Salesforce
American cloud-based software company providing customer relationship management (CRM) platform and enterprise cloud computing applications for business operations.
Company Type
public
Founded
1999
Headquarters
San Francisco, California, USA
Stock
NYSE: CRM
Revenue
approximately $37.9 billion (FY2025, ended January 2025)
Employees
Approximately 72,000
Primary Market
Global
net zero cloudai sustainabilitynature positiveecopreneur investment
About Salesforce
Salesforce delivered exceptional Q3 2026 results, reporting total revenue of $10.3 billion, up 9% year over year. The company's subscription and support revenue reached $9.7 billion, up 10% year over year, demonstrating strong momentum across all business segments.
Salesforce's non-GAAP operating margin reached 35.5%, while operating cash flow grew 17% year over year to $2.3 billion. The company generated $2.2 billion in free cash flow, up 22% year over year, and returned $4.2 billion to shareholders, including $3.8 billion in share repurchases and $395 million in dividends.
The company's current remaining performance obligation (cRPO) reached $29.4 billion, up 11% year over year, while total RPO climbed to $59.5 billion, up 12% year over year. Salesforce raised its full-year FY26 revenue guidance to $41.45 billion to $41.55 billion, representing 9-10% year-over-year growth.
History of Salesforce
Salesforce was founded in 1999 by former Oracle executive Marc Benioff, along with Parker Harris, Dave Moellenhoff, and Frank Dominguez. The company was established with the vision of delivering business applications through the internet, pioneering the software-as-a-service (SaaS) model.
The company launched its first CRM product in 2000, offering sales force automation tools through a web-based subscription model. This approach challenged traditional enterprise software that required on-premise installation and maintenance.
Throughout the 2000s, Salesforce grew rapidly, expanding its CRM platform with additional modules for customer service, marketing automation, and analytics. The company went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2004 under the ticker symbol CRM.
In 2006, Salesforce launched AppExchange, an enterprise app marketplace that allowed third-party developers to build and sell applications on the Salesforce platform. This created a thriving ecosystem of business applications.
Throughout the 2010s and 2020s, Salesforce expanded through strategic acquisitions, including Slack (2021), Tableau (2019), MuleSoft (2018), and many others. These acquisitions expanded Salesforce's capabilities beyond CRM into collaboration, data visualization, and integration.
Salesforce Sustainability & Ethics
Salesforce has developed comprehensive sustainability initiatives focused on environmental responsibility, ethical technology practices, and community engagement. The company has committed to ambitious climate goals while maintaining its position as a global leader in cloud computing and CRM software.
Salesforce has set science-based targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across its operations and supply chain. The company has committed to achieving net-zero emissions from its operations by 2040 and has implemented programs to increase renewable energy usage in its data centers and offices. Salesforce has invested in energy efficiency improvements and sustainable cloud processes across its global operations, achieving approximately 100% renewable energy usage as of 2024.
In sustainable cloud development, Salesforce has focused on reducing environmental impact across its digital infrastructure and software lifecycle. The company has implemented programs to reduce energy consumption in data centers, develop more sustainable cloud solutions, and optimize software development for energy efficiency. Salesforce's commitment to sustainable technology includes initiatives for green computing, carbon-neutral cloud services, and responsible supply chain management.
Salesforce addresses ethical considerations through its commitment to responsible AI development, ethical business practices, and digital inclusion. The company maintains comprehensive ethical standards and has implemented programs to ensure ethical conduct in its operations, particularly in areas like AI ethics, data privacy, and responsible innovation. Salesforce's ethical guidelines emphasize responsible technology, ethical AI development, and corporate governance.
The company has strong community engagement programs, including the Salesforce Foundation which supports education, youth development, and community initiatives in communities where the company operates. Salesforce employees volunteer thousands of hours annually, and the company provides significant support for education programs, workforce development, and community initiatives worldwide.
