NEW YORK — Dec. 24, 2025 — Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE: CRM) ended the holiday-shortened Christmas Eve session higher, tracking a broadly upbeat tape that pushed major U.S. indexes to fresh milestones. But with trading volume typically thin into year-end—and with U.S. markets closed on Thursday, Dec. 25 (Christmas Day)—investors are now shifting their focus to what matters most for the next open (Friday, Dec. 26): whether Salesforce’s Agentforce-led AI push keeps translating into durable bookings, clearer monetization, and steadier growth acceleration in 2026. [1]
Below is what happened to CRM stock after the bell today (Dec. 24, 2025) and what to keep on your radar before the market reopens.
Salesforce stock price today: where CRM closed and what it did after the bell
Salesforce shares finished the Dec. 24 session at $265.26, up $1.78 (+0.68%). The stock traded between $262.67 and $266.32, with about 2.08 million shares changing hands in the session.
A key nuance for “after the bell” on Christmas Eve: the U.S. stock market followed an early-close schedule today, and liquidity in the post-close session is often notably lighter than usual. The NYSE also outlines that on early-close days, its late trading session ends earlier (5:00 p.m. ET) than on standard days—one reason after-hours moves can be choppy and harder to interpret. [2]
Bottom line: CRM ended the day higher and appeared near-flat in thin post-close trading, with no single blockbuster, company-specific headline dominating the tape late Wednesday.
Why Salesforce (CRM) moved today: the market backdrop mattered more than headlines
Today’s session was about macro tone and holiday positioning as much as anything Salesforce-specific.
U.S. stocks rose in a shortened session
Markets closed higher across the board, with the S&P 500 finishing at 6,932.05, the Dow at 48,731.16, and the Nasdaq at 23,613.31 in the early-close session. [3]
Economic data dropped this morning: jobless claims surprised lower
Fresh U.S. labor-market data also landed on Dec. 24. Weekly initial jobless claims fell to 214,000 (week ended Dec. 20), underscoring a “low-layoff” backdrop—even as economists and investors debate what that implies for growth and Federal Reserve policy into 2026. [4]
What that means for CRM: Salesforce tends to trade as a mega-cap enterprise software bellwether—sensitive to broad risk appetite, rates, and AI sentiment. With indexes firm and the session constructive, CRM benefited from the tone.
Market schedule reality check: “tomorrow’s open” isn’t a thing (U.S. markets are closed Dec. 25)
If you’re planning around the next U.S. session, the key point is simple:
- Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025: U.S. markets closed for Christmas Day
- Friday, Dec. 26, 2025: U.S. markets reopen for a full session
Both the market holiday calendar and today’s market wrap stress the closure on Christmas Day. [5]
There was also a brief policy-related confusion in the news cycle: despite a federal government closure directive for Dec. 24 and Dec. 26, major U.S. exchanges said they would stick to their normal schedules (early close on Dec. 24; full day Dec. 26). [6]
The Salesforce story investors are actually trading: Agentforce, Data 360, and proof of AI monetization
For Salesforce, the near-term narrative continues to center on whether its AI strategy—especially Agentforce—is moving from excitement to repeatable revenue.
From Salesforce’s latest quarterly release (fiscal Q3 ended Oct. 31, 2025), the company highlighted:
- Agentforce + Data 360 ARR near $1.4 billion, up 114% year over year
- Agentforce ARR surpassing half a billion in Q3, up 330% year over year
- Current remaining performance obligation (cRPO) of $29.4 billion, up 11% YoY
- Q3 revenue of $10.3 billion (up 9% YoY) and subscription & support revenue of $9.7 billion (up 10% YoY) [7]
Those are the “watch me” numbers because they connect the AI pitch to forward revenue visibility (cRPO/RPO) and to measurable recurring revenue (ARR).
Guidance snapshot: what Salesforce is already projecting
Salesforce also raised and reaffirmed key outlook items in that same report, including:
- FY26 revenue guidance:$41.45B–$41.55B
- Q4 FY26 revenue guidance:$11.13B–$11.23B
- FY26 non-GAAP EPS guidance:$11.75–$11.77 [8]
This is important context for “what to know before the next open”: there’s no earnings print tomorrow, but the market continues to reprice the stock around confidence in that guide and the credibility of an AI-driven re-acceleration story.
Today’s top Salesforce stock analysis: bullish tone returns, but skepticism hasn’t vanished
Even on a quiet Christmas Eve headline slate, opinion and analysis around Salesforce was active.
