Salesforce beats results, lifts outlook as AI revenue gains
Salesforce said second-quarter revenue rose 11% to $11.3 billion, cRPO climbed 14% to $33.5 billion, and it raised full-year revenue guidance to $46.1 billion-$46.4 billion.
Salesforce (NYSE: CRM ) stock has risen from the year-to-date low of $144 to $260 in recent months. The move accelerated after the software company reported strong financial results and as its Anthropic investments pays off in a big way. Salesforce stock climbed after the company posted strong financial results, with revenue continuing to grow. 3 billion.
Informatica, acquired last year, contributed $440 million to revenue. 9 billion, and the company recorded 7 billion Agentic Work Units across products including Agentforce and Slack. 4 billion, a 12% increase. Salesforce and other software companies have faced intense pressure in recent months as concerns about “SaaSPocalypse” have persisted, a view that software makers will be disrupted by artificial intelligence tools.
Another potential catalyst for Salesforce is its investment in Anthropic, which is reportedly planning an initial public offering at a valuation of up to 2 trillion. Salesforce first invested in Anthropic’s 2023 Series C round and has since taken part in every subsequent funding round. Its stake is now estimated at 5 billion, and if Anthropic reaches that 2 trillion valuation, the position would be worth substantially more. Salesforce is among the companies that may benefit from Anthropic’s IPO, with Amazon, Microsoft and Nvidia also cited.
Analysts have raised their CRM stock forecasts. Morgan Stanley lifted its target to 315, while Needham, BTIG, Cantor Fitzgerald and Deutsche Bank also increased their targets. Salesforce has some notable catalysts, but technical signals suggest the stock may pull back in the near term. It has already reached a crucial resistance level of $267, which matched the highest swing in December last year.
The stock has formed a shooting star candlestick pattern, with a small upper shadow and a body, a setup that often precedes a retreat. It also formed a fair value gap on August 27 that it may try to fill. Further gains would be confirmed if it moves substantially above the $267 resistance. Related: Michael Dell’s net worth is up $110 billion so far in 2026, and the surge may continue.