Core Viewpoint - Salesforce (CRM) reported stronger-than-expected fiscal third-quarter results, surpassing Wall Street expectations for adjusted earnings and providing optimistic revenue guidance for the fourth quarter, leading to a 2.5% increase in after-hours trading [1] Earnings Results - Adjusted earnings were reported at $3.25 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.85, while revenues were $10.26 billion, slightly missing the estimate by 0.05% [2] - Revenues increased by 8.6% year-over-year, and net income rose to $2.09 billion, or $2.19 per share, compared to $1.53 billion, or $1.58 per share, aided by a $263 million benefit from strategic investments [2] Fourth-Quarter Guidance - For Q4, Salesforce anticipates adjusted earnings between $3.02 and $3.04 per share and revenues ranging from $11.13 billion to $11.23 billion, both above the Zacks Consensus Estimates [4] - The guidance reflects a continued shift to cloud-based models for MuleSoft and Tableau, alongside ongoing weakness in marketing and commerce products [4] AI Acquisitions and Product Growth - During the quarter, Salesforce completed acquisitions of AI task-automation startup Regrello and Waii, which generates code from natural-language input [5] - The company launched Agentforce, an AI platform for automating IT service workflows, and set a fiscal 2030 revenue target of $60 billion, surpassing analysts' expectations [5] Stock Performance and Market Concerns - Despite solid results, Salesforce shares have underperformed compared to the broader tech sector, down 27.8% year-to-date, while the Nasdaq-100 has risen approximately 22% [6] Price Target and Broker Rating - The average price target for Salesforce, based on 46 analysts, is $328.52, indicating a potential increase of 39.97% from the closing price of $234.71 [7] - The average brokerage recommendation is 1.60 on a scale of 1 to 5, with 70% of recommendations being Strong Buy [8][9] ETFs in Focus - Salesforce is part of a top-ranked Zacks Industry and Sector, with a shift towards cloud services, making it a candidate for investment via ETFs [10] - The global cloud services market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 16.00% from 2025 to 2034 [11]

Market Overview - US equity futures are rising, with S&P and Nasdaq 100 contracts up about 0.1%, nearing record highs, driven by a leadership rotation away from Big Tech [1] - The small-cap Russell 2000 index is close to a record high, while the Nasdaq 100 remains about 2% below its peak [4] - Bond yields are modestly up, and the USD is unchanged after reversing an earlier drop [1] Employment Data - Challenger job cuts data for November showed a 53% decrease in job cuts to 71,321 from October, but a 24% increase from 57,727 job cuts in the same month last year [1][5] - The ADP report indicated a decline of 32,000 private payrolls in November, primarily affecting small businesses, which saw their largest employment drop since the pandemic [33] Company Performance - Salesforce shares rose 1.9% after exceeding revenue forecasts and indicating strong AI tool adoption [3] - Axogen (AXGN) shares increased by 5% following FDA approval for its Avance nerve graft [3] - Dollar General (DG) shares rose 4% after raising its full-year outlook, indicating success among value-focused retailers [3] - Guidewire (GWRE) shares jumped 5% after reporting better-than-expected first-quarter results and a positive second-quarter revenue forecast [3] - Hormel (HRL) shares increased by 6% after its adjusted EPS forecast beat lowered guidance and consensus [3] - Snowflake (SNOW) shares fell 8% after issuing a forecast for operating margin that fell short of analyst expectations [3] Sector Movements - Tech stocks were steady in pre-market trading, with most Magnificent Seven stocks posting modest gains, except for Apple [3] - Commodities showed mixed results, with oil and base metals mostly higher, while gold and silver lagged [1][13] - Bitcoin rebounded nearly $10,000 from recent lows, trading around $93,000 [1] European Market Insights - Europe's Stoxx 600 index rose by 0.3%, with autos and industrial stocks leading the gains, while utilities and healthcare sectors dipped [9] - Bank of America upgraded several automaker stocks, contributing to gains for Mercedes and Renault [9] Asian Market Insights - Asian stocks rose for a third consecutive day, led by Japan, with the MSCI Asia Pacific Index advancing by 0.9% [10] - Japanese exporters benefited from a slightly weaker yen, while semiconductor shares showed signs of weakness [10]

Core Insights - The analysis of Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) indicates that while the business appears to be performing adequately, the stock is not deemed attractive for investment at this time [1]. Company Analysis - The last report on Salesforce was after the Q2 results in September, which showed that the business looked fine [1]. - The author expresses a personal interest in stocks for potential portfolio addition, indicating a focus on individual investment strategies rather than professional advisory [1]. Market Perspective - The writing aims to cater to both beginners and advanced readers, providing a distinct and well-reasoned perspective on market analysis [1].

