Tearsheet

Salesforce (CRM)


Market Price (4/25/2026): $177.93 | Market Cap: $166.4 Bil
Sector: Information Technology | Industry: Application Software

Salesforce (CRM)


Market Price (4/25/2026): $177.93
Market Cap: $166.4 Bil
Sector: Information Technology
Industry: Application Software

Investment Highlights Why It Matters Detailed financial logic regarding cash flow yields vs trend-riding momentum.

0

Attractive yield
Total YieldTotal Yield = Earnings Yield + Dividend Yield, Earnings Yield = Net Income / Market Cap Dividend Yield = Total Dividends / Market Cap is 5.2%, FCF Yield is 8.6%

Attractive cash flow generation
CFO/Rev LTMCash Flow from Operations / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 36%, FCF/Rev LTMFree Cash Flow / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 35%, CFO LTM is 15 Bil, FCF LTM is 14 Bil

Valuation becoming less expensive
P/S 6M Chg %Price/Sales change over 6 months. Declining P/S indicates valuation has become less expensive. is -28%

Stock buyback support
Stock Buyback 3Y Total is 28 Bil

Low stock price volatility
Vol 12M is 35%

Megatrend and thematic drivers
Megatrends include Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, E-commerce & Digital Retail, and Digital Advertising. Show more.

Weak multi-year price returns
2Y Excs Rtn is -77%, 3Y Excs Rtn is -82%

Key risks
CRM key risks include [1] intense competition from rival AI offerings hampering product demand and [2] significant cybersecurity threats targeting its vast repository of sensitive customer data.

0 Attractive yield
Total YieldTotal Yield = Earnings Yield + Dividend Yield, Earnings Yield = Net Income / Market Cap Dividend Yield = Total Dividends / Market Cap is 5.2%, FCF Yield is 8.6%
1 Attractive cash flow generation
CFO/Rev LTMCash Flow from Operations / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 36%, FCF/Rev LTMFree Cash Flow / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 35%, CFO LTM is 15 Bil, FCF LTM is 14 Bil
2 Valuation becoming less expensive
P/S 6M Chg %Price/Sales change over 6 months. Declining P/S indicates valuation has become less expensive. is -28%
3 Stock buyback support
Stock Buyback 3Y Total is 28 Bil
4 Low stock price volatility
Vol 12M is 35%
5 Megatrend and thematic drivers
Megatrends include Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, E-commerce & Digital Retail, and Digital Advertising. Show more.
6 Weak multi-year price returns
2Y Excs Rtn is -77%, 3Y Excs Rtn is -82%
7 Key risks
CRM key risks include [1] intense competition from rival AI offerings hampering product demand and [2] significant cybersecurity threats targeting its vast repository of sensitive customer data.

Valuation, Metrics & Events

Price Chart

Why The Stock Moved

Qualitative Assessment

AI Analysis | Feedback

Salesforce (CRM) stock has lost about 35% since 12/31/2025 because of the following key factors:

1. Conservative Fiscal Year 2027 Guidance Disappointed Investors.

Salesforce reported strong fourth quarter fiscal year 2026 earnings on February 25, 2026, with an Earnings Per Share (EPS) of $3.81, significantly beating the consensus estimate of $3.05, and revenue of $11.20 billion, slightly above analyst estimates of $11.18 billion. However, the company's forward-looking guidance for fiscal year 2027 projected conservative revenue growth of 10-11%, which "failed to satisfy a market hungry for the triple-digit "AI alpha" promised during the 2024–2025 hype cycle" and triggered "market fears about reduced revenue forecasts."

2. Intensified Concerns Regarding AI Monetization and Increased Competition.

A significant factor contributing to the stock's decline was "rising concerns that general-purpose AI tools could erode demand for niche enterprise software" and "slower artificial intelligence implementation than expected." The market has been actively debating "the monetization of AI within the enterprise software space", with "growing concerns about the rate of AI returns and increasing competition." Notably, Microsoft and ServiceNow have been identified as mounting competitive pressures.

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Stock Movement Drivers

Fundamental Drivers

The -32.6% change in CRM stock from 12/31/2025 to 4/24/2026 was primarily driven by a -35.6% change in the company's P/E Multiple.
(LTM values as of)123120254242026Change
Stock Price ($)264.25178.16-32.6%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)40,31741,5253.0%
Net Income Margin (%)17.9%18.0%0.3%
P/E Multiple34.722.3-35.6%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)9489351.4%
Cumulative Contribution-32.6%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

12/31/2025 to 4/24/2026
ReturnCorrelation
CRM-32.6% 
Market (SPY)4.2%18.9%
Sector (XLK)11.3%28.5%

Fundamental Drivers

The -24.5% change in CRM stock from 9/30/2025 to 4/24/2026 was primarily driven by a -34.0% change in the company's P/E Multiple.
(LTM values as of)93020254242026Change
Stock Price ($)236.03178.16-24.5%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)39,50241,5255.1%
Net Income Margin (%)16.9%18.0%6.5%
P/E Multiple33.922.3-34.0%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)9569352.2%
Cumulative Contribution-24.5%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

9/30/2025 to 4/24/2026
ReturnCorrelation
CRM-24.5% 
Market (SPY)7.0%23.7%
Sector (XLK)13.9%31.0%

Fundamental Drivers

The -33.0% change in CRM stock from 3/31/2025 to 4/24/2026 was primarily driven by a -45.7% change in the company's P/E Multiple.
(LTM values as of)33120254242026Change
Stock Price ($)265.95178.16-33.0%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)37,89541,5259.6%
Net Income Margin (%)16.4%18.0%9.8%
P/E Multiple41.222.3-45.7%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)9599352.6%
Cumulative Contribution-33.0%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

3/31/2025 to 4/24/2026
ReturnCorrelation
CRM-33.0% 
Market (SPY)28.1%46.7%
Sector (XLK)55.9%48.8%

