Needham analyst Scott Berg has reiterated a Buy rating for Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), maintaining a price target of $400. The endorsement reflects confidence in the company's performance and market position.

Analyst Rating

Scott Berg, an analyst at Needham, has upheld the positive stance on Salesforce. The rating accompanies a price target of $400, suggesting potential upside from current levels.

Salesforce is expanding its customer relationship management capabilities by acquiring AI agent firm Fin for $3.6 billion. The definitive agreement aims to bolster Salesforce's offerings by integrating customer data across various platforms. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2027, pending customary closing conditions, and will not affect the company's previously issued FY2027 guidance or its capital return program.

Fin's flagship AI Agent is designed to handle complex customer support inquiries from start to finish across multiple channels, including live chat, email, WhatsApp, SMS, phone, and Slack. The solution is powered by Apex, the company's proprietary AI model built specifically for customer service. Apex has delivered industry-leading resolution rates, outperforming leading commercially available frontier AI models in customer support applications.

Strategic shift to autonomous software

The acquisition follows comments from Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff regarding the evolution of enterprise software. Benioff stated that the traditional SaaS model is becoming obsolete and argued that the future lies in AI agents. "It's not the end of software," Benioff said. "It's the end of software that makes humans do all the work."

Salesforce is positioning AI agents as the next evolution of enterprise software rather than a mere add-on feature. The company envisions a future where AI agents autonomously handle customer service, lead qualification, workflow automation, and internal collaboration. "Software that listens, Software that understands, Software that can actually do," Benioff said.

Financial outlook and analyst ratings

Salesforce is scheduled to provide its next financial update on September 2, 2026. Analyst estimates for the upcoming period include an EPS of 309 cents, up from 291 cents, and revenue of $11.31 billion, up from $10.24 billion. The stock carries a Buy rating with an average price target of $245.59.

Market performance and valuation

Salesforce shares were trading near $165.84, close to the stock's 52-week low of $161.40. The Benzinga Edge scorecard indicates a weak profile across key pillars for Salesforce. The company received a Weak score in Value (27.89), Quality (28.14), and Momentum (5.17), while Growth was rated Neutral (13.54).