Salesforce Stock Rises Amid AI Debate Among Analysts

Salesforce has seen its stock surge by 18% over the past month, despite a slight decline in the last week. The company's average 12-month price target is near $273, indicating potential double-digit growth from its current value of around $243.

However, not all analysts are bullish on Salesforce. BofA analyst Tal Liani remains a rare bear with a Sell rating and a $160 target, warning that AI value may flow to model providers rather than software vendors like Salesforce. He acknowledges the strengths in Data 360 and the AIforce ecosystem but cautions that third-party AI interfaces could erode Salesforce's control over the user experience.

On the other hand, analysts Derrick Wood and David Hynes believe that Salesforce is poised for an AI-driven 'interface revolution' and upgrade cycle, which could lift growth from around 8% to about 12% by FY30. They point to record sales pipelines, premium upgrades that significantly boost pricing and ARR, and strong demand for Claudeforce and AIforce Max.