Adobe hits highs

Article Excerpt

ADOBE SYSTEMS INC. $264.88 (Nasdaq symbol ADBE; TSINetwork Rating: Average) (408-536-6000; www.adobe.com; Shares outstanding: 489.7 million; Market cap: $132.6 billion; No dividends paid) makes software to create and share electronic documents as well as digitial media. The company’s decision a few years ago to switch to selling its programs as ongoing subscriptions instead of one-time purchases is paying off: the stock continues to hit all-time highs on record sales. In the three months ended August 31, 2018, Adobe’s revenue rose 24.4%, to a record $2.29 billion from $1.84 billion. Earnings jumped 57.3%, to $1.73 a share from $1.10 a year earlier. To stay ahead of the competition, the company spends a high 17% of its sales on research. Its balance sheet is also very strong: it holds cash of $4.9 billion. However, Adobe trades at a high 42.3 times the $6.26 a share it will likely earn in 2018. That increases the chance of a sharp decline if sales growth slows. Adobe Systems is a hold. hold…