The third quarter earnings season is winding down, and only a handful of major companies have yet to report results. So far, the Q3 earnings season has shown largely solid results. As of Nov. 21, 95% of S&P 500 companies have reported, according to FactSet data, and analysts are expecting a 13.4% jump in earnings per share during the third quarter. If that figure holds, it would mark the fourth straight quarter of double-digit earnings growth and an acceleration from the 12% earnings growth rate reported ...

Group 1 - St-Georges Eco-Mining Corp. provides an update on its battery processing subsidiary, EVSX Corp., located in Thorold, Ontario, focusing on the ramp-up of full-scale operations [1][2] - The company aims to develop reliable, profitable, and scalable operations while optimizing efficiency to reduce operating costs, particularly in a market with tight margins [2][3] - Modifications to the multi-chemistry line have resulted in a tenfold increase in throughput, enhancing profitability and scalability [6] Group 2 - EVSX operates a state-of-the-art multi-chemistry battery processing line with a capacity of 10,000 metric tons per year, recovering critical battery metals and repurposing materials back into the supply chain [7] - The plant is strategically located in Thorold, Ontario, within a major hub for battery collection and near the largest automotive cluster in North America, including major manufacturers like Ford and General Motors [8] - The company has secured a three-year battery supply contract with Call2Recycle and holds all necessary regulatory permits for processing various battery chemistries [4][7]

A "Now Hiring" sign is seen at a Chipotle location on Nov. 6, 2025 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.A sign at a NYS Department Of Labor job fair at the Downtown Central Library in Buffalo, New York, US, on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025.Lauren Petracca | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesThis is CNBC's Morning Squawk newsletter. Subscribe here to receive future editions in your inbox.Here are five key things investors need to know to start the trading day:1. Silver linings playbookYesterday highlighted the relevanc ...

Salesforce shares rose in extended trading Wednesday after the software giant posted a stronger-than-expected quarterly profit and boosted its outlook, citing momentum from its AI offerings. https://t.co/Dn3WlKnkcO ...

Core Insights - SAP SE has improved its growth ranking, moving into the top decile of fundamental expansion, with its growth score increasing from the 89.71st percentile to the 90.12th percentile [1][2] Growth Metrics - The Benzinga Edge Growth metric indicates that SAP is outperforming 90% of its peers in terms of historical earnings and revenue expansion, showcasing strong operational health despite facing downward price pressure [2] - SAP's growth ranking contrasts with its other metrics, where it ranks in the 21.11st percentile for momentum and the 12.53rd percentile for value, indicating a divergence between growth and valuation [3][4] Financial Performance - SAP reported a 27% increase in cloud revenue and a 27% rise in its cloud backlog at constant currencies, although total revenue slightly missed estimates [5] - The stock has shown limited price movement, rising only 0.29% year-to-date and declining by 3.86% over the year, closing at $243.82 [6]

Group 1 - Deutsche Bank raised the target price for Salesforce from $340 to $360 [1] - Deutsche Bank increased the target price for Snowflake from $250 to $275 [1]

Market Overview - US stock index futures are all up ahead of the market opening on December 4, with Dow futures rising by 0.08%, S&P 500 futures by 0.04%, and Nasdaq futures by 0.01% [1] - European indices also show positive movement, with Germany's DAX up 0.79%, UK's FTSE 100 up 0.18%, France's CAC40 up 0.43%, and the Euro Stoxx 50 up 0.39% [2][3] - WTI crude oil prices increased by 0.47% to $59.23 per barrel, while Brent crude oil rose by 0.37% to $62.90 per barrel [3][4] Market Sentiment and Predictions - Bank of America predicts that after three years of double-digit returns, the S&P 500 will enter a "low excess return" phase in 2026, forecasting the index to close around 7100 points by the end of next year [5] - BlackRock asserts that the current AI investment cycle is driven by real corporate investments and productivity growth, distinguishing it from the speculative bubble of the early 2000s [6] Company-Specific News - The EU plans to investigate Meta's integration of "Meta AI" into WhatsApp, reflecting increasing scrutiny of large tech companies regarding generative AI applications [9][10] - Intel has decided to halt its network division spin-off plan, focusing instead on internal integration to enhance its AI and edge computing strategies [10] - Palantir, NVIDIA, and CenterPoint Energy are collaborating to develop a new software platform called "Chain Reaction" to expedite AI data center construction [11] - Salesforce reported a Q3 revenue increase of 8.6% to $10.3 billion, with an adjusted EPS of $3.25, and raised its revenue guidance for FY2026 to $41.45-41.55 billion [12] - Snowflake's Q3 revenue was $1.21 billion, exceeding expectations, but its lower guidance for operating margin raised concerns about the profitability of its AI tools, leading to an over 8% drop in pre-market trading [13] - C3.ai reported a Q2 FY2026 adjusted loss of $0.25 per share, with revenue of $75.1 million, slightly above expectations, but a 20% year-over-year decline in revenue highlights challenges in its core subscription business [14]