Salesforce raises forecast: Optimism thanks to AI-driven growth

A strong quarter and an optimistic outlook: Salesforce benefits from investments in artificial intelligence and surprises the markets with improved sales targets and an increased profit margin.

Sales growth and optimized forecasts

The growing investments in AI technologies have brought Salesforce a strong quarter. The software giant reported currency-adjusted revenue growth of eight percent to 9.4 billion US dollars for the reporting period - exceeding its own forecast of 9.3 to 9.4 billion US dollars. The company has revised its revenue forecast for the current financial year slightly upwards: instead of the previous range of USD 37.7 to 38 billion, Salesforce is now aiming for USD 37.8 to 38 billion.

The operating profit margin was also adjusted for the second time in just a few months and now stands at an impressive 32.9%. Cash flow, an important indicator for future dividend payments, is set to increase by 26% in the financial year - an increase on the previous target of 24%.

Strong results through AI innovation

Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, was extremely pleased: "We delivered another quarter of outstanding financial results in terms of revenue, margin and cash flow." With the new AI product portfolio "Agentforce", which was launched in October, Salesforce has shifted its focus from traditional customer management software to innovative AI solutions. These are intended to automate tasks such as customer support and sales development in the future.

Share price and analyst opinions

The announcements triggered enthusiasm on the markets: Salesforce shares rose by over ten percent at times in after-hours trading. Analysts praised the operating results, even if some weaknesses did not go unnoticed. Citigroup experts pointed out that growth in the cloud business had slowed from 14 to five percent. Business with Slack was also less dynamic than expected.

Nevertheless, analysts rate the overall situation as positive. The optimized targets and the strategic realignment give investors reason to look ahead to the 2026 financial year with confidence.

A volatile year for Salesforce

The year 2024 was characterized by fluctuations for the Salesforce share. In May, the share price fell to a low of USD 218.01 after the company announced the lowest revenue growth in its history. Since then, however, the share price has recovered strongly and recorded an increase of over 50%, driven by high market expectations for the company's AI strategy.

With its clear focus on AI tools, Salesforce has the potential not only to overcome operational challenges, but also to take on a pioneering role in the industry. The current results and forecasts confirm that this change of course is the right one.

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