Salesforceの空売り状況は、投資家がSalesforceの株価下落に賭けている度合いを知ることができます。空売りデータは2週間ごとに更新されます。

Salesforce (NYSE:CRM) 株価情報, 空売り情報

Salesforce

Salesforce provides enterprise cloud computing solutions. The company offers customer relationship management technology that brings companies and customers together. Its Customer 360 platform helps the group to deliver a single source of truth, connecting customer data across systems, apps, and devices to help companies sell, service, market, and conduct commerce. It also offers Service Cloud for customer support, Marketing Cloud for digital marketing campaigns, Commerce Cloud as an e-commerce engine, the Salesforce Platform, which allows enterprises to build applications, and other solutions, such as MuleSoft for data integration.

Salesforce.com

オフィスに戻って仕事することを求める会社が増えている。チームで作業をする会社では、従業員の表情が見えないことを問題視する傾向がある。本来の職場環境を取り戻す動きとして、コロナ収束以降、会社のオフィスにて仕事をするよう求めるになった。

「オフィス復帰命令」自宅勤務に慣れた社員が辞職の事態に

News

Trading Ideas

過去10年間において、Salesforce（NYSE:CRM）は、年率で約4.74%の利益をもたらし、年間平均リターンは15.38%となっている。現在、Salesforceの時価総額は2,335.3億ドルである。

10年前にSalesforceに100ドルを投資したときのリターン

Salesforce Inc

CRUMBS BAKE SHOP INC by Crumbs Bake Shop, Inc.

Crumbs Bake Shop Inc

Cormedix Inc

Leverage Shares 2X Long CRM Daily ETF

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CERMETEK MICROELECTRONICS by Cermetek Microelectronics, Inc.

Cermetek Microelectronics Inc

Critical Metals Corp

CHINA MX LFESTYL UNSP/ADR by CHINA RES MIXC LIFESTYLE SVCS LTD.

China Resources Mixc Lifestyle Services Ltd

America's Car-Mart Inc

STONEWEG EUROPEAN REIT by STONEWEG EUROPEAN REIT

Stoneweg European REIT

CREDITRISKMONITOR.COM INC by CreditRiskMonitor.com, Inc.

CreditRiskMonitor.com Inc

Morgan Stanley maintains Salesforce (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>) with a Overweight and lowers the price target from $405 to $393.

Price Target

Analyst Ratings

Morgan Stanley Maintains Overweight on Salesforce, Lowers Price Target to $393

On Tuesday, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) announced a research preview of "Computer Use," a new tool within Copilot Studio that enables AI agents to perform tasks on desktop and web applications by interacting directly.
What Happened: The tool allows agents to click buttons, type into fields, and navigate menus—even in environments where no APIs exist.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella also took to X, formerly Twitter, and said, "We're bringing computer use agent <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44790055/satya-nadella-says-ai-needs-a-new-type-of-inbox-and-believes-microsofts-copilot-will-be-as-big-as-excel-and-powerpoint">capabilities to Copilot Studio</a> – enabling anyone to build agents that take action on the UI across both desktop and web apps."&nbsp;
Powered by a large language model, the "Computer Use" tool can quickly adjust when app or website layouts change. Moreover, users don't need to write any code—just type what they want in plain English and give the required instructions to the tool.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44778760/netflix-debuts-openai-backed-search-engine-that-lets-you-discover-movies-and-tv-shows-based-on-emotions-not-just-titles" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Netflix Debuts OpenAI-Backed Search Engine That Lets You Discover Movies And TV Shows Based On Emotions, Not Just Titles</a>
Users can also see a side-by-side view of what the AI is doing and how it&#8217;s making decisions, making it easy to test and fine-tune the instructions.
Microsoft also highlighted enterprise readiness, stating that the tool runs on Microsoft-hosted infrastructure, with all customer data remaining within Microsoft Cloud boundaries.
The company said that data would not be used to train any large language models.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Starting today, we're bringing computer use agent capabilities to Copilot Studio – enabling anyone to build agents that take action on the UI across both desktop and web apps. Excited to see what this unlocks! <a href="https://t.co/4hq0N0k0pz">https://t.co/4hq0N0k0pz</a>
&mdash; Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) <a href="https://twitter.com/satyanadella/status/1912264311474631084?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It's Important: During Microsoft's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43320124/microsoft-shares-slide-after-q2-results-cloud-revenue-misses-expectations-details">second-quarter financial results</a>, Nadella said, "We are innovating across our tech stack and helping customers unlock the full ROI of AI to capture the massive opportunity ahead," adding, "Already, our AI business has surpassed an annual revenue run rate of $13 billion, up 175% year-over-year."
Last month, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44087329/microsoft-unveils-ai-powered-dragon-copilot-to-ease-clinician-workloads">Microsoft launched</a> Dragon Copilot, an AI-powered assistant developed to simplify clinical workflows by integrating voice dictation, ambient listening, and generative AI.
In January, Salesforce Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>) co-founder, chairman, and CEO Marc Benioff <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43139309/marc-benioff-trashes-microsoft-copilot-says-salesforce-is-becoming-a-digital-labor-provider">criticized Microsoft's Copilot</a>, stating that the chatbot has already flopped. He argued that it lacks user adoption and is essentially a rebranded version of OpenAI's ChatGPT.
In February, it was reported that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43908921/microsoft-pulls-plug-on-ai-data-center-leases-says-analyst-oversupply-situation-likely">Microsoft was scaling back</a> on its AI data center footprint in the U.S. by canceling a large number of leases.
This development came as a surprise, given that back in January, Microsoft had announced plans to invest approximately $80 billion in building AI-driven data centers and expanding the global rollout of AI and cloud-based applications.
Price Action: Microsoft shares have fallen 7.85% year-to-date and are down 6.96% over the past 12 months, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro data</a>.
The average price target for Microsoft stands at $502.57, based on assessments from 32 analysts. The most recent targets from BofA Securities, UBS, and Wells Fargo average approximately $486.67, suggesting a potential upside of 26.47%.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/MSFT/analyst-ratings"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/16004318/Screenshot-2025-04-16-at-10.13.10%E2%80%AFAM-1024x376.png" alt="" class="wp-image-873352" /></a></figure>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/MSFT">Benzinga&#8217;s proprietary Edge Rankings</a> give Microsoft a momentum rating of 46.80% and a growth rating of 64.72%. For deeper stock analysis and potential growth picks, consider <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">subscribing to Benzinga Edge</a>.
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Photo Courtesy: katuSka On Shutterstock.com
Read More:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://benzinga.com/news/25/04/44735140/most-people-dont-have-the-balls-to-do-it-says-mark-cuban-praising-musk-for-going-all-in-with-his-own-money-f" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">‘Most People Don&#8217;t Have The Balls To Do It,&#8217; Says Mark Cuban, Praising Musk For Going ‘All In&#8217; With His Own Money For His Startups</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Tech