Fundamental Drivers

The -9.5% change in CRM stock from 3/31/2023 to 4/24/2026 was primarily driven by a -97.6% change in the company's P/E Multiple.
(LTM values as of)33120234242026Change
Stock Price ($)196.89178.16-9.5%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)31,35241,52532.4%
Net Income Margin (%)0.7%18.0%2606.8%
P/E Multiple930.522.3-97.6%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)9839355.1%
Cumulative Contribution-9.5%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

3/31/2023 to 4/24/2026
ReturnCorrelation
CRM-9.5% 
Market (SPY)79.8%48.7%
Sector (XLK)116.4%49.9%

Return vs. Risk

Price Returns Compared

 202120222023202420252026Total [1]
Returns
CRM Return14%-48%98%28%-20%-34%-21%
Peers Return37%-34%70%24%-12%-29%19%
S&P 500 Return27%-19%24%23%16%4%89%

Monthly Win Rates [3]
CRM Win Rate58%33%50%67%42%0% 
Peers Win Rate60%30%67%58%37%15% 
S&P 500 Win Rate75%42%67%75%67%50% 

Max Drawdowns [4]
CRM Max Drawdown-8%-50%0%-17%-32%-38% 
Peers Max Drawdown-11%-45%-5%-13%-30%-38% 
S&P 500 Max Drawdown-1%-25%-1%-2%-15%-7% 


[1] Cumulative total returns since the beginning of 2021
[2] Peers: MSFT, ORCL, ADBE, NOW, HUBS. See CRM Returns vs. Peers.
[3] Win Rate = % of calendar months in which monthly returns were positive
[4] Max drawdown represents maximum peak-to-trough decline within a year
[5] 2026 data is for the year up to 4/24/2026 (YTD)

How Low Can It Go

Unique KeyEventCRMS&P 500
2022 Inflation Shock2022 Inflation Shock  
2022 Inflation Shock% Loss% Loss-58.6%-25.4%
2022 Inflation Shock% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven141.6%34.1%
2022 Inflation ShockTime to BreakevenTime to Breakeven441 days464 days
2020 Covid Pandemic2020 Covid Pandemic  
2020 Covid Pandemic% Loss% Loss-35.7%-33.9%
2020 Covid Pandemic% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven55.6%51.3%
2020 Covid PandemicTime to BreakevenTime to Breakeven112 days148 days
2018 Correction2018 Correction  
2018 Correction% Loss% Loss-24.8%-19.8%
2018 Correction% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven32.9%24.7%
2018 CorrectionTime to BreakevenTime to Breakeven84 days120 days
2008 Global Financial Crisis2008 Global Financial Crisis  
2008 Global Financial Crisis% Loss% Loss-70.5%-56.8%
2008 Global Financial Crisis% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven238.9%131.3%
2008 Global Financial CrisisTime to BreakevenTime to Breakeven405 days1,480 days

Compare to MSFT, ORCL, ADBE, NOW, HUBS

In The Past

Salesforce's stock fell -58.6% during the 2022 Inflation Shock from a high on 11/8/2021. A -58.6% loss requires a 141.6% gain to breakeven.

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About Salesforce (CRM)

Salesforce, Inc. provides customer relationship management technology that brings companies and customers together worldwide. Its Customer 360 platform empowers its customers to work together to deliver connected experiences for their customers. The company's service offerings include Sales to store data, monitor leads and progress, forecast opportunities, gain insights through analytics and relationship intelligence, and deliver quotes, contracts, and invoices; and Service that enables companies to deliver trusted and highly personalized customer service and support at scale. Its service offerings also comprise flexible platform that enables companies of various sizes, locations, and industries to build business apps to bring them closer to their customers with drag-and-drop tools; online learning platform that allows anyone to learn in-demand Salesforce skills; and Slack, a system of engagement. In addition, the company's service offerings include Marketing offering that enables companies to plan, personalize, and optimize one-to-one customer marketing journeys; and Commerce offering, which empowers brands to unify the customer experience across mobile, web, social, and store commerce points. Further, its service offerings comprise Tableau, an end-to-end analytics solution serving various enterprise use cases; and MuleSoft, an integration offering that allows its customers to unlock data across their enterprise. The company provides its service offering for customers in financial services, healthcare and life sciences, manufacturing, and other industries. It also offers professional services; and in-person and online courses to certify its customers and partners on architecting, administering, deploying, and developing its service offerings. The company provides its services through direct sales; and consulting firms, systems integrators, and other partners. Salesforce, Inc. was incorporated in 1999 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

AI Analysis | Feedback

  • Salesforce is like SAP for customer relationships, providing a comprehensive cloud platform instead of ERP.
  • Salesforce is like Oracle for a company's sales, service, and marketing departments, offering an integrated suite of cloud-based applications.

AI Analysis | Feedback

  • Sales Cloud: Enables businesses to store data, monitor leads, forecast opportunities, and manage quotes and contracts.
  • Service Cloud: Provides tools for delivering trusted and highly personalized customer service and support at scale.
  • Salesforce Platform: Offers a flexible platform with drag-and-drop tools for building custom business applications.
  • Trailhead (Online Learning Platform): Allows individuals to learn in-demand Salesforce skills and earn certifications.
  • Slack: A comprehensive system of engagement for team communication and collaboration.
  • Marketing Cloud: Helps companies plan, personalize, and optimize one-to-one customer marketing journeys.
  • Commerce Cloud: Empowers brands to unify the customer experience across mobile, web, social, and physical store commerce points.
  • Tableau: An end-to-end analytics solution for various enterprise use cases.
  • MuleSoft: An integration offering designed to unlock data across an enterprise.

