Salesforce stock rises as RBC lifts price target, AI demand back in focus

Salesforce stock rises as RBC lifts price target, AI demand back in focus

New York, Jan 5, 2026, 11:23 ET — Regular session

  • Salesforce shares rose about 1.4% in late morning trade.
  • RBC Capital Markets raised its price target while keeping a neutral rating.
  • Investors are watching Friday’s U.S. jobs report and Salesforce’s next earnings date.

Salesforce shares rose about 1.4% to $257.07 on Monday, tracking a firmer tone in U.S. equities after RBC Capital Markets raised its price target on the enterprise software maker.

The call matters because investors are starting the year still debating whether “enterprise AI” spending is translating into recurring revenue, not just pilot projects. Salesforce has positioned its newer AI agent products as a growth driver, and analyst target changes can shape near-term positioning in a stock that is widely held and sits in the Dow.

It also lands as traders reassess risk appetite after a choppy turn for big-cap technology late last week. The question for software names like Salesforce is whether budgets are stabilizing as boards demand clearer returns on AI spending.

U.S. stocks were higher, with the Dow at a record and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq also up in late morning trading, Reuters reported, as energy and financial shares led gains following a U.S. strike in Venezuela and investors looked ahead to key economic data. Reuters

RBC Capital analyst Rishi Jaluria raised Salesforce’s price target to $290 from $250 and kept a “Sector Perform” rating, according to a report carried by TipRanks. “2026 is likely to be a year when AI tailwinds become more evident,” Jaluria wrote, adding that enterprise spending appears to be stabilizing in select areas. TipRanks

Salesforce last raised its fiscal 2026 revenue and adjusted profit forecasts in early December, citing stronger demand for its AI agent platform and related data products. The company said Agentforce and Data 360 reached nearly $1.4 billion in annual recurring revenue (ARR), a subscription run-rate metric, up 114% year-on-year. Reuters

RBC’s new target implies roughly 13% upside from Monday’s trading levels, but the unchanged rating signals the firm is not calling for a broad re-rating in the near term. For many investors, the next leg hinges on evidence that AI “agents” are converting from experiments into paid deployments that lift bookings and renewals.

But the downside case is straightforward: enterprise customers can stretch decision cycles, and early AI deployments may not scale fast enough to offset price pressure and intensifying competition across cloud software. Any renewed volatility in rates-sensitive growth stocks would also test sentiment, even if company fundamentals hold.

Macro is also in the frame this week. The U.S. Labor Department is scheduled to publish the December employment report at 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 9, a release that can swing expectations for Federal Reserve policy and valuations for long-duration tech shares. Bureau of Labor Statistics

For Salesforce specifically, the next focal point is its upcoming results, which Public.com lists for Feb. 25, when investors will scrutinize guidance, AI product traction and margins. Public

Stock Market Today

  • NZX Most Active Stocks on Friday
    January 8, 2026, 10:22 PM EST. SPARK New Zealand (NZE:SPK) led turnover on Friday with 338,748 shares traded, according to MT Newswires. Manuka Resources (NZE:MKR) followed with 330,050 shares. Ryman Healthcare (NZE:RYM) traded 280,391 shares, while Oceania Healthcare (NZE:OCA) moved 257,301 shares. SkyCity Entertainment Group (NZE:SKC) completed the top five with 250,239 shares. The note reflects intraday activity on the New Zealand Exchange; no price data is included in the report.
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