Salesforce (CRM) Stock: Analyst Targets, Insider Buys, and Google Cloud Deal

TLDR

• Salesforce and Google Cloud announced an expanded AI partnership, enabling agents to run end-to-end workflows across both platforms
• M&T Bank Corp grew its CRM stake by 166.6% in Q4, with institutional investors now owning 80.43% of the stock
• Salesforce opened at $187.17, well below its 52-week high of $296.05
• The company raised its quarterly dividend to $0.44, up from $0.42, and authorized a $25 billion share buyback
• Analyst consensus sits at “Moderate Buy” with an average price target of $279.18

Salesforce (CRM) is having a busy week. A major partnership expansion, fresh institutional buying, a dividend raise, and a $25 billion buyback program have all landed in quick succession — here’s what you need to know.

Google Cloud (GOOG, GOOGL) and Salesforce confirmed an expanded partnership Tuesday that connects AI agents across both platforms. The deal targets a problem that has long frustrated enterprise customers: fragmented data and disconnected systems slowing down workflows.

Salesforce, Inc., CRM

Under the new setup, customers can deploy AI agents directly inside tools like Slack and Google Workspace. Salesforce’s Agentforce and Google’s Gemini Enterprise handle the intelligence layer behind the scenes.

The integration is designed to cut down on data movement between systems and reduce context switching — two pain points that eat up time in large organizations. The companies say this spans every layer of what they’re calling the “Agentic Enterprise.”

The goal is to help businesses move from manual oversight to more autonomous operations, with employees working inside tools they already use rather than jumping between platforms.

Institutional Buying and Insider Purchases

On the ownership side, M&T Bank Corp raised its Salesforce position by 166.6% in Q4, adding 243,396 units to bring its total to 389,479, valued at around $103.2 million at filing.

Several smaller institutions also opened new positions, including Marquette Asset Management, Board of the Pension Protection Fund, and Texas Capital Bancshares. Institutional investors now hold 80.43% of the company.

Two directors also bought stock in March. Laura Alber picked up 2,571 units at $194.58 on March 19, while David Blair Kirk bought 2,570 units at $194.62 the day before. Both purchases were in the $500,000 range.

Insider ownership currently stands at 3% of total stock.

Buyback, Dividend, and Earnings

Salesforce’s board approved a $25 billion share repurchase program on March 16, covering up to 14.1% of the company’s outstanding stock.

The company also lifted its quarterly dividend to $0.44, paid April 23, up from the previous $0.42. That puts the annualized yield at 0.9%, with a payout ratio of 22.54%.

Last quarter’s earnings came in at $3.81 EPS, beating the $3.05 consensus by $0.76. Revenue hit $11.20 billion, up 12.1% year-over-year, narrowly ahead of the $11.18 billion estimate.

Salesforce set FY2027 guidance at $13.11–$13.19 EPS, with Q1 2027 guidance of $3.11–$3.13 EPS.

The stock opened at $187.17 on Wednesday, sitting near its 50-day moving average of $187.58 but well below the 200-day average of $223.21. The 52-week range runs from $163.52 to $296.05.

Analyst price targets vary widely — JPMorgan lowered its target from $365 to $320 in February, while BTIG set a $255 target in April. The consensus average sits at $279.18, with 26 Buy ratings, 11 Holds, and 1 Sell.

BTIG reaffirmed its Buy rating and $255 price target on April 17.

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