AI Analysis | Feedback

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  • Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN)
  • Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL)
  • Microsoft Corporation (MSFT)

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Marc Benioff, Chair and CEO

Marc Benioff is the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Salesforce. He graduated from the University of Southern California and began his career at Oracle Corporation, where he became its youngest vice president at 26 years old during his 13-year tenure. Benioff demonstrated entrepreneurial spirit early on, founding Liberty Software at age 15 to create and sell video games, which helped fund his college education. He co-founded Salesforce in 1999, envisioning a cloud-based platform for customer relationship management, a radical departure from traditional on-premises software. Benioff is also the owner of Time magazine since 2018 and has established Time Ventures, a venture capital fund.

Robin Washington, President and Chief Operating and Financial Officer (COFO)

Robin Washington became President and Chief Operating and Financial Officer (COFO) of Salesforce, effective March 21, 2025, a newly created role combining operational and financial leadership. She has a significant history with Salesforce, having served on its Board of Directors since 2013, and as Lead Independent Director from 2022 until March 2025. Prior to her current role, Washington held several prominent finance positions, including Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Gilead Sciences (2008–2019), CFO at Hyperion Solutions (2006–2007), and Chief Accounting Officer at PeopleSoft. She is a Certified Public Accountant and serves on the boards of other major companies, including Alphabet Inc., Eikon Therapeutics, Honeywell International, and Vertiv Holdings Co.

Parker Harris, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

Parker Harris is a co-founder of Salesforce and currently serves as its Chief Technology Officer. He is instrumental in defining Salesforce's technology vision, overseeing its architecture, and leading the engineering teams for products like Slack. Before co-founding Salesforce, Harris co-founded Left Coast Software and contributed to field sales automation at Metropolis Software.

David Schmaier, President and Chief Strategy Officer

David Schmaier is the President and Chief Strategy Officer at Salesforce. He spearheads strategic priorities including M&A and venture capital, and oversees stakeholder capitalism and corporate philanthropy efforts. Schmaier joined Salesforce through the acquisition of Vlocity, where he was the Co-Founder and CEO from 2014 to 2020. Before Vlocity, he was a founding executive and Executive Vice President at Siebel Systems. He also serves as a strategic advisory board member for Genstar Capital, a private equity firm.

Sabastian Niles, President and Chief Legal Officer

Sabastian Niles is the President and Chief Legal Officer at Salesforce, a position he assumed in 2023. He leads the company's global legal and corporate affairs, including government affairs, public policy, and the Office of Ethical and Humane Use of Technology and Responsible AI. Prior to joining Salesforce, Niles was a partner at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, where he specialized in advising global companies on corporate governance, enterprise risk oversight, stakeholder and shareholder affairs, strategic investments, and mergers and acquisitions.

AI Analysis | Feedback

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Key Risks to Salesforce (CRM)

  1. Intensifying Competition and AI Disruption: Salesforce faces significant risks from an aggressive AI "arms race" with well-funded technology giants like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, who are embedding advanced AI capabilities directly into their competing platforms. This could potentially erode Salesforce's unique value proposition and market dominance in the software-as-a-service (SaaS) sector. There's also a threat from AI-first approaches that could entirely bypass traditional CRM systems, as some organizations might view AI as capable of managing customer relationships without dedicated CRM infrastructure. While Salesforce is heavily investing in AI, there's an execution risk, and the monetization of these investments may take time to translate into significant revenue contributions, contributing to investor unease about future AI-driven growth and competitive pressure.
  2. Cybersecurity Risks and Data Privacy/Compliance: Salesforce environments, which often house sensitive organizational data, are prime targets for cyberattacks. Key cybersecurity threats include data exposure due to complex permission models, sensitive data residing in inappropriate locations, API connection vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and a disconnect between Salesforce administrators and security teams. Recent significant cyberattacks, particularly those exploiting third-party integrations and misconfigured guest user profiles, underscore the ongoing and evolving nature of these threats. Furthermore, increasing global data privacy regulations, such as GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA, create complex operational challenges and compliance costs for Salesforce. Failure to adhere to these evolving regulatory requirements can lead to substantial fines, legal actions, reputational damage, and a loss of customer trust.
  3. Slowing Revenue Growth and Macroeconomic Headwinds: Salesforce has experienced a deceleration in its revenue growth, with recent guidance suggesting a slowdown. This trend is partly attributed to cautious enterprise spending in an uncertain economic environment, where businesses are elongating purchase cycles and scrutinizing budgets more closely. Ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions can further affect overall enterprise IT spending, directly impacting Salesforce's growth. The company's reliance on a subscription-based revenue model means it must continuously deliver value and innovate to retain customers, as any significant customer attrition or lower renewal rates could impact its financial stability.
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AI Analysis | Feedback

Microsoft's accelerating integration of advanced AI capabilities (such as through its Copilot offerings) across its extensive enterprise ecosystem, including Dynamics 365, Office 365, and Azure, presents a clear emerging threat. This strategy aims to provide a unified, AI-powered business platform that could challenge Salesforce's comprehensive Customer 360 platform by offering an alternative 'all-in-one' solution for customers seeking deeply integrated productivity, collaboration, and CRM functionalities from a single vendor.

AI Analysis | Feedback

Here are the addressable market sizes for Salesforce's main products or services:

  • Sales Cloud (CRM Software): The global Customer Relationship Management (CRM) market size was valued at approximately USD 112.91 billion in 2025.
  • Service Cloud (Customer Service Software): The global customer service software market is projected to reach USD 51.3 billion in 2025.
  • Platform (Low-Code Application Development Platform): The global low-code development platform market is estimated to be valued at USD 35.2 billion in 2025.
  • Slack (Collaboration Software): The global team collaboration software market size was USD 27.89 billion in 2025.
  • Marketing Cloud (Marketing Automation Software): The global marketing automation software market size was valued at USD 11.42 billion in 2024.
  • Commerce Cloud (E-commerce Platform): The global e-commerce platform market size was estimated at USD 9.40 billion in 2024.
  • Tableau (Business Intelligence & Analytics): The global business intelligence software market size was estimated at USD 40.13 billion in 2025.
  • MuleSoft (Integration Platform as a Service - iPaaS): The global integration platform as a service (iPaaS) market size was valued at USD 15.63 billion in 2025.