MSFT

Satya Nadella Says Microsoft's New Tool Allows Anyone To Create AI Agents That Click, Type, And Navigate On Your Computer For You

ValueAct Holdings, L.P. initiated a position in Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) in the fourth quarter of 2024, purchasing 536,900 shares worth approximately $122 million, according to a 13F-HR filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Feb. 14.
What Happened: Since then, Amazon&#8217;s stock has dropped 20.81% from $228.86 to $181.22 as of Thursday&#8217;s close, largely due to pressure from President Donald Trump&#8216;s newly implemented tariff policies. 
The decline reduced ValueAct&#8217;s Amazon investment by about $25 million to roughly $97 million.
Meanwhile, the San Francisco-based activist hedge fund reduced its Salesforce Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>) position by 1,015,800 shares, a 26% cut to its largest holding. 
Salesforce stock has fallen 21.63% from $325.54 to $255.12 during the same period. This well-timed reduction helped ValueAct avoid approximately $71 million in potential losses amid market volatility.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/04/44754189/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-tumble-as-trump-ups-china-tariffs-scraps-irs-rule-in-nod-to-crypto-voters-rising-yuan-could-boost-altcoins-says-analyst">Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Tumble As Trump Ups China Tariffs, Scraps IRS Rule In Nod To Crypto Voters: Rising Yuan Could Boost Altcoins, Says Analyst</a>
Why It Matters: The strategic moves come during a tumultuous market environment where Trump&#8217;s administration has implemented a temporary 10% universal tariff on most imports and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/04/44753780/us-stock-futures-fall-nikkei-crashes-over-5-as-markets-reel-from-trumps-tariff-shock">a steep 145% duty on Chinese goods</a>, triggering significant market declines. The Nasdaq-100 lost 4.19% and the S&amp;P 500 fell 3.46% in recent trading.
ValueAct&#8217;s investment approach aligns with its history of backing technology and growth sectors. The firm, which manages <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43518855/jeff-ubbens-valueact-bet-on-meta-visa-and-exited-spotify-in-q3-was-it-a-clever-move">approximately $9.27 billion in assets</a>, has demonstrated mixed results with recent investments. 
Led by CEO Mason Morfit and co-CEO Rob Hale since founder Jeff Ubben&#8216;s departure in 2020, ValueAct has built a reputation for its collaborative activist investment style that seeks to influence <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43875453/valueact-bets-119-million-on-amazon-as-analysts-see-25-upside-whats-driving-jeff-bezos-e-commerce-giant">corporate policy to enhance company value</a>.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/commodities/25/04/44754594/gold-miners-rally-as-bullion-hits-3212-record-trump-tariffs-fuel-over-20-year-to-date-surge-across-sector">Gold Miners Rally As Bullion Hits $3,212: Trump Tariffs Fuel Over 20% Year-To-Date Surge Across Sector</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Equities

Markets

AMZN

SPOT

Trump Tariff Turmoil Hits ValueAct's Amazon Stake, But Well-Timed Salesforce Sell Pays Off

WIIM

ADBE

ADSK

DOCU

ESTC

FIVN

FTNT

GLOB

GWRE

HUBS

INTU

MANH

NTNX

ORCL

OTEX

PANW

Shares of companies in the broader software sector are trading lower as stocks pull back after surging Wednesday following President Trump's tariff pause announcement.

