Adobe is a software company that sells creative and digital-experience applications through a subscription model and is characterized by very high gross margins and strong cash generation.
The company has exhibited durable top-line per‑share growth, with a five‑year revenue-per‑share CAGR of 12.31% and a one‑year revenue-per‑share gain of 11.0%, leaving Revenue Per Share at $57.95 and diluted EPS at $17.08 most recently (EPS Diluted & Revenue per Share; Revenue & Net Income). Profitability is a clear strength: gross margin is 89.4% and the latest net profit margin is 29.5%, while operating margin has been as high as 35.5% in recent readings (Profit Margin Trends). Cash generation and earnings quality are also robust — trailing twelve‑month operating cash flow reached $10.51B versus TTM net income of $7.21B, and operating cash flow has exceeded net income consistently in recent periods (Earnings Quality Analysis). Return on equity has moved markedly higher, reaching 63.0% in the most recent quarter (Return on Equity (ROE)).
Areas of concern include near-term liquidity and capital deployment. The current ratio is below 1.0 at 0.9119, which flags a short‑term liquidity constraint relative to current liabilities. Financing cash flow has been a persistent outflow and large in absolute terms — the most recent TTM financing cash flow was −$10.76B, reflecting sizeable shareholder distributions or other financing activity (Strategic Capital Allocation). Separately, market multiple compression has been pronounced: the trailing P/E fell from 27.4x a year ago to 15.4x most recently, a steady decline over the past year (Price-to-Earnings (PE) Ratio Trend). EPS growth itself has shown volatility, with a three‑year EPS CAGR of 15.02% but one‑year diluted EPS growth at 6.8%, reflecting uneven year‑to‑year swings (Revenue & EPS Growth; EPS Diluted & Revenue per Share).
The foundation of business quality and long-term value creation
ADOBE INC.'s revenue displays a sustained multi-year rise, increasing from about $2.46B in mid‑2018 to $6.40B in the most recent quarter. Over the past year, revenue has grown sequentially each quarter, climbing from $5.71B (2025-02-28) through $5.87B, $5.99B and $6.19B to $6.40B (2026-02-27).
Net income has generally trended upward in recent quarters as well, moving from $1.69B (2025-05-30) to $1.77B, $1.86B and $1.89B (2026-02-27), with modest quarter-to-quarter variability.
The most recent quarterly revenue was $6.40B and the most recent quarterly net income was $1.89B.
Why Growth Matters
Consistent revenue and earnings growth are the lifeblood of successful long-term investments. Companies that can grow their top line (revenue) and bottom line (net income) over many years demonstrate they have products or services customers value and are willing to pay for repeatedly.
Revenue Growth shows whether the company is expanding its market reach, gaining market share, or successfully launching new products.Net Income Growth demonstrates the company can convert that revenue into actual profits while managing costs effectively.
Look for steady, sustainable growth rather than erratic spikes. The best businesses compound earnings year after year, creating tremendous value for shareholders over time. Companies that can grow earnings faster than revenue are improving their profitability—a sign of operational excellence and competitive strength.
Year-over-year growth rates for revenue and earnings per share
Reading the Growth Rate Chart
This chart converts the absolute per-share figures into year-over-year percentage changes, making it easy to see whether growth is accelerating, decelerating, or reverting to trend — regardless of the company's absolute size.
Revenue per Share Growth (1-year, split-adjusted) measures how quickly the top line is expanding on a per-share basis. Sustained positive growth signals that the company continues to win customers and grow its addressable market.EPS Diluted Growth (1-year, split-adjusted) measures how quickly earnings are compounding for each shareholder. When EPS growth consistently outpaces revenue growth, operating leverage and margin expansion are at work.
Look for consistency, not just magnitude. A company that reliably grows EPS 10–15% per year is far more valuable than one that alternates between 50% spikes and deep contractions. Negative EPS growth during a period of positive revenue growth is a red flag — costs are rising faster than sales. Quarters where both lines converge near zero or go negative deserve close scrutiny.
