Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:ADBE) is one of the best cheap stocks to buy for 2026. On January 27, Adobe Inc.’s (NASDAQ:ADBE) board-level Executive Compensation Committee approved three linked initiatives governing how senior leaders will be paid over the coming years. One was a three-year Performance Share Program rewarding stock performance and sales growth, and the other was an annual cash bonus plan tied to revenue and profit targets. The last initiative was a new policy capping severance payments, and all are e ...

Core Insights - ServiceNow (NOW) and Adobe (ADBE) utilize software-as-a-service (SaaS) technologies to aid enterprises in business transformation, with ServiceNow focusing on AI-powered workflow solutions and Adobe on creative software and digital experiences [1] Group 1: ServiceNow (NOW) - ServiceNow's workflows, including ITSM, ITOM, ITAM, security, and CRM, are gaining traction, with expectations for AI products to exceed $0.5 billion in annual contract value (ACV) by 2025 and reach $1 billion by 2026 [2] - The company is expanding its partner base with notable names like NVIDIA and Microsoft, and has made strategic acquisitions such as Logik.io and Moveworks to enhance its AI and workflow capabilities [3][4] - The acquisition of Veza strengthens its security and risk portfolios, while the $7.75 billion acquisition of Armis enhances its cyber exposure management capabilities [4] Group 2: Adobe (ADBE) - Adobe is experiencing strong demand for its AI-powered products, including Creative Cloud Pro and Acrobat, and is enhancing user experiences through new conversational interfaces [5] - The company has formed partnerships with major AI ecosystems like AWS and Microsoft, and has added 45 new partners in the last fiscal quarter, expanding its market reach [6] - Adobe targets a 10.2% annualized recurring revenue growth for fiscal 2026, driven by its innovative AI portfolio and expanding enterprise adoption [7] Group 3: Financial Performance and Valuation - In the past 12 months, NOW shares have decreased by 44.3%, while Adobe shares have dropped by 33.6% [9] - NOW is considered overvalued with a Value Score of F, trading at 8.24 times sales, compared to Adobe's Value Score of B and a price/sales ratio of 4.52 [12] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NOW's 2026 earnings is $4.03 per share, reflecting a 16.5% increase from 2025, while Adobe's estimate is $23.44 per share, indicating a 12% increase over fiscal 2025 [16][17] Group 4: Competitive Positioning - ServiceNow's robust AI portfolio, strong partner network, and strategic acquisitions provide it with a competitive edge over Adobe, which faces significant competition in the SaaS and AI sectors [18]

Its stock has struggled, down 17% year-to-date (YTD), underperforming the S&P 500's 0.25% gain, and also 38% below its 52-week high of $465.70, reflecting the market's pessimism. Valuation metrics show Adobe trading at a trailing price-to-earnings (PE) ratio of 17.7, well below its three-year historical average of 38.2 and the technology sector average of 32. This suggests the market sees less growth potential.Adobe is a leading software company specializing in creative and digital experience tools, includi ...

Core Insights - Adobe's shares have declined by 8.8% over the past three months, underperforming the broader Zacks Computer and Technology sector, which returned 3.9% [1] - The decline is attributed to an uncertain macroeconomic environment, fears of an AI bubble, and intense competition from major players like Microsoft, OpenAI, Alphabet, Salesforce, Midjourney, and Canva [1] AI Initiatives and Growth - Adobe's future prospects heavily rely on the success of its AI initiatives, which are enhancing its presence among business, creative, and marketing professionals [2] - The company reported over 15% year-over-year growth in total monthly active users across its solutions in fiscal 2025 [2] - Adobe aims for an annualized recurring revenue growth of 10.2% for fiscal 2026, driven by its AI-powered portfolio and expanding enterprise adoption [2] Product Demand and Competition - Strong demand for AI-powered products like Creative Cloud Pro and Acrobat is evident, with new features improving user experiences [3] - Despite this, Adobe's AI-related revenue remains small compared to competitors like Microsoft, Alphabet, and Salesforce, which are seeing significant growth in their AI services [4] Stock Performance - Over the past 12 months, Adobe has outperformed Microsoft but lagged behind Alphabet and Salesforce, with Alphabet shares increasing by 31.4% [5] Financial Projections - Adobe projects fiscal 2026 revenues between $25.9 billion and $26.1 billion, with expected non-GAAP earnings per share between $23.30 and $23.50 [11] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal Q1 earnings is $5.88 per share, indicating a 15.8% growth from the previous year [12] - For fiscal 2026, the revenue estimate is $26.02 billion, suggesting a 9.5% growth from fiscal 2025 [13] Valuation Concerns - Adobe's valuation is considered stretched, with a Value Score of C, trading at 10.95X price/book compared to the sector average of 10.73X [15] - The stock faces valuation concerns amid strong market competition [7] Strategic Partnerships - Adobe is expanding its partner base, integrating with leading AI ecosystems such as Amazon Web Services, Azure, and Google [9] - The company added 45 new partners in the fiscal fourth quarter, enhancing its offerings for business professionals and consumers [10]

