Salesforce ($CRM) Surges 13% After Q2 EPS of $5.90 Crushes $3.27 Estimate
Salesforce $CRM jumped sharply in premarket trading Thursday after the company delivered a massive second-quarter fiscal 2027 earnings beat and unveiled a new partnership with Anthropic alongside the results. The stock rose more than 10% immediately after the report and was later cited up 13%, as investors reacted to stronger-than-expected profits, solid revenue, and signs that Salesforce’s AI push is starting to monetize faster.
What Happened
Salesforce reported adjusted earnings per share of $5.90, well ahead of the $3.27 Wall Street expected. Revenue came in at $11.35 billion, slightly above the $11.32 billion estimate, and sales rose 11% from a year earlier.
The company also raised its full-year outlook, saying its artificial intelligence products are gaining traction. Adding to the optimism, Salesforce announced a partnership with Anthropic, reinforcing the market’s view that the company is building a more credible AI platform rather than just marketing one.
One notable boost to the quarter came from a $2.6 billion gain on strategic investments, tied to Salesforce’s increasingly valuable stake in Anthropic. That helped amplify the earnings surprise and sharpen the market’s focus on AI-related upside.
Analyst Take
For traders, the setup is straightforward: this was a clean beat, but the reaction is really about narrative as much as numbers. The combination of an earnings outperformance, raised guidance, and a high-profile Anthropic partnership strengthens the bullish case that Salesforce is converting AI into real financial leverage.
For portfolio managers, the key question is whether this is a one-quarter pop or the start of a more durable re-rating. Salesforce has spent the past year positioning AI as the next growth engine, and this report gives that story more credibility. The scale of the EPS beat also suggests operating leverage is improving faster than expected.
What to Watch
- Whether management can sustain the higher full-year guidance after this outsized quarter.
- If AI products keep driving incremental bookings, usage, and monetization beyond headline announcements.
- How the market treats the $2.6 billion strategic investment gain, which may not be repeatable.
- Whether the premarket surge in $CRM spills over into broader cloud software names at the Thursday open.
The next leg for $CRM likely depends on execution, not just enthusiasm. If Salesforce can turn AI partnerships and product adoption into recurring growth, the stock could keep its momentum; if not, the rally may fade once the earnings glow wears off.
Sources
- cnbc.com – Salesforce (CRM) Q2 earnings report 2027
- seekingalpha.com – Salesforce leaps on Q2 financial results; reveals partnership with Anthropic
- cnbc.com – Salesforce shares spike on Q2 results
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