ABTS

ALKT

ASAN

AVPT

BILL

BRZE

BTBT

BTDR

BTOG

CFLT

CIFR

CRWD

CVLT

CYBR

DDOG

FROG

FRSH

GTLB

INTA

KVYO

NCNO

PATH

PEGA

QTWO

QUBT

RBRK

SEMR

SOUN

WDAY

Shares of software companies are trading higher following President Trump's decision to implement a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs for all countries except China.

As Washington doubles down on its trade war with China, and tariffs <a href="https://benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/04/44704005/trumps-104-tariff-on-chinese-imports-sends-stock-futures-plunging-dow-falls-over-500-points">now going as high as 104%</a>, some leading experts believe that the Middle Kingdom might have an ace up its sleeve, that could hit the United States where it hurts most—Services.
A vast majority of U.S. imports from China are tangible goods, whereas its exports to the country largely comprise services, and this includes tech solutions, consulting services, law firms, and even Hollywood movies, among others. China, in fact, runs a $32 billion deficit with the U.S. on services.
What Happened: Two widely followed bloggers in China with connections within the Chinese Communist Party have released a seemingly identical list of measures that the country is planning in retaliation against the tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-08/influential-china-bloggers-post-options-to-hit-back-at-trump">reported</a> Bloomberg.
Among the list of measures shared by Ren Yi, the grandson of a former Guangdong province Communist Party chief, and Liu Hong, a senior journalist at Xinhua, the state-run news agency, includes a plan to &#8220;reduce or ban the import of U.S.-made films.&#8221;
See More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/04/44705797/high-stakes-high-yields-investors-puzzled-with-us-treasuries-defiant-run-amid-market-turmoil">US Treasuries Defiant Run Amid Trump Tariff Turmoil Puzzles Investors— Hedge Funds Selling Or China Dumping?</a>
Besides this, China plans to target the U.S. services sector in several other ways, such as restricting American companies from taking part in Chinese government procurement processes and limiting the cooperation between Chinese companies and U.S. law firms and consultancies.
Why It Matters: In China&#8217;s $17.7 billion box office, Hollywood movies managed to gross a little under $600 million in 2024, while the total U.S. and Canadian box office numbers during the same period stood at $8.6 billion. So, the move is expected to have a sizable impact on the industry.
Stocks like Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIS#NYSE">DIS</a>) will be in focus considering its globalized IP, with <a href="https://www.matthewball.co/all/china-marvel-and-the-uncertain-future-of-the-global-franchise">several multi-million dollar hits</a> over the years. It also has a sizable merchandising and theme park business in China, which will be impacted. Warner Bros Discovery Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WBD#NASDAQ">WBD</a>) is next in line, with several international licensing deals in the country that could be cut short.
However, the hardest hit could be IMAX Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IMAX#NYSE">IMAX</a>), which derives 23% of its revenue from China, where 45% of all <a href="https://thebambooworks.com/imax-china-roars-into-year-of-the-snake-after-weak-performance-in-2024/">IMAX screens</a> are located.
Several other companies provide software, consulting, and related services in the Mainland, such as Salesforce Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>) partnering with Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) to <a href="https://www.theregister.com/2023/11/06/asia_in_brief/">offer services</a> in the country, however, given the opaqueness of the nation&#8217;s financial markets, and the kind of barriers imposed, there isn&#8217;t a lot of clarity on the kind of impact a tariff on services would have. 
Read More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/04/44706519/apple-stock-nosediving-since-liberation-day-tariffs-has-created-panic-says-gene-munster-predicts-tim-cooks-favorable-relationship-with-trump-xi-jinping-will-rescue-iphone-maker">Apple Stock Nosediving Since &#8216;Liberation Day&#8217; Tariffs Created Panic, Says Gene Munster: Predicts Tim Cook&#8217;s &#8216;Favorable&#8217; Relationship With Trump, Xi Jinping Will Rescue iPhone-Maker</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

Asia

Government

Economics

General

BABA

IMAX

China May Hit US Where It Hurts Amid Trump's Tariff War — Services Trade In Crosshairs, With Walt Disney, IMAX And Warner Bros. Discovery In Focus