Group 1: Market Performance - Technology sector maintained dominance in 2025, with a positive outlook for 2026 driven by AI trends [1] - Adobe (ADBE) and Salesforce (CRM) experienced declines of approximately 20% in 2025 despite strong overall market performance [1][6] Group 2: Adobe (ADBE) Insights - Adobe reported double-digit growth in Q4, driven by strong demand for AI-driven tools and a focus on cloud delivery [2][3] - The company has achieved nine consecutive quarters of double-digit year-over-year sales growth, indicating strong product appeal [4] - ADBE's valuation is attractive, with a forward earnings multiple of 14.2X, reflecting a nearly 40% discount compared to the S&P 500 [8] Group 3: Salesforce (CRM) Insights - Salesforce, a leading AI-powered CRM platform, raised its FY26 sales guidance, forecasting a 9.5% year-over-year sales growth [9][12] - The company reported a 12% year-over-year increase in remaining performance obligations (RPO) to $59.5 billion, indicating strong demand [10] - Operating cash flow grew 17% year-over-year to $2.3 billion, with significant shareholder returns through share repurchases and dividends [11] Group 4: Future Outlook - Both Adobe and Salesforce are positioned for potential rebounds in 2026, supported by recent quarterly results and ongoing AI demand [13] - The companies' product stickiness makes it challenging for customers to switch, enhancing their market positions [6][10] - The technology sector's focus on AI will continue to dominate headlines, benefiting both companies [13]

Core Viewpoint - Adobe Inc. has experienced a downgrade from Jefferies, impacting investor sentiment, while some institutional investors continue to show confidence in the company's long-term potential [1][6]. Group 1: Company Overview - Adobe Inc. is a leading software company known for its creative and digital marketing solutions, including products like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Acrobat [1]. - The company competes with major players such as Microsoft and Salesforce in the software industry [1]. Group 2: Recent Developments - Jefferies downgraded Adobe from a "Buy" to a "Hold" rating, with the stock currently priced at $333.30 [1][6]. - Miracle Mile Advisors LLC reduced its stake in Adobe by 56.7%, selling 3,961 shares and retaining 3,021 shares valued at approximately $1.07 million [2]. - Despite the downgrade, Norges Bank acquired a new stake worth over $2 billion, indicating confidence in Adobe's long-term potential [3]. - Assenagon Asset Management S.A. increased its holdings by over 300% in the second quarter, now owning more than 3.1 million shares valued at approximately $1.2 billion [3]. Group 3: Stock Performance - Adobe's stock has decreased by 4.77%, with a price drop of $16.69, fluctuating between $331.65 and $351.12 during the day [4]. - Over the past year, the stock reached a high of $465.70 and a low of $311.59, reflecting significant volatility [4]. - The company's market capitalization is approximately $139.52 billion, with a trading volume of 5,643,504 shares, indicating a strong market presence despite recent fluctuations [5][6].

Group 1 - Adobe Inc. ranks among the best AI stocks to buy, with Piper Sandler reaffirming its Overweight rating and $470 price target following the company's fiscal year 2025 results [1] - The company reported a revenue beat of $94 million, surpassing the previous four-quarter average record of $77 million [1] - Adobe anticipates fiscal first-quarter revenue between $6.25 billion and $6.3 billion, exceeding Wall Street projections of $6.23 billion [2] Group 2 - For the full fiscal year, Adobe expects revenue to be around $25.9 billion to $26.1 billion, slightly above analysts' projections of $25.89 billion [2] - The company is targeting a record $2.6 billion in net new Digital Media ARR for fiscal year 2026 [3] - Adobe's AI operations have gained significant traction, with AI credit consumption increasing threefold quarter-over-quarter, and AI-influenced annual recurring revenue exceeding $8 billion [3] Group 3 - Adobe specializes in creating, publishing, and promoting digital content, offering tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat, and Premiere Pro, often bundled in the Adobe Creative Cloud subscription [4]

