Adobe Upgrades e-Learning Software

Agilent Technologies Inc. (A - Analyst Report) announced the availability of its Adobe Captivate 6, an upgraded version of its e-learning authoring software, for creating interactive e-learning and HTML5-based mobile learning content.

Captivate provides users the ability to design Interactive e-learning content that is attractive and informative.

Priced at $899, the Captivate 6 will feature better mobile access to boost learner engagement via the new HTML5 publishing, with pause and resume capabilities. Additionally, with HD screencast, users can create high-definition-quality demos within the new “capture-as-a-video” workflow.

Users can also edit video and add transitions, shapes, audio and captions. Hence, content creators (e-learning developers, corporate trainers, educators and other business users) will now be able to deliver dynamic, SCORM- and AICC-compliant course content.

Adobe Captivate 6 will be immediately available through Adobe authorized resellers and the Adobe Store. The earlier e-learning software, Captivate 5.5 and Captivate 4 can be upgraded at discounted prices of $359 and $539, respectively.

E-learning is the computer and network-enabled transfer of skills and knowledge. These applications and processes include web-based learning, computer-based learning, virtual education opportunities and digital collaboration, wherein the content is delivered via the Internet, intranet/extranet, audio or video tape, satellite TV and CD-ROM.

According to a report by Ambient Insight, the worldwide market for self-paced e-learning products and services reached $32.1 billion in 2010. The five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is 9.2% and revenues are expected to grow to $49.9 billion by 2015.

Agilent’s second quarter revenue was up 6.0% sequentially and 3.3% year over year, better than management’s expectations of a 4-5% sequential increase ($1.70 billion to $1.72 billion), led by strength across multiple end-markets and product lines.

The company’s products have been widely accepted in the past, enabling it to build a strong position for itself. In fact, Adobe Captivate is widely recognized as the industry leading rapid e-learning authoring software tool and has become the must-have software package for e-learning professionals.

Management is trying to grow its market share by introducing new products and warding off competition from companies like Teradyne (TER - Analyst Report), Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (TMO - Analyst Report) and Danaher Corp. (DHR - Analyst Report).

Currently, Agilent has a Zacks Rank #3, implying a short-term Hold recommendation.