Sierra is the better tech buy right now

Article Excerpt

ADOBE SYSTEMS INC. $309.39 (Nasdaq symbol ADBE; TSINetwork Rating: Average) (408-536-6000; www.adobe.com; Shares outstanding: 485.4 million; Market cap: $148.4 billion; No dividends paid) makes software that lets computer users create, edit and share documents in the popular PDF format. The company’s decision a few years ago to switch to selling its programs as ongoing subscriptions instead of onetime purchases continues to pay off: In the three months ended May 31, 2019, Adobe’s revenue rose 25.0%, to a record $2.74 billion from $2.20 billion. Earnings rose 10.2%, to $1.83 a share from $1.66 a year earlier. In November 2018, Adobe acquired marketing-automation firm Marketo for $4.75 billion. That business helps brands track their customers’ actions online, from the time they get an email to the time they purchase a product. It then provides those brands with that information, which they can then use to create more-personalized promotions. In addition to key acquisitions like Marketo, Adobe spends a high 18% of its sales on research to stay ahead…