AI Analysis | Feedback

Salesforce (CRM) is expected to drive future revenue growth over the next two to three years through several key strategies:

  1. Expansion and Monetization of AI-Driven Products: A primary driver is the continued growth and monetization of Salesforce's artificial intelligence (AI) offerings, particularly Agentforce and Data Cloud. Agentforce has demonstrated significant annual recurring revenue (ARR) growth and is central to Salesforce's vision of becoming the "Agentic Enterprise," integrating AI across sales, service, marketing, and Slack. The company is actively monetizing AI through premium SKUs, new seat additions, and flexible credits for agentic use cases.
  2. Enhanced Cross-Selling and Platform Adoption: Salesforce is focused on deepening customer relationships by expanding the adoption of its comprehensive Customer 360 platform and various cloud offerings. The company emphasizes delivering a full suite of its clouds, with a notable increase in deals that include six or more clouds. This strategy aims to increase average revenue per user (ARPU) by cross-selling Data Cloud, Service, and Slack.
  3. Strategic Acquisitions: Future revenue growth is also anticipated from strategic acquisitions. The Informatica acquisition, completed in late 2025, is expected to be accretive to the Data Cloud segment starting in fiscal year 2027 and act as a catalyst for growth. Salesforce plans to continue with disciplined, AI-centric "tuck-in" acquisitions with clear cross-sell paths.
  4. Targeted Customer and Market Expansion: Salesforce is expanding its customer base by targeting new segments, such as small businesses, through solutions like Salesforce Starter, which bundles sales, service, marketing, AI, and Data Cloud. Additionally, the company is investing in international expansion, increasing local cloud infrastructure, and democratizing CRM access in high-growth regions like Asia-Pacific.
  5. Optimized Pricing and Packaging: Salesforce's evolving pricing and packaging strategy is designed to drive higher sales and deliver increased value to companies of all sizes and industries. This approach contributes to revenue growth by optimizing how its products and services are offered to the market.

AI Analysis | Feedback

Capital Allocation Decisions for Salesforce (CRM)

Share Repurchases

  • Salesforce announced a $50 billion share repurchase program in February 2026, which replaced all prior authorizations.
  • In March 2026, the company entered into accelerated share repurchase agreements totaling $25 billion, funded by the sale of senior notes.
  • Over the three years leading up to February 2026, Salesforce repurchased $28 billion in shares.

Share Issuance

  • Salesforce's annual "Shares Issued" amounted to approximately $1.5 billion for fiscal year 2025.
  • The quarterly value for "Shares Issued" was $239.0 million in Q4 2025.
  • The company's annual shares outstanding have generally decreased over the last few years, from 981 million in 2023 to 962 million in 2025.

Outbound Investments

  • Salesforce plans to invest $15 billion in San Francisco over five years starting from October 2025, primarily to establish a new AI Incubator Hub and foster the AI ecosystem.
  • Key acquisitions include Informatica for $8 billion (definitive agreement signed in 2025), Own Company for $1.9 billion (November 2024), and Zoomin for $450 million (January 2025).
  • The company also acquired Slack for $27.7 billion in December 2020, significantly enhancing its collaboration capabilities.

Capital Expenditures

  • Salesforce's capital expenditures were -$717 million in fiscal year 2022, -$798 million in fiscal year 2023, -$736 million in fiscal year 2024, -$658 million in fiscal year 2025, and -$594 million in fiscal year 2026.
  • Capital expenditures averaged $652.3 million annually from fiscal years ending January 2021 to 2025, peaking at $730.5 million in January 2023.

Better Bets vs. Salesforce (CRM)

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0.0%0.0%0.0%
DBX_3272026_Dip_Buyer_FCFYield03272026DBXDropboxDip BuyDB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin
2.6%2.6%0.0%
DLB_3272026_Dip_Buyer_FCFYield03272026DLBDolby LaboratoriesDip BuyDB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin
3.5%3.5%0.0%
PTC_3272026_Dip_Buyer_FCFYield03272026PTCPTCDip BuyDB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin
3.5%3.5%0.0%
CRM_11212025_Dip_Buyer_FCFYield11212025CRMSalesforceDip BuyDB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin
-17.7%-17.7%-21.4%

Recent Active Movers

Peer Comparisons

Peers to compare with:

Financials

CRMMSFTORCLADBENOWHUBSMedian
NameSalesfor.MicrosoftOracle Adobe ServiceN.HubSpot  
Mkt Price178.16424.62173.28245.4490.17223.32200.74
Mkt Cap166.63,155.4498.0100.693.311.7133.6
Rev LTM41,525305,45364,07724,45313,9603,13132,989
Op Inc LTM8,917142,55920,6788,9611,876118,939
FCF LTM14,40277,412-24,73610,3174,6245777,470
FCF 3Y Avg12,11171,629-2,2228,6653,8004326,233
CFO LTM14,996160,50623,51410,5075,43776112,752
CFO 3Y Avg12,774129,57920,8338,8854,62657010,829

Growth & Margins

CRMMSFTORCLADBENOWHUBSMedian
NameSalesfor.MicrosoftOracle Adobe ServiceN.HubSpot  
Rev Chg LTM9.6%16.7%14.9%11.0%21.7%19.2%15.8%
Rev Chg 3Y Avg9.8%14.4%10.2%10.8%22.4%21.9%12.6%
Rev Chg Q12.1%16.7%21.7%12.0%22.1%20.4%18.6%
QoQ Delta Rev Chg LTM3.0%4.0%5.0%2.9%5.1%4.8%4.4%
Op Inc Chg LTM16.3%21.1%16.6%12.1%26.5%117.9%18.8%
Op Inc Chg 3Y Avg89.0%19.9%13.7%13.7%71.1%51.9%35.9%
Op Mgn LTM21.5%46.7%32.3%36.6%13.4%0.4%26.9%
Op Mgn 3Y Avg19.6%45.3%31.2%36.0%12.1%-2.3%25.4%
QoQ Delta Op Mgn LTM-0.6%0.4%0.3%0.0%-0.3%1.9%0.2%
CFO/Rev LTM36.1%52.5%36.7%43.0%38.9%24.3%37.8%
CFO/Rev 3Y Avg33.3%48.5%36.2%39.8%39.9%21.1%38.0%
FCF/Rev LTM34.7%25.3%-38.6%42.2%33.1%18.4%29.2%
FCF/Rev 3Y Avg31.6%27.2%-1.6%38.8%32.7%15.9%29.4%

