Salesforce, Inc. provides Customer Relationship Management (CRM) technology that brings companies and customers together worldwide. The company's service includes sales to store data, monitor leads and progress, forecast opportunities, gain insights through analytics and artificial intelligence, and deliver quotes, contracts, and invoices; and service that enables companies to deliver trusted and highly personalized customer support at scale. In addition, its platform offering comprise a flexible platform that enables companies of various sizes, locations, and industries to build business workflow and apps with customer; online learning platform that allows anyone to learn in-demand Salesforce skills; and Slack, an intelligent productivity platform. The company's marketing services enables companies to plan, personalize, automate, and optimize customer marketing journey, connecting interaction, and connected products; and commerce services, which empowers shopping experience across various customer touchpoint, such as mobile, web, social, and stores and provides click-to-code tools that offers customers to build and deploy solutions. Further, its analytics offering includes Tableau, an end-to-end analytics solution for range of enterprise use cases and intelligent analytics with AI models, spot trends, predict outcomes, creates summaries, timely recommendations, and take action from any device; and integration service including MuleSoft, which provides building blocks to deliver end-to-end and connected experiences. Additionally, the company provides data cloud, a hyperscale data engine native to Salesforce; vertical services to meet the needs of customers in industries, such as financial services, healthcare and life sciences, manufacturing and automotive and government; and offers salesforce starter for small and medium-sized businesses. Salesforce, Inc. was incorporated in 1999 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Salesforce, Inc.

UiPath Inc. PATH shares have gained 13% in a month, outperforming the industry’s below 1% increase. This recent gain is indicative of an upward trend after a sideways movement for about a year.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Let’s assess whether the stock presents a buying opportunity in the current market environment.
Automation Boom Drives Growth for PATH
UiPath remains a strong force in the booming Robotic Process Automation (RPA) market, which is poised for substantial expansion over the coming years. Its end-to-end automation platform positions the company to seize opportunities as demand for AI-driven solutions surges.
A critical driver of PATH’s success is its strategic partnerships with leading technology companies. Microsoft MSFT, Amazon AMZN and Salesforce CRM continue to play pivotal roles in expanding UiPath’s reach and capabilities. These partnerships not only bolster PATH’s credibility but also integrate its offerings into broader enterprise ecosystems powered by Microsoft Azure, Amazon’s AWS, and Salesforce Cloud solutions.
The company boasts high customer retention, with net retention rates of 108%, underscoring its ability to expand usage within existing accounts. In the second quarter of fiscal 2026, UiPath reported a 14% year-over-year increase in revenues to $362 million. Additionally, its annual recurring revenues rose 11% to $1.72 billion, reflecting the strength of its subscription-based business model and customer loyalty.
With a strong global presence, a robust partner ecosystem, particularly with Microsoft, Amazon and Salesforce, and a continued focus on intelligent automation, UiPath is well-positioned to maintain its leadership in the evolving RPA and enterprise automation market.
PATH Demonstrates Strong Financial Stability
PATH boasts a robust financial position, highlighted by its strong balance sheet. As of the fiscal second quarter, the company held $628.6 million in cash and equivalents, with no outstanding debt. This debt-free status ensures that its cash reserves are available to fuel growth initiatives and strategic investments. Such financial flexibility increases PATH’s ability to drive innovation and expand its market presence without financial strain.
Additionally, the company’s liquidity is robust. At the end of the fiscal first quarter, PATH reported a current ratio of 2.95, exceeding the industry average of 1.78. A current ratio above 1 indicates that a company has sufficient assets to cover its short-term liabilities. The company’s strong liquidity positions it to navigate economic uncertainties and enhances its capacity to capitalize on emerging opportunities in the competitive RPA market.
Analyst Projections Signal Growth Ahead
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings is pegged at 13 cents per share, up 18.2% from the year-ago period. Revenues for the quarter are expected to reach $390.4 million, indicating 10% year-over-year growth.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
PATH is a Buy
PATH has gained strong momentum recently, signaling an upward trend after a period of stagnation. As a leader in Robotic Process Automation, PATH is well-positioned to benefit from the rising demand for AI-driven solutions. Its strategic partnerships with Microsoft, Amazon and Salesforce enhance its market reach and credibility. High customer retention and a solid subscription-based model reflect strong business fundamentals. With a debt-free balance sheet and robust liquidity, UiPath is equipped to invest in innovation and expansion. Given its leadership in automation and strong financial stability, PATH stands out as a solid buy.
PATH currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Quantum Computing Stocks Set To Soar
Artificial intelligence has already reshaped the investment landscape, and its convergence with quantum computing could lead to the most significant wealth-building opportunities of our time.
Today, you have a chance to position your portfolio at the forefront of this technological revolution. In our urgent special report, Beyond AI: The Quantum Leap in Computing Power, you'll discover the little-known stocks we believe will win the quantum computing race and deliver massive gains to early investors.
Access the Report Free Now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

