How much is web traffic worth? If your Adobe Systems, about $1.8 billion.
The Mountain View, Calif. company announced Tuesday it was buying the web analytic company Omniture despite posting third-quarter declines in profits and sales.
The move tightens Adobe's grasp on the digital media market. The company already makes software, such as Photoshop and Dreamweaver, that are staples of the web developing world. And its newest purchase promises to expand Adobe's market appeal to online advertisers and media companies.
Just four years ago, Adobe took out one of its largest competitors by purchasing Macromedia, the makers of Flash and Dreamweaver, for $3.4 billion. The Omniture purchase is Adobe's largest since it bought Macromedia.
The software giant's newest acquisition develops software and products for customers to chart and analyze web site traffic and other information collected by their sites. Adobe hopes to use Omniture to help clients track and monetize web traffic.