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Here's the list of options activity happening in today's session: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/11/25</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$39.0K</td>
<td>14.8K</td>
<td>106.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AAPL</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/11/25</td>
<td>$175.00</td>
<td>$178.0K</td>
<td>10.0K</td>
<td>33.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>04/11/25</td>
<td>$250.00</td>
<td>$95.8K</td>
<td>3.6K</td>
<td>10.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSFT</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/11/25</td>
<td>$360.00</td>
<td>$30.3K</td>
<td>1.3K</td>
<td>2.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PLTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>07/18/25</td>
<td>$105.00</td>
<td>$28.4K</td>
<td>3.1K</td>
<td>1.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SNOW</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$140.00</td>
<td>$38.9K</td>
<td>415</td>
<td>622</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CRM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$155.00</td>
<td>$44.6K</td>
<td>458</td>
<td>201</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/20/26</td>
<td>$85.00</td>
<td>$60.1K</td>
<td>225</td>
<td>98</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AVGO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$200.00</td>
<td>$35.1K</td>
<td>9.5K</td>
<td>94</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CRDO</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
<td>$34.2K</td>
<td>61</td>
<td>20</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 3 day(s) on April 11, 2025. Parties traded 100 contract(s) at a $100.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 5 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $39.0K, with a price of $390.0 per contract. There were 14877 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 106173 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding AAPL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 3 day(s) on April 11, 2025. Parties traded 429 contract(s) at a $175.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 14 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $178.0K, with a price of $415.0 per contract. There were 10023 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 33127 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MSTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be neutral, expiring in 3 day(s) on April 11, 2025. This event was a transfer of 95 contract(s) at a $250.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $95.8K, with a price of $1010.0 per contract. There were 3630 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 10724 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MSFT (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 3 day(s) on April 11, 2025. Parties traded 29 contract(s) at a $360.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 6 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $30.3K, with a price of $1045.0 per contract. There were 1351 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2163 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For PLTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 101 day(s) on July 18, 2025. This event was a transfer of 49 contract(s) at a $105.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.4K, with a price of $582.0 per contract. There were 3164 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1524 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For SNOW (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNOW#NYSE">SNOW</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 9 day(s) on April 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 84 contract(s) at a $140.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 10 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $38.9K, with a price of $465.0 per contract. There were 415 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 622 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding CRM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>), we observe a call option trade with neutral sentiment. It expires in 647 day(s) on January 15, 2027. Parties traded 4 contract(s) at a $155.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $44.6K, with a price of $11156.0 per contract. There were 458 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 201 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MU (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 346 day(s) on March 20, 2026. This event was a transfer of 64 contract(s) at a $85.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 11 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $60.1K, with a price of $940.0 per contract. There were 225 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 98 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AVGO (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 283 day(s) on January 16, 2026. This event was a transfer of 7 contract(s) at a $200.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $35.1K, with a price of $5015.0 per contract. There were 9579 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 94 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For CRDO (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRDO#NASDAQ">CRDO</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 38 day(s) on May 16, 2025. This event was a transfer of 20 contract(s) at a $20.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $34.2K, with a price of $1710.0 per contract. There were 61 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 20 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Options

AAPL

AVGO

CRDO

MSTR

NVDA

PLTR

SNOW

10 Information Technology Stocks With Whale Alerts In Today's Session

Shares of software companies are trading lower as global markets continue to decline following President Trump's announcement of sweeping tariffs

AUID

Shares of software companies are trading lower as markets react to President Trump's announcement of sweeping tariffs.

Salesforce shares are trading lower after Jefferies lowered its price target on the stock from $425 to $375.

Jefferies analyst Brent Thill maintains Salesforce (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>) with a Buy and lowers the price target from $425 to $375.

Jefferies Maintains Buy on Salesforce, Lowers Price Target to $375

Financial giants have made a conspicuous bearish move on Salesforce. Our analysis of options history for Salesforce (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>) revealed 33 unusual trades.
Delving into the details, we found 36% of traders were bullish, while 39% showed bearish tendencies. Out of all the trades we spotted, 19 were puts, with a value of $1,450,512, and 14 were calls, valued at $834,752.
<h3>Expected Price Movements</h3>
Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $130.0 to $500.0 for Salesforce over the recent three months. 
<h3>Analyzing Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for Salesforce options trades today is 1067.92 with a total volume of 4,584.00.
In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for Salesforce's big money trades within a strike price range of $130.0 to $500.0 over the last 30 days.
<h3>Salesforce 30-Day Option Volume &amp; Interest Snapshot</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1743179433_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Noteworthy Options Activity:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th align="right">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>CRM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$18.75</td>
<td>$18.45</td>
<td>$18.6</td>
<td>$320.00</td>
<td>$279.0K</td>
<td>2.2K</td>
<td align="right">165</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CRM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$28.5</td>
<td>$28.35</td>
<td>$28.5</td>
<td>$280.00</td>
<td>$273.6K</td>
<td>815</td>
<td align="right">125</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CRM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$11.15</td>
<td>$10.95</td>
<td>$11.05</td>
<td>$270.00</td>
<td>$209.9K</td>
<td>1.7K</td>
<td align="right">372</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CRM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$10.75</td>
<td>$10.1</td>
<td>$10.35</td>
<td>$280.00</td>
<td>$207.0K</td>
<td>1.3K</td>
<td align="right">204</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CRM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$86.3</td>
<td>$83.55</td>
<td>$84.94</td>
<td>$360.00</td>
<td>$169.8K</td>
<td>324</td>
<td align="right">20</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Salesforce</h3>
Salesforce provides enterprise cloud computing solutions. The company offers customer relationship management technology that brings companies and customers together. Its Customer 360 platform helps the group to deliver a single source of truth, connecting customer data across systems, apps, and devices to help companies sell, service, market, and conduct commerce. It also offers Service Cloud for customer support, Marketing Cloud for digital marketing campaigns, Commerce Cloud as an e-commerce engine, the Salesforce Platform, which allows enterprises to build applications, and other solutions, such as MuleSoft for data integration.
<h3>Where Is Salesforce Standing Right Now?</h3>
<ul>
<li>Currently trading with a volume of 1,695,230, the CRM's price is down by -2.26%, now at $271.52. </li>
<li>RSI readings suggest the stock is currently may be approaching oversold.</li>
<li>Anticipated earnings release is in 61 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What Analysts Are Saying About Salesforce</h3>
Over the past month, 5 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $371.0.
Turn $1000 into $1270 in just 20 days?
20-year pro options trader reveals his one-line chart technique that shows when to buy and sell. Copy his trades, which have had averaged a 27% profit every 20 days. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/options-moneyline-2/?t=Moop1arja3be22op14&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=options-activity&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; An analyst from DA Davidson has decided to maintain their Neutral rating on Salesforce, which currently sits at a price target of $275. 
&#x2A; Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Canaccord Genuity keeps a Buy rating on Salesforce with a target price of $400. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Oppenheimer continues to hold a Outperform rating for Salesforce, targeting a price of $380. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Baird has decided to maintain their Outperform rating on Salesforce, which currently sits at a price target of $400. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Needham has revised its rating downward to Buy, adjusting the price target to $400. 
Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest Salesforce options trades with real-time alerts from <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>.