UiPath Stock Advances 13% in a Month: Buy, Hold, or Sell?

Shares of Salesforce.com (CRM) have gained 4.3% over the past four weeks to close the last trading session at $250.76, but there could still be a solid upside left in the stock if short-term price targets of Wall Street analysts are any indication. Going by the price targets, the mean estimate of $336.07 indicates a potential upside of 34%.
The average comprises 46 short-term price targets ranging from a low of $221.00 to a high of $430.00, with a standard deviation of $50.73. While the lowest estimate indicates a decline of 11.9% from the current price level, the most optimistic estimate points to a 71.5% upside. More than the range, one should note the standard deviation here, as it helps understand the variability of the estimates. The smaller the standard deviation, the greater the agreement among analysts.
While the consensus price target is a much-coveted metric for investors, solely banking on this metric to make an investment decision may not be wise at all. That's because the ability and unbiasedness of analysts in setting price targets have long been questionable.
However, an impressive consensus price target is not the only factor that indicates a potential upside in CRM. This view is strengthened by the agreement among analysts that the company will report better earnings than what they estimated earlier. Though a positive trend in earnings estimate revisions doesn't give any idea as to how much the stock could surge, it has proven effective in predicting an upside.
Here's What You May Not Know About Analysts' Price Targets
According to researchers at several universities across the globe, a price target is one of many pieces of information about a stock that misleads investors far more often than it guides. In fact, empirical research shows that price targets set by several analysts, irrespective of the extent of agreement, rarely indicate where the price of a stock could actually be heading.
While Wall Street analysts have deep knowledge of a company's fundamentals and the sensitivity of its business to economic and industry issues, many of them tend to set overly optimistic price targets. Are you wondering why?
They usually do that to drum up interest in shares of companies that their firms either have existing business relationships with or are looking to be associated with. In other words, business incentives of firms covering a stock often result in inflated price targets set by analysts.
However, a tight clustering of price targets, which is represented by a low standard deviation, indicates that analysts have a high degree of agreement about the direction and magnitude of a stock's price movement. While that doesn't necessarily mean the stock will hit the average price target, it could be a good starting point for further research aimed at identifying the potential fundamental driving forces.
That said, while investors should not entirely ignore price targets, making an investment decision solely based on them could lead to disappointing ROI. So, price targets should always be treated with a high degree of skepticism.
Here's Why There Could be Plenty of Upside Left in CRM
Analysts' growing optimism over the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by strong agreement among them in revising EPS estimates higher, could be a legitimate reason to expect an upside in the stock. That's because empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has increased 0.3%, as four estimates have moved higher compared to no negative revision.
Moreover, CRM currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), which means it is in the top 20% of more than 4,000 stocks that we rank based on four factors related to earnings estimates. Given an impressive externally-audited track record, this is a more conclusive indication of the stock's potential upside in the near term. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
Therefore, while the consensus price target may not be a reliable indicator of how much CRM could gain, the direction of price movement it implies does appear to be a good guide.
Zacks Names #1 Semiconductor Stock
This under-the-radar company specializes in semiconductor products that titans like NVIDIA don't build. It's uniquely positioned to take advantage of the next growth stage of this market. And it's just beginning to enter the spotlight, which is exactly where you want to be.
With strong earnings growth and an expanding customer base, it's positioned to feed the rampant demand for Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Internet of Things. Global semiconductor manufacturing is projected to explode from $452 billion in 2021 to $971 billion by 2028.
See This Stock Now for Free >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Wall Street Analysts Predict a 34.02% Upside in Salesforce.com (CRM): Here's What You Should Know

When deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock, investors often rely on analyst recommendations. Media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts often influence a stock's price, but are they really important?
Before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage, let's see what these Wall Street heavyweights think about Salesforce.com (CRM).
Salesforce.com currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.56, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by 45 brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.56 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy.
Of the 45 recommendations that derive the current ABR, 32 are Strong Buy and three are Buy. Strong Buy and Buy respectively account for 71.1% and 6.7% of all recommendations.
Brokerage Recommendation Trends for CRM
Check price target & stock forecast for Salesforce.com here>>>
The ABR suggests buying Salesforce.com, but making an investment decision solely on the basis of this information might not be a good idea. According to several studies, brokerage recommendations have little to no success guiding investors to choose stocks with the most potential for price appreciation.
Are you wondering why? The vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover often results in a strong positive bias of their analysts in rating it. Our research shows that for every "Strong Sell" recommendation, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations.
This means that the interests of these institutions are not always aligned with those of retail investors, giving little insight into the direction of a stock's future price movement. It would therefore be best to use this information to validate your own analysis or a tool that has proven to be highly effective at predicting stock price movements.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, which classifies stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), is a reliable indicator of a stock's near -term price performance. So, validating the Zacks Rank with ABR could go a long way in making a profitable investment decision.
Zacks Rank Should Not Be Confused With ABR
Although both Zacks Rank and ABR are displayed in a range of 1-5, they are different measures altogether.
The ABR is calculated solely based on brokerage recommendations and is typically displayed with decimals (example: 1.28). In contrast, the Zacks Rank is a quantitative model allowing investors to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5.
It has been and continues to be the case that analysts employed by brokerage firms are overly optimistic with their recommendations. Because of their employers' vested interests, these analysts issue more favorable ratings than their research would support, misguiding investors far more often than helping them.
On the other hand, earnings estimate revisions are at the core of the Zacks Rank. And empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
Furthermore, the different grades of the Zacks Rank are applied proportionately across all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide earnings estimates for the current year. In other words, at all times, this tool maintains a balance among the five ranks it assigns.
There is also a key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank when it comes to freshness. When you look at the ABR, it may not be up-to-date. Nonetheless, since brokerage analysts constantly revise their earnings estimates to reflect changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in predicting future stock prices.
Is CRM Worth Investing In?
Looking at the earnings estimate revisions for Salesforce.com, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has remained unchanged over the past month at $10.09.
Analysts' steady views regarding the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by an unchanged consensus estimate, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Salesforce.com. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>
It may therefore be prudent to be a little cautious with the Buy-equivalent ABR for Salesforce.com.
5 Stocks Set to Double
Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2024. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%.
Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.
Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 5 Stocks Set to Double. Click to get this free report
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Wall Street Analysts Think Salesforce.com (CRM) Is a Good Investment: Is It?

