Adobe to buy Semrush in $1.9 billion deal, seeks to boost AI marketing — What we know
Adobe Inc. It announced Wednesday that it has reached an agreement to acquire marketing software company Semrush Holdings Inc. for a total of $1.9 billion.
In the all-cash deal, Semrush will be valued at $12 per share.
Adobe stated in its statement that the acquisition is expected to be completed in the first half of 2026.
The maker of Photoshop said acquiring the company would help Adobe offer “a comprehensive solution that gives marketers a holistic understanding of how their brand appears across owned channels, LLMs, traditional search and the broader web.”
This announcement is made by Adobe, Figma Inc. It is the first proposed takeover bid since its failed $20 billion bid in 2023. Adobe had previously abandoned its proposed acquisition of Figma after facing significant regulatory hurdles in both Europe and the UK. This deal would be one of the largest acquisitions of a private software maker in history.
Following the takeover news, Semrush shares rose 75% to $11.83 in pre-market trading, while Adobe’s shares saw only minor change. Wall StreetJournal He had initially reported the deal earlier in the day.
Artificial Intelligence Strategy
Semrush specializes in the design and development of AI-powered software that helps companies with search engine optimization, social media management and digital advertising campaigns.
While Adobe is perhaps best known for tools used by creative professionals like Photoshop, the firm also offers a comprehensive suite of marketing and analytics products known as the “Adobe Experience Cloud” that are becoming an increasingly important source of revenue.
Despite this growth, Adobe’s shares have faced challenges this year due to concerns that rapid advances in artificial intelligence could undermine the company’s core creative business model. The stock has lost about a quarter of its value this year.
In October, the company stated its intention to embrace the AI trend, stating that video and image editing tools would soon be controllable with simple chat commands. It also revealed that it is collaborating with OpenAI to allow users to directly control one of its applications via ChatGPT.
