We disagree with their activist investors

Article Excerpt

These two technology-focused firms have struggled in the past year. But, their shares have moved up lately as activists push for changes meant to lift their earnings. Still, these firms don’t yet inspire our confidence. Here’s why. SALESFORCE INC. $171 is a hold. The company (New York symbol CRM; Manufacturing sector; Shares outstanding: 991.0 million; Market cap: $169.5 billion; No dividend paid; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.salesforce.com) is a leading provider of on-demand customer relationship management (CRM) services. Its cloud-based software lets users manage and share information regarding sales, customer service and support, marketing operations, and data analytics. Activist hedge fund Third Point, controlled by Dan Loeb, has now acquired an undisclosed stake in Salesforce. This is the fifth activist targeting the firm; the other four are Elliott Investment Management, Starboard Value, ValueAct Capital Partners, and Inclusive Capital. Salesforce has a long history of using acquisitions to fuel its growth. It has completed 72 purchases since 2006, including its 2020 takeover of online chat and messaging firm Slack…