Core Insights - Salesforce and Oracle are leading players in the cloud software market, providing enterprise-grade platforms for various business needs [1][2] - The ongoing digital transformation raises the question of which stock presents a better investment opportunity [2] Salesforce Overview - Salesforce maintains its leadership in the customer relationship management market and is expanding its ecosystem to include AI, data, and collaboration [3] - The introduction of Einstein GPT has integrated generative AI into Salesforce's offerings, enhancing automation and decision-making for clients [4] - AI-driven products like Agentforce and Data Cloud generated $1.2 billion in recurring revenue in Q2 of fiscal 2026, marking a 120% year-over-year increase [5] - Global spending on generative AI is projected to reach $644 billion by 2025, with enterprise software expected to grow by 93.9% to $37.16 billion [6] - Despite a revenue growth slowdown to 8.7% year-over-year in the first half of fiscal 2026, this is attributed to macroeconomic factors rather than company-specific issues [7] Oracle Overview - Oracle's revenues increased by 12% year-over-year to $14.9 billion in Q1 of fiscal 2026, with cloud revenues rising 27% to $7.19 billion [8] - Cloud infrastructure revenues surged 54% to $3.35 billion, with management projecting significant growth in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure revenues [8][10] - Oracle has secured multi-billion-dollar contracts with major tech companies, contributing to its optimistic growth outlook [9] - The company is investing heavily in infrastructure, expecting to spend around $35 billion in fiscal 2026, which is 70% higher than the previous year [12] - Despite strong revenue growth, Oracle's non-GAAP EPS increased only 6%, and it reported a negative free cash flow of $362 million in Q1 of fiscal 2026 [13] Comparative Analysis - Oracle's growth outlook appears stronger, with projected revenue and EPS growth rates of 16.5% and 12.9% for fiscal 2026, respectively [14] - In contrast, Salesforce's fiscal 2026 estimates indicate more modest growth rates of 8.8% for revenue and 11.4% for EPS [15] - Year-to-date, Salesforce shares have decreased by 32.1%, while Oracle shares have increased by 19.3% [17] - On a valuation basis, Salesforce has a forward P/E ratio of 18.33, compared to Oracle's 26.95 [18] Conclusion - Oracle is positioned as the more compelling investment choice due to its accelerated growth in AI, unified platform strategy, and favorable growth outlook [21] - Salesforce's slowing growth has impacted its stock price, but its leadership in CRM and focus on AI remain positive factors [22]

Core Insights - Salesforce (CRM) is focusing on AI-powered products and operational discipline, prompting investors to reassess its long-term potential [2] - The main concern is whether the recent positive momentum can be sustained amid increasing market volatility [2] Financial Performance - Despite a 32% decline in stock value this year, CRM's current Price-to-Sales (P/S) ratio is significantly lower than its 3-month and 2-year peaks, as well as below its 3-year average [4] - Revenue growth has slowed to single digits, but the Data Cloud saw a 140% increase in customer adoption in Q2 FY26, with over half of Fortune 500 companies using the platform [5] - AI-related orders, particularly from Agentforce, grew over 200% year-over-year in Q3 FY25, leading to an upgraded full-year FY25 revenue forecast with a projected 20% growth for FY26 [5] Investment Appeal - CRM stock is characterized by a high cash yield of 5.8%, a strong operating margin of 21.2%, and a modest revenue growth of 8.3% over the last 12 months [10] - The stock is currently trading at 38% below its 2-year peak and 14% below its 1-month high, indicating a favorable valuation for potential investors [10] Market Position - The merger of Data Cloud with products like Slack is enhancing enterprise value, despite competition from major players like Microsoft and Snowflake [5] - CRM's fundamentals are strong, making it an attractive option for investors looking for companies with solid cash flow and growth potential [6][10]