Nokia NOK has been selected by the City of Superior to provide its advanced fiber and IP solutions as part of ConnectSuperior, the city’s ambitious plan to extend fiber-optic infrastructure to every home and business. This new wholesale open-access network will be owned and operated by the city, enabling Internet service providers (ISPs) to deliver ultra-broadband services to approximately 26,000 currently underserved residents.
Nokia will collaborate closely with the City of Superior’s team to deploy the network working alongside technology integrators dMCA/LightSpeed and ePlus. The company’s industry-leading fiber and IP solutions will deliver carrier-grade performance and ultra-fast Internet access, helping the city establish a future-ready broadband network capable of meeting growing demands for capacity and advanced services.
The solution supports a full range of Passive Optical Network (PON) technologies, from XGS and 25G PON to future 50G PON and beyond, providing the flexibility needed to optimize the network for specific business needs.
Nokia Corporation Price and Consensus
In addition, Nokia will provide its cloud-native Altiplano Open Access platform, enabling neutral-host network sharing for fiber-to-the-home services. This platform, with advanced operational isolation and process automation, empowers wholesalers to efficiently share the same fiber infrastructure, making them the infrastructure partner of choice while delivering a broad range of digital broadband services.
The company will also deploy its carrier-grade 7750 Service Routers to meet the City of Superior’s high standards for scalability, reliability, security and network optimization. These solutions and technical expertise will play a critical role in helping the city run a successful wholesale broadband business and bring ultra-fast Internet to the community.
Nokia’s technology is being increasingly adopted by companies seeking to modernize their networks. Recently, Nokia was chosen by Vortex Group to upgrade its IP edge and transport network across Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat in India. The initiative aims to boost broadband speeds, extend connectivity to underserved areas and transform Vortex’s infrastructure into a more scalable and efficient system.
Also, Nokia recently announced a contract with Extreme Broadband ("EBB") and its subsidiary, Open DC, to enhance the performance and security of Open DC’s AI data centers across Malaysia. This initiative aligns with the country’s National Cloud Computing Policy and caters to the high standards of the banking and financial services sector, strengthening EBB and Open DC’s position as leading players in Malaysia’s digital infrastructure space.
Nokia is leading the shift of global enterprises toward smart virtual networks by creating a unified infrastructure for all services, integrating mobile and fixed broadband, IP routing and optical networks, along with the software and services to manage them. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, Nokia is transforming how people and devices communicate and connect. This includes enabling seamless adoption of 5G, ultra-broadband access, IP and Software Defined Networking, cloud applications and the Internet of Things. In 2025, the company anticipates strong sales growth in its Network Infrastructure, Cloud, and Network Services segment, while expecting stable net sales in the Mobile Networks segment.
However, Nokia faces exposure to the highly cyclical telecommunications industry, where periods of heavy investment are often followed by slowdowns, creating uncertainty around its revenue growth. Additionally, intense competition in the wireless equipment market and broader macroeconomic challenges continue to pose significant risks.
NOK’s Zacks Rank & Stock Price Performance
Nokia currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). The stock has gained 6.8% over the past year against the Wireless Equipment industry’s growth of 32.4%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Stocks to Consider From the Computer and Technology Space
Some better-ranked stocks from the broader technology space are Ubiquiti Inc. UI, InterDigital, Inc. IDCC and Salesforce, Inc. CRM. UI, IDCC and CRM carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
UI’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 49.5%. In the last reported quarter, Ubiquiti delivered an earnings surprise of 82.47%. Its shares have surged 91.7% in the past six months.
IDCC earnings beat the consensus estimate in three of the trailing four quarters while missing in one, with the average surprise being 54.27%. InterDigital’s long-term earnings growth rate is 15%. Its shares have jumped 120.7% in the past year.
Salesforce’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters while missing in one, with the average surprise being 3.18%. In the last reported quarter, Salesforce delivered an earnings surprise of 5.05%. CRM’s long-term earnings growth rate is 12.8%. Its shares have inched up 2.1% in the past year.
Zacks Names #1 Semiconductor Stock
This under-the-radar company specializes in semiconductor products that titans like NVIDIA don't build. It's uniquely positioned to take advantage of the next growth stage of this market. And it's just beginning to enter the spotlight, which is exactly where you want to be.
With strong earnings growth and an expanding customer base, it's positioned to feed the rampant demand for Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Internet of Things. Global semiconductor manufacturing is projected to explode from $452 billion in 2021 to $971 billion by 2028.
See This Stock Now for Free >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Nokia Chosen by City of Superior to Build Fiber Network in Wisconsin

