Adobe, Macromedia Deal Nearly Done

Adobe Systems' proposed buyout of Macromedia is expected to close Saturday, December 3, both companies said Thursday night.

The deal is valued at about $3.4 billion and will pair two powerful franchises: Adobe's professional publishing and graphics tools and Macromedia's Flash player and Dreamweaver Web toolset.

Solution providers have said the "Macrodobe" combination Adobe's ubiquitous PDF file format and Acrobat reader and strong PhotoShop franchise along with Macromedia's robust Dreamweaver toolset for Web development and Flash player for multimedia web sites, are a potent counterweight even to Microsoft's software dominance. Both PDF and Flash are seen as even more pervasive on PCs, desktops , and devices than Microsoft Windows or Internet Explorer, for example.

The planned merger cleared U.S. Department of Justice hurdles in mid October

Adobe announced its all-stock transaction plan last April. The combined company plans to discuss its 2006 during a fourth quarter and fiscal year 2005 year-end earnings call December 15, according to a statement issued Thursday night.

More details will be provided at Adobe's annual analyst meeting in New York, Tuesday January 31.

Adobe is based in San Jose, Calif., Macromedia in San Francisco.