What You Need To Know
Adobe Inc.'s (NASDAQ: ADBE) outlook for 2024 suggests a slower-than-expected incorporation of generative AI into its revenue stream, leading to investor disappointment.
The company forecasts revenue at approximately $21.4 billion and a profit of up to $18 per share for the fiscal year ending December 2024. These figures slightly miss analysts' expectations of $21.7 billion in sales and an equivalent profit margin.
Despite recent advancements in AI technology, exemplified by Adobe's new AI model Firefly, and heightened focus on generative AI at its October user conference, the anticipated revenue impact isn't immediate.
This cautious forecast led to a 6% decline in Adobe's shares in extended trading, despite a significant 85% rise earlier in the year fueled by investor optimism regarding Adobe's potential to monetize generative AI.
The digital media unit of Adobe, which houses key software like Photoshop and Illustrator, is expected to generate $1.9 billion in new annual recurring revenue, falling short of the average analyst estimate of $2.02 billion. This shortfall in a crucial revenue metric has been a primary source of investor disappointment.
Read: What are the Best AI Investments?
Adobe's management, including CEO Shantanu Narayen and CFO Dan Durn, maintains a positive outlook, suggesting the company is well-positioned for a strong year despite economic and competitive challenges. They hint at a traditionally conservative guidance approach, leaving room for potential outperformance.
In the fiscal fourth quarter, Adobe saw a 12% increase in sales to $5.05 billion and a profit of $4.27 per share. The digital media unit's sales rose by 13% to $3.72 billion, while the segment, including marketing and analytics software, grew by 10% to $1.27 billion.
Meanwhile, Adobe is under FTC investigation for its subscription cancellation practices, a matter that could significantly impact its financial results and operations.
Adobe Abandons Figma Acquisition
Adobe Inc.'s decision to walk away from its $20 billion acquisition of Figma Inc. has resulted in a $1 billion termination fee. This development, coupled with Adobe's conservative 2024 revenue forecast, highlights significant strategic shifts for the company.
Adobe's commitment to innovation, particularly in generative AI, is evident in its developments like the AI model Firefly. However, the slow pace of revenue impact from these technologies is notable.
The termination of the Figma deal and the consequent financial implications, together with the cautious revenue projections, present challenges that retail investors need to consider. These events underscore the complexities of merging advanced technologies into business strategies while navigating regulatory constraints. For retail investors, this situation underscores the importance of adapting investment strategies to accommodate both innovative prospects and market realities.
Adobe Inc.'s terminated merger has left the company with approximately $6 billion, which it plans to use for advancing artificial intelligence development and stock buybacks.
However, the competition threat from Figma and Canva persists, with both startups showing strong revenue growth. Adobe's strategy now includes further AI investment, potential small acquisitions, and possibly reviving or partnering for its product design application, XD.
Why This Is Important for Retail Investors
Market Sentiment Indicator: Adobe's stock reaction to its 2024 outlook serves as a vital indicator of market sentiment, particularly towards companies investing in emerging technologies like generative AI. Retail investors can gauge the market's confidence in the practical application and profitability of such innovations, helping them make more informed decisions about their investments in tech stocks.
Risk Assessment: The cautious forecast and subsequent stock dip highlight the inherent risks in investing in technology stocks, especially those pivoting to new, unproven technologies. Retail investors need to understand the volatility associated with such investments and balance their portfolios accordingly to manage risk effectively.
Long-Term Growth Potential: Adobe’s focus on generative AI, despite the short-term stock reaction, underscores the long-term growth potential in this sector. For retail investors, this presents an opportunity to invest in a company at the forefront of transformative technology, with the potential for significant returns over time.
Economic and Competitive Insight: Adobe's outlook and the market's response offer retail investors insight into broader economic and competitive factors influencing the tech industry. Understanding these dynamics can help retail investors make more strategic investment choices, not just in Adobe but across similar companies and sectors.
Investment Strategy Refinement: The fluctuation in Adobe's stock due to its conservative guidance and AI integration challenges serves as a case study for retail investors in refining their investment strategies.
Sign up for Investing Intel Newsletter
How Can You Use This Information?
Here are some of the investing ideas that can be explored using this information:
Growth Investing
Adobe's investment in generative AI positions it as a potential growth stock. Investors might explore similar companies that are investing in emerging technologies, expecting these firms to grow rapidly in revenue and market share as their technologies mature.
Growth investing focuses on stocks of companies expected to grow at an above-average rate compared to other stocks in the market; learn more in our article titled 'What is Growth Investing?'.
Momentum Investing
Observing Adobe's stock trend, especially its resilience and recovery following initial setbacks, can guide momentum investors. If the stock shows signs of recovery and positive momentum, it may be a good candidate for investors looking to capitalize on market trends.
Momentum investing rides the wave of existing market trends by buying assets that have shown an upward price trend and selling those in a downtrend.
Defensive investing
Considering the potential risks highlighted by Adobe’s situation, investors may lean towards a more defensive strategy, focusing on industries less prone to technological disruption or companies with stable earnings histories.
Defensive Investing focuses on securing a portfolio by choosing companies that are less sensitive to economic downturns.
Sector Rotation
Given the market’s reaction to Adobe's AI initiatives and forecast, investors might consider a sector rotation strategy. This involves shifting investments from sectors that appear overvalued or at peak performance to those with more growth potential, like companies heavily investing in AI and other emerging technologies.
Sector Rotation is the practice of shifting investment capital from one industry sector to another to take advantage of the economic cycle.
Diversification
Investors can explore diversification within the tech sector, balancing between established companies like Adobe and emerging tech startups. This approach can provide exposure to the sector's growth potential while mitigating risk associated with reliance on individual stocks.
Diversification spreads investments across various assets to reduce risk and volatility in a portfolio.
Thematic Investing
Adobe's focus on AI can inspire thematic investments in AI and related fields. Investors can explore ETFs or mutual funds dedicated to AI and technology innovations, capturing growth across a range of companies and reducing the risk associated with individual stock investments.
Thematic investing selects assets based on projected trends or themes believed to offer growth opportunities.
Read What Others Are Saying
Bloomberg: Adobe Signals That AI Boost Will Take Longer Than Expected
CNBC: Adobe shares slide on weaker-than-expected forecast for 2024
What you should read next:
Popular ETFs
Some investors prefer to invest in stocks via an exchange-traded fund for ease and reduced risk. Some popular ETFs include the following:
Large-Caps: Vanguard Mega Cap ETF (MGC)
Mid-Caps: Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF (VO)
Small-Caps: Vanguard Small-Cap ETF (VB)
Growth: iShares Core S&P U.S. Growth ETF (IUSG)
Value: iShares Core S&P US Value ETF (IUSV)