Key Points
C3.ai pre-announced a terrible quarter on Aug. 8.
Additionally, its CEO and founder is having health problems.
The company appointed a new CEO in September and has also revamped its sales force. But uncertainty remains.
Shares of AI software company C3.ai (NYSE: AI) sank in August, falling 28.2% during the month, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence.
C3.ai pre-announced its fiscal first-quarter results, disclosing that it would miss its initial guidance by a whopping 30%. Needless to say, the market didn't take too kindly to the news.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »
C3.ai misses badly and faces uncertainty going forward with a new CEO
On Aug. 8, C3.ai pre-announced that its fiscal first-quarter revenue would only be about $70.3 million, with adjusted (non-GAAP) operating losses of roughly negative $57.8 million. That's a massive miss, considering initial guidance for the quarter was about $104.5 million in revenue and negative $28.5 million in adjusted operating losses at the midpoint.
C3.ai Chairman and now former CEO Thomas Siebel noted he had been having some health issues that prevented him from being present at sales meetings, and that he had underestimated the impact of his absence in closing deals.
As a result, C3.ai revamped its sales organization, announcing four new hires and one promotion in its sales organization. Subsequently in September, when C3.ai eventually did report earnings, the company also announced Stephen Ehikian as its new CEO, while Siebel will remain as executive chairman.
Down 55% this year, is a turnaround possible?
With a miss that big and now a new CEO, it's no wonder C3.ai is down a whopping 55% on the year.
The good news is that the company still has a rock-solid balance sheet, with $711 million in cash and no debt. Furthermore, the company's new CEO is a software entrepreneur who has previously sold two AI-focused software companies to Salesforce (NYSE: CRM).
So, C3.ai investors aren't without hope. Yet with a big miss on the quarter and continued operating losses, it's hard for investors to get their heads around C3.ai's prospects, which have been disappointing to say the least, despite the rise of generative AI. With so much in flux, this remains a situation to watch from the sidelines for now.
Should you invest $1,000 in C3.ai right now?
Before you buy stock in C3.ai, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and C3.ai wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $670,781!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,023,752!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,052% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 185% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
*Stock Advisor returns as of August 25, 2025
Billy Duberstein and/or his clients have no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Salesforce. The Motley Fool recommends C3.ai. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Why C3.ai Plunged in August

According to stock market investors, Salesforce (NYSE: CRM) is not doing enough to capitalize on the effectiveness of artificial intelligence.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Learn More »
*Stock prices used were the afternoon prices of Sept. 4, 2025. The video was published on Sept. 5, 2025.
Should you invest $1,000 in Salesforce right now?
Before you buy stock in Salesforce, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Salesforce wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $678,148!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,052,193!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,065% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 186% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
*Stock Advisor returns as of August 25, 2025
Parkev Tatevosian, CFA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Salesforce. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Parkev Tatevosian is an affiliate of The Motley Fool and may be compensated for promoting its services. If you choose to subscribe through his link, he will earn some extra money that supports his channel. His opinions remain his own and are unaffected by The Motley Fool.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Should Stock Market Investors Buy Salesforce Stock on the Dip?

Key Points
The company isn't wavering from its dividend policy.
Salesforce declared a fresh quarterly payout Thursday night.
Customer relationship management (CRM) titan Salesforce (NYSE: CRM) was walking tall as the trading week came to an end, with a share price gain of nearly 3% on Friday. The company hasn't been shy in sharing its profit with investors, and on its latest dividend announcement, folks piled into the stock. That gain looked quite encouraging when compared to the S&P 500's (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) 0.3% slide.
It's payout time
After Thursday's market close, Salesforce announced that its board of directors had declared said quarterly dividend. This is just under $0.42 per share, which will be paid on Oct. 9 to investors of record as of Sept. 17. At the most recent closing stock price, it yields slightly under 0.7%. That's below the nearly 1.2% average of all S&P 500 index stocks.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »
Although the yield is light, it's still somewhat atypical for a tech company to pay a dividend -- usually, at least in their early to middle stages, software developers tend to plow much of their profits back into the business.
For Salesforce investors, a regular dividend payment is still something of a novelty. The company launched its payout in March 2024, when it launched with a $0.40-per-share disbursement. So far, management has only raised it once; it did so back in April, to the current level.
Adding to the bullish buy thesis
Yet receiving even a small dividend is better than earning none at all. Plus, a regular dividend payout signals to investors that a company's underlying business is healthy and generating sufficient cash for such an activity. I don't feel the dividend for Salesforce is make-or-break, but it's sure nice for shareholders to get a few coins in their pockets.
Should you invest $1,000 in Salesforce right now?
Before you buy stock in Salesforce, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Salesforce wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $678,148!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,052,193!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,065% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 186% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
*Stock Advisor returns as of August 25, 2025
Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Salesforce. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Why Salesforce Stock Bumped Almost 3% Higher Today

