Key Takeaways
- CRM shares have plummeted over 30% year-to-date in 2026, reaching a 52-week low of $174.57
- Board members acquired CRM shares in March at approximately $194–$195 per share
- The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF has declined nearly 24% year-to-date
- The company exceeded Q4 expectations with $3.81 EPS versus $3.05 consensus and approved a $25 billion buyback program
- Several institutional funds expanded their CRM holdings during Q4 2024
Salesforce has experienced significant turbulence throughout 2026. The enterprise software giant’s shares have declined more than 30% this year amid widespread selling across the software sector and mounting concerns about artificial intelligence disruption.
The downturn accelerated in late January as AI-related concerns repeatedly pressured the stock. A notable trigger occurred when reports emerged that Anthropic’s Claude AI assistant could autonomously control computers, raising questions about the long-term viability of traditional enterprise software platforms.
Yet amid this volatility, two members of the company’s board made notable purchases of CRM shares in March.
Director Laura Alber — who leads Williams-Sonoma as its CEO — acquired 2,571 shares at approximately $195 apiece on March 19, totaling $451,166. This marked her inaugural open-market transaction since becoming a board member in November 2021.
David Kirk, another director and former chief scientist at Nvidia, purchased 2,570 shares at $194.62 each on March 18. This represented his first open-market acquisition of 2026. Kirk’s direct holdings now total 13,689 shares, valued at approximately $2.5 million.
Solid Financial Performance Fails to Halt Decline
Salesforce unveiled its Q4 financial results on February 25, surpassing analyst expectations. The company delivered earnings per share of $3.81, significantly exceeding the $3.05 consensus forecast. Revenue reached $11.20 billion, representing 12.1% year-over-year growth and marginally beating projections.
The board greenlit a $25 billion share repurchase authorization on March 16 — sufficient to retire approximately 14.1% of shares outstanding. Additionally, the quarterly dividend increased to $0.44 from $0.42, translating to a $1.76 annualized distribution.
Despite these positive developments, the stock’s descent has continued. Since March 19 — when Alber made her purchase — shares have dropped an additional 7%.
Institutional Investors Continue Accumulating
Among institutional holders, CMH Wealth Management expanded its CRM position by 37.3% during Q4, adding 10,102 shares to reach a total of 37,208 shares valued at $9.87 million. Multiple other institutional funds similarly increased their stakes throughout the quarter.
Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively control 80.43% of CRM shares.
Wall Street analysts maintain a generally optimistic outlook. The stock holds an average “Moderate Buy” rating with a consensus price objective of $280.21 — substantially above current trading levels. Analyst price targets span from $250 (TD Cowen) to $430 (Citizens JMP).
Agilysys (AGYS), another software company that witnessed insider purchases in mid-March, has climbed 5.6% since director Melvin Keating bought $27,289 worth of shares between March 16 and 17.
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