Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE: CRM) is closing out 2025 at an interesting crossroads: Wall Street is increasingly framing the stock as a “comeback” candidate for 2026, technical analysts are pointing to a strengthening chart, and—at the same time—fresh reporting is surfacing a more cautious internal stance on how much businesses should rely on large language models (LLMs) for mission‑critical automation.
On Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, Salesforce shares hovered around the $262–$263 area during U.S. trading hours, slipping modestly on the day as markets head into a holiday‑thinned stretch. [1]
Below is a complete roundup of the news, forecasts, and market analyses available on Dec. 23, 2025, along with the key themes moving CRM stock into 2026.
Salesforce stock today: CRM trades near $262–$263 as investors balance “turnaround” hopes with AI execution risk
Salesforce stock traded in a relatively tight band Tuesday, with intraday levels roughly spanning the low $260s to mid $264s, while volume remained light compared with more active sessions earlier in December. [2]
Two price levels stood out repeatedly in today’s market commentary:
- ~$225 support zone: highlighted as a key “base” area that held during late‑2025 pressure. [3]
- ~$326–$332 consensus target zone: where several widely cited consensus price targets cluster (depending on the dataset). [4]
This setup is why you’re seeing an unusually sharp split in today’s narratives: “technical recovery” headlines on one side, and a more sober “AI reliability” discussion on the other.
The biggest Salesforce stock headlines on Dec. 23, 2025
1) Technical analysis: MarketBeat flags a bullish multi‑timeframe moving‑average crossover
One of the most widely circulated stock‑specific analyses today came from MarketBeat, which argued Salesforce’s chart is showing a bullish, multi‑timeframe moving‑average crossover (involving multiple key moving averages rather than a simple two‑line crossover). The same analysis says the alignment could set up a traditional Golden Cross if momentum holds into 2026, and it emphasizes repeated defenses of the $225 area as evidence of a durable base. [5]
Importantly for forecast‑watchers, MarketBeat also published a 12‑month average price forecast of $326.68 (about 23% above the then‑current price in its snapshot), with a high forecast of $430 and low forecast of $221, and a “Moderate Buy” consensus based on 44 analyst ratings in its tracking set. [6]
What this means for CRM stock: In plain terms, this is the “the sellers may be exhausted” argument—strengthening trend signals plus a visible support floor can attract both traders (shorter timeframes) and long‑only investors (longer timeframes).
2) Wall Street positioning: Evercore names Salesforce among its “top enterprise software picks” for 2026
A second major theme today: the Street’s “2026 reset.”
According to a TipRanks summary of an Evercore note, Evercore labeled Microsoft (MSFT), Salesforce (CRM), and Oracle (ORCL) as top enterprise software picks for 2026, arguing software infrastructure and AI‑linked spending should remain resilient. For Salesforce specifically, the note frames CRM as a laggard/comeback candidate with improving momentum tied to its AI push, and it points to Salesforce’s low free cash flow multiple as improving the stock’s risk‑reward at current levels. [7]
A separate TradingView / GuruFocus brief echoed the same thrust: Salesforce as a “comeback story,” with the possibility of re‑accelerating revenue growth and a more attractive setup due to its free cash flow valuation. [8]
Why this matters for SEO and investor attention: “Salesforce stock forecast 2026” and “CRM turnaround” themes tend to draw broad retail interest—especially when paired with a big‑name firm’s outlook.
3) AI strategy reality check: Salesforce reportedly pulls back from heavy LLM reliance for “reliability” reasons
The most consequential non‑chart headline today wasn’t technical—it was strategic.
A Moneycontrol report (citing The Information) said Salesforce is reassessing how heavily it should rely on large language models, citing reliability issues and a push toward more deterministic automation inside its flagship AI product, Agentforce. The report also describes “drift” issues and notes examples where complex instruction chains can fail—problems that become costly at enterprise scale. [9]
One quoted line captures the shift in tone: “All of us were more confident about large language models a year ago,” attributed to a Salesforce product marketing executive. [10]
Why this matters for Salesforce stock: The market’s 2026 bull case leans heavily on AI monetization and “agentic” workflows. Any narrative suggesting AI agents need more guardrails—or that LLMs aren’t consistently reliable for full automation—can cut two ways:
- Bullish interpretation: Salesforce is doing the “grown‑up enterprise” thing—prioritizing reliability, controls, and outcomes (which large customers value).
- Bearish interpretation: The path to high‑margin AI revenue is harder than the hype cycle implied, which could slow adoption or pricing power.
4) Institutional and insider signals: a Dec. 23 filing recap highlights buying, selling, and dividends
Also dated Dec. 23, MarketBeat published a filing‑driven recap that included:
- OLD National Bancorp IN increasing its Salesforce stake (via 13F reporting)
- A mix of insider activity, including sales by a Salesforce co‑founder and a smaller director purchase (as summarized in the piece)
- A reminder of Salesforce’s quarterly dividend details (MarketBeat cited $0.416 per share, with an ex‑dividend date of Dec. 18 and payable Jan. 8, per its summary) [11]
How to read this: Filings and insider prints rarely move a mega‑cap alone, but they feed sentiment—especially when the market is already debating whether a “bottom” is in.
The fundamental backdrop behind today’s CRM stock calls
Even though today’s headlines were mostly “market commentary,” Salesforce’s most recent official guidance continues to anchor analysts’ models.
