Beating the analysts’ average estimates of 42 cents per share first-quarter earnings, software-maker Abode systems Inc. reported an almost 45 cents per share earnings, excluding items, for the period that ended February 27.

The San Jose, California-based company had forecast its first-quarter revenue to lie between $783 million and $786 million; the figures being less than both the Wall Street estimate of $795 million as well as the company’s earlier estimates of between $800 million and $850 million.

In a statement of preliminary earnings, Abode - the world’s largest maker of graphic design programs like Photoshop, Flash and Acrobat – said that in order to bring itself amid profit, the company had to cut jobs due to plunging demand.

With fall in demand hitting sales of Abode’s recent upgrade to Acrobat document imaging programs, and its upgrades to a new Creative Suite line of programs, dubbed CS4, Shantanu Narayen, Abode CEO, announced an 8 percent hacking of the company’s workforce, comprising 600 employees, in December.

Narayen said in Abode’s news release: “Despite worsening market conditions, we were able to manage expenses to deliver earnings and margin results within the target ranges.”

With the Abode shares rising 7.2 percent in late trading, the company expects a second-quarter revenue between $675 million and $725 million, while analysts forecast $778 million!