Salesforce (CRM) Stock: Analyst Targets, Insider Purchases, and Google Cloud Agreement

TLDR

• Salesforce and Google Cloud have expanded their AI alliance, enabling agents to manage end-to-end tasks across both ecosystems.
• M&T Bank Corp increased its CRM position by 166.6% in Q4, with institutional ownership now reaching 80.43%.
• Salesforce shares opened at $187.17, significantly below the 52-week high of $296.05.
• The firm raised its quarterly dividend to $0.44 from $0.42 and authorized a $25 billion share buyback program.
• The analyst consensus is a “Moderate Buy” with a mean price target of $279.18.

(SeaPRwire) –   Salesforce (CRM) is experiencing a productive week. A major partnership extension, new institutional investment, a dividend hike, and a $25 billion share repurchase plan have all been announced—here are the key details.

SALESFORCE $CRM & $GOOGL CLOUD BROADEN PARTNERSHIP REGARDING AI AGENTS

— Wall St Engine (@wallstengine) April 22, 2026

Google Cloud (GOOG, GOOGL) and Salesforce confirmed a broadened alliance on Tuesday to integrate AI agents across their platforms. The agreement addresses a long-standing issue for enterprise clients: fragmented data and unlinked systems that impede workflows.

Salesforce, Inc. (CRM)

With this new integration, clients can utilize AI agents directly within tools such as Slack and Google Workspace. The underlying intelligence is managed by Salesforce’s Agentforce and Google’s Gemini Enterprise.

The collaboration is intended to decrease data transfers between systems and limit context switching—two major bottlenecks for large enterprises. The firms state this covers every level of what they describe as the “Agentic Enterprise.”

The objective is to assist companies in moving from manual processes to more autonomous functions, allowing employees to work within their existing tools rather than switching between different platforms.

Institutional and Insider Investment

Regarding ownership, M&T Bank Corp boosted its Salesforce stake by 166.6% during the fourth quarter, adding 243,396 shares to reach a total of 389,479, valued at approximately $103.2 million at the time of filing.

Several smaller institutional investors also initiated positions, including Texas Capital Bancshares, the Board of the Pension Protection Fund, and Marquette Asset Management. Institutional holders now account for 80.43% of the company.

Two directors also purchased shares in March. Laura Alber bought 2,571 units at $194.58 on March 19, and David Blair Kirk acquired 2,570 units at $194.62 the previous day. Both investments were valued around $500,000.

Insider ownership is currently recorded at 3% of the total shares.

Repurchases, Dividends, and Financial Results

On March 16, the Salesforce board greenlit a $25 billion share buyback initiative, which could cover up to 14.1% of the company’s outstanding equity.

The firm also increased its quarterly dividend to $0.44, paid on April 23, up from $0.42. This represents an annualized yield of 0.9% and a payout ratio of 22.54%.

In the most recent quarter, earnings reached $3.81 EPS, surpassing the $3.05 consensus by $0.76. Revenue grew 12.1% year-over-year to $11.20 billion, slightly exceeding the $11.18 billion estimate.

Salesforce provided FY2027 EPS guidance of $13.11–$13.19 and Q1 2027 guidance of $3.11–$3.13 EPS.

The stock opened Wednesday at $187.17, near its 50-day moving average of $187.58 but well under the 200-day average of $223.21. Its 52-week trading range is between $163.52 and $296.05.

Analyst price targets show a wide range—JPMorgan decreased its target from $365 to $320 in February, while BTIG issued a $255 target in April. The average consensus target is $279.18, with 26 Buy ratings, 11 Holds, and 1 Sell.

BTIG reiterated its Buy rating and $255 price target on April 17.