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF (Symbol: SCHG) where we have detected an approximate $197.3 million dollar inflow -- that's a 0.4% increase week over week in outstanding units (from 1,569,050,000 to 1,575,450,000). Among the largest underlying components of SCHG, in trading today Salesforce Inc (Symbol: CRM) is up about 1.7%, Standard and Poors Global Inc (Symbol: SPGI) is off about 1.2%, and Synopsys Inc (Symbol: SNPS) is higher by about 1.1%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the SCHG Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of SCHG, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, SCHG's low point in its 52 week range is $21.3703 per share, with $31.09 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $30.72. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
Also see:
Top Dividend Stocks YTD
Institutional Holders of ISRA
EB Stock Predictions
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

SCHG, CRM, SPGI, SNPS: ETF Inflow Alert

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) today is up by +0.31%, the Dow Jones Industrials Index ($DOWI) (DIA) is up by +0.27%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is up by +0.28%. September E-mini S&P futures (ESU25) are up +0.29%, and September E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQU25) are up +0.26%.
Stock indexes are moving higher today as bond yields decline on expectations that the Fed will start cutting interest rates as soon as this month. Today’s weak US labor market reports knocked bond yields lower and reinforced speculation that the Fed will cut rates as soon as the September 16-17 FOMC meeting after today’s Aug ADP employment change rose less than expected and weekly jobless claims rose to a 10-week high. The 10-year T-note yield fell to a 4-month low of 4.17%, and the swaps market shows the chances of a Fed rate cut this month rising to 95%.
Join 200K+ Subscribers: Find out why the midday Barchart Brief newsletter is a must-read for thousands daily.
Stocks maintained their gains on signs of strength in the service sector after the Aug ISM services index expanded at the fastest pace in six months.
Meanwhile, stocks are being undercut by weakness in chipmakers, led by a -5% fall in Texas Instruments after CFO Lizardi cautioned that the recovery in chip demand is not quite snapping back as some have hoped.
The Aug ADP employment change rose +54,000, weaker than expectations of +68,000.
US weekly initial unemployment claims rose by +8,000 to a 10-week high of 237,000, showing a weaker labor market than expectations of 230,000.
US Q2 nonfarm productivity was revised upward to +3.3% from the previously reported +2.4%, better than expectations of +2.7%. Q2 unit labor costs were revised downward to +1.0% from the previously reported +1.6%, weaker than expectations of +1.2%.
The US Aug ISM services index rose +1.9 to 52.0, stronger than expectations of 51.1 and the strongest pace of expansion in six months.
Looking ahead to Friday’s US economic reports, Aug nonfarm payrolls are expected to rise by +75,000, and the Aug unemployment rate is expected to rise by 0.1 to 4.3%. Aug average hourly earnings are expected to increase +0.3% m/m and +3.7% y/y.
Regarding tariffs, a federal appeals court ruled late last Friday that President Trump exceeded his authority by imposing global tariffs without Congressional approval, but the court let the tariffs remain in place while appeals continue. The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Court said, “The statute bestows significant authority on the President to undertake a number of actions in response to a declared national emergency, but none of these actions explicitly include the power to impose tariffs, duties, or the like, or the power to tax.” The case now appears to be headed to the Supreme Court for a final decision. According to Bloomberg Economics, the average US tariff will rise to 15.2% if rates are implemented as announced, up from 13.3% earlier, and significantly higher than the 2.3% in 2024 before the tariffs were announced.
Federal funds futures prices are discounting the chances of a -25 bp rate cut at 95% at the next FOMC meeting on September 16-17. The markets are discounting the chances at 53% for a second -25 bp rate cut at the following meeting on October 28-29.
Overseas stock markets today are mixed. The Euro Stoxx 50 is up +0.31%. China’s Shanghai Composite fell to a 2-week low and closed down -1.25%. Japan’s Nikkei Stock 225 closed up +1.53%.
Interest Rates
December 10-year T-notes (ZNZ5) today are up +3 ticks, and the 10-year T-note yield is down -1.9 bp to 4.197%.
