Adobe Systems Inc. is preparing the latest versions of its Creative Suite software package, and flagship Acrobat file-sharing product, marking the company's first major product release since its Macromedia acquisition.

The San Jose-Calif.-based company's growth rate and stock price have been under pressure as Wall-Street awaits new developments, however one analyst sees the firms valuation increasing as new products draw near.

Acrobat 8 ships in November followed by Creative Suite 3 in the May quarter, both likely to be major new releases capable of reinvigorating growth and fueling further appreciation for the stock, Goldman Sachs' Rick G. Sherlund said to clients.

Adobe's Creative Solutions business, which includes Photoshop and Illustrator design graphic-art programs, account for 54 percent of the company's total revenues. Acrobat accounts for nearly 25 percent, experts say.

New versions should integrate Adobe and Macromedia creative solutions and delivers significant new functionality, Sherlund said.

From a workflow perspective, he said, designers and developers we have spoken with expect the substantial Adobe-Macromedia synergies to greatly improve their efficiency, enhance productivity, and foster new creative abilities

The company is expected to make official announcements for the products in upcoming weeks.

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