In the fast-paced and highly competitive business world of today, conducting thorough company analysis is essential for investors and industry observers. In this article, we will conduct an extensive industry comparison, evaluating Adobe (NASDAQ:ADBE) in relation to its major competitors in the Software industry. Through a detailed examination of key financial metrics, market standing, and growth prospects, our objective is to provide valuable insights and illuminate company’s performance in the industry.
Adobe Background
Adobe provides content creation, document management, and digital marketing and advertising software and services to creative professionals and marketers for creating, managing, delivering, measuring, optimizing, and engaging with compelling content multiple operating systems, devices, and media. The company operates with three segments: digital media content creation, digital experience for marketing solutions, and publishing for legacy products (less than 5% of revenue).
| Company | P/E | P/B | P/S | ROE | EBITDA (in billions) | Gross Profit (in billions) | Revenue Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Inc | 19.96 | 12 | 5.99 | 15.87% | $2.46 | $5.35 | 3.44% |
| Palantir Technologies Inc | 387.02 | 60.71 | 109.09 | 7.6% | $0.4 | $0.97 | 62.79% |
| SAP SE | 33.45 | 5.49 | 6.51 | 4.78% | $3.38 | $6.67 | 7.15% |
| Salesforce Inc | 33.86 | 3.96 | 6.07 | 3.44% | $3.3 | $8.0 | 8.63% |
| AppLovin Corp | 72.92 | 141.77 | 33.68 | 63.27% | $1.11 | $1.23 | 68.23% |
| Intuit Inc | 43.23 | 9.07 | 9.15 | 2.29% | $0.83 | $3.0 | 18.34% |
| Synopsys Inc | 59.53 | 3.24 | 11.28 | 1.6% | $0.45 | $1.36 | 29.61% |
| Cadence Design Systems Inc | 80 | 16.25 | 16.30 | 5.63% | $0.48 | $1.16 | 10.15% |
| Autodesk Inc | 55.68 | 21.01 | 8.97 | 12.23% | $0.53 | $1.69 | 18.03% |
| Workday Inc | 86.83 | 6.10 | 6.01 | 2.79% | $0.45 | $1.84 | 12.59% |
| Datadog Inc | 431.52 | 13.64 | 15.08 | 1.02% | $0.05 | $0.71 | 28.35% |
| Roper Technologies Inc | 29.93 | 2.34 | 6.09 | 2.01% | $0.82 | $1.4 | 14.33% |
| Strategy Inc | 6.45 | 0.86 | 93.82 | 5.3% | $3.89 | $0.09 | 10.87% |
| Zoom Communications Inc | 16.21 | 2.66 | 5.39 | 6.72% | $0.34 | $0.96 | 4.44% |
| PTC Inc | 27.98 | 5.29 | 7.50 | 9.48% | $0.48 | $0.78 | 42.65% |
| Tyler Technologies Inc | 60.62 | 5.21 | 8.31 | 2.33% | $0.15 | $0.28 | 9.67% |
| Trimble Inc | 53.65 | 3.22 | 5.30 | 1.94% | $0.2 | $0.62 | 2.9% |
| Guidewire Software Inc | 177.01 | 10.40 | 12.69 | 2.09% | $0.03 | $0.21 | 26.53% |
| IREN Ltd | 24.54 | 4.87 | 16.52 | 16.39% | $0.67 | $0.15 | 355.41% |
| Average | 93.36 | 17.56 | 20.99 | 8.38% | $0.98 | $1.73 | 40.59% |
After thoroughly examining Adobe, the following trends can be inferred:
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With a Price to Earnings ratio of 19.96, which is 0.21x less than the industry average, the stock shows potential for growth at a reasonable price, making it an interesting consideration for market participants.
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Considering a Price to Book ratio of 12.0, which is well below the industry average by 0.68x, the stock may be undervalued based on its book value compared to its peers.
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With a relatively low Price to Sales ratio of 5.99, which is 0.29x the industry average, the stock might be considered undervalued based on sales performance.
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The company has a higher Return on Equity (ROE) of 15.87%, which is 7.49% above the industry average. This suggests efficient use of equity to generate profits and demonstrates profitability and growth potential.
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The company has higher Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) of $2.46 Billion, which is 2.51x above the industry average, indicating stronger profitability and robust cash flow generation.
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Compared to its industry, the company has higher gross profit of $5.35 Billion, which indicates 3.09x above the industry average, indicating stronger profitability and higher earnings from its core operations.
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The company’s revenue growth of 3.44% is significantly below the industry average of 40.59%. This suggests a potential struggle in generating increased sales volume.
Debt To Equity Ratio

The debt-to-equity (D/E) ratio indicates the proportion of debt and equity used by a company to finance its assets and operations.
Considering the debt-to-equity ratio in industry comparisons allows for a concise evaluation of a company’s financial health and risk profile, aiding in informed decision-making.
By evaluating Adobe against its top 4 peers in terms of the Debt-to-Equity ratio, the following observations arise:
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As Adobe is in the middle of the list in terms of the debt-to-equity ratio, it suggests that the company has a moderate debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57 compared to the other companies.
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This position indicates a relatively balanced financial structure, where the company maintains a reasonable level of debt while also leveraging equity for financing its operations.
Key Takeaways
For Adobe in the Software industry, the PE, PB, and PS ratios are all low compared to peers, indicating potential undervaluation. On the other hand, Adobe’s high ROE, EBITDA, and gross profit suggest strong profitability and operational efficiency. However, the low revenue growth rate may be a concern when compared to industry peers.
This article was generated by Benzinga’s automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.