Adobe Systems (Nasdaq: ADBE)

Having completed the acquisition of Macromedia in 2005, Adobe is one of the most diversified software providers in terms of breadth of products as well as customer base. Best known for its venerable Flash^® (dynamic digital content), Illustrator^® (graphic artwork), Photoshop^® (photo editing), Dreamweaver^® (web development) and Acrobat^® (document creation and distribution) product lines, Adobe sells to retail consumers, graphics professionals, and enterprise software users. It has operations in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia.
Adobe has perhaps one of the best growth prospects of the major large-cap software stocks over the foreseeable future, with estimated 3 to 5 year earnings growth of over 16 percent. The company is extremely well positioned to benefit from the growth of digital publishing and increased use of the Internet.
Adobe’s primary offices and headquarters illustrate an internal commitment to social and environmental policy. The company became the first in the world to have three LEED-Platinum certified buildings (the highest rating from the U.S. Green Building Council) by retrofitting its office buildings that opened in 1998 and 2003. This is particularly notable since most high-profile green buildings are new construction. Adobe’s Silicon Valley headquarters recycle 90 percent of all waste.
Adobe’s core business has minimal emissions and waste impact and the management has solid social policies in place. However, the company has yet to articulate a sustainability strategy or policy to address supply chain concerns.