Pick of the Software Stocks – High research spending is a hidden asset

Article Excerpt

ADOBE SYSTEMS INC. $21.35 (Nasdaq symbol ADBE; SI Rating: Average) (408-536-6000; www.adobe.com; Shares outstanding: 524.2 million; Market cap: $11.2 billion) makes software that lets computer users easily create, edit and share documents in the popular PDF format. Graphic designers also use Adobe’s software to create print publications and web pages. In the three months ended February 27, 2009, Adobe’s revenue fell 11.7%, to $786.4 million from $890.4 million. Earnings per share, excluding one-time items, fell 6.3%, to $0.45 from $0.48. In the quarter ending May 31, 2009, Adobe expects to report earnings per share of between $0.31 and $0.38 on revenue of about $700 million. Newspapers and magazines are selling less advertising because of the recession. This will continue to hurt demand for Adobe’s graphic-design software. It’s also likely that the slow economy will keep users from upgrading their older versions of Adobe’s programs. Adobe’s strong balance sheet should help it cope with the recession. As of February 27, 2009, it held cash of…