Salesforce Surprises Q3 Prognosis Raising Forecast by Informatica Acquisition Support

Salesforce (CRM) shares soared after the technical giant in the software sector reported third-quarter profits stronger than anticipated and increased its revenue forecast for the next quarter. The company's growth was also augmented by the recent $8 billion purchase of data-management software leader, Informatica.

Q3 Earnings and Revenue

Salesforce posted adjusted earnings of $3.25 per share for Q3, a 35% rise year-on-year, outperforming the analysts' average estimate of $2.86 per share. Sales increased by 9% to $10.3 billion, which is the exact market expectation. It was mainly the AI product expansion which attracted the analysts' notice and led the stock to decline around 29% during the year 2025. Nonetheless, Salesforce's growth remained impressive.

Guidance Uplifted and CRPO Growth

Salesforce has increased its guidance for the January quarter and is now expecting the midpoint revenue to be $11.18 billion, which is higher than the prediction of $10.9 billion. The contributory factor of 3% is from the recently acquired Informatica. In addition, the firm pointed out a remarkable growth in the current remaining performance obligations (CRPO), which increased by 11% to $29.4 billion while the estimates were $29.04 billion. CRPO means deferred revenue and backlog, which signify strong future growth.

Forward Year Direction Intensified

The corporation revised its full-year revenue estimate upward to the range of $41.45 billion to $41.55 billion, which is an increment from the prior $41.1 billion to $41.3 billion range, implying a growth of 9%–10%.

AI Growth and Strategic Moves

Salesforce is constantly widening the scope of its AI offerings, and its AI product, Agentforce, has crossed $500 million in annual recurring revenue during Q3. The recent acquisition of Informatica not only boosts the company’s data-management infrastructure but also acts as a support to the AI strategy of Salesforce and empowers more sophisticated customer insights as well as automated processes.

Also, the company is moving from the pure SaaS model to a consumption-based pricing model for AI agents, which will create new revenue streams. The company's entry into marketing, e-commerce, customer service, and even life sciences is a step that could further enhance its position as a multi-faceted enterprise software giant.

Shareholder-Friendly Moves

Salesforce raised the size of its share repurchase program by $20 billion in August, thus, the total authorized buyback has now reached $50 billion which reflects the company's belief in its long-term growth and shareholder return.

Stock Ratings and Market Outlook

After the earnings announcement, the price of Salesforce shares increased by more than 5% in after-hours trading to $251.50. As per IBD Stock Checkup, CRM stock carries a Composite Rating of 57 on a scale of 99 and a C rating for Accumulation/Distribution, implying that the trend is neutral with institutional buying and selling being balanced.

All in all, thanks to its Q3 performance, not to say the strategic acquisitions and AI-driven expansion, Salesforce is strongly positioned for the flow of momentum into 2026.