Adobe Shares Surge on Report of Microsoft's Interest in Merger

[techs]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-...report-of-microsoft-s-interest-in-merger.html

Adobe Systems Inc. shares surged as much as 17 percent, triggering exchange circuit breakers meant to curb volatility, on a report that Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer discussed buying the company.

The New York Times reported that Ballmer recently visited Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen at Adobe’s offices in San Francisco. The discussion centered on Apple Inc.’s control of the mobile- phone market and how the two companies could work together to compete, the Times said. A possible acquisition of Adobe by Microsoft was among the options discussed, according to the newspaper.

Adobe rose $2.96, or 12 percent, to $28.69 at 4 p.m. on the Nasdaq Stock Market. Earlier in the session, the shares jumped as high as $30, triggering the circuit breaker halt for five minutes. The stock has declined 22 percent this year.

Adobe has clashed with Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who banned Adobe’s flash video software from Apple’s mobile devices. Adobe won a partial victory on Sept. 9, when Apple eased restrictions on creating applications for its iPhone and iPad devices. Apple had prevented developers from using Adobe’s Flash video software.




Prediction: This will not end well.

 

[MikeMike]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-...report-of-microsoft-s-interest-in-merger.html

Adobe Systems Inc. shares surged as much as 17 percent, triggering exchange circuit breakers meant to curb volatility, on a report that Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer discussed buying the company.

The New York Times reported that Ballmer recently visited Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen at Adobe’s offices in San Francisco. The discussion centered on Apple Inc.’s control of the mobile- phone market and how the two companies could work together to compete, the Times said. A possible acquisition of Adobe by Microsoft was among the options discussed, according to the newspaper.

Adobe rose $2.96, or 12 percent, to $28.69 at 4 p.m. on the Nasdaq Stock Market. Earlier in the session, the shares jumped as high as $30, triggering the circuit breaker halt for five minutes. The stock has declined 22 percent this year.

Adobe has clashed with Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who banned Adobe’s flash video software from Apple’s mobile devices. Adobe won a partial victory on Sept. 9, when Apple eased restrictions on creating applications for its iPhone and iPad devices. Apple had prevented developers from using Adobe’s Flash video software.




Prediction: This will not end well for Steve Jobs.

ftfy...

I predict within 1 week of this merger finalizing, Steve Jobs dies.

 

[Pardus]

most adobe apps suck big time, i hate even using flash reader or acrobat, there just annoying apps.

 

[Schadenfroh]

The feds will not let such a merger happen.

Although, if this means the death of PDF in favor of XPS, then I fully support it.

However, we would just end up replacing Flash with Silverlight, not sure if that is an improvement or not...

 

[Gooberlx2]

Interesting, though I'm not so much interested about the mobile market impact.

If it was a total acquisition, I wouldn't mind seeing the best ideas of both silverlight and flash consolidated to one project (and made cross-platform), same with XPS and PDF. Certain functionality from apps like lightroom added to photo gallery (like some remedial RAW adjustments), etc...

I doubt anything will actually happen though.

 

[PottedMeat]

'Microsoft Photoshop'

naaah.

 

[Printer Bandit]

this was posted over on macrumors

I got a great name for the new company: Microbe.

"Darn it, I got another virus again. Darn you Microbe!"

 

[WelshBloke]

I'm sure Steve Jobs will be happy with Microsoft owning Photoshop.

 

[mmntech]

'Microsoft Photoshop'

naaah.

Microsoft can't possibly do a worse job than Adobe itself has been doing recently. We might actually see 64-bit Flash actually get released on all platforms!

 

[Brainonska511]

Microsoft can't possibly do a worse job than Adobe itself has been doing recently. We might actually see 64-bit Flash actually get released on all platforms!

You might see a PDF reader that doesn't revert back to default settings at every freakin' upgrade.

I hate having to always disable the Adobe Reader FF plugin after each security update. I already disabled the opening in browser settings within the reader, but it always reactivates that freakin' plugin.

Edit:
I know about Foxit PDF reader, but I've come across PDFs that don't open right in it and Foxit couldn't open secured PDF files.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

throw some bonzai buddy in there and you've got the perfect shitstorm.

 

[rockyct]

I think this would actually be a very good idea. Microsoft has been putting some nice stuff out lately. They decrapified IE and AV suites, I'm sure they could decrapify adobe reader and flash. I really like the last cycle of stuff they've come out with on every product line.

 

[Anubis]

.

However, we would just end up replacing Flash with Silverlight, not sure if that is an improvement or not...

well it really cant be any worse

 

[bfdd]

I think this would actually be a very good idea. Microsoft has been putting some nice stuff out lately. They decrapified IE and AV suites, I'm sure they could decrapify adobe reader and flash. I really like the last cycle of stuff they've come out with on every product line.

I'm in the same boat as you. I've been rather impressed by what Microsoft has put out. It's definitely above what we've come to expect of Microsoft quality.

 

[aldamon]

If this happens and they kill off FrameMaker I'm going to be livid.

 

[LittleNemoNES]

Windows CS6

ugh

 

[preslove]

It's funny how gullible Wall Street can be, sometimes. MSFT isn't buying Adobe for $15B+

This was probably a joke that turned into a rumor.

Adobe: "You should get rid of silverlight and just optimize flash"
Balmer: "Yeah, and then we'll just buy you guys" *smirk*
Adobe: lol
Balmer: "but srsly, we're not doing any of those, lets do something else."


NYT: "Balmer expressed keen interest in a merger."

 

[Schadenfroh]

I'm in the same boat as you. I've been rather impressed by what Microsoft has put out. It's definitely above what we've come to expect of Microsoft quality.

Microsoft puts out good stuff.... when they have a real competitor in a particular market sector.

 

[techs]

Microsoft Reader?
Microsoft Shockwave Player?
Microsoft Flash Player?

 

[LikeLinus]

most adobe apps suck big time, i hate even using flash reader or acrobat, there just annoying apps.

Spoken like someone who's never used a product other than Flash.

 

[thegimp03]

This report comes out like every 6 months. Not gonna happen.