Salesforce Stock May Pop With Share Of $31 Billion AI Agent Market
salesforcesalesforce(US:CRM) Forbes·2024-10-22 13:22

Core Insights - The emergence of agentic AI is expected to significantly impact enterprise software, with a projected global market revenue of $31 billion by the end of 2024 and a growth rate of 32% annually thereafter [2] - Salesforce's new service, Agentforce, is anticipated to enhance productivity for customers and potentially drive the company's stock to record highs, having already seen a 13% increase in 2024 [2] Company Performance - Salesforce reported Q2 fiscal year 2025 revenue of $9.33 billion, an 8.4% increase year-over-year, exceeding expectations by $100 million [3] - Adjusted earnings for the same quarter were $2.56 per share, up 14.8% and 20 cents higher than estimates, with net income reaching $1.43 billion, a 12.8% increase [3] - The revenue forecast for Q3 fiscal year 2025 is $9.335 billion, slightly below consensus, while the full-year revenue forecast is $37.85 billion, reflecting an 8.5% increase [3] Product Offering and Market Position - Agentforce, introduced by Salesforce, is designed to automate various business functions, outperforming traditional chatbots in areas like customer service and marketing [5] - The service has already shown effectiveness, with clients like BACA Systems and Wiley reporting significant improvements in productivity and customer service resolution rates [6] - Salesforce's pricing model for Agentforce is based on usage, charging $2 per conversation or sales lead, which aligns the company's interests with those of its customers [7] Competitive Landscape - Salesforce positions Agentforce as superior to Microsoft's Copilot, claiming that many customers are dissatisfied with Microsoft's offerings [8] - Microsoft, on the other hand, reports a 60% increase in customer adoption of Copilot, indicating strong market demand for its AI solutions [9] - Both companies are racing to enhance their AI capabilities, with Microsoft planning to roll out its own AI agents soon [9] Future Outlook - The success of agentic AI, including Salesforce's Agentforce, could significantly boost revenue and stock prices if it delivers on its promises without inaccuracies [10] - Gartner predicts that intelligent agents in AI will transform decision-making and improve organizational situational awareness through advanced data analysis [10]