Salesforce Stock Trading Cheaper Than Industry: Time to Buy or Hold?

Core Insights - Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) stock is currently trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 19.44, which is significantly lower than the Zacks Computer – Software industry's average of 30.31 [1][4][7] - The company faces challenges due to slowing sales growth, with revenues rising only 8.7% year over year in the first half of fiscal 2026, compared to previous double-digit growth [4][5][11] - Despite the slowdown, Salesforce's focus on expanding its enterprise software offerings and integrating AI into its products may provide a foundation for future growth [13][20] Valuation and Competitiveness - Salesforce's P/E ratio is lower than major competitors such as Microsoft (29.97), Oracle (32.56), and SAP (31.72), indicating a potentially attractive valuation for investors [4][11] - The company's stock has underperformed year-to-date, dropping 28.2%, while the industry has seen a rise of 12.8% [11] Growth Challenges - Analysts project that Salesforce's revenue growth will remain in the high single-digit percentage range for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, reflecting cautious enterprise spending [5][6] - The company's EPS is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.9% over the next five years, a significant decline from the previous five years' CAGR of 27.8% [6] Strategic Initiatives - Salesforce is focusing on AI-driven offerings, such as Agentforce and Data Cloud, which generated $1.2 billion in recurring revenues in Q2 of fiscal 2026, marking a 120% year-over-year increase [17] - The company is also making strategic acquisitions to enhance its enterprise platform, including companies like Waii, Bluebirds, Informatica, and Slack [14][15] Market Trends - Global spending on generative AI is projected to reach $644 billion by 2025, indicating a 76.4% year-over-year increase, which could benefit Salesforce [18] - The enterprise software segment is expected to grow by 93.9% to $37.16 billion, ensuring steady demand for Salesforce's solutions despite potential short-term economic slowdowns [19]