Valuation

CRMMSFTORCLADBENOWHUBSMedian
NameSalesfor.MicrosoftOracle Adobe ServiceN.HubSpot  
Mkt Cap166.63,155.4498.0100.693.311.7133.6
P/S4.010.37.84.16.73.75.4
P/Op Inc18.722.124.111.249.81,026.023.1
P/EBIT18.721.222.210.938.9166.521.7
P/E22.326.530.714.053.1255.228.6
P/CFO11.119.721.29.617.215.416.3
Total Yield5.2%4.6%4.4%7.2%1.9%0.4%4.5%
Dividend Yield0.7%0.8%1.1%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.4%
FCF Yield 3Y Avg4.5%2.3%0.4%6.2%2.8%1.6%2.5%
D/E0.10.00.30.10.00.00.0
Net D/E0.0-0.00.2-0.0-0.0-0.1-0.0

Returns

CRMMSFTORCLADBENOWHUBSMedian
NameSalesfor.MicrosoftOracle Adobe ServiceN.HubSpot  
1M Rtn-1.8%14.4%19.1%3.5%-12.5%-6.2%0.8%
3M Rtn-21.7%-8.7%-1.8%-18.5%-32.3%-30.8%-20.1%
6M Rtn-29.8%-18.6%-38.5%-30.6%-51.5%-52.5%-34.5%
12M Rtn-32.2%10.5%27.3%-32.0%-52.0%-62.8%-32.1%
3Y Rtn-5.2%57.8%90.8%-33.6%1.9%-44.4%-1.6%
1M Excs Rtn-10.5%5.7%10.4%-5.2%-21.2%-14.9%-7.9%
3M Excs Rtn-25.3%-12.3%-5.5%-22.1%-35.9%-34.4%-23.7%
6M Excs Rtn-37.2%-25.0%-43.0%-37.6%-58.8%-59.4%-40.3%
12M Excs Rtn-61.6%-19.0%-0.1%-63.5%-77.8%-93.8%-62.6%
3Y Excs Rtn-81.6%-21.8%14.9%-107.9%-77.7%-119.2%-79.6%

Comparison Analyses

Financials

Segment Financials

Revenue by Segment
$ Mil20262025202420232022
Agentforce Service9,0548,2457,3696,4745,377
Agentforce Sales8,3227,5806,8315,9895,191
Agentforce 360 Platform, Slack and Other7,2476,6115,9674,5093,324
Agentforce Integration and Agentforce Analytics5,7755,1894,3383,7832,951
Agentforce Marketing and Agentforce Commerce5,2814,9124,5163,9023,133
Professional services and other2,2162,3202,3311,8351,276
Total37,89534,85731,35226,49221,252


Price Behavior

Price Behavior
Market Price$178.16 
Market Cap ($ Bil)166.6 
First Trading Date06/23/2004 
Distance from 52W High-38.4% 
   50 Days200 Days
DMA Price$186.87$229.67
DMA Trenddowndown
Distance from DMA-4.7%-22.4%
 3M1YR
Volatility45.2%34.4%
Downside Capture1.080.83
Upside Capture42.5159.82
Correlation (SPY)14.8%31.9%
CRM Betas & Captures as of 3/31/2026

 1M2M3M6M1Y3Y
Beta-0.560.420.620.760.931.10
Up Beta2.031.041.540.920.971.00
Down Beta-1.87-1.19-0.98-0.060.791.06
Up Capture-75%61%40%72%61%121%
Bmk +ve Days7162765139424
Stock +ve Days10192560127387
Down Capture13%115%176%132%118%107%
Bmk -ve Days12233358110323
Stock -ve Days12233866125364

[1] Upside and downside betas calculated using positive and negative benchmark daily returns respectively
Based On 1-Year Data
Annualized
Return
Annualized
Volatility
Sharpe
Ratio
Correlation
with CRM
CRM-28.4%34.9%-0.90-
Sector ETF (XLK)62.8%20.7%2.2535.9%
Equity (SPY)34.0%12.6%2.0532.3%
Gold (GLD)42.9%27.2%1.29-10.6%
Commodities (DBC)46.4%18.0%1.97-3.6%
Real Estate (VNQ)14.2%13.3%0.747.1%
Bitcoin (BTCUSD)-16.6%42.1%-0.3217.4%

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Based On 5-Year Data
Annualized
Return
Annualized
Volatility
Sharpe
Ratio
Correlation
with CRM
CRM-4.7%36.3%-0.05-
Sector ETF (XLK)18.5%24.8%0.6761.5%
Equity (SPY)12.7%17.1%0.5859.5%
Gold (GLD)21.2%17.8%0.971.7%
Commodities (DBC)14.5%19.1%0.628.2%
Real Estate (VNQ)3.7%18.8%0.1037.4%
Bitcoin (BTCUSD)7.0%56.3%0.3426.5%

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Based On 10-Year Data
Annualized
Return
Annualized
Volatility
Sharpe
Ratio
Correlation
with CRM
CRM9.0%34.9%0.34-
Sector ETF (XLK)23.2%24.4%0.8766.6%
Equity (SPY)14.9%17.9%0.7162.2%
Gold (GLD)13.9%15.9%0.733.6%
Commodities (DBC)10.1%17.8%0.4716.3%
Real Estate (VNQ)5.4%20.7%0.2339.5%
Bitcoin (BTCUSD)68.3%66.9%1.0719.0%