How revenue converts to net income for the most recent annual period
Over the period Mar 2025 to Feb 2026, Adobe Inc converts approximately 89¢ of every revenue dollar into gross profit (gross margin: 89.4%).After accounting for operating expenses and taxes and expenses, the company retains 29.5% as net profit margin, resulting in $7.21B in net earnings.
Period Information
Report Type: Annual (10-K)
Period: Mar 2025 to Feb 2026
Revenue composition by disclosure category for the latest period
Adobe generates revenue from a variety of product subscriptions and standalone offerings across multiple segments. This includes Creative Cloud Pro and standalone apps such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Express, and Substance 3D apps.
The company also offers document productivity and collaboration tools under the Acrobat family, including Acrobat Studio, Acrobat Pro, Acrobat Standard, the free Acrobat Reader, and the Acrobat AI Assistant available within Acrobat Studio and as an add-on to other Acrobat plans.
Adobe Firefly offerings encompass the Firefly app, various subscription plans (Standard/Pro/Premium), Custom Models, Firefly Foundry, and Firefly Services (APIs and tools for content generation, editing, and assembly).
Adobe Stock asset licensing is sold as free and paid collections, through direct licensing within apps or via stock.adobe.com, and multi-asset subscriptions.
Enterprise and marketing platform solutions include Adobe Experience Platform and native applications like Real-Time Customer Data Platform, Customer Journey Analytics, Adobe Experience Manager Sites/Assets/Forms, Adobe LLM Optimizer, Adobe Analytics, Adobe Mix Modeler, Adobe Journey Optimizer, Adobe Commerce, Adobe Marketo Engage, Adobe Workfront, and GenStudio for Performance Marketing.
Legacy publishing and advertising offerings include eLearning solutions, technical document publishing, web conferencing, web app development, document and forms platform, and Adobe Advertising.
Professional services and consulting offerings involve global design and implementation services, subscription-based consulting, and project-based work billed on time-and-materials or fixed-price terms.
Customer success, account management, and technical support are provided through enterprise maintenance included in subscriptions and additional premium support services for enterprise clients.
Digital learning and enablement are available via free online courses, fee-based training, classroom and virtual sessions, certifications, and custom services.
Licensing and distribution are managed through SaaS and managed services, term subscriptions, pay-per-use, and perpetual licenses with maintenance and support options.
Adobe's customers range from business professionals and consumers seeking basic productivity and content tools to creators and creative professionals involved in imaging, design, illustration, video, 3D, and related workflows.
Marketing professionals and enterprise marketers rely on Adobe’s customer experience tools, content management, personalization, analytics, and campaign optimization capabilities across channels.
The customer base also includes enterprise clients across B2B and B2C use cases, many licensing hosted SaaS offerings and engaging Adobe’s professional services and customer success teams.
Developers, systems integrators, independent software vendors, value-added resellers, agencies, and partners participate through the Solution Partner Program.
Customers’ profiles vary from novice content creators to professional filmmakers, designers, and large enterprise marketing organizations.
Adobe operates globally with local field offices in countries including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the UK, and the US.
Its diverse customer base spans multiple surfaces, platforms, and geographies worldwide.
Adobe sells directly to enterprise customers through a dedicated sales force and local field offices.
The company also markets directly to businesses and consumers via its website and app stores.
Indirect distribution occurs through channel partners including distributors, retailers, software developers, mobile app stores, systems integrators, independent software vendors, value-added resellers, original equipment manufacturers, and hardware providers.
The Partner ecosystem and Solution Partner Program enable system integrators, agencies, and regional partners to develop and deliver Adobe-based solutions.
Products are licensed via SaaS/managed services, term subscriptions, pay-per-use models, multi-year service contracts, and perpetual licenses with optional support and maintenance.
