New York, March 2, 2026, 15:35 ET — Regular session.
- Salesforce shares slipped in after-hours trading, trailing a broader software ETF that’s up.
- Fresh tweaks to the partner program and a new AI agent initiative are giving investors something to chew on.
- The next immediate catalyst comes Tuesday, when Morgan Stanley hosts its conference appearance.
Salesforce Inc (NYSE: CRM) slipped 1.1% to $192.60 in Monday afternoon action, even as most software names traded higher.
The lag is key here: Salesforce remains a benchmark for enterprise software, and right now the market’s skittish about AI—will it drive new demand, or just pressure subscription prices further? Investors aren’t waiting to find out.
After an early slide sparked by Iran concerns, U.S. stocks clawed back, with buyers snapping up large-cap tech. By 2:30 p.m. ET, the S&P 500 had risen 0.27%, the Nasdaq Composite was ahead 0.52%, and U.S. crude oil surged roughly 6%, according to Reuters. “When people get scared, they go back to what is comfortable,” said Bill Smead, founder and chairman of Smead Capital Management. Reuters
Salesforce bucked the trend among its peers. The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (IGV) climbed roughly 1.5%, ServiceNow (NOW) advanced 2.3%, and Workday (WDAY) edged up 0.8%. Microsoft (MSFT) and Nvidia (NVDA) traded higher; Adobe (ADBE) barely moved.
Salesforce shares have stayed under pressure since last week, after the company guided for fiscal 2027 revenue between $45.80 billion and $46.20 billion—numbers that trailed what analysts had hoped for. The company also rolled out a $50 billion share buyback plan.
Salesforce on Monday announced a shakeup to its consulting partner program, cutting it down to just two tiers and shifting incentives toward actual customer usage instead of counting “seats” or per-user licenses. The company is aiming for $1 billion in revenue connected to these partner incentives and highlighted that its ecosystem now handles about 70% of Agentforce AI agent implementations. Those agents are built to automate more tasks, reducing the need for human input. “As AI adoption scales across enterprises, trust and governance are vital,” said Steve White, a program vice president at IDC. Salesforce
Salesforce will offer investors a window into management’s approach on Tuesday, when it participates in Morgan Stanley’s Technology, Media & Telecom Conference. The webcast features Robin Washington, CFO and COO, alongside Joe Inzerillo, president of enterprise and AI technology. Their remarks are set for 2:35 p.m. PT (5:35 p.m. ET).
Outside the corporate headlines, focus is turning to Friday’s U.S. February jobs data, which lands March 6 and could steer expectations on rate moves and risk-taking. According to a Reuters poll, payrolls are forecast to add 60,000. Kristina Hooper, chief market strategist at Man Group, points out the unresolved debate among investors over who stands to lose or benefit as AI reshapes the landscape.
Still, Salesforce’s risks haven’t disappeared. Sustained high oil prices and a resurgence of inflation jitters typically push investors out of higher-multiple software. There’s also this: as AI offerings from both nimble startups and established competitors handle more tasks within customer platforms, heavyweight vendors could see harder renewal negotiations and increased pricing heat.
Salesforce’s next key event lands Tuesday, with execs set to speak at the Morgan Stanley conference. Investors want specifics: AI adoption rates, partner-driven rollouts, and the mechanics of how Salesforce profits as “AI agents” handle a greater share of tasks.