Unpacking the Latest Options Trading Trends in Salesforce

Salesforce board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.42 per share (actual dividend: $0.416 per share), which represents a 4% increase over the previous quarter's dividend. The dividend is payable April 24, 2025 to shareholders of record on April 10, 2025.
 &nbsp;

Dividends

Reported Earlier, Salesforce Raises Dividend By 4% To $0.42 Per Share, Payable April 24

Salesforce (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>) CEO Marc Benioff is betting big on AI-powered agents and humanoid robots, calling them the future of digital labor. He recently posted a viral clip on X featuring Unitree&#8217;s G1 robot performing combat-style kicks and Tai Chi moves, describing it as part of a massive shift in how work will get done.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Deepseek is AI that costs pennies. Unitree is Robots that cost less than a MacBook. DeepSeek + Unitree G1 = the future of cheap, scalable digital labor. It's not science fiction anymore. &#x2764;&#xFE0F;&#x1f916; <a href="https://t.co/P6YHRTMcDL">pic.twitter.com/P6YHRTMcDL</a>
&mdash; Marc Benioff (@Benioff) <a href="https://twitter.com/Benioff/status/1903381595211669522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
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&#8220;DeepSeek is AI that costs pennies. Unitree is robots that cost less than a MacBook,&#8221; Benioff <a href="https://x.com/Benioff/status/1903381595211669522">wrote</a>, claiming that combining the two equals &#8220;the future of cheap, scalable digital labor.&#8221; But readers were quick to point out that the Unitree G1 actually starts at $16,000, which is significantly more than the price of a MacBook.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Salesforce's Billion-Bot Vision</h2>
Benioff isn't just hyping up viral robot videos. He's actively steering Salesforce toward a future dominated by autonomous AI agents. Through the company's Agentforce platform, Salesforce plans to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/management/24/11/41978942/salesforce-ceo-marc-benioff-bets-big-on-billion-bots">deploy 1 billion AI agents within a year</a>. These digital workers are designed to handle tasks across departments like sales, service, and marketing without human input.
&#8220;We are not at that moment we've seen in those crazy movies—and maybe we will be one day—but that is not where we are today,&#8221; Benioff said on a recent Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/podcasts/wsj-the-future-of-everything/bold-names-salesforce-ceo-marc-benioff-and-the-ai-fantasy-land/47588c9f-73f6-4ce1-ba4a-af169ed2cd3c">podcast</a>. He added that tools like ChatGPT get too much attention, and that the real breakthrough lies in agents that can take independent action.
Trending: Hasbro, MGM, and Skechers trust this AI marketing firm — <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/rad-intel">invest pre-IPO from $0.55 per share now</a>.
Benioff also shared how a virtual tour guide at a Disney park used AI to customize his itinerary based on ride history and park conditions. For him, that's a glimpse of how AI can reshape not just the office, but everyday life.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A Trillion-Dollar Market</h2>
Salesforce is moving beyond customer relationship management software and into what Benioff calls the "digital labor revolution." He estimates the market could be <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43999577/salesforce-aims-beyond-crm-bets-big-on-digital-labor-revolution-as-ceo-predicts-up-to-12-trillion-market">worth as much as $12 trillion</a>. &#8220;This is much bigger than software,&#8221; he said during Salesforce's latest earnings call. The company is banking on its deeply integrated platform—combining Agentforce, Customer 360, and Data Cloud—to lead the charge.
Despite a mixed quarterly report, where Salesforce beat earnings estimates but narrowly missed on revenue, Benioff's long-term outlook remains bullish. CNBC's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/11/41890694/jim-cramer-says-salesforce-agentforce-is-the-best-use-of-ai-he-has-seen-makes-sense-that-the-stock-has-gone-up-so-much">Jim Cramer even called Agentforce</a> &#8220;pretty revolutionary,&#8221; linking the product's potential to Salesforce's 33% stock rally in 2025.
See Also: This platform is reshaping how you invest in private companies —<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/kingscrowd-adv"> and you can be a part of it for $0.18 per share</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Robots Join the Workforce</h2>
Unitree's G1 robot is making headlines for more than its martial arts skills. It's part of a new wave of humanoid machines trained using virtual simulations. The G1 learns in Nvidia's Isaac Simulator and uses a method called Sim2Real to apply those virtual skills in the real world. The robot has 23 degrees of freedom, a foldable frame, and high-end sensors including 3D LiDAR and a depth camera.
Standing 4.3 feet tall and weighing 77 pounds, the G1 can walk, balance, flip, and even react to being kicked—all powered by an 8-core CPU and a swappable battery. Unitree has also made its motion data open source to encourage further development of human-like movement in robots.
While the price tag doesn't quite match Benioff's MacBook comparison, the technology is getting cheaper, faster, and more capable. And with big players like Salesforce, Microsoft (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), Nvidia (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) and OpenAI all embracing digital agents, the workforce of the future may look very different—and much more robotic.
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'The Future Of Cheap, Scalable Digital Labor'—Marc Benioff Shares Video Of A Chinese Robot Doing Kung Fu 'That Costs Less Than A MacBook'

