Adobe makes a big buy

Article Excerpt

ADOBE SYSTEMS INC. $258.91 (Nasdaq symbol ADBE; TSINetwork Rating: Average) (408-536-6000; www.adobe.com; Shares o/s: 488.1 million; Market cap: $126.4 billion; No dividends paid) has agreed to buy marketing-automation firm Marketo for $4.75 billion. Marketo 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 then can use to create more personalized promotions. Adobe plans to add Marketo’s software to its existing marketing-technology capabilities. The acquisition will also lift its profile with business-to-business brands. They make up the bulk of Marketo’s customer base. Marketo generated revenue of roughly $321 million in 2017, and represents Adobe’s largest-ever acquisition. Adobe Systems is a hold. hold…