Welcome back to Worldwide Exchange. CNBC is celebrating Black Business Month this August. As part of that, I sat down with Robert Smith, founder, chairman, and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, one of the largest software investors in the world.We talked about his new book, Lead Boldley, where he shares his insights on seven principles from Dr. . Martin Luther King Jr. . His wheelhouse, of course, is the private markets, but we also talked about his view of the stock market and the bond market and the opportuni ...

All right, let's get to a mad dash as we get ready to begin trading uh about seven minutes from now. Monday. com was a big loser yesterday.Jim, you're coming back to it this morning, >> right. Well, I have here in my hand Josh Bear, not that familiar with this work, who upgrades Morgan Stanley upgrades uh Monday after a brutal look at that. That's actually a decline.Now, why was Monday down. Monday is a company does work processes. He's not unlike it's a junior service.Now if you want to well it happened to ...

Core Insights - BlackBerry Limited (BB) is focusing on enterprise software and cybersecurity, with Secure Communications revenues of $67.3 million making up nearly 50% of total revenues in the last quarter, exceeding management's expectations of $62-$66 million [1] Group 1: Secure Communications Division - The Secure Communications division includes encrypted voice, messaging, and critical event management solutions, trusted by governments and enterprises for military-grade protection [2] - Key products such as Secusuite, AtHoc, and UEM are recognized for their competitive advantages, including NSA-certified end-to-end encryption and a wide range of industry certifications [2] - Secusuite is expanding beyond Germany, while AtHoc is increasing its presence in the U.S. government sector, focusing on public safety services [3] Group 2: Financial Performance - Over the past fiscal year, the Secure Communications unit has seen stable revenues and improved profitability, contributing positively to BB's EBITDA and cash flow [4] - The unit is showing positive momentum with healthier annual recurring revenue (ARR) trends, reflecting improving fundamentals and long-term growth potential [4] Group 3: Market Dynamics - Increased defense budgets in the U.S., Europe, and Asia are driving demand for secure communication systems, while hybrid work trends are prompting investments in secure tools to prevent data breaches [5] - However, BB is cautious about the Secure Communications unit due to potential instability from political changes in key markets like the U.S. and Germany [6] Group 4: Competitive Landscape - Competitors like Fortinet and CrowdStrike are advancing in AI-driven cybersecurity, with Fortinet's SecOps business growing 29% year-over-year [7][10] - BB's shares have gained 77.4% over the past year, outperforming the Zacks Internet – Software industry's growth of 33.2% [11] - BB trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 4.53X, which is lower than the industry's average of 5.6X [12]

Salesforce (CRM) Conference Summary Company Overview - **Company**: Salesforce (CRM) - **Date**: May 29, 2025 - **Context**: Post-earnings conference call discussing company performance and future strategies Key Points Financial Performance - **CRPO (Current Remaining Performance Obligations)**: Strong performance, exceeding market expectations [6] - **Stock Performance**: Stock down 15% previously, but showing signs of recovery [4] Market Environment - **Macro Environment**: Enterprise software market remains measured, with positive outlook despite concerns about deceleration in sales, service, and commerce [7][6] - **Customer Sentiment**: High energy and excitement among developers, partners, and customers, indicating a positive internal culture [8] Strategic Initiatives - **Data Strategy**: Emphasis on the integration of Data Cloud and AgentForce, highlighting the importance of harmonizing enterprise data for better customer engagement [10][12] - **Informatica Acquisition**: Seen as a strategic move to enhance data capabilities and customer offerings, with a focus on AI and data sovereignty [15][16] - **AgentForce Development**: Positioned as a transformative tool for customer engagement, with ongoing evolution to meet diverse use cases [24][28] Product Innovations - **AgentForce**: Currently in early stages of adoption, with potential for expansion into various business functions beyond customer service [24][30] - **Action-Based Pricing Model**: Introduction of new pricing strategies to accommodate different use cases, moving beyond traditional conversation-based models [28][44] Competitive Landscape - **Service Cloud Expansion**: Plans to broaden the scope of Service Cloud to include employee service and IT operations, not just customer service [35] - **Response to Competitors**: Salesforce remains confident in its differentiation within the CRM market despite emerging competition [34] Risk Management - **Economic Sensitivity**: Preparedness for potential economic slowdowns, with strategies in place to maintain growth across sectors and regions [55][60] - **Sector-Specific Strategies**: Focus on public sector efficiency and retail pricing strategies to navigate market dynamics [57][58] Customer Engagement - **Use Cases**: Examples of successful implementations, such as FinAir, showcasing the effectiveness of AgentForce in improving customer service [49] - **Self-Service Growth**: Strong performance in self-service segments, indicating customer confidence in investing in new technologies [59] Future Outlook - **Innovation Pipeline**: Continued focus on integrating AI and data solutions to enhance customer experiences and operational efficiency [52][53] - **Market Positioning**: Salesforce aims to leverage its diverse portfolio and geographic reach to adapt to changing market conditions [60] Additional Insights - **Cultural Shift**: Emphasis on collaboration between humans and AI agents to enhance productivity rather than replace jobs [30][39] - **Flexibility in Pricing**: Acknowledgment of the evolving nature of AI pricing models, with a commitment to offering customers flexible options [41][45] This summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the Salesforce conference, highlighting the company's strategic direction, market positioning, and future growth opportunities.