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ADBE vs. GEN: Adobe vs. Gen Digital Stock Comparison

How do Adobe (ADBE) and Gen Digital (GEN) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Adobe (ADBE) and Gen Digital (GEN) both belong to the Software industry, though ADBE is classified under Application Software while GEN falls under Systems Software.

Company profile comparison for Adobe (ADBE) and Gen Digital (GEN)
Profile ItemADBEGEN
NameAdobe Inc.Gen Digital Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupSoftware & ServicesSoftware & Services
GICS IndustrySoftwareSoftware
GICS Sub-IndustryApplication SoftwareSystems Software
Market Capitalization93.14 billion USD17.67 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateAugust 13, 1986June 23, 1989
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ADBE
GEN
GSPC
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Adobe (ADBE) vs. Gen Digital (GEN), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Adobe (ADBE) and Gen Digital (GEN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Adobe (ADBE) and Gen Digital (GEN). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Adobe (ADBE) and Gen Digital (GEN)
MetricADBEGEN
Total Return (1Y)-27.09%18.20%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-25.55%18.57%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-18.62%5.70%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ADBE
GEN
GSPC
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Adobe (ADBE) vs. Gen Digital (GEN), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Adobe (ADBE) and Gen Digital (GEN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Adobe (ADBE) and Gen Digital (GEN)
MetricADBEGEN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)41.62%43.30%
Beta (5Y)1.381.23
Max Drawdown (5Y)-71.90%-48.41%
Avg. Volume (3M)4.61M8.39M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ADBE and GEN are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Adobe (ADBE) and Gen Digital (GEN)
MetricADBEGEN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.750.32
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-1.040.50

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but Adobe (ADBE) at 61.90% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Gen Digital (GEN) at 46.40% also sits in the top quartile.

ADBE

Software & Services industry group

61.90%

ADBE
61.90%
Max
53.85%
Q3
17.90%
Median
6.59%
Q1
-9.59%
Min
-50.52%

GEN

Software & Services industry group

46.40%

Max
53.85%
GEN
46.40%
Q3
17.90%
Median
6.59%
Q1
-9.59%
Min
-50.52%
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Adobe (ADBE) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their ROE against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Adobe (ADBE) at 28.05% and Gen Digital (GEN) at 23.07% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

ADBE

Software & Services industry group

28.05%

Max
41.17%
ADBE
28.05%
Q3
15.28%
Median
4.63%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%

GEN

Software & Services industry group

23.07%

Max
41.17%
GEN
23.07%
Q3
15.28%
Median
4.63%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%
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Adobe (ADBE) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their net margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Adobe (ADBE) at 34.82% and Gen Digital (GEN) at 37.40% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

ADBE

Software & Services industry group

34.82%

Max
46.89%
ADBE
34.82%
Q3
17.64%
Median
8.73%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%

GEN

Software & Services industry group

37.40%

Max
46.89%
GEN
37.40%
Q3
17.64%
Median
8.73%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%
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Adobe (ADBE) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Adobe (ADBE) and Gen Digital (GEN)
MetricADBEGEN
ROE (TTM)61.90%46.40%
ROA (TTM)20.08%8.94%
Net Margin (TTM)28.05%23.07%
Operating Margin (TTM)34.82%37.40%
Gross Margin (TTM)89.25%77.41%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Gen Digital (GEN) at 27.06% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Adobe (ADBE) at 10.53% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for GEN.

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Adobe (ADBE) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Gen Digital (GEN) at 52.43% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Adobe (ADBE) at 35.11% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for GEN.

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Adobe (ADBE) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Adobe (ADBE) and Gen Digital (GEN)
MetricADBEGEN
Revenue Growth (YoY)10.53%27.06%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)10.52%14.66%
EPS Growth (YoY)35.11%52.43%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)18.25%-10.09%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Adobe (ADBE) at 0.77 and Gen Digital (GEN) at 0.37 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

ADBE

Software & Services industry group

0.77

Max
5.11
Q3
2.77
Median
1.67
Q1
1.01
ADBE
0.77
Min
0.03

GEN

Software & Services industry group

0.37

Max
5.11
Q3
2.77
Median
1.67
Q1
1.01
GEN
0.37
Min
0.03
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Adobe (ADBE) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their current ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Adobe (ADBE) at 0.58 is near its industry mid-range for debt-to-equity ratio, while Gen Digital (GEN) at 2.96 sits above its benchmark range, pointing to a heavier debt load relative to equity.

ADBE

Software & Services industry group

0.58

Max
2.52
Q3
1.13
ADBE
0.58
Median
0.40
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00

GEN

Software & Services industry group

2.96

GEN
2.96
Max
2.52
Q3
1.13
Median
0.40
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00
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Adobe (ADBE) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Adobe (ADBE) and Gen Digital (GEN)
MetricADBEGEN
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.770.37
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.582.96
Net Debt / EBITDA0.123.02

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Adobe (ADBE) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Gen Digital (GEN) reports a yield of 1.63%, ranking against industry peers normally.

ADBE

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

ADBE
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

GEN

Software & Services industry group

1.63%

GEN
1.63%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Adobe (ADBE) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Adobe (ADBE) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Gen Digital (GEN) reports a payout of 25.38%, ranking against industry peers normally.

ADBE

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

ADBE
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

GEN

Software & Services industry group

25.38%

GEN
25.38%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Adobe (ADBE) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Adobe (ADBE) and Gen Digital (GEN)
MetricADBEGEN
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%1.63%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%25.38%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Adobe (ADBE) at 13.36 and Gen Digital (GEN) at 15.12 sit in the cheaper earnings-multiple quartile for P/E ratio, with the market paying less for a dollar of trailing earnings than it pays for typical peers.

ADBE

Software & Services industry group

13.36

Max
112.94
Q3
60.32
Median
32.91
Q1
18.77
ADBE
13.36
Min
6.69

GEN

Software & Services industry group

15.12

Max
112.94
Q3
60.32
Median
32.91
Q1
18.77
GEN
15.12
Min
6.69
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Adobe (ADBE) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Adobe (ADBE) at 3.59 and Gen Digital (GEN) at 3.38 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

ADBE

Software & Services industry group

3.59

Max
17.91
Q3
8.78
Median
4.25
ADBE
3.59
Q1
2.23
Min
0.02

GEN

Software & Services industry group

3.38

Max
17.91
Q3
8.78
Median
4.25
GEN
3.38
Q1
2.23
Min
0.02
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Adobe (ADBE) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Adobe (ADBE) at 7.95 and Gen Digital (GEN) at 6.45 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

ADBE

Software & Services industry group

7.95

Max
16.63
Q3
8.50
ADBE
7.95
Median
4.30
Q1
1.92
Min
-3.90

GEN

Software & Services industry group

6.45

Max
16.63
Q3
8.50
GEN
6.45
Median
4.30
Q1
1.92
Min
-3.90
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Adobe (ADBE) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Adobe (ADBE) and Gen Digital (GEN)
MetricADBEGEN
P/E Ratio (TTM)13.3615.12
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.593.38
P/B Ratio (MRQ)7.956.45
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)10.03%10.25%