COMPARE · Data as of August 27, 2026
ADBE vs NTCT
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. ADBE scored 89.1, NTCT scored 62.8 — ADBE leads.
Compare another set
ADBE
Adobe Inc.
89.1
$273.92 · $108.9B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
26.3
ADBE leads
NTCT
NetScout Systems, Inc.
62.8
$39.46 · $2.9B
fundamentals as of
At a glance · who leads each dimension, on the model's own rules
- CheapestADBE15.8x
- Fastest growthADBE+11.5%
- Strongest balance sheetNTCT0.02
- Highest qualityADBE92 / 100
- Largest discount to fair valueNTCT-42%
Side by side · every name on one set of axes
Growth against the P/E multiple. Up and to the right is cheaper and faster — the quality-growth idea in one picture. Points beyond the axis are pinned to the edge and marked off-scale rather than allowed to compress everything else.
The model, pillar by pillar (0–100 each)
ADBE
stronger →← stronger
NTCT
92
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
60
86
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
61
90
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
68
ADBE is stronger on 3 of 3 pillars.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
ADBE
NTCT
$10.3bA-
FCF
$261mC
+11.5%B
Rev
+5.8%C+
0.61C+
D/E
0.02A-
15.8xA-
P/E
24.1xB+
0.67A-
PEG
1.64C+
Winner per row is the stronger grade; where grades tie, the better figure breaks it. A true tie or a missing value shows no highlight.
Valuation · DCF cross-check
ADBE
NTCT
23% below
Price vs fair valuelower is cheaper
42% below
~2%/yr
Growth the price implies10-yr FCF · lower = less priced in
~-10%/yr
+16%
1-yr DCF upside
+74%
+30%
5-yr DCF upside
+72%
+54%
10-yr DCF upside
+69%
The DCF is a cross-check on intrinsic value, separate from the quality-growth score above.
Model signals
ADBE
Why this score
- Buying back stock
- Durable high returns
NTCT
No notable signals flagged.
The companies
ADBEAdobe Inc.
Why now
Software - Application · market cap $108.9b. Down 26% from 52-week high of $370.86 — deep drawdown territory. Revenue growing +11%, comfortably above the S&P median. PEG 0.67 — paying under fair value for the growth rate. 34 sell-side analysts rate this a Hold with a mean 1-yr target of $270.61 (implying -1% upside).
Moat
Net margin 29% sits well above the S&P median (~11%) — suggests structural pricing advantage or cost discipline competitors can't quickly close. ROE 63% — top-decile capital efficiency. Either pricing leverage, low capital intensity, or aggressive buybacks; the durability story depends on which. FCF converts 142% of net income — earnings translate cleanly into cash, a sign that working capital and capex are well-disciplined.
Risk
Software — competitive moat is durable until it isn't; watch net revenue retention, gross margin trends, and any new market entrant with a fundamentally lower price point.
NTCTNetScout Systems, Inc.
Why now
Software - Infrastructure · market cap $2.9b. 13% off the 52-week high of $45.28. 3 sell-side analysts publish a mean 1-yr target of $43.38 (implying +10% upside).
Moat
Net margin 14% beats the market median by a meaningful margin — the company is keeping more of every revenue dollar than the average S&P constituent. Free cash flow runs well ahead of reported net income — non-cash charges (depreciation, intangible amortization) are holding down GAAP earnings while cash generation stays strong. Software economics — recurring revenue, embedded customer workflows, and high gross margin all compound the moat once a base account is won. Switching costs are the lever.
Risk
ROE 7% is below the long-run sustainable threshold of ~10% — capital efficiency would need to improve for the equity base to compound at the market rate. Software — competitive moat is durable until it isn't; watch net revenue retention, gross margin trends, and any new market entrant with a fundamentally lower price point.
Verdict — model-derived comparison
Generating verdict… typically 5–10 seconds
Not investment advice. The Bull Rankings publishes a quantitative ranking model and accompanying analysis for general informational purposes only. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security; nothing is personalized to your circumstances, risk tolerance, or tax situation. Investing carries the risk of loss — invest at your own risk and consider consulting a licensed financial professional before acting on anything you read here. See terms and methodology for full disclosures.
Where ADBE and NTCT diverge
On the headline score the gap is 26.3 points in favor of ADBE. The widest single difference is Quality, where ADBE leads by 32.4 points.
- QualityADBE 92.0 · NTCT 59.6ADBE +32.4
- GrowthADBE 85.8 · NTCT 60.7ADBE +25.1
- ValueADBE 89.7 · NTCT 68.4ADBE +21.3
Pillars run 0–100 against sector peers, so a score is a statement about a company relative to its own industry rather than to the other name here. A wide Value gap usually means the market already prices the difference in quality or growth — which is the trade-off this comparison comes down to.