Salesforce's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>) short percent of float has risen 24.27% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 11.97 million shares sold short, which is 1.28% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 1.44 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>Salesforce Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1743016525_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Salesforce has grown since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to fall in the near-term but traders should be aware that more shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing Salesforce's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>, Salesforce's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 3.14%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

Short Sellers

Short Ideas

Is Salesforce Gaining or Losing Market Support?

Salesforce (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 20 years by 16.02% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 24.26%. Currently, Salesforce has a market capitalization of $275.98 billion. 
Buying $100 In CRM: If an investor had bought $100 of CRM stock 20 years ago, it would be worth $7,680.00 today based on a price of $287.18 for CRM at the time of writing.
<h3>Salesforce's Performance Over Last 20 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1743003010_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

If You Invested $100 In This Stock 20 Years Ago, You Would Have This Much Today

Financial giants have made a conspicuous bullish move on Salesforce. Our analysis of options history for Salesforce (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>) revealed 53 unusual trades.
Delving into the details, we found 50% of traders were bullish, while 30% showed bearish tendencies. Out of all the trades we spotted, 18 were puts, with a value of $1,259,452, and 35 were calls, valued at $1,746,099.
<h3>Predicted Price Range</h3>
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $100.0 to $430.0 for Salesforce over the last 3 months. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Trends</h3>
Assessing the volume and open interest is a strategic step in options trading. These metrics shed light on the liquidity and investor interest in Salesforce's options at specified strike prices. The forthcoming data visualizes the fluctuation in volume and open interest for both calls and puts, linked to Salesforce's substantial trades, within a strike price spectrum from $100.0 to $430.0 over the preceding 30 days.
<h3>Salesforce Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1742919444_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Noteworthy Options Activity:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th align="right">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>CRM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>10/17/25</td>
<td>$14.85</td>
<td>$14.6</td>
<td>$14.7</td>
<td>$260.00</td>
<td>$441.0K</td>
<td>7</td>
<td align="right">300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CRM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$12.95</td>
<td>$12.75</td>
<td>$12.75</td>
<td>$290.00</td>
<td>$118.5K</td>
<td>1.4K</td>
<td align="right">9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CRM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>08/15/25</td>
<td>$13.2</td>
<td>$12.85</td>
<td>$12.8</td>
<td>$270.00</td>
<td>$111.4K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
<td align="right">108</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CRM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/18/26</td>
<td>$26.5</td>
<td>$26.2</td>
<td>$26.2</td>
<td>$350.00</td>
<td>$94.3K</td>
<td>700</td>
<td align="right">36</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CRM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$147.2</td>
<td>$145.05</td>
<td>$145.95</td>
<td>$160.00</td>
<td>$72.9K</td>
<td>81</td>
<td align="right">72</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Salesforce</h3>
Salesforce provides enterprise cloud computing solutions. The company offers customer relationship management technology that brings companies and customers together. Its Customer 360 platform helps the group to deliver a single source of truth, connecting customer data across systems, apps, and devices to help companies sell, service, market, and conduct commerce. It also offers Service Cloud for customer support, Marketing Cloud for digital marketing campaigns, Commerce Cloud as an e-commerce engine, the Salesforce Platform, which allows enterprises to build applications, and other solutions, such as MuleSoft for data integration.
In light of the recent options history for Salesforce, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.
<h3>Present Market Standing of Salesforce</h3>
<ul>
<li>Currently trading with a volume of 1,633,796, the CRM's price is up by 0.66%, now at $287.84. </li>
<li>RSI readings suggest the stock is currently is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.</li>
<li>Anticipated earnings release is in 64 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Expert Opinions on Salesforce</h3>
A total of 5 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $322.0.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=Be8be9arja3be22bz20&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=options-activity&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Macquarie persists with their Neutral rating on Salesforce, maintaining a target price of $320. 
&#x2A; Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Citigroup keeps a Neutral rating on Salesforce with a target price of $350. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Scotiabank continues to hold a Sector Outperform rating for Salesforce, targeting a price of $345. 
&#x2A; Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Macquarie keeps a Neutral rating on Salesforce with a target price of $320. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from DA Davidson continues to hold a Neutral rating for Salesforce, targeting a price of $275. 
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Salesforce, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a> gives you real-time options trades alerts.