Core Insights - Adobe and Alphabet are integrating artificial intelligence into their core products, enhancing their market presence among business, creative, and marketing professionals [1] - Investments in AI solutions are projected to generate a cumulative global impact of $22.3 trillion by 2030, representing approximately 3.7% of global GDP, which is favorable for both companies' stock performance [2] Adobe Insights - Adobe is experiencing strong demand for its AI-powered products, including Creative Cloud Pro and Acrobat, and aims for a 10.2% annual recurring revenue growth by fiscal 2026 [2] - The company is enhancing its marketing capabilities through the Adobe Experience platform and has made strategic acquisitions, such as Semrush, to bolster its AI-driven customer experience solutions [3] - For fiscal 2025, Adobe anticipates total revenues between $25.9 billion and $26.1 billion, with subscription revenues from Business Professionals and Consumers projected at $7.35 billion to $7.4 billion, and Creative and Marketing Professionals at $17.75 billion to $17.9 billion [4] Alphabet Insights - Alphabet is embedding AI into its Search and Google Cloud services, with the launch of Gemini 3 enhancing user experience and ad performance [5][7] - The Google Cloud Platform is seeing robust demand for enterprise AI infrastructure, with revenues from products developed on Google's Gen AI models increasing over 200% year-over-year in Q3 2025 [6] - Alphabet's capital expenditures are expected to rise significantly, with projections between $91 billion and $93 billion for 2025, up from a previous estimate of $85 billion [8] Earnings and Stock Performance - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Alphabet's 2025 earnings is $10.58 per share, indicating a 31.6% increase from 2024, while Adobe's estimate has declined to $23.44 per share, suggesting 12% growth [9][10] - Both companies have consistently beaten earnings estimates, but Alphabet's average surprise of 18.74% outperforms Adobe's 2.25% [11] - Over the past year, Alphabet's stock has surged 63%, while Adobe's stock has decreased by 20.9%, indicating diverging investor sentiment [12] Valuation Insights - Both companies are considered overvalued, with Alphabet trading at a forward price/sales ratio of 9.79X compared to Adobe's 5.65X [15] - Currently, both Adobe and Alphabet hold a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [18]

Core Viewpoint - Adobe Inc. is recognized as a strong investment opportunity by hedge funds, despite recent price target reductions by analysts, due to solid revenue growth and a positive long-term outlook [1][4]. Financial Performance - Adobe achieved record quarterly revenue of $6.19 billion in Q4 of fiscal 2025, marking a 10% year-over-year increase [2]. - For the full fiscal year 2025, Adobe reported total revenue of $23.77 billion, an 11% increase year-over-year [2]. - The company's annualized recurring revenue reached $25.20 billion, reflecting an 11.5% year-over-year growth [2]. Analyst Ratings and Outlook - BMO Capital lowered its price target for Adobe to $400 from $405 but maintained an Outperform rating, citing strong Q4 and fiscal 2025 results [1]. - Analysts expect Adobe's EPS for fiscal year 2026 to be $22.7, with growth anticipated in both new and total annual recurring revenue compared to fiscal 2025 [3]. - Bernstein also reiterated an Outperform rating while adjusting their price target to $506 from $508, indicating expectations of double-digit growth in 2026 [4]. Company Overview - Adobe Inc. is a global software company known for its Creative Cloud suite, which includes popular applications like Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, and Acrobat [4].

Group 1 - OpenAI's ChatGPT will integrate with Apple Music as one of its upcoming partners, enhancing its ecosystem of applications [1] - The introduction of application features in ChatGPT last October marked a significant step in OpenAI's ecosystem development, with initial partners including Spotify, Booking.com, Canva, Coursera, Figma, Expedia, and Zillow [1] - OpenAI released a preview version of the Apps SDK, allowing developers to integrate their applications into ChatGPT, paving the way for diverse ecosystem growth [1] Group 2 - Simo indicated that more applications will join ChatGPT's "new directory," with opportunities for other developers to submit their applications for review [2] - The Apps SDK is likely transitioning from its preview phase to widespread application, as OpenAI seeks partnerships with more high-profile companies [2] - The integration of Apple Music with ChatGPT is expected to function similarly to Spotify's integration, providing users with convenient music search and playback features through interaction with ChatGPT [2]