
Since Adobe Inc.’s first public listing in 1986, the company underwent a total of 6 stock splits. Adobe split their stock for the first time in 1987 with the most recent stock split on 24 May 2005.
Stock split list [5]
Date | Stock Split |
12 March 1987 | 2:1 |
23 November 1988 | 2:1 |
11 August 1993 | 2:1 |
27 October 1999 | 2:1 |
25 October 2000 | 2:1 |
24 May 2005 | 2:1 |
What Could Affect Adobe’s Share Price
1. Adobe’s Q4 2023 Earnings Report [6]
On 13 December 2023, Adobe Inc reported its Q4 2023 earnings – beating expectations with a reported EPS of $3.95, exceeding the expected $3.83. This quarter is also the company’s first-ever $5 billion quarter, making it a new record for the company.
This positive financial performance could boost the confidence in Adobe shares.
Adobe has scheduled the release of its Q1 FY2024 earnings report for 20 March, 2024.
2. Adobe’s decision to discontinue Adobe Muse CC [7]
Muse, once celebrated as a user-friendly web design tool, gained a loyal following among designers who appreciated its no-code approach. However, abruptly placing Muse into “End of Life” status in 2018 left users without further support, upgrades, or bug fixes. The fallout was intense: angry customers, petitions, and even threats of class action lawsuits. Moreover, Adobe’s subsequent move to shut down its TypeKit servers in spring 2023 further impacted Muse sites worldwide.
This business decision showcases the company’s commitment to its product portfolio, potentially swaying investors’ overall perception of the company’s adaptability and innovation.
3. Figma Deal Termination
With the company’s unsuccessful merger with Figma Inc, Adobe now has about $6 bilion in cash which will most likely be used to accelerate artificial intelligence development and buy back stock. These plans could be a positive sign for Adobe’s share price in the future.
Why Trade Adobe Stocks
1. Strong growth in 2023 [8]
Adobe’s remarkable performance in 2023, marked by an 80% increase in share price, demonstrates its unwavering growth. As a leader in the creative software domain, Adobe continues to innovate, driving sustained revenue growth. Their stronghold in digital media, including products like Creative Cloud, positions them well for future success.
2. Shareholder-friendly capital allocation [9]
Adobe’s management actively pursues mergers and acquisitions to enhance revenue growth. Additionally, their share repurchase program contributes to beating consensus earnings per share (EPS) expectations. This is a good sign for investors interested in Adobe stocks.
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References
- “Adobe – 38 Year Stock Price History | ADBE — Macrotrends” https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/ADBE/adobe/stock-price-history#:~:text=Adobe%20Historical%20Annual%20Stock%20Price%20Data%20%20,%20%20285.0000%20%2028%20more%20rows%20. Accessed 19 December 2023
- “Adobe Revenue 2010-2023 | ADBE — Macrotrends” https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/ADBE/adobe/revenue. Accessed 19 December 2023
- “Market Share of Adobe — 6sense” https://6sense.com/tech/application-development/adobe-market-share. Accessed 19 December 2023
- “Stock split history for Adobe (ADBE) — Companiesmarketcap” https://companiesmarketcap.com/adobe/stock-splits/#:~:text=Stock%20split%20list%20%20%20%20Date%20,%20%20×8%20%202%20more%20rows%20. Accessed 19 December 2023
- “Stock split history for Adobe (ADBE) — Companiesmarketcap” https://companiesmarketcap.com/adobe/stock-splits/#:~:text=Stock%20split%20list%20%20%20%20Date%20,%20%20×8%20%202%20more%20rows%20. Accessed 19 December 2023
- “Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:ADBE) Q4 2023 Earnings Call Transcript — Yahoo Finance” https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/adobe-inc-nasdaq-adbe-q4-133631679.html?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmluZy5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAMEqF1nn6i8iTTPSH7UCA5VVa_NyskxHFYz05DA64ajEUmy4IAs2xfGZf52OC2g7gzh2PcI5uJE3kv8g9EfKkqsKgMjEO2pWtE7w4U_th2oMp_2DnohHTXaodcT0l-YMnyLzd9J95G0P-Pn1lsSl_kBrGaxGL5sOtqvamErLdkLe&guccounter=2. Accessed 19 December 2023
- “Why Adobe is frustrating web designers — Yahoo Life” https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/why-adobe-frustrating-designers-135615279.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmluZy5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAMEqF1nn6i8iTTPSH7UCA5VVa_NyskxHFYz05DA64ajEUmy4IAs2xfGZf52OC2g7gzh2PcI5uJE3kv8g9EfKkqsKgMjEO2pWtE7w4U_th2oMp_2DnohHTXaodcT0l-YMnyLzd9J95G0P-Pn1lsSl_kBrGaxGL5sOtqvamErLdkL. Accessed 2 Feberuary 2024
- “Adobe (NASDAQ:ADBE): A Top Stock for 2024 Despite Last Year’s Gains – Nasdaq” https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/adobe-nasdaq:adbe:-a-top-stock-for-2024-despite-last-years-gains. Accessed 2 February 2024
- “What to Expect From Adobe in 2024 – Gurufocus” https://www.gurufocus.com/news/2116310/what-to-expect-from-adobe-in-2024. Accessed 19 December 2023