A Vote of Confidence: Major Investors Signal Faith in Salesforce’s AI Pivot

While Salesforce shares have faced headwinds in 2025, a significant shift is occurring beneath the surface. Major institutional players and corporate insiders are making substantial purchases, signaling strong belief in the company's trajectory. This accumulation is happening during a period where operational performance appears stronger than the recent stock price suggests, largely fueled by the tangible financial impact of its strategic shift toward agentic artificial intelligence.

The buying activity is grounded in solid financial results. For the third quarter of fiscal year 2026, reported in December 2025, Salesforce delivered a decisive earnings beat. The company posted earnings per share of $3.25, comfortably surpassing consensus estimates of approximately $2.86.

Revenue climbed 9% year-over-year to $10.26 billion, demonstrating resilient growth in its core business despite broader market concerns about economic slowing. Furthermore, management raised its full-year fiscal 2026 revenue guidance, now projecting a range of $41.45 to $41.55 billion. This upward revision indicates that efficiency initiatives and new product adoption are yielding better results than initially forecast.

Insider and Institutional Accumulation Points to Undervaluation

A notable display of conviction came from within the company itself. Director G. Mason Morfit recently acquired 96,000 shares on the open market at an average price of $260.58 per share. This transaction, valued at nearly $25 million, ranks among the largest open-market insider purchases in the company's recent history and is widely interpreted as a powerful vote of confidence.

This move is being mirrored by institutional investors. Firms including Hamilton Point Investment Advisors have, according to recent filings, established new positions or increased existing ones. They appear to be using the stock's 2025 weakness as a strategic entry point. The confluence of insider and institutional buying suggests key market participants view Salesforce's valuation as disconnected from its prospects, particularly regarding its AI strategy.

As of the latest close, the stock was at $266.12, representing an 18.5% gain over the past 30 days. However, it continues to trade roughly 23% below its 52-week high—a disparity that is drawing close scrutiny from value-focused investors.

AI Platforms Emerge as a Measurable Growth Engine

Salesforce's strategic focus on autonomous, agentic AI is transitioning from buzzword to a concrete revenue contributor. Its "Agentforce" and "Data 360" platforms have collectively reached an annual recurring revenue (ARR) run rate of nearly $1.4 billion.

Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying Salesforce?

This figure marks a staggering 114% increase compared to the previous year. Growth of this magnitude provides clear evidence that the company's AI offerings are gaining significant market traction and establishing themselves as a standalone growth pillar.

Market analysts frequently highlight the growing gap between the share price performance and the underlying business strength. Research entities like Morningstar have identified Salesforce as a potential "contrarian buy" for 2026, arguing that fundamentals are stronger than the recent chart action implies. This perspective is based on an attractive cash-flow-based valuation and the additional growth lever provided by the AI platforms.

Premium Real Estate Deal Highlights Brand Strength

A separate development with symbolic weight emerged in the real estate sector. On January 8, 2026, it was revealed that OUE Real Estate Investment Trust entered exclusive negotiations with Mitsubishi Estate Asia regarding the acquisition of a partial stake in the Salesforce Tower in Sydney.

Although Salesforce is not a direct party to this transaction, the deal underscores the premium value associated with its global flagship locations. The fact that high-profile office properties bearing the Salesforce name are at the center of such investments reinforces the brand's cachet and its appeal to real estate investors.

Outlook and Market Implications

Currently, several positive threads are converging for Salesforce: robust quarterly earnings, raised annual guidance, rapidly scaling AI revenue, and substantial buying by insiders and institutions. For the ongoing fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, management is targeting earnings per share between $3.02 and $3.04, while the quarterly dividend remains stable.

The combination of operational strength, accelerating AI momentum, and a share price still trading meaningfully below its peak creates a foundation for a potential market re-rating in the coming months. This is especially likely if the company meets or exceeds its targets for the final quarter.