Dec T-notes climbed to a 4.75-month high today, and the 10-year T-note yields fell to a 4-week low of 4.168%. Signs of a slowdown in the US labor market are bullish for T-notes after today’s weaker-than-expected ADP employment report and the rise in weekly initial unemployment claims to a 10-week high. The labor market weakness has boosted the chances of a Fed rate cut at the September 16-17 FOMC meeting to 95%, according to the swaps market. Also, today’s upward revision to Q2 nonfarm productivity and downward revision to Q2 unit labor cost are supportive for T-note prices. In addition, T-notes garnered support from today’s 1% fall in WTI crude prices to a 2-week low, which reduced inflation expectations as the 10-year breakeven inflation rate fell to a 1.5-week low of 2.392%.
T-notes fell back from their best levels after the Aug ISM services index rose more than expected to a 6-month high, a hawkish factor for Fed policy.
European government bond yields today are moving lower. The 10-year German bund yield is down -2.4 bp to 2.717%. 10-year UK gilt yield is down -2.0 bp to 4.728%.
Eurozone July retail sales fell -0.5% m/m, weaker than expectations of -0.3% m/m and the biggest decline in 13 months.
Swaps are discounting the chances at 1% for a -25 bp rate cut by the ECB at the September 11 policy meeting.
US Stock Movers
Homebuilders are climbing today after the 10-year T-note yield fell to a 4-month low, a bullish factor for housing demand. PulteGroup (PHM) and Toll Brothers (TOL) are up more than +3%. Also, Lennar (LEN) and DR Horton (DHI) are up more than +2%.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is up more than +5% to lead gainers in the S&P 500 after reporting Q3 net revenue of $9.14 billion, stronger than the consensus of $8.65 billion.
T. Rowe Price Group (TROW) is up more than +5% after Goldman Sachs said it will invest as much as $1 billion in the company and team up with the asset manager to sell private-market products to retail investors.
American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) is up more than +31% after reporting Q2 net revenue of $1.28 billion, better than the consensus of $1.23 billion.
Ciena (CIEN) is up more than +23% after reporting Q3 adjusted EPS of 67 cents, stronger than the consensus of 53 cents.
Credo Technology Group (CRDO) is up more than +10% after reporting Q1 adjusted EPS of 52 cents, well above the consensus of 35 cents.
Amazon.com (AMZN) is up more than +2% to lead gainers in the Nasdaq 100 and Dow Jones Industrials after Business Insider reported the company is testing a new AI-powered workspace software called Quick Suite.
Genuine Parts (GPC) is up more than +2% after appointing two new directors to its board in cooperation with Elliott Investment Management.
Salesforce (CRM) is down more than -6% to lead losers in the Dow Jones Industrials after forecasting Q3 revenue of $10.24 billion to $10.29 billion, the midpoint below the consensus of $10.29 billion.
Texas Instruments (TXN) is down more than -5% to lead losers in the Nasdaq 100 and weigh on chip makers after CFO Lizardi cautioned that the recovery in chip demand is not quite snapping back as some have hoped. Also, NXP Semiconductors NV (NXPI) and GlobalFoundries (GFS) are down more than -2%. In addition, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) is down more than -1%, and Analog Devices (ADI) is down -0.71%.
Health insurance stocks are sliding today after executives from Elevance Health said at the Wells Fargo Health Care Conference that it no longer expects Medicaid margins to improve in the second half of the year. As a result, Elevance Health (ELV), Centene (CNC), and Molina Healthcare (MOH) are down more than -4%.
Caleres (CAL) is down more than -11% after reporting Q2 gross margin of 43.4%, below the consensus of 44.6%.
Gitlab Inc (GTLB) is down more than -9% after forecasting 2026 revenue of $936 million to $942 million, the midpoint below the consensus of $940 million.
Science Applications International (SAIC) is down more than -4% after reporting Q2 revenue of $1.77 billion, weaker than the consensus of $1.86 billion, and cutting its 2026 revenue forecast to $7.25 billion-$7.33 billion from a previous forecast of $7.60 billion-$7.75 billion, well below the consensus of $7.63 billion.
Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) is down more than -2% after reporting less-than-truckload (LTL) tons per day for Aug fell -9.2% y/y.
Earnings Reports(9/4/2025)
Broadcom Inc (AVGO), Ciena Corp (CIEN), Copart Inc (CPRT), Docusign Inc (DOCU), Guidewire Software Inc (GWRE), Lululemon Athletica Inc (LULU), Samsara Inc (IOT), Science Applications International (SAIC), Toro Co/The (TTC), UiPath Inc (PATH).
On the date of publication, Rich Asplund did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Stocks Supported by Fed Rate Cut Expectations