Smart multi-asset allocation framework can stack odds in your favor. Learn How

Short Interest

Short Interest: As Of Date4152026
Short Interest: Shares Quantity74.1 Mil
Short Interest: % Change Since 3312026-4.8%
Average Daily Volume14.2 Mil
Days-to-Cover Short Interest5.2 days
Basic Shares Quantity935.0 Mil
Short % of Basic Shares7.9%

Earnings Returns History

Expand for More
 Forward Returns
Earnings Date1D Returns5D Returns21D Returns
2/25/20264.0%0.7%-3.2%
12/3/20253.7%10.7%10.3%
9/3/2025-4.9%-5.4%-6.7%
5/28/2025-3.3%-4.7%-0.8%
2/26/2025-4.0%-5.0%-9.6%
12/3/202411.0%5.2%0.6%
8/28/2024-0.7%-4.9%7.0%
5/29/2024-19.7%-12.9%-5.3%
...
SUMMARY STATS   
# Positive121112
# Negative121312
Median Positive4.7%5.2%7.7%
Median Negative-4.8%-6.3%-7.2%
Max Positive26.0%30.2%17.5%
Max Negative-19.7%-18.6%-18.3%

SEC Filings

Expand for More
Report DateFiling DateFiling
01/31/202603/02/202610-K
10/31/202512/04/202510-Q
07/31/202509/04/202510-Q
04/30/202505/29/202510-Q
01/31/202503/05/202510-K
10/31/202412/04/202410-Q
07/31/202408/29/202410-Q
04/30/202405/30/202410-Q
01/31/202403/06/202410-K
10/31/202311/30/202310-Q
07/31/202308/31/202310-Q
04/30/202306/01/202310-Q
01/31/202303/08/202310-K
10/31/202212/01/202210-Q
07/31/202208/25/202210-Q
04/30/202206/01/202210-Q

Recent Forward Guidance [BETA]

Latest: Q4 2026 Earnings Reported 2/25/2026

Forward GuidanceGuidance Change
MetricLowMidHigh% Chg% DeltaChangePrior
Q1 2027 Revenue11.03 Bil11.05 Bil11.08 Bil   
Q1 2027 Diluted net income per share1.771.781.79   
2027 Revenue45.80 Bil46.00 Bil46.20 Bil10.8% Higher NewActual: 41.50 Bil for 2026
2027 Diluted net income per share7.857.897.939.1% Higher NewActual: 7.23 for 2026
2027 Operating margin 20.9% 3.0%0.6%Higher NewActual: 20.3% for 2026
2027 Operating cash flow growth9.0%9.5%10.0%-29.6% Lower NewActual: 13.5% for 2026
2030 Revenue 63.00 Bil    

Prior: Q3 2026 Earnings Reported 12/3/2025

Forward GuidanceGuidance Change
MetricLowMidHigh% Chg% DeltaChangePrior
Q4 2026 Revenue11.13 Bil11.18 Bil11.23 Bil  Higher New
Q4 2026 EPS1.471.481.49  Higher New
2026 Revenue41.45 Bil41.50 Bil41.55 Bil0.7% RaisedGuidance: 41.20 Bil for 2026
2026 EPS7.227.237.24  Higher New
2026 Operating Margin 20.3% -4.2%-0.9%LoweredGuidance: 21.2% for 2026
2026 Operating Cash Flow Growth13.0%13.5%14.0%8.0%1.0%RaisedGuidance: 12.5% for 2026
2026 Free Cash Flow Growth13.0%13.5%14.0%  Higher New

CRM Trade Sentinel


Stock Conviction

MARKET WEIGHT (Score 5-6)

CONVICTION RATIONALE

The final score reflects a compelling but high-risk investment case. The valuation is cheap and offers significant upside if the AI pivot is successful, justifying a high base score. However, this is balanced by the very real threat of core business deceleration, evidenced by weakening RPO, and intense competitive pressure from Microsoft. This is a classic 'battleground' stock where the outcome is uncertain, making a Market Weight position appropriate until there is clearer evidence that the new AI growth engine is decisively winning.

STOCK ARCHETYPE
Type F: 'Transition / Profit Pivot'

Salesforce is a former high-growth company that is now focusing on profitability, FCF generation, and attempting to re-ignite growth through a significant pivot to its AI-driven 'Agentforce' platform. This perfectly aligns with the 'Transition / Profit Pivot' archetype.

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INVESTMENT THESIS
Agentforce & Data Cloud ARR Ramp Offsetting Core Cloud Deceleration

Salesforce is successfully layering a new, hyper-growth AI and Data business on top of its mature CRM core. This new revenue stream is growing fast enough to offset the natural deceleration in the legacy business, re-accelerating blended revenue growth and driving margin expansion.

Mechanism: The company is upselling new, premium-priced AI and Data products (Agentforce, Data 360) into its massive existing enterprise customer base, leveraging its deep integrations and high switching costs to drive adoption.
Supporting Evidence:
  • Agentforce & Data 360 combined ARR reached over $2.9 billion in Q4 FY2026, growing over 200% YoY.
  • Agentforce-specific ARR reached $800 million in its first full year, growing 169% YoY.
  • In Q4 FY2026, seven of the top ten largest customer deals included components of the Agentforce AI platform.
  • Current RPO growth of +16% YoY is outpacing overall revenue growth, signaling future acceleration.
PRIMARY RISK
Microsoft Dynamics/Copilot Bundling Compressing Pricing Power and Share in Core CRM

Microsoft is aggressively bundling its 'good enough' Dynamics 365 and Copilot AI tools with its ubiquitous Office 365 and Azure platforms. This creates significant pricing pressure and threatens to erode Salesforce's market share in the core Sales and Service clouds, which remain the primary profit engine.

