Key Highlights
- CRM shares have plummeted over 30% year-to-date in 2026, hitting a 52-week bottom of $174.57
- Board members Laura Alber and David Kirk purchased shares in mid-March at approximately $194â$195 apiece
- The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF is down roughly 24% in 2026
- Q4 results exceeded expectations with EPS of $3.81 versus the $3.05 consensus, plus a $25 billion buyback announcement
- Several institutional holders expanded their CRM holdings during the fourth quarter of 2024
Salesforce has experienced a turbulent 2026. The enterprise software giant’s shares have declined more than 30% year-to-date, caught in a broader tech sector downturn and mounting concerns about artificial intelligence disruption.
The selling intensified in late January as AI-related fears repeatedly pressured the stock. A significant catalyst emerged when reports surfaced that Anthropic’s Claude AI assistant could autonomously control computer systems, raising questions about enterprise software platforms’ future relevance.
Yet amid the downturn, two board members demonstrated confidence by purchasing shares in March.
Laura Alberâwho chairs Williams-Sonoma as CEOâacquired 2,571 shares at approximately $195 on March 19, investing a total of $451,166. This marked her inaugural open-market transaction since her board appointment in November 2021.
David Kirk, a director and former Nvidia chief scientist, bought 2,570 shares at $194.62 each on March 18. This represented his first market purchase of the year. Kirk’s direct holdings now total 13,689 shares with an estimated value of $2.5 million.
Robust Financial Results and Capital Return Program Fail to Halt Decline
Salesforce unveiled fourth-quarter results on February 25 that surpassed Wall Street expectations. Earnings per share reached $3.81, significantly exceeding the analyst consensus of $3.05. Quarterly revenue totaled $11.20 billion, representing 12.1% year-over-year growth and marginally topping forecasts.
The company’s board approved a substantial $25 billion share repurchase authorization on March 16âsufficient to retire approximately 14.1% of shares outstanding. Management also increased the quarterly dividend to $0.44 from $0.42, translating to an annualized payout of $1.76 per share.
Despite these shareholder-friendly moves, the stock continues sliding. Since March 19âwhen Alber made her purchaseâshares have dropped an additional 7%.
Institutional Investors Maintain Conviction
Among institutional players, CMH Wealth Management expanded its CRM position by 37.3% during Q4, purchasing an additional 10,102 shares to reach 37,208 total shares valued at $9.87 million. Multiple other institutional funds similarly increased their allocations during the period.
Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively control 80.43% of outstanding CRM shares.
Wall Street analysts remain generally optimistic. The stock holds an average “Moderate Buy” rating with a consensus twelve-month price target of $280.21ârepresenting substantial upside from current trading levels. Individual price objectives span from $250 (TD Cowen) to $430 (Citizens JMP).
For comparison, Agilysys (AGYS), another software company that witnessed insider purchasing in mid-March, has appreciated 5.6% since director Melvin Keating acquired $27,289 worth of shares between March 16 and 17.
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