Recurring revenue stems from SaaS and managed services licensed over multi-year terms, with most software licensed through subscriptions that provide access to the latest versions throughout the period. Subscriptions often include recurring entitlements like generative credits for Creative Cloud and Firefly.
Enterprise support and maintenance are included within subscription offerings, and Adobe Stock offers multi-asset subscription plans.
Transactional or non-recurring revenue features perpetual licenses, pay-per-use options, project-based consulting, individual training programs, and add-on purchases like Acrobat AI Assistant.
Adobe depends on a wide partner ecosystem and third-party model partners to expand availability and offer diverse model choices, backed by an extensive Solution Partner Program.
Continued investment in R&D is crucial for advancing generative and agentic technologies, with ongoing collaborations with universities.
The company’s reliance on technology licensing requires adherence to licensing agreements that may involve royalty or flat fee payments.
Operating globally means navigating diverse laws and regulations concerning antitrust, competition, consumer protection, data privacy, security, and AI.
Delivery channels such as direct sales, app stores, adobe.com, and channel partners remain central to marketing and licensing strategies.
Analyzing long-term margin stability and competitive positioning
ADOBE INC.'s gross margin has been high and broadly stable, edging up from the mid-80s in earlier years to the high-88/low-89% range in recent quarters. Across the past several quarters gross margin has held around 89%, reflecting a steady trend at the top of the series.
Net profit margin shows more variability: after higher levels near the mid-30s in 2021–2022, net margin declined into the mid-20s through 2023–2024, then recovered to around 30% through 2025 before a modest decline to 29.5% in the most recent quarter.
Operating margin data are intermittent and exhibit sizable swings across the sample. Several 2023–2024 quarters show elevated operating margins above 60%, while readings in 2025 moved lower in the high-20s to mid-30s range, with the most recent operating margin observation at 35.5% (period end 2025-08-29).
The most recent Gross Margin was 89.4% (period end 2026-02-27). The most recent Operating Margin was 35.5% (period end 2025-08-29). The most recent Net Profit Margin was 29.5% (period end 2026-02-27).
Understanding Profit Margins
Between Mar 2025 and Feb 2026, Adobe Inc converts every dollar of revenue through the following stages:
Sustainable competitive advantages reveal themselves through consistently superior profit margins over extended periods. Companies with durable economic moats maintain pricing power and operational efficiency that competitors struggle to match.
A sign of durable competitive advantage is earning sustained higher margins than competitors.Look for margins that remain stable or improve over time, especially during economic downturns. Declining margins may signal increasing competition, pricing pressure, or deteriorating business fundamentals.
Comparing reported earnings to actual cash generation
Over the last year, ADOBE INC.’s trailing twelve-month operating cash flow and net income have both risen steadily, with operating cash flow growing from about $8.06B in the 2024-11 TTM to $10.51B in the 2026-02 TTM, and net income rising from $5.56B to $7.21B over the same span.
In each of the most recent quarters, operating cash flow has exceeded net income, and the absolute gap between the two widened to roughly $3.3B in the latest TTM.
Looking back further, both series show a multi-year upward trend from mid-single-digit billions in 2018–2020 to the current high-single-digit/low-double-digit billions, with a clear inflection beginning around late 2023–2024 when operating cash flow accelerated relative to net income.
The most recent trailing twelve-month operating cash flow was $10.51B. The most recent trailing twelve-month net income was $7.21B.
The Earnings vs. Cash Flow Gap
Reported earnings (Net Income) doesn't always reflect actual cash generation. Companies use accrual accounting, which recognizes revenue when earned and expenses when incurred—not when cash actually changes hands. This creates timing differences and opportunities for accounting discretion that can mask underlying business health.
Net Income (the "earnings" number) can be influenced by non-cash items like depreciation, stock-based compensation, and changes in accounting estimates.Operating Cash Flow, however, shows the actual cash the business generates from its core operations—a harder number to manipulate.
