Apple Inc. vs Adobe Inc.

AAPL and ADBE, both technology, compared on the same figures computed the same way.

On our discounted cash flow model, Adobe Inc. looks the cheaper of the two, trading 17 percentage points further below its estimated fair value than Apple Inc.. That is a statement about price against one model, not a forecast, and most of a DCF's output sits in a terminal value nobody can actually forecast.

Apple Inc. scores higher on our moat model (86 against 83). A moat is a structural reason competitors cannot take the profits away, and over a long holding period it matters more than any single quarter's numbers.

AAPL trades at 31.2 times earnings against ADBE's 30.0. A lower multiple is not automatically the better deal: on a cyclical business the low P/E arrives at the top of the cycle, right before earnings fall.

The honest answer to "which is better" is that it depends on what you are buying them for, and neither this page nor any screen can make that judgement for you. What it can do is show you the same figures for both, computed the same way, so the comparison is fair.

MetricAAPLADBE
Share price$228.50$420.00
Market cap$3.45T$180.00B
P/E ratio31.230.0
DCF fair value$245.00$520.00
Upside to fair value+7.2%+23.8%
Moat score86/10083/100
Dividend yield0.50%
Return on equity147.0%40.0%
Overall rating74/100, Strong Buy71/100, Strong Buy

Gold marks the more favourable figure on rows where “better” has an agreed direction. It is a signpost, not a verdict. A lower P/E can be a value trap; a higher yield can be a dividend about to be cut.

Full AAPL research
Valuation, ownership and the screens it passes.
Full ADBE research
Valuation, ownership and the screens it passes.

Common questions

Is AAPL or ADBE a better buy?

Neither page nor screen can answer that for your situation, but on the numbers: our overall rating puts Apple Inc. ahead (74 to 71), and on discounted cash flow Adobe Inc. looks cheaper against its own fair value. Both readings are one model's opinion, not advice.

AAPL vs ADBE: which has the wider moat?

Our moat model scores AAPL at 86 and ADBE at 83 out of 100. The higher score means a more durable structural advantage, which matters most over a long holding period.

Compare any two companies yourself, with financial statements and peer data, free inside the app.

Metrics from company filings and our own valuation model, both of which can be wrong. Quotes are delayed. Educational information, not financial advice.