Shares of Adobe Systems jumped 7% in late trading Thursday after the company issued third-quarter results that beat Wall Street forecasts.
Adobe’s sales grew 24% to $602 million, $7 million above estimates. Pro forma earnings of 29 cents a share — which exclude charges related to the acquisition of Macromedia — were three cents better than expected.
“Q3 was a solid quarter for Adobe with revenue and earnings near or above the high end of our financial target ranges,” CEO Bruce Chizen said in a statement. “With new products launching this quarter, our outlook for the remainder of the year remains positive.”
Adobe also said it expected to meet analysts’ estimates for the fourth quarter.
Traders were cautious ahead of Friday’s consumer inflation report, with a warning by a supplier to Nokia , high import prices and downgrades to GE
and Boeing
all weighing on the market. Still, stocks finished well off their lows to close near break-even.
Microsoft climbed 1.4% on an early look at its competitor to Apple’s
iPod.
Xilinx gained 4% despite lowering guidance.
Diodes jumped 9% after raising guidance, while Lattice Semi
, Ace Comm
and Authentidate
fell on their results.
The Nasdaq tacked on 1 to 2228, the S&P 500 lost 2 to 1316, and the Dow fell 16 to 11,527. Volume declined to 2.38 billion shares on the NYSE, and 1.9 billion on the Nasdaq. Decliners led 19-13 on the NYSE, and 16-13 on the Nasdaq. Downside volume was 63% on the NYSE, and 38% on the Nasdaq. New highs-new lows were 226-47 on the NYSE, and 157-77 on the Nasdaq.
