Adobe’s shares experienced a significant decline of up to 11% during extended trading on Thursday, following the release of robust fiscal first-quarter results that fell slightly short of quarterly revenue expectations.
In comparison with estimates from analysts surveyed by LSEG, previously known as Refinitiv, Adobe’s performance for the quarter is as follows:
Earnings per share: Adjusted at $4.48, compared to the expected $4.38.
Revenue: Reported at $5.18 billion, slightly surpassing the anticipated $5.14 billion.
According to a statement, Adobe witnessed an 11% year-over-year growth in revenue for the quarter ending March 1. However, net income declined to $620 million, or $1.36 per share, from $1.25 billion, or $2.71 per share, during the corresponding period of the previous year.
Assessing Adobe’s Fiscal Performance and Strategic Initiatives
Throughout the quarter, Adobe decided to abandon its planned $20 billion acquisition of design software startup Figma, following concerns raised by U.K. regulators regarding competition. As a result, Adobe incurred a termination fee of $1 billion to Figma.
Additionally, Adobe introduced an early version of an artificial intelligence assistant for its Reader and Acrobat applications. Furthermore, in February, OpenAI unveiled Sora, capable of generating videos based on written descriptions. David Wadhwani, president of Adobe’s digital media business, mentioned on the earnings call that Adobe intends to collaborate with OpenAI concerning Sora.
The company projects fiscal second-quarter earnings of $4.35 to $4.40 per share on an adjusted basis, along with revenue ranging from $5.25 billion to $5.30 billion. This forecast suggests a 9% growth rate at the midpoint. However, analysts polled by LSEG had anticipated earnings per share of $4.38 and revenue of $5.31 billion.
Wadhwani expressed optimism about the acceleration of digital media annualized recurring revenue in the latter part of the year, driven by product enhancements in the Adobe Express app, Firefly Services AI offering, and the new Acrobat assistant.
Moreover, Adobe disclosed its intention to allocate $25 billion for share buybacks.
Excluding the after-hours movement, Adobe’s shares have declined by 4% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P 500 index has recorded an 8% gain over the same period. In a statement on Thursday, Adobe projected revenue ranging from $5.25 billion to $5.3 billion for the period. Analysts, on average, had predicted $5.31 billion in revenue, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Excluding certain items, profit is anticipated to reach as high as $4.40 per share, in contrast to analysts’ average estimate of $4.38.
Despite being a longstanding leader in software for creative professionals, Adobe has faced concerns that emerging generative AI-based startups could encroach upon its market share. In response, Adobe has integrated its proprietary AI model, Firefly, into its flagship products like Photoshop and Illustrator. However, investor apprehensions were reignited by OpenAI’s recent demonstration of its video-generation model, Sora, highlighting the competition.
Adobe (ADBE) Plunges After Earnings
Impact of AI Integration and Competitive Landscape on Adobe’s Share Value
Shantanu Narayen, Chief Executive Officer of Adobe, acknowledged during a conference call after the results that expectations may have been slightly higher but expressed optimism about the company’s AI initiatives. However, Adobe’s expectation of $440 million in new recurring creative business for the current quarter fell short of analysts’ expectations of $459 million. Parker Lane, an analyst at Stifel, suggested that investors are eagerly awaiting greater financial impact from Adobe’s new AI features.
In extended trading, Adobe’s shares reached a low of $503.80, following a closing price of $570.45 in New York. Despite a 77% surge in 2023, the stock has experienced a 4.4% decline since the beginning of the year. Keith Weiss, an analyst at Morgan Stanley, noted that this underperformance is attributed to concerns regarding competition, both from emerging startups like OpenAI and longstanding rivals such as Canva Inc.
In the fiscal first quarter, Adobe reported an 11% increase in sales to $5.18 billion, with profit, excluding certain items, amounting to $4.48 per share. This surpassed Wall Street’s expectations of revenue amounting to $5.14 billion and adjusted earnings of $4.38 per share.