Trailing Twelve Months
What to Look For
Key Insight: Companies with durable competitive advantages typically show operating cash flow that meets or exceeds net income over time, demonstrating they convert accounting profits into actual cash that can be returned to shareholders or reinvested in the business.
Measuring management's efficiency at generating profits from shareholder capital
ADOBE INC.'s ROE has been very strong and rising in recent quarters. From 51.6% at the 2025-02-28 quarter, the metric moved to 60.0% (2025-05-30), 59.1% (2025-08-29), 61.3% (2025-11-28) and reached 63.0% in the most recent quarter (2026-02-27), indicating a sustained elevation above 50% through 2025–2026.
Over the longer term the company moved from low single-digit ROE in 2008–2013 into the mid-teens by 2016, the 20–30% range through 2017–2020, and the 30s during 2020–2024. A notable inflection occurred in 2021–2022 when ROE climbed into the low- to mid-40s (peaking at 44.2% on 2022-03-04) before the larger step-up in 2025–2026. The most recent ROE was 63.0% as of the period ending 2026-02-27.
The Gold Standard of Profitability
Return on Equity (ROE) is a powerful measure of how effectively a company's management is using the money shareholders have invested. Calculated by dividing Net Income by Shareholders' Equity, it reveals how much profit is generated for every dollar of equity capital.
A consistently high ROE (typically above 15-20%) is often the signature of a "quality" business with a durable competitive advantage. It indicates that the company can generate high returns on its own capital, which it can then reinvest at these high rates to compound value over time.
What to Look For:
How the company generates and deploys its cash
ADOBE INC.'s trailing twelve-month operating cash flow has shown a clear upward trend in recent quarters, rising from the low‑$7B range in 2023 to the high‑$9B range through 2024 and into 2025, and reaching $10.51B in the most recent period (2026-02-27).
Investing cash flow moved from positive inflows in 2023 and early 2024 (examples: $776M, $686M, $475M) to sustained outflows beginning in early 2025 (−$401M in 2025-02-28, widening to −$1.19B in 2025-11-28) before moderating to −$229.0M in the latest TTM.
Financing cash flow has been consistently negative and has grown in absolute magnitude over time, shifting from roughly −$4.3B in 2021 to about −$6B in 2022–2023, then widening to as much as −$11.58B in 2025-05-30 and easing slightly in the last few quarters to −$10.76B on 2026-02-27.
Understanding Company Strategy
Capital allocation refers to how management decides to spend and invest the company's cash. Analyzing the three primary categories of cash flow reveals a company's true operational strategy:
What to look for: Is the company bootstrapping (funding growth solely from operating cash)? Are they borrowing to fund aggressive expansion or dividends? Or are they capital raising by issuing new shares, potentially diluting your ownership? A healthy, mature company typically generates strong operating cash, moderately invests in growth, and returns the surplus to shareholders through financing activities.
Trailing Twelve Months
Net assets attributable to each share — the accounting floor of intrinsic value
Why Book Value per Share Matters
Book value per share is the net worth of the company — total assets minus total liabilities — divided by shares outstanding (split-adjusted). It represents the theoretical liquidation value per share if every asset were sold and every liability repaid at balance-sheet carrying values. It is the accounting foundation upon which much of equity valuation is built.
A steadily rising book value per share is one of the most reliable signals of compounding wealth creation. It means the company is retaining earnings and building net worth faster than it is returning capital or eroding it. Warren Buffett famously tracked Berkshire Hathaway's book value per share for decades as his primary measure of intrinsic value growth.
Context is essential. Asset-heavy businesses (banks, manufacturers, utilities) should be judged by book value more directly than asset-light businesses (software, consumer brands), where intangible assets like intellectual property and customer loyalty may far exceed their balance-sheet carrying values. A company trading at a large premium to book value is not necessarily overvalued — it may simply possess competitive advantages that accounting rules do not capture. Conversely, a declining book value per share — especially over multiple years — is a serious warning sign of capital destruction.