Market Whales and Their Recent Bets on CRM Options

Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives discusses the benefits for software companies from the AI spending phase.
In recent weeks, the analyst has been tracking enterprise AI spending in 2025, focusing on use cases and identifying leading vendors. AI now makes up about 12% of many IT budgets, up from 10% in January, with some CIOs accelerating their AI strategies.
Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) chips and cloud providers are central to AI deployments, and for every $1 spent on Nvidia, there is an $8-$10 impact across the broader tech ecosystem.
Around 70% of companies have increased their AI budgets, signaling rapid tech spending despite economic uncertainties.
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The analyst has been tracking AI adoption across industries like financial services, healthcare, transportation, and manufacturing.
Many IT departments are focusing on large-scale AI deployments with Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), and Alphabet Inc&#8216;s Google (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>), targeting software-driven use cases.
While customers were still in the strategy phase in late 2024, there is a shift in recent weeks, with high-priority AI use cases now being rapidly implemented across various sectors in 2025. Amid the widespread buzz in the software industry about monetizing AI, a select group of companies is beginning to stand out from the crowd.
The software sector is poised for significant growth as the AI Revolution accelerates, with the adoption of generative AI and LLM models becoming key drivers.
The analyst sees Palantir Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>) and Salesforce Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>) as top software plays amid the AI Revolution for 2025, with other vendors like Oracle Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>), International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>), Snowflake Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNOW#NYSE">SNOW</a>), Elastic N.V. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ESTC#NYSE">ESTC</a>), MongoDB, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MDB#NASDAQ">MDB</a>) and Pegasystems Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEGA#NASDAQ">PEGA</a>) also well-positioned.
IBM&#8217;s cloud penetration has been particularly successful, presenting a major monetization opportunity. Despite investor skepticism, the analyst said the accelerating AI adoption in enterprises will benefit the software industry in 2025. The analyst also added IBM to the Wedbush Best Ideas List, reflecting higher confidence.
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Macquarie analyst Steve Koenig maintains Salesforce (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>) with a Neutral and maintains $320 price target.

