Salesforce's AI Push Makes Cloud, CRM ETFs A Hot Play For Investors

Core Insights - Salesforce Inc (NYSE:CRM) is experiencing a year-to-date decline of over 25%, yet its ambitions in AI and cloud growth are attracting renewed interest from investors, particularly in ETFs focused on diversified exposure [1] - The stock of Salesforce has seen an increase of almost 5% recently, indicating a potential recovery or renewed investor confidence [1] ETF Exposure - Investors can gain exposure to Salesforce and its competitors through ETFs such as iShares Expanded Tech-Software ETF (BATS:IGV), First Trust Cloud Computing ETF (NASDAQ:SKYY), and Global X Cloud Computing ETF (NASDAQ:CLOU), which include major software and cloud companies like Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT), Oracle Corp (NYSE:ORCL), and ServiceNow Inc (NYSE:NOW) [2] - These ETFs allow investors to participate in the AI-driven enterprise transformation while minimizing the risks associated with individual stock volatility [2] Growth Drivers - Cloud and CRM-oriented ETFs are becoming more attractive due to the growth driven by AI adoption in sales and IT services, recurring subscription revenue, and strategic partnerships [3] - Salesforce's integration of Google's Gemini AI models into its Agentforce 360 platform exemplifies the innovative approaches fueling long-term industry growth [3] Long-Term Growth Catalysts - During the Dreamforce Investor Day, Salesforce set a revenue target of over $60 billion by fiscal 2030 and introduced the "50 by fiscal 2030" Profitable Growth Framework, aiming for subscription and support growth alongside an adjusted operating margin of 50% by 2030 [4] - The company's Data and AI products experienced a 120% year-over-year growth, reaching $1.2 billion in Q2, while Agentforce's Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) reached $440 million, serving over 12,000 customers [4] - Analysts predict a potential three- to four-fold increase in ARR as customer adoption of AI technologies expands [4] Future Outlook - Despite conservative near-term guidance, Salesforce's focus on AI-based product innovation, strategic acquisitions, and collaborations suggests a promising long-term growth trajectory that ETFs can track [5] - Investors seeking diversified exposure to the enterprise software and cloud sectors can leverage ETFs to capitalize on the ongoing AI growth while reducing stock-specific risks [5]