Adobe's Macromedia takeover clears final hurdle - News - Software

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This story was printed from ZDNet Australia.
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Adobe's Macromedia takeover clears final hurdle

By Graeme Wearden, ZDNet UK
December 05, 2005
URL: http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/software/soa/Adobe-s-Macromedia-takeover-clears-final-hurdle/0,130061733,139226009,00.htm

Adobe Systems' multibillion-dollar takeover of rival software developer Macromedia received regulatory clearance last week.

Adobe announced late on Thursday that it and Macromedia have either received or been notified they will receive all regulatory clearances necessary to complete the acquisition, which will cost Adobe US$3.4 billion.

This follows an investigation by the US Justice Department, which requested additional information on both companies' Web-authoring, design and vector graphics illustration products.

Adobe also said it would discuss the combined company's fiscal 2006 outlook on December 15.

The takeover was announced in April, when Adobe CEO Bruce Chizen promised to yield cost savings. This sparked speculation that some software applications could be axed once it was completed.

In the graphics market, Adobe's Photoshop and Illustrator are the market leaders ahead of Macromedia's competing Fireworks and Freehand. In Web design, Macromedia has the established DreamWeaver against Adobe's more recent GoLive product.

ZDNet UK's Graeme Wearden reported from London. For more coverage from ZDNet UK, click here.