Mechanism: The primary friction is a combination of slower growth and margin compression in the core business. Microsoft's ability to offer a deeply integrated and potentially lower-cost bundle could lead to lower net new customer wins, higher churn, and an inability to push through price increases for Salesforce.
Supporting Evidence:
  • Core growth is decelerating, with both Current RPO and Total RPO growth slowing in recent quarters.
  • Microsoft possesses a structural cost advantage by owning its own Azure cloud infrastructure, allowing for more aggressive bundling.
  • Salesforce's market share slightly decreased from 21.7% to 20.7% in the most recent year, despite the overall market growing.
Key KPI Watchlist
KPI Threshold Rationale
Agentforce & Data 360 ARR Growth>100% YoYThis is the primary evidence for the bull thesis. Sustained hyper-growth proves the new AI layer can offset core deceleration.
Current RPO (cRPO) GrowthStabilizing or re-accelerating above 15% YoYThis is the best leading indicator of core business health. A stabilization or re-acceleration would invalidate the bear case of a rapidly decaying core.
Non-GAAP Operating MarginExpansion towards 34.3% targetConfirms management's execution on the 'profit pivot' and demonstrates operating leverage, which is key for FCF generation and shareholder returns.
Core Investment Debate

AI Growth Engine vs. Core Business Erosion

BULL VIEW

Agentforce & Data Cloud ARR growth (>200% YoY) is a powerful new engine that will re-accelerate blended growth and drive significant margin expansion.

CORE TENSION

Can hyper-growth in the new Agentforce AI platform outpace the competitive pressure and deceleration of the core Sales and Service clouds from Microsoft's bundling strategy?


PREVAILING SENTIMENT
BEARISH

The core operational health is 'WEAKENING' with Current RPO growth decelerating, per the Market-Rewarded KPIs module. This supports the Bearish stance despite strong AI-layer growth.

BEAR VIEW

Slowing RPO growth confirms the core business is decaying under pressure from Microsoft, and the new AI revenue is not yet large enough to offset this decline.

Next 6 months: Risks and Catalysts
Timeline Event & Metric To Watch
Late May 2026
Q1 FY27 Earnings Call
Watch: Current RPO (cRPO) growth rate. Must stabilize above the 16% baseline from Q4 to counter the bear thesis of core business decay.
Late August 2026
Q2 FY27 Earnings Call & Guidance
Watch: FY27 Non-GAAP Operating Margin guidance. Watch for any retreat from the 34.3% target, which would signal pricing pressure from Microsoft is hitting profitability.
September 15-17, 2026
Dreamforce '26 AI Showcase
Watch: Headline: Tangible, generally available Agentforce products with clear pricing vs. theoretical concepts. Success is defined by concrete deliverables.
Late July 2026
Microsoft Q4 FY26 Earnings Call
Watch: Headline: Any specific commentary on Dynamics 365 + Copilot enterprise win rates against Salesforce. The key signal is competitive displacement.
Key Events in Last 6 Months
Date Event Stock Impact
Nov 1, 2025
Informatica Acquisition Completion
Details: Salesforce completed its acquisition of Informatica in November 2025, aimed at enhancing its data integration and governance capabilities for the Agentforce platform.
Flat (0.4%)
$259.34 -> $260.26
Dec 1, 2025
Executive Change Announcement
Details: Salesforce announced that David Ward from Lumen Technologies would assume the role of President and Chief Architect, a key technical leadership position.
Flat (0.8%)
$231.87 -> $233.74
Dec 3, 2025
Q3 FY2026 Earnings and Results
Details: Raised FY26 revenue guidance. Announced Agentforce & Data 360 ARR hit nearly $1.4 billion, a 114% YoY increase. Reported cRPO growth of 11% YoY.
Rose significantly by 3.7%
$237.74 -> $246.44
Feb 10, 2026
Executive Reshuffle & Layoffs
Details: Reports surfaced of workforce reductions affecting under 1,000 employees and a significant leadership reshuffle with six new appointments following five high-profile departures.
Fell notably by -4.4%
$192.96 -> $184.53
Feb 25, 2026
Q4 FY2026 Earnings and Results
Details: Reported Q4 revenue growth of +10% YoY. Agentforce ARR hit $800M (+169% YoY). However, core business health showed weakness with decelerating cRPO growth of +16% YoY.
Rose significantly by 4.0%
$191.27 -> $198.97
Apr 22, 2026
Google Cloud Partnership Expansion
Details: Salesforce and Google Cloud expanded their partnership, enabling AI agents to act across both platforms with deep context and end-to-end workflows.
Modest 1.4% gain
$187.11 -> $189.80
Risk Management
Position Sizing

1% - 3%

CONSERVATIVE

Stock is in an Explosive Volatility regime (3.3x S&P) with Spiking near-term fear. The Bearish sentiment and Contested Moat override the Cheap valuation, mandating a Conservative sizing to manage risk.

Diversification Alternatives
ROP
SECTOR

Unlike CRM's concentrated battle against Microsoft, ROP's diversified portfolio of niche, mission-critical software businesses provides a more durable, less volatile thesis.

Core Thesis: A high-quality compounder that acquires and operates defensible niche software businesses, generating strong free cash flow with a long track record of disciplined capital allocation.
PTC
INDUSTRY

Operates in industrial/engineering software (CAD, PLM), a sector with high switching costs and less existential threat from generative AI compared to CRM's knowledge-worker focus.

Core Thesis: PTC provides software for product design and lifecycle management, a sticky enterprise market. Its growth is driven by digital transformation in manufacturing and industrial sectors.
How Is The Market Pricing CRM?

Salesforce is transitioning from a portfolio of CRM applications into a unified, AI-first platform where automated 'agents' and human employees collaborate, driven by its Agentforce and Data Cloud offerings.