Key Points
Salesforce stock fell as much as 8.5% despite beating second-quarter earnings and revenue estimates by solid margins.
The company's AI initiatives are replacing customer support roles, but those workers are being switched to sales and marketing rather than being laid off.
CEO Marc Benioff's promise to replace half of customer support with AI agents won't translate into huge cost savings.
Shares of Salesforce (NYSE: CRM) took a significant hit on Thursday. Following the company's release of second-quarter results, the stock fell as much as 8.5% in the morning session. By 11:30 a.m. ET today, Salesforce had recovered to a 5.7% overnight price drop.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Learn More »
Another earnings beat for Salesforce, but wait -- there's more
Wall Street's average analyst had expected second-quarter earnings to rise about 8.6% year over year, landing near $2.78 per share. Revenue was targeted at roughly $10.1 billion, reflecting an 8.7% increase. The enterprise software giant exceeded the consensus analyst targets across the board, posting earnings of $2.91 per share on sales of $10.2 billion.
Looking ahead, management set full-year guidance targets just above the current analyst projections. So it was a beat-and-raise performance, but the stock still took a tumble.
Why investors wanted more from Salesforce's AI moves
Salesforce investors were probably looking for stronger guidance targets. After all, CEO Marc Benioff recently said that his company is removing roughly half of its customer support staff in favor of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Specifically, deploying agentic AI systems to support human customer service specialists can deliver top-notch support outcomes at a faster pace and lower cost.
But this report highlights how the company isn't exactly laying off that redundant support staff. Instead, the workers are being redeployed into sales and marketing operations, where the human touch makes a bigger difference these days. So, if you were hoping for a large cost-cutting effect from Salesforce's agentic AI moves, the reported financials told a different story.
Should you invest $1,000 in Salesforce right now?
Before you buy stock in Salesforce, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Salesforce wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $661,268!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,045,818!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,048% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 184% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
*Stock Advisor returns as of August 25, 2025
Anders Bylund has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Salesforce. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Indicator	TTM Median
P/E	41.39 28.98
Price/Sales	6.65 2.58
P/B	4.17 2.76
P/FCF	20.22 24.31

Indicator	TTM Median
ROE	10.43 15.33
ROA	6.44 6.66
ROI	9.13 9.73
Net Worth	256.54 0.98
Quick Ratio	0.00 1.53
Current Ratio	1.07 1.84

Indicator	TTM Median
Net Profit Margin	16.08 9.71
Operating Margin	19.27 11.07
Gross Margin	77.34 50.00
Return on tangible equity	121.64 27.59

Indicator	TTM Median
EPS	1.94 0.24
EPS Forecast	1.87 0.19
Revenue	9.83B 73.00M
Gross Profit	7.56B —
EBITDA	3.33B —

Salesforce, Inc.

TTM metrics for the latest quarter under IFRS and their historical dynamics

Valuation

Debts

Efficiency

Other ratios

Revenue