Core Insights - Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) is experiencing a slowdown in revenue growth, transitioning from double-digit increases to single-digit growth over the past year, prompting a focus on enhancing AI capabilities and the Data Cloud business to regain momentum [1][11] Data Cloud Strategy - The Data Cloud is central to Salesforce's strategy, enabling customer data integration across its products, with a reported 140% year-over-year increase in customer adoption in Q2 of fiscal 2026 [2][11] - Over half of the Fortune 500 companies are utilizing the Data Cloud platform, indicating strong demand from large enterprises for unified data and effective AI usage [2][11] - Salesforce is integrating the Data Cloud with tools like Agentforce, Tableau, and Slack, which is expected to facilitate data analysis and drive higher-value contracts, contributing to top-line growth [3][11] Revenue Generation Potential - Salesforce's data-related business is estimated to generate approximately $7 billion annually, with significant revenue growth potential due to a consumption-based pricing model for the Data Cloud platform [4][11] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2026 and 2027 indicates year-over-year revenue growth in the high single-digit range, with the impact of Data Cloud adoption on overall revenue expected to be observed in the coming quarters [5][11] Competitive Landscape - Salesforce faces increased competition in the Data Cloud service space from Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) and Snowflake Inc. (SNOW) [6][11] - Microsoft integrates its Azure Data platform with productivity tools like Power Platform and Dynamics 365, leveraging its existing cloud user base to attract new clients [7] - Snowflake focuses solely on data services, offering robust cloud-based data warehousing and analytics tools, which differentiates it from Salesforce [8] Stock Performance and Valuation - Salesforce shares have declined by 31.8% year-to-date, contrasting with a 10.6% growth in the Zacks Computer – Software industry [9][11] - The company trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 18.4, significantly below the industry average of 29.52, indicating potential undervaluation [13] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2026 and 2027 earnings suggests year-over-year increases of approximately 11.4% and 11.2%, respectively, with recent revisions showing upward adjustments for fiscal 2026 and downward adjustments for fiscal 2027 [16]

硅谷裁员的三个片面认识 硅谷十万大裁员的消息引起了人们关注。根据Layoffs.fyi数据，今年以来美国科技行业裁员已接近11万人。实际上，大裁员不是今年才发生，已经持续4年 之久。今年的裁员数量是4年来最少的，不及2023年的一半。如下图所示。这是第一个片面认识——只看今年，不看往年。 图 各季度末美国科技公司的雇员数量 备注：Salesforce用1月31日数据代替一季度末数据。 数据来源：根据公司财报整理。 第三，只看疫情后裁员，不看疫情中招聘。为应对疫情冲击和在线需求增加，美国科技公司疯狂招聘。2019年底到2023年，苹果、亚马逊、Meta、微软 和Alphabet总共增加90多万个就业岗位（来源：纽约时报），亚马逊仅2021年下半年就净增27.3万人。随着疫情结束，人员冗余问题日益突出，开始大裁 员。但近四年的70万大裁员，远不及疫情中的100万大招聘。 没有直接证据表明是AI导致了裁员 硅谷大裁员始于2022年；该年11月30日ChatGPT发布，引爆了生成式人工智能浪潮。两者同时或相继发生，人们下意识认为是AI导致了裁员。这也印证了 索洛的老话（1965）："无论何时，只要技术快速变革和高失业 ...

Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) is one of the Best Fundamentally Strong Stocks to Buy. On November 7, Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) announced that it signed a definitive agreement for the acquisition of Spindle AI, which is a leading agentic analytics platform. Spindle AI’s technology tends to combine advanced AI agents and ML with powerful data modeling to support businesses in making faster and more effective data-driven decisions. Salesforce, (CRM) Signs Definitive Agreement for Acquisition of Spindle AI No ...

The race to dominate the world of artificial intelligence (AI) is clearly on, with customer relationship management giant Salesforce (CRM) now appearing to be entering the fray in a big way. The company dedicates its focus to providing enterprises with best-in-class systems to handle lead generation and workflows, having become an essential layer in the planning of workforces around the world. As such, there’s a solid investment thesis underpinning this company that most investors can easily understand. ...

