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Salesforce Shares Slide as Weak Outlook Highlights Delayed AI Payoff

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Salesforce (CRM.N) shares fell nearly 8% on Thursday after the company issued a disappointing third-quarter revenue forecast, raising investor concerns that returns from its artificial intelligence investments may take longer to materialize.

The company projected revenue between $10.24 billion and $10.29 billion, with the midpoint falling short of analysts’ average estimate of $10.29 billion, according to LSEG data. Despite announcing a $20 billion expansion of its share buyback program, Salesforce’s muted guidance weighed heavily on investor sentiment.

The outlook comes as software companies face mounting pressure to prove that billion-dollar AI investments will deliver meaningful returns, even as customers scale back spending in an uncertain economic environment. Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said the guidance gives “bears fresh ammo amid mounting fears that the software sector is ripe for disruption.”

Salesforce has been rapidly integrating AI across its cloud services, including the 2024 launch of Agentforce, an AI-powered agent platform designed to automate workflows and improve margins. However, the company continues to face macroeconomic headwinds. Analysts at Oppenheimer described the growth outlook as “uninspiring,” noting challenges for front-office software suppliers this year.

Shares of Salesforce are down about 24% year-to-date. To strengthen its offerings, the company has returned to acquisitions, including its $8 billion purchase of Informatica in May. Still, Salesforce trades at a forward earnings multiple of 20.96—well below Microsoft’s 31.26 and Oracle’s 30.84—suggesting potential upside.

J.P. Morgan analysts said second-quarter results, which beat revenue expectations, alongside management’s positive commentary, indicate that Salesforce stock may be undervalued compared to peers, leaving room for recovery.

Oracle Shares Hit Record High as AI Cloud Demand Boosts Revenue Outlook

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Oracle shares surged 14% on Thursday, crossing the $200 mark for the first time, after the company raised its annual revenue forecast fueled by strong demand for its AI-related cloud services.

Despite ongoing geopolitical tensions and warnings from analysts about potential impacts of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Big Tech’s AI investments, confidence in the software sector remains robust.

Oracle recently announced a joint venture called Stargate aimed at providing large-scale computing power to OpenAI, positioning itself as a key player in AI infrastructure.

Michael Ashley Schulman, partner at Running Point Capital Advisors, described Oracle’s transformation as moving from a “stodgy” image to a “cloud-native mage” competing in a fiercely contested market.

For fiscal 2026, Oracle expects total revenue to reach at least $67 billion, according to CEO Safra Catz during a post-earnings call.

The company reported cloud services quarterly revenue growth of 14% to $11.7 billion, with overall revenue of $15.9 billion surpassing estimates of $15.59 billion. Following these results, at least nine brokerages have raised their price targets.

Oracle’s forward price-to-earnings ratio stands at 25.86, lower than rivals Microsoft’s 31.34 and Amazon’s 31.80. Year-to-date, Microsoft’s stock has risen 12.16%, while Amazon’s has fallen 2.8%.

Analysts at Piper Sandler noted that Oracle is experiencing a wave of enterprise popularity unseen since the internet boom of the late 1990s.

At the close, Oracle shares were trading at $201.38.

Dassault Systèmes Delays Earnings Target to 2029, Cuts Revenue Growth Outlook

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French software firm Dassault Systèmes announced on Friday that it has extended the timeline for achieving its medium-term earnings target by one year, now expecting to reach it in 2029 instead of 2028. The company also lowered its revenue growth forecast amid weakening demand in the automotive sector and ongoing tariff-related uncertainties.

Previously, Dassault Systèmes aimed to double its non-IFRS diluted earnings per share (EPS) to between €2.20 and €2.40 by 2028 under its 2023–2028 strategy. The new timeline shifts this goal to 2029.

At its capital markets day event, the company revised down its medium-term revenue growth target to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7% to 8% from 2024 to 2029. This is a reduction from the previous forecast of double-digit growth of 10% for the 2023–2028 period.

The company cited a prolonged slowdown in the global automotive industry and market volatility linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs as key challenges. Dassault Systèmes had already lowered its 2025 operating margin growth forecast in April and revised its 2024 forecasts twice last year.

These repeated downward adjustments have raised investor concerns about Dassault Systèmes’ ability to meet its medium- and long-term financial goals. Following the announcement, the company’s shares fell 1.7% as of 15:30 GMT.