Creative software specialist Adobe (NASDAQ: ADBE ) is giving a thumbs up to Thumb Labs, acquiring the small mobile app developer.  
Share:  <span class="sent">Creative software specialist Adobe (NASDAQ: ADBE ) is giving a thumbs up to Thumb Labs, acquiring the small mobile app developer. </span> Tweet this   read full story

Morgan Stanley software analyst Keith Weiss this afternoon offers his impressions after reviewing industry results for Q1, concluding that application software has been doing better than infrastructure software, of late, and that a "low bar" is set for results this quarter. Writes Weiss, who covers outfits such as Adobe Systems ( ADBE ), Autodesk ( ADSK ), Brightcover ( BCOV ), NetSuite ( N ), and Qlik Technologies ( QLIK ), 47% of the 59 software names he tracks missed revenue expectations, a failure rate above the 5 year average of 30%. The data last quarter turned out better for apps providers, from a revenue standpoint: Just 27% of applications vendors in our coverage missed revenues expectations, with relatively strong performance amongst enterprise apps names. Overall, the 11 apps names having reported in our coverage group beat consensus revenues on average by 2.2% versus the 13 infrastructure names missing on average by 0.2%. The outcome of the overall weak software performance is that software stocks have seen their forward P/E multiples decline 2% this year, versus a 15% P/E multiple expansion for the S&P 500, he notes. 
Share:  <span class="sent">Morgan Stanley software analyst <span class="analyst">Keith Weiss</span> this afternoon offers his impressions after reviewing industry results for Q1, concluding that application software has been doing better than infrastructure software, of late, and that a "low bar" is set for results this quarter.</span> Writes Weiss, who covers outfits such as Adobe Systems ( <span class="company">ADBE</span> ), Autodesk ( ADSK ), Brightcover ( BCOV ), NetSuite ( N ), and Qlik Technologies ( QLIK ), 47% of the 59 software names he tracks missed revenue expectations, a failure rate above the 5 year average of 30%. The data last quarter turned out better for apps providers, from a revenue standpoint: Just 27% of applications vendors in our coverage missed revenues expectations, with relatively strong performance amongst enterprise apps names. Overall, the 11 apps names having reported in our coverage group beat consensus revenues on average by 2.2% versus the 13 infrastructure names missing on average by 0.2%. The outcome of the overall weak software performance is that software stocks have seen their forward P/E multiples decline 2% this year, versus a 15% P/E multiple expansion for the S&P 500, he notes. Tweet this   read full story

Analysts at Robert W. Baird raised their price target on shares of Adobe Systems ( NASDAQ: ADBE) from $43.00 to $46.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, Analyst Ratings. 
Share:  <span class="sent">Analysts at Robert W. Baird raised their price target on shares of Adobe Systems ( NASDAQ: ADBE) from $43.00 to $46.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, Analyst Ratings.</span> Tweet this   read full story

Is it about the money? Narayen said there are more than a few financial changes that come as a result of the switch. Without boxed software, the relationship with channel partners changes (though Narayen didn't say exactly how). In fact the whole financial model changes 
Share:  Is it about the money? <span class="sent"><span class="analyst">Narayen</span> said there are more than a few financial changes that come as a result of the switch.</span> Without boxed software, the relationship with channel partners changes (though <span class="analyst">Narayen</span> didn't say exactly how). In fact the whole financial model changes....<span class="analyst">Narayen</span> said there are more than a few financial changes that come as a result of the switch. <span class="sent">Without boxed software, the relationship with channel partners changes (though <span class="analyst">Narayen</span> didn't say exactly how).</span> In fact the whole financial model changes. Among the new performance metrics Wall Street will look for in <span class="company">Adobe</span> is "number of subscribers" and "annualised recurring revenue"....<span class="analyst">Narayen</span> also admits they won't be paying for product packaging any more. <span class="sent">On the other hand, some costs are rising for <span class="company">Adobe</span>: <span class="analyst">Narayen</span> said cloud services require storage space.</span> There is also the expectation, with cloud connected services, that updates and innovation will arrive more quickly, "For engineers and the product team, it's a canvas for delivering products and innovation at a more rapid pace.". Will it end piracy?...Will it end piracy? <span class="sent">While this isn't a move solely devoted to defeating software pirates, <span class="analyst">Narayen</span> says the shift will improve the situation.</span> "It allows us to provide different offerings in different emerging markets without worrying about gray markets.". Will it cost me more?...There's ongoing debate about whether or not <span class="company">Adobe</span>'s subscription model will cost customers more than buying  Creative Suite 6  outright (with a perpetual licence). <span class="sent"><span class="analyst">Narayen</span> insists the cost for <span class="company">Adobe</span> CC is now lower for "any customer".</span> Those costs are now more predictable, he added. <span class="analyst">Narayen</span> contends there's also the chance customers will save money because they don't have to pay for additional services that now come with <span class="company">Adobe</span> CC....<span class="analyst">Narayen</span> contends there's also the chance customers will save money because they don't have to pay for additional services that now come with <span class="company">Adobe</span> CC. <span class="sent">These include cloud based storage and even  Behance , which allows <span class="company">Adobe</span> CC users to "share portfolios and monetise skill sets", said <span class="analyst">Narayen</span>.</span> As for those who just purchased Creative Suite 6, <span class="company">Adobe</span> is offering aggressive discounts. Whether customers are looking to start out on Creative Suite or are current customers, <span class="analyst">Narayen</span> sees great benefit in this new path....No problem. <span class="sent"><span class="analyst">Narayen</span> said the apps will still work.</span> "It's the best of both worlds," he added. Is boxed software dead?...Lightroom remains available in a boxed version as well. <span class="sent"><span class="analyst">Narayen</span> said <span class="company">Adobe</span> has no immediate subscription based plans for those products, but the migration to digital copies is the wave of the future.</span> <span class="analyst">Narayen</span>'s advice to the rest of the software industry: "Companies that wish to thrive in Tweet this   read full story