Bull case (today): Salesforce as an “AI winner” setup
A prominent bullish take published today argued Salesforce is positioned to re-emerge as an AI winner, pointing to Agentforce traction, improving profitability, and the idea that expectations may be too bearish relative to the company’s scale and cash generation. [9]
How to use this as an investor: Treat it as a sentiment signal. In year-end tape, sentiment can matter, particularly for large software names that can rerate quickly if the “AI monetization” debate turns favorable.
Bear case / risk check: willingness to pay for CRM AI is still debated
Not all research has been flattering. A CIO survey cited earlier this month suggested Microsoft remains a primary beneficiary of 2026 AI spending plans, while Salesforce may still face hurdles monetizing AI features in CRM—highlighting that adoption and willingness-to-pay remain open questions. [10]
What that means into the next session: Watch for any incremental datapoints—customer wins, pricing disclosures, workload migration evidence—that reduce ambiguity around “who pays for agents, how much, and how soon.”
The most useful “forecast” for tomorrow: where Wall Street thinks CRM can go
Forecasts come in many flavors, but for most readers, the most practical snapshot is still analyst price targets.
As of today (Dec. 24), MarketWatch’s analyst estimates page showed a wide spread of targets for Salesforce, with:
- High:$475
- Median:$336
- Low:$223 [11]
That range tells you something important before the next open: the market is not in consensus about Salesforce’s AI trajectory. Bulls see a path to a higher multiple if growth re-accelerates; bears see a mature software company where AI may defend the franchise but not reignite premium growth quickly enough.
What to watch before the market reopens Friday (Dec. 26)
Because Thursday is a holiday, the “overnight checklist” is really a two-day headline risk window compressed into a low-liquidity part of the calendar. Here’s what matters most.
1) Liquidity and price discovery: expect thin trading and sharper reactions
Holiday-week sessions—especially the day after Christmas—can amplify moves. That doesn’t guarantee direction, but it can increase the odds that a modest headline produces an outsized candle in either direction.
Market history also shows Dec. 26 has often been a notably positive day for the S&P 500, though seasonality is never a substitute for fundamentals. [12]
2) Any new Salesforce deal news, AI partnerships, or M&A updates
Salesforce has been active on the product and M&A front. One of the more recent company announcements (last week) was a definitive agreement to acquire Qualified, positioned as an agentic AI marketing solutions provider. Any new details—timing, integration, cross-sell strategy—could become a conversation driver in 2026. [13]
Also keep in mind: Salesforce has emphasized integrating acquired assets (including data capabilities) to strengthen the “trusted enterprise data + agents” pitch. [14]
3) The macro calendar is light—so headlines can dominate
Major scheduled U.S. economic reports are sparse around the Christmas holiday, and at least one widely followed calendar notes “none scheduled” for the holiday period. [15]
Translation: if futures move meaningfully Friday morning, it may be more about positioning, rates, or unexpected headlines than about planned data.
4) The next hard catalyst: when to mark the next earnings window
Salesforce has not (as of the sources available today) posted a “timing” press release for Q4 FY26 results, but third-party earnings calendars commonly point to late February 2026 as the next expected reporting window. For example, Zacks lists February 25, 2026 as the next expected earnings date. [16]
Treat that as indicative, not official—but it’s still useful for thinking about how long sentiment can float on narrative before the next real scorecard arrives.
A practical “tomorrow morning” game plan for CRM investors
If you’re watching Salesforce stock into the next session, here’s a clean framework (without pretending anyone can predict Friday):
- If CRM gaps up on Friday: watch whether it holds above today’s range high area (mid-$260s). A sustained move would likely need either a broader risk-on surge or fresh Salesforce-specific news flow.
- If CRM gaps down: watch whether selling looks “real” (heavy volume, broad software weakness) or “holiday noise” (thin prints, quick stabilization).
- If CRM does nothing: that can be a signal too—markets sometimes “wait” for January positioning and the next earnings cycle, especially for mega-cap software with well-known catalysts already priced in.
The biggest fundamental question remains unchanged going into the post-holiday session: Is Agentforce monetization building fast enough to lift growth expectations—without cannibalizing existing CRM economics or compressing pricing power? Salesforce’s own disclosures show strong ARR growth and rising forward obligations, but investor debate about AI ROI persists. [17]
References
1. apnews.com, 2. www.nyse.com, 3. apnews.com, 4. www.reuters.com, 5. www.nasdaq.com, 6. www.reuters.com, 7. investor.salesforce.com, 8. investor.salesforce.com, 9. www.barrons.com, 10. www.barrons.com, 11. www.marketwatch.com, 12. www.marketwatch.com, 13. www.salesforce.com, 14. investor.salesforce.com, 15. www.marketwatch.com, 16. www.zacks.com, 17. investor.salesforce.com
