Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) shares are trading slightly higher on Thursday as buyers selectively rotate into large-cap software names even while risk appetite is softer across equities.

The Nasdaq is down 0.71% while the S&P 500 has shed 0.58%, and Technology is also lower by 0.27%, putting Salesforce's green tape in "bucking the tape" territory.

With the broader market leaning risk-off (only 2 of 11 sectors advancing and an advance/decline ratio near 0.2), traders are treating Salesforce as a relative-strength hold inside a weak session for growth stocks.

Energy is leading with a 1.84% gain while most cyclical groups are sliding, which often pushes some flows toward mega-cap, cash-generative software.

Shareholders Appreciation & Boosting Financials

This week, the company initiated a $25 billion accelerated share repurchase (ASR) program, which marks the largest ASR transaction in corporate history.

The buyback underscores a pivot toward returning capital amid shifting market dynamics. Robin Washington, President and Chief Operating and Financial Officer, noted the move reflects "increased conviction in the durability of our growth.

Apart from this, recently, the company raised capital via debt and priced an underwritten public offering of $25 billion in senior notes involving major banks.

Earnings Snapshot

Last month, Salesforce posted fourth-quarter revenue of $11.2 billion, beating the consensus estimate of $11.18 billion. The enterprise software company said adjusted earnings came in at $3.81 per share, above expectations of $3.04 per share.

That time, the board introduced a new $50 billion share repurchase program that will replace all previous authorizations.

Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions: The stock carries a Buy Rating with an average price target of $273.23. Recent analyst moves include:

  • Northland Capital Markets: Market Perform (Lowers Target to $229.00) (Mar. 10)
  • Citigroup: Neutral (Raises Target to $200.00) (Mar. 2)
  • DA Davidson: Neutral (Lowers Target to $200.00) (Feb. 27)

Technical Analysis

Salesforce is trading 1.1% above its 20-day SMA, but 14.6% below its 100-day SMA, showing a short-term bounce that hasn't repaired the longer-term trend. Shares are down 29.86% over the past 12 months and are currently positioned closer to their 52-week lows than highs.

The RSI is at 45.54, which sits in neutral territory and suggests momentum is no longer oversold but also not strong. Meanwhile, MACD is at -2.4404 versus a signal line at -3.7961, a bullish alignment that points to improving upside momentum off the recent lows.

RSI in the 30–50 range with bullish MACD indicates momentum leaning bullish.

  • Key Resistance: $205.00
  • Key Support: $180.00

Top ETF Exposure

  • SmartETFs Advertising and Marketing Technology ETF (NYSE:MRAD): 4.11% Weight
  • iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (BATS:IGV): 7.68% Weight
  • First Trust DJ Internet Index Fund (NYSE:FDN): 4.07% Weight

Significance: Because CRM carries such a heavy weight in these funds, any significant inflows or outflows for these ETFs will likely force automatic buying or selling of the stock.

CRM Stock Price Activity: Salesforce shares were up 0.62% at $195.55 at the time of publication on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

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