Filter all news through the lens of AI-driven growth and margin expansion. The key question is whether Agentforce and Data Cloud can re-accelerate growth and create a new, deeper moat.

What will confirm the thesis

Agentforce ARR growth >100% YoY; total RPO growth accelerating >15% YoY; large enterprise wins (> $10M) citing Agentforce as the driver; evidence of AI driving higher ARPU or seat expansion.

What will damage the thesis

Deceleration in RPO growth below revenue growth; named enterprise customers choosing Microsoft's Copilot stack over Agentforce; pricing pressure on core Sales or Service clouds; any signs of negative leverage or margin compression.

Noise: Real but irrelevant to thesis

Quarterly fluctuations in Professional Services revenue; individual benchmark comparisons with single-point competitors; executive commentary on macroeconomic conditions without specific impact metrics.

Repricing Catalyst

The rapid adoption of the Agentforce and Data 360 platforms, which collectively reached an Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) of over $2.9 billion in Q4 FY2026, growing over 200% YoY. This includes the Agentforce-specific ARR reaching $800 million, up 169% YoY, signaling a powerful new revenue stream and validation of its 'Agentic Enterprise' strategy. Management is targeting $60B+ in revenue by FY2030, implying a re-acceleration of growth.

What CRM Makes & Who Pays
TTM figures based on Q4 FY2026 Earnings Press Release, Feb 25 2026
Subscription & Support (Core CRM & Cloud Apps)
$39.4B TTM (95% of Total) · 77% Margin
What It Is

Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud, Commerce Cloud, Tableau Analytics, MuleSoft integration, Slack collaboration platform, and the core Agentforce 360 Platform.

Who Pays & How

Enterprises like Amazon, Ford, AT&T, and Pfizer pay recurring subscription fees to unify customer data and workflows. The platform's deep integration, extensive customization via the AppExchange, and high switching costs create significant customer lock-in.

Primarily per-user, per-month subscription fees, tiered by functionality. Billed annually in advance.
Competition
Microsoft (Dynamics 365 & Copilot AI)
Microsoft leverages its massive enterprise footprint to bundle Dynamics 365 and its Copilot AI tools with Office 365 and Azure, creating a compelling, integrated offering at a potential discount.
Salesforce's moat lies in its mature, highly-customizable platform, the AppExchange ecosystem with thousands of third-party apps, deep customer integration creating high switching costs, and its first-mover advantage in the pure-play cloud CRM market.
Professional Services & Other
$2.1B TTM (5% of Total) · 10% Margin
What It Is

Consulting, implementation, and training services to help customers deploy and customize Salesforce products.

Who Pays & How

Large enterprise customers pay for these services to ensure successful, large-scale deployments and to build custom applications on the Salesforce platform.

Project-based fees (fixed price or time and materials).
Competition
Accenture, Deloitte Digital, IBM iX
Global systems integrators have vast workforces and deep, long-standing C-level relationships across multiple industries.
Salesforce's Professional Services has unparalleled product knowledge and direct access to the product development teams, making it the preferred choice for complex or first-of-their-kind implementations.
CRM Evolution: Price Return by Era
1999–2004 · The SaaS Pioneer
Campaigning Against Software
Founded in 1999 by Marc Benioff and team, Salesforce championed the revolutionary 'No Software' model, delivering its CRM application over the internet. This era was defined by establishing the viability of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and culminated in its 2004 IPO, which raised $110 million.
2005–2015 · Platform & Multi-Cloud Expansion
Building the Ecosystem +1,200% (2005-2015)
This era was marked by the launch of the AppExchange marketplace in 2005, turning the CRM tool into a true platform. The company expanded beyond its core Sales application by launching Service Cloud (2009) and building out Marketing Cloud through major acquisitions like ExactTarget (2013), establishing its multi-product strategy.
2016–2022 · Hyper-Acquisition & Integration
Buying the Digital Transformation Stack +230% (2016-2021 peak)
Salesforce went on a massive acquisition spree to become the core of enterprise digital transformation. Key acquisitions included MuleSoft for data integration (2018), Tableau for analytics (2019), and a landmark $27.7 billion purchase of Slack for collaboration (2021), significantly broadening its TAM but also creating integration challenges.
2023–Present · The Agentic Enterprise
Pivoting to AI and Profitability -31% over prior year (as of Apr 2026)
Facing slowing growth and pressure from activist investors, Salesforce shifted focus to profitability and AI. The company launched its Einstein GPT and Agentforce platforms to embed generative AI across its clouds. This era is defined by the race to prove that AI can re-accelerate growth and create a new competitive moat, with Agentforce ARR reaching $800M in its first full year.
Market Appears To Be Skeptical Of Core Thesis
Price structure is in a downtrend. Multiple SMA levels broken and declining. Thesis requires reclaiming 200D before any bull case is credible. Relative to SPY: Lagging the market on the 63D window, but 'relative strength' is beginning to stabilize; watch for inflection. Volume and momentum are mixed. There is no clear institutional footprint in either direction. Earnings history is mildly cautionary. The reaction or drift are negative, and the market is beginning to push back on the thesis.
① Structure
-4
Structural pillar score (-4 to +4). Driven by trend regime, SMA cross events, proximity to 52W high, and relative strength vs SPY.
② Volume / Momentum
0
Volume/Momentum pillar score (-4 to +4). Driven by institutional footprint score, OBV divergence, and momentum character.
③ Catalyst
-1
Catalyst pillar score (-4 to +4). Driven by earnings day reaction, 20D post-earnings drift, and post-earnings volume character.
Combined Score
-5 / 12
1 Price Structure & Trend Downtrend · -
2 Momentum Deteriorating
3 Relative Strength vs. SPY Strong Underperformance
4 Institutional Footprint & Volume Neutral / Mixed
5 Volatility Expanded
6 Key Price Levels Range · Vol Flat
7 Earnings Reaction History Diminishing Reward
8 How the Verdict Is Derived Three Pillars