Adobe earnings beat masks slower AI gains as Narayen exits

Adobe topped Q1 revenue and adjusted earnings expectations, but annual recurring revenue growth slowed to 10.9% to about $26.1 billion, signaling AI-driven monetization isn’t accelerating yet. CEO Shantanu Narayen will step down after 18 years (remaining as chair until a successor is named). The stock fell after hours and is down roughly 19% for the year, even as Firefly and freemium user growth highlight potential, with management guiding to a back-half revenue acceleration rather than immediate upside.