Awards & Recognition
Salesforce has received recognition for cloud innovation, workplace practices, and corporate responsibility:
- **Fortune 500 Most Admired Companies (2024 and 2025):** Ranked among the world's most admired companies in software
- **Fast Company Most Innovative Companies (2020-2025):** Multiple years of recognition for cloud innovation and AI solutions
- **Great Place to Work Certification (2024 and 2025):** Certification for workplace culture across multiple regions
- **Technology Innovation Awards (Multiple years):** Recognition for CRM innovation and cloud computing excellence
- **Environmental Leadership Awards (2024):** Recognition for sustainable cloud services and environmental initiatives
- **AI Excellence Awards (2023):** Recognition for artificial intelligence innovation and deployment
- **Supply Chain Excellence Awards (2023):** Recognition for supply chain management and ethical sourcing
- **Safety Awards (2024):** Recognition for workplace safety and employee well-being programs
Controversy, Regulation & Public Scrutiny
Salesforce has faced several controversies and challenges throughout 2025, primarily related to data privacy, regulatory compliance, and competitive practices. The company has maintained comprehensive compliance programs while addressing various regulatory and public scrutiny concerns.
Salesforce has not experienced major product recalls comparable to those affecting hardware companies, as its business model focuses on cloud-based software services. The company maintains rigorous quality assurance programs and works closely with regulatory agencies to ensure data security and service reliability when issues arise.
The company has faced scrutiny regarding data privacy practices, particularly concerning customer data protection, consent management, and compliance with regulations like GDPR and CCPA. Salesforce has implemented comprehensive privacy programs and compliance measures but continues to face regulatory scrutiny in multiple jurisdictions.
Salesforce has been involved in controversies related to its acquisition strategy, particularly regarding purchases of competing companies and technologies that could reduce market competition. The company has worked with regulators to address these concerns while maintaining its growth through strategic acquisitions.
The company has faced criticism regarding its pricing practices and contract terms, particularly concerning enterprise software licensing and subscription models. Salesforce has worked to address these concerns through transparent pricing and flexible contract options.
Salesforce has faced scrutiny regarding its workplace practices and employee treatment, particularly concerning remote work policies and diversity initiatives. The company has implemented comprehensive workplace programs and has been recognized for its workplace culture while continuing to address these concerns.
Brands Owned by Salesforce
Salesforce owns 1 brand in our database.
Stock Information
Salesforce Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Strong Q3 2026 performance with $10.3B revenue up 9% YoY
- +Market leadership position as world's #1 AI CRM platform
- +Record $59.5B RPO providing strong future revenue visibility
- +Explosive Agentforce AI growth with $1.4B ARR up 114% YoY
- +Comprehensive platform covering sales, service, marketing, and commerce
- +Strong ecosystem with AppExchange and partner network
- +High operating margins and strong cash generation
- +Enterprise customer base with high retention and expansion rates
Considerations
- -High subscription costs can be expensive for small businesses
- -Complex platform requiring significant implementation and training
- -Intense competition from other enterprise software companies
- -Integration challenges with existing legacy systems
- -Regulatory scrutiny over data privacy and market dominance
- -Need to innovate rapidly in AI and emerging technologies
- -Economic sensitivity affecting enterprise software spending
- -Complexity in managing multiple cloud products and integrations
Frequently Asked Questions About Salesforce
Is Salesforce a subsidiary of another company?
Salesforce is not a subsidiary of another company. It operates as an independent, publicly traded corporation since its founding in 1999, with shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker CRM.
Is Salesforce publicly traded?
Yes, Salesforce is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol CRM, allowing investors to own shares in the company since its IPO in 2004.
What were Salesforce's Q3 2026 financial results?
Salesforce reported Q3 2026 revenue of $10.3 billion, up 9% year over year, with subscription and support revenue of $9.7 billion (up 10% YoY). Non-GAAP operating margin reached 35.5% and cRPO grew 11% YoY to $29.4 billion.
Who is Salesforce's CEO?
Marc Benioff serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Salesforce. He co-founded the company in 1999 and has led its transformation into the world's #1 AI CRM platform and leader in enterprise cloud software.
What is Salesforce's AI strategy?
Salesforce's AI strategy centers on the Agentic Enterprise transformation with Agentforce, a comprehensive AI agent platform that enables autonomous business processes. The company has achieved explosive growth with Agentforce ARR reaching nearly $1.4 billion, up 114% YoY.
What is Agentforce?
Agentforce is Salesforce's enterprise AI agent platform that enables organizations to build, deploy, and govern autonomous AI agents across business processes. The platform includes Agentforce Builder, Agentforce Voice, and integrates with Salesforce's complete product suite.
How many employees does Salesforce have?
Salesforce employs approximately 80,000 people worldwide, with its headquarters in San Francisco, California, and major operations across North America, Europe, Asia, and other global locations serving enterprise customers globally.
Sources & Further Reading
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