Adobe Systems ( NASDAQ: ADBE) 's stock had its "neutral" rating reaffirmed by research analysts at Goldman Sachs in a report released on Tuesday, StocKRatingsNetwork.com reports.They currently have a $50.00 target price on the stock. 
Share:  <span class="sent">Adobe Systems ( NASDAQ: ADBE) 's stock had its "neutral" rating reaffirmed by research analysts at Goldman Sachs in a report released on Tuesday, StocKRatingsNetwork.com reports.They currently have a $50.00 target price on the stock.</span> Tweet this   read full story

Not least, Adobe hopes the subscription model, with no software to buy or support in house, will attract a broader set of customers, including small businesses. "It changes the cost of entry," says Wadhwani. "We're starting to see penetration into these customer bases.". Adobe says it has amassed some 500,000 paying Creative Cloud customers, with 1.5 million more non paid users. But the company acknowledged that it won't be easy or quick for many customers to move to the cloud. 
Share:  Not least, <span class="company">Adobe</span> hopes the subscription model, with no software to buy or support in house, will attract a broader set of customers, including small businesses. <span class="sent">"It changes the cost of entry," says <span class="analyst">Wadhwani</span>. "We're starting to see penetration into these customer bases.".</span> <span class="company">Adobe</span> says it has amassed some 500,000 paying Creative Cloud customers, with 1.5 million more non paid users. But the company acknowledged that it won't be easy or quick for many customers to move to the cloud. Tweet this   read full story

San Jose, California based Adobe, famous for its Photoshop editing and Acrobat document sharing software, said that at a financial analyst briefing that will begin today in Los Angeles, it will discuss the business update as well as its strategy and momentum with Adobe Creative Cloud. Mark Garrett, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Adobe said, "We are on track to achieve our Q2 and FY13 financial targets, and we're excited about announcements we'll make at MAX today , which are reflected in these targets." While reporting its financial results for the first quarter on March 19, Adobe forecast second quarter adjusted earnings in a range of $0.29 to $0.35 per share and revenue of $975 million to $1.025 billion. On average, analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect the company to earn $0.34 per share for the quarter on revenues of $1.01 billion. 
Share:  San Jose, California based <span class="company">Adobe</span>, famous for its Photoshop editing and Acrobat document sharing software, said that at a financial analyst briefing that will begin today in Los Angeles, it will discuss the business update as well as its strategy and momentum with <span class="company">Adobe</span> Creative Cloud. <span class="sent"><span class="analyst">Mark Garrett</span>, executive vice president and chief financial officer of <span class="company">Adobe</span> said, "We are on track to achieve our Q2 and FY13 financial targets, and we're excited about announcements we'll make at MAX today , which are reflected in these targets."</span> While reporting its financial results for the first quarter on March 19, <span class="company">Adobe</span> forecast second quarter adjusted earnings in a range of $0.29 to $0.35 per share and revenue of $975 million to $1.025 billion. On average, analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect the company to earn $0.34 per share for the quarter on revenues of $1.01 billion. Tweet this   read full story