In its fiscal Q3 2026 results release (for the quarter ended Oct. 31, 2025), Salesforce said it was raising FY2026 revenue guidance to $41.45–$41.55 billion, and CEO Marc Benioff highlighted that Agentforce and Data 360 were “momentum drivers,” reaching nearly $1.4 billion in ARR, up 114% year over year (as stated in the release). [12]
The same release also provided Q4 FY26 guidance, including:
- Revenue: $11.13–$11.23 billion
- Non‑GAAP diluted EPS: $3.02–$3.04
- A note that guidance includes approximately 3 points of Informatica contribution [13]
Why this still matters on Dec. 23: The “2026 turnaround” thesis depends on (1) steady core subscription performance, (2) margin and cash flow durability, and (3) credible AI monetization. This release is the baseline for those debates.
Salesforce stock forecast: where targets and expectations sit heading into 2026
Because different platforms track different analyst universes, you’ll see slightly different “consensus” snapshots—but they broadly cluster in the same neighborhood.
Here are the most referenced forecast points circulating today:
- MarketBeat (12‑month forecast): $326.68 average forecast, with $430 high and $221 low (and a “Moderate Buy” consensus based on its dataset). [14]
- Barchart (mean price target): $331.71 (as cited in its roundup of analyst ratings and targets). [15]
- TipRanks (listed average target): $327.13 (as displayed on the CRM forecast snapshot in its tracking view). [16]
The common thread: Most “average target” figures imply something like mid‑20% upside from the $260‑ish trading zone—if Salesforce executes and the software multiple stabilizes.
What investors are watching next: the next earnings window and near‑term catalysts
With Q3 results already out, attention now shifts to the next earnings date window.
Several market calendars cited Feb. 25, 2026 as the expected timing for Salesforce’s next earnings release (estimates vary by outlet). [17]
Between now and then, the catalysts most likely to move CRM stock (positively or negatively) are:
- Evidence that Agentforce is scaling in real customer workflows—not just pilots
- Signals that AI revenue is additive (new ARR) rather than cannibalizing existing seat revenue
- Margin discipline + capital returns, as Salesforce increasingly presents itself as a “shareholder return” story alongside AI growth narratives [18]
- Competitive AI positioning versus Microsoft’s Copilot ecosystem and other enterprise stacks, which Evercore explicitly expects to remain central to budgets [19]
The bull case for Salesforce stock in 2026: “agentic” growth plus cash flow durability
Today’s optimistic framing—especially from the Evercore note summaries and technical analysts—generally rests on four pillars:
1) “Washed‑out” setup + valuation debate
Both the Evercore‑themed summaries and other market commentary describe Salesforce as a stock that lagged and may offer improved risk‑reward if growth expectations stabilize and AI execution improves. [20]
2) AI products are already affecting guidance language and investor messaging
Salesforce’s own results release puts AI at the center of the story, highlighting Agentforce/Data 360 ARR growth and raising FY2026 revenue guidance. [21]
3) Sector‑specific wins reinforce “AI CRM” positioning
In healthcare and life sciences, Salesforce has been announcing notable Agentforce wins, including Novartis and AstraZeneca selections (announced earlier in December). [22]
4) Capital returns (dividend + buybacks) can support downside
Market commentary increasingly points out Salesforce’s dividend and repurchase program as part of a “maturing mega‑cap software” profile. [23]
The bear case: AI reliability, monetization skepticism, and execution risk
The risk story is also evolving—and today’s AI reliability reporting puts it in sharper relief.
Key concerns highlighted by current coverage include:
- Reliability and control: If LLM behavior remains unpredictable in complex enterprise workflows, customers may demand more deterministic designs that slow adoption—or limit how much value (and pricing) Salesforce can capture per deployment. [24]
- Commercialization questions: Even when AI products gain traction, the market can remain skeptical until the revenue model is clearly durable and scalable across industries and customer sizes. [25]
- Sentiment whiplash: A stock can look technically strong while fundamentals remain under debate, which can increase volatility around earnings and guidance updates. [26]
Bottom line for Dec. 23, 2025: CRM stock ends the year with “recovery” signals—but the AI story is getting more nuanced
As of today, the Salesforce stock narrative is no longer just “AI will fix everything.” Instead, it’s becoming a more realistic enterprise story:
- Bullish: Analysts and market technicians see a potential 2026 rebound setup, with consensus price targets in the $326–$332 neighborhood and chart signals suggesting improving momentum. [27]
- Cautious: New reporting suggests Salesforce and customers are grappling with the practical limits of LLM reliability—pushing Agentforce toward more predictable, controlled automation patterns. [28]
- Anchored by guidance: Salesforce’s raised FY2026 outlook and its stated AI ARR momentum remain the foundation for both bulls and bears heading into the next earnings cycle. [29]
This article is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice.
References
1. www.marketbeat.com, 2. stockanalysis.com, 3. www.marketbeat.com, 4. www.marketbeat.com, 5. www.marketbeat.com, 6. www.marketbeat.com, 7. www.tipranks.com, 8. www.tradingview.com, 9. www.moneycontrol.com, 10. www.moneycontrol.com, 11. www.marketbeat.com, 12. investor.salesforce.com, 13. investor.salesforce.com, 14. www.marketbeat.com, 15. www.barchart.com, 16. www.tipranks.com, 17. www.zacks.com, 18. www.marketbeat.com, 19. www.tipranks.com, 20. www.tipranks.com, 21. investor.salesforce.com, 22. investor.salesforce.com, 23. www.marketbeat.com, 24. www.moneycontrol.com, 25. investor.salesforce.com, 26. www.marketbeat.com, 27. www.marketbeat.com, 28. www.moneycontrol.com, 29. investor.salesforce.com