How much of the company is financed by debt versus shareholders' equity
Reading the Debt-to-Equity Ratio
The debt-to-equity (D/E) ratio compares total financial debt to shareholders' equity. A ratio of 1.0 means the company has borrowed one dollar for every dollar of equity; a ratio of 2.0 means it has borrowed twice as much as it owns. Financial leverage amplifies both returns and risk: in good times, debt turbocharges equity returns; in bad times, it accelerates losses and can threaten solvency.
Trends matter more than a single number. A rising D/E ratio can mean the company is taking on debt to fund growth — potentially value-creating if returns exceed the cost of capital. But it can also mean equity is being eroded through losses or that the business is borrowing simply to sustain operations. A falling D/E ratio generally reflects strengthening financial health: earnings are being retained, debt maturities are being paid down, or both.
Industry norms vary enormously. Capital-intensive sectors (utilities, real estate, financials) routinely carry high D/E ratios that would be alarming in, say, a technology company. Always compare against sector peers. As a rough rule of thumb, a D/E above 2× in a cyclical business warrants careful scrutiny of interest coverage and refinancing risk.
Short-term liquidity — can the company cover its near-term obligations?
Liquidity: Can the Business Pay Its Bills?
The current ratio is calculated as current assets divided by current liabilities. A ratio of 1.5 means the company has $1.50 of short-term assets — cash, receivables, inventory — for every $1.00 of obligations due within the next twelve months. It is the most direct measure of near-term financial resilience: can the business meet its obligations without needing to raise new capital or sell long-term assets at a discount?
A ratio above 1.0 is generally healthy, meaning current assets exceed current liabilities. A ratio consistently above 2.0 may indicate the company is holding excess cash or inventory that could be deployed more productively. A ratio below 1.0 is a warning sign — the company is relying on future cash generation or external financing to cover its near-term obligations, which is manageable in normal conditions but dangerous during a downturn.
Trends and context matter.A declining current ratio isn't always alarming — highly efficient businesses (e.g., large retailers with reliable daily cash flows) often run leaner balance sheets intentionally. Conversely, a rapidly rising current ratio can signal slowing sales causing inventory to build, or customers taking longer to pay. Always compare the trend against industry peers and cross-reference with the cash flow statement to assess whether the business is genuinely liquid or just holding non-cash current assets.
How much the market is paying for each dollar of company earnings
ADOBE INC.'s trailing twelve-month P/E ratio has declined steadily over the last year, moving from 27.4x on 2025-02-28 to 15.4x on 2026-02-27. Quarterly readings show a sequence of 25.5x (2025-05-30), 21.6x (2025-08-29), and 18.9x (2025-11-28) before the most recent 15.4x, indicating consistent contraction in the period.
A clear inflection occurred after a higher range across 2023–2024, highlighted by a 50.2x reading on 2024-03-01; the P/E fell from that early-2024 peak through 2025 and into 2026. Historically, the series includes much higher peaks (e.g., 123.6x on 2014-08-29) and lower troughs (e.g., 11.0x on 2011-09-02), but the most recent P/E is 15.4x. The most recent P/E ratio was 15.4x.
What Is the PE Ratio?
The Price-to-Earnings (PE) ratio is one of the most widely used valuation metrics in investing. It divides the current stock price by the company's earnings per share (EPS), revealing how much investors are willing to pay for each dollar of earnings. A high PE can signal that the market expects strong future growth, while a low PE may suggest undervaluation—or reflect genuine concerns about the company's prospects.
Context matters:PE ratios vary significantly across industries. High-growth technology companies routinely trade at PE ratios above 30x or 40x, while mature, low-growth sectors like utilities or financials often trade closer to 10–15x. Always compare a company's PE to its own history and its industry peers, not just an absolute number.
What to Look For:
Key Insight:The PE ratio is a snapshot of market sentiment and expectations. Tracking it over time alongside earnings trends reveals whether the market's valuation has expanded or contracted—and whether that change is justified by fundamentals.