Macquarie Maintains Neutral on Salesforce, Maintains $320 Price Target

Thanks to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/03/44347282/recession-fears-gold-records-and-trade-wars-this-week-in-economics">rising recession fears</a> exacerbated by multiple trade wars. Investors have turned to alternative avenues to protect their wealth, from purchasing gold to bidding up <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44418887/alpha-buying-why-reit-insiders-are-betting-big-amid-economic-uncertainty">real estate investment trusts</a> (REITs). However, the smart money has an even bolder idea: rotate back into heavily deflated technology firms such as cloud-based software giant Salesforce Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>).
To be completely upfront, the idea of betting on Salesforce&#8217;s stock is a contrarian and therefore risky one. Aside from the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/03/44383229/salesforces-growth-path-analyst-predicts-28-2-billion-free-cash-flow-by-2031-but-tariffs-could-delay-target">tariffs that could impose macroeconomic pressures</a> against Salesforce's primary revenue drivers, the company didn't do itself any favors when it released its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43991325/salesforce-shares-sink-after-q4-revenues-miss-estimates-weak-fy26-guidance-details">fourth-quarter earnings results</a> late last month.
Headline figures came in mixed, with the highlight being earnings of $2.78 per share, beating the consensus estimate of $2.61. Unfortunately, revenue in the quarter landed at $9.99 billion, missing the consensus view of $10.03 billion (though it was an improvement of nearly $9.3 billion from the same quarter last year).
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/03/44418891/us-home-sales-jump-in-february-median-price-nears-400000-next-big-move-could-shock-everyone-analysts-say">US Home Sales Jump In February, Median Price Nears $400,000</a>
Still, the real story at the time was management's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/02/44019376/salesforces-shares-drop-on-missed-fy-guidance-analyst-recommends-focus-on-bookings">guidance for fiscal year 2026 revenue</a>, which ranges from $40.5 billion to $40.9 billion. In contrast, analysts were expecting revenue to reach $41.375 billion. Subsequently, Salesforce suffered conspicuous volatility.
Recently, though, a floor appears to have developed around the $270 level — and the show support may have fundamental justification. Last week, Salesforce <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44272818/salesforce-pledges-1-billion-to-propel-singapores-ai-industry-through-its-agentforce">committed to invest $1 billion</a> in Singapore's artificial intelligence sector, an effort to promote the adoption of the company's AI product Agentforce.
Further, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/CRM/analyst-ratings">analysts are generally optimistic</a> about Salesforce stock, rating the equity a consensus Buy. Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives in particular remarked that while the "geopolitical poker" game has caused some anxieties, the expert isn't hitting the panic button. Specifically, Ives named Salesforce as one of the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/03/44116610/investors-shouldnt-run-to-the-hills-over-tariffs-dan-ives-points-to-8-ai-stocks-to-own">potential winners of the so-called AI Revolution</a>.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Smart Money Senses An Opportunity</h2>
Participating in the equities market can be a humbling experience, in large part because the influence of opinions is grossly uneven. While retail investors may think a certain way, ultimately, money talks. Therefore, when institutional players — the entities that actually matter — dig into a particular enterprise or asset, it's always worth paying attention.
During the midweek session, Benzinga's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/insights/options/25/03/44400428/unpacking-the-latest-options-trading-trends-in-salesforce">options scanner</a> identified generally bullish activity. In terms of dollar volume, the most optimistic transaction was for sold (or written) $240 puts with an expiration date of Oct. 17, 2025. Essentially, the trader(s) underwrote the risk that Salesforce share prices won't drop materially below $240 by expiration. For the risk, they are receiving the premium (bid) of $11.40 or $1,140 per every 100 shares represented by one option contract.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1022" height="311" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20145600/CRM-stock-unusual-options-activity.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-834591" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20145600/CRM-stock-unusual-options-activity.jpg 1022w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20145600/CRM-stock-unusual-options-activity-300x91.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20145600/CRM-stock-unusual-options-activity-768x234.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1022px) 100vw, 1022px" /></figure>
Nevertheless, from a swing trader's perspective, the most intriguing transaction could be the long $260 calls expiring April 17. At the time, the ask on these calls stood at $25.15. Adding this figure to the strike price results in a breakeven threshold of $285.15. With a little less than a month to expiration, CRM stock is within striking distance of this target.
Of course, Wall Street players aren't in the business merely to break even. No, the smart money anticipates that there are profits to be made, which implies that CRM stock could move much higher. Determining the magnitude of a possible upswing is where the statistical data comes into view.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20145112/CRM-stock-probability-gambit-1024x576.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-834579" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20145112/CRM-stock-probability-gambit-1024x576.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20145112/CRM-stock-probability-gambit-300x169.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20145112/CRM-stock-probability-gambit-768x432.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20145112/CRM-stock-probability-gambit.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image by author</figcaption></figure>
Using pricing information from January 2019, a long position held for any given eight-week period has a 57.41% chance of being profitable, a clear upward bias. 
Right now, Salesforce&#8217;s stock is enjoying modest momentum, with shares up roughly 2% in the trailing five sessions. Under similar circumstances, a subsequent eight-week-long position has a nearly 65% chance of being profitable.
Throughout the eight weeks and assuming the positive scenario, traders may assume a median return between 9.24% to 9.77%.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Setting Up a Strategic Play on Salesforce Options</h2>
With the market intelligence above, aggressive traders can front-run an anticipated recovery with a multi-leg options strategy called the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/bull-spread">bull call spread</a>. This particular approach is appealing because it effectively discounts a net long position.
For the previously mentioned April 17 expiration date, a tempting idea is the 280/290 bull spread. This transaction involves buying the $280 call (at a time-of-writing ask of $940) and simultaneously selling the $290 call (at a $480 bid). The proceeds from the short call partially offset the debit paid for the long call, resulting in a net debit paid of $460.
Should Salesforce&#8217;s stock hit the $290 short strike price at expiration, the trader collects the difference between the strike prices (multiplied by 100 shares per option contract) and the net debit paid, or a maximum reward of $540 per each spread. This translates to a max payout of over 117% on what is approximately a 4% move in the open market.
To be clear, if CRM stock doesn't cooperate, the trader is at risk of losing the entire net debit paid since the long call is currently out the money (OTM).  However, it's impossible to realize such massive rewards in a large-capitalization enterprise like Salesforce unless there's significant volume involved. That's the power of leverage, which makes options trading risky but incredibly tempting.
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Image: Shutterstock

Earnings

Long Ideas

Macro Economic Events

Options Corner: Smart Money Inflows Into Salesforce Signal A Possible Recovery Play

Press Releases

Salesforce Announces Timing of its Fourth Quarter and Full Year Fiscal 2025 Results Conference Call

Salesforce Appoints Robin Washington as President and Chief Operating and Financial Officer

Salesforce and Google Bring Gemini to Agentforce, Enable More Customer Choice in Major Partnership Expansion

Salesforce Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2025 Results

Salesforce Grants Equity Awards to Own Company and Zoomin Employees Under Its Inducement Equity Incentive Plan

1-800Accountant Adopts Salesforce's Agentforce to Scale Expertise During Tax Season Surge, Now Resolving 50% of Customer Support Inquiries with Digital Labor

Salesforce Launches AgentExchange: the Trusted Marketplace for Agentforce

Salesforce Launches Agentforce 2dx with New Capabilities to Embed Proactive Agentic AI into Any Workflow, Create Multimodal Experiences, and Extend Digital Labor Throughout the Enterprise

Singapore Airlines and Salesforce Collaborate on AI-Powered Customer Servicing Applications, Plan to Co-Develop More Solutions for the Airline Industry

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