Core Insights - Salesforce, Inc. is enhancing its AI capabilities through the Agentforce platform, which has contributed to a 10% increase in revenues and a 13.7% rise in non-GAAP EPS year-over-year for Q2 of fiscal 2026 [1][10] Group 1: Agentforce Platform Performance - Agentforce has secured over 6,000 paid deals since its launch three quarters ago, indicating strong demand for AI tools that enhance enterprise workflows [2] - 40% of new Agentforce bookings in Q2 came from existing Salesforce customers expanding their usage, showcasing strong early adoption and confidence in the platform [2][3] - There was a 60% increase in customers scaling Agentforce use quarter over quarter, reflecting rapid movement from pilot programs to full production [3] Group 2: Revenue Growth and Business Model - The consumption-based model, supported by flexible payment options like Flex Credits, is driving demand for Agentforce and has the potential to enhance recurring revenue growth over time [4] - AI and Data Cloud annualized recurring revenues have reached $1.2 billion, positioning Salesforce for meaningful growth [5] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate indicates a year-over-year revenue increase of 10.8% for fiscal 2026 and 8.8% for fiscal 2027 [5] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Microsoft and ServiceNow are also advancing AI automation in the enterprise market, with Microsoft integrating AI features into Dynamics 365 and ServiceNow rolling out industry-specific AI tools [6][7] Group 4: Valuation and Earnings Estimates - Salesforce shares have declined 27.7% year to date, contrasting with the Zacks Computer – Software industry's growth of 12.8% [8] - The company trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 19.57, significantly below the industry average of 30.3 [11] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2026 and 2027 earnings implies year-over-year increases of approximately 11.4% and 11.3%, respectively [14]

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]

Core Insights - The article discusses the transformative impact of AI agents on business operations, highlighting Klarna's successful deployment of an AI assistant that handled 2.3 million conversations in its first month, equivalent to the work of 700 full-time customer service representatives [1] - The author emphasizes that the advancements in AI are not just about technology but signify a fundamental change in work processes, with companies like Salesforce leading the charge with their Agentforce platform [3][9] Summary by Sections Klarna's AI Implementation - Klarna's AI assistant reduced problem resolution time from 11 minutes to under 2 minutes and decreased repeat inquiries by 25%, with customer satisfaction scores on par with human agents [1] - The company anticipates a profit increase of $40 million in 2024 due to this AI deployment [1] Salesforce's AI Agentforce - Salesforce launched its AI agent platform, Agentforce, which has shown impressive results, including a 15% reduction in average case handling time and a 22% increase in subscription user retention for Grupo Globo [3] - The platform has reached 12,000 clients, with a vision to empower 1 billion intelligent agents by the end of 2025 [3][9] Distinction of AI Agents - AI agents differ from traditional chatbots; they can autonomously observe, make decisions, and take actions without needing constant prompts from users [4][6] - These agents can handle complex tasks such as data extraction, analysis, and report generation in a single workflow [6][7] Market Growth and Adoption - The global AI agent market is projected to grow from $7.28 billion in 2025 to over $41 billion by 2030, with predictions that AI agents will manage 80% of digital workflows in customer service, IT, HR, and sales by 2030 [11] - Companies implementing AI agents report a 7.8% increase in productivity and a 30% reduction in time spent on repetitive tasks [11] Concerns and Future Outlook - There is a concern that the rapid development of AI technology may outpace the understanding of its implications and management [12][19] - Companies must learn to balance efficiency with the need for human interaction in complex situations, as demonstrated by Klarna's approach [8][12] - The article stresses the importance of preparing for the integration of AI agents into business processes and the need for training and structural changes within organizations [18][19]

Clara Shih, who's now head of business AI at Meta., speaks during the 2024 Dreamforce conference in San Francisco, California, US, on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024.HubSpot announced on Wednesday that Clara Shih, Meta's head of business AI, has been added to the software company's Board of Directors.Shih joined Meta last year to lead its artificial intelligence product team, which develops AI tools for businesses, like its digital assistant dubbed Business AI, which debuted last month. She was previously CEO of Sa ...