Salesforce Cuts CEO Pay and Overhauls Platform as AI Revenue Hits $2.9 Billion
Salesforce is betting its future on AI agents that operate independently of traditional interfaces. The company unveiled "Headless 360" at its developer conference this week-a platform architecture that lets AI systems run the software without a browser, accessing over 60 tools directly.
CEO Marc Benioff's compensation fell to $49 million, down significantly from the prior year. The pay reduction accompanies what Benioff called the start of the "autonomous enterprise" era in his shareholder letter.
The financial stakes are substantial. Salesforce's AI products-Agentforce and Data 360-generated $2.9 billion in annual recurring revenue combined. Agentforce alone brought in $800 million with triple-digit growth and 29,000 signed contracts since launch.
The company posted $41.5 billion in annual revenue and is targeting $46 billion next year, boosted by its acquisition of Informatica. Management has set a goal of $63 billion by 2030.
Stock Recovery and Investor Positioning
Salesforce stock rallied nearly 10% in the past week to around $184 per share. The gain comes after a brutal year-the stock is down roughly 30% since January and trades well below its 200-day moving average, far from its May high of $296.
Investor Michael Burry, known for unconventional bets, is building a position in Salesforce. He believes the software sector has found its bottom.
Wall Street analysts remain mixed. Piper Sandler lowered its price target from $250 to $215, though analyst Billy Fitzsimmons kept a buy rating while citing intense competition for IT budgets this year. The consensus price target across Wall Street sits near $279, suggesting over 50% upside from current levels.
Capital Returns Support Stock Price
Salesforce is distributing a quarterly dividend of $0.44 per share on April 23, up from the prior year. The company also maintains a $50 billion share repurchase program.
In the past year alone, the company returned $14.3 billion to shareholders through buybacks and dividends. These capital returns, combined with the AI expansion, are beginning to offset investor concerns about the recent sell-off.
For executives evaluating enterprise software investments, understanding Salesforce's pivot toward autonomous systems and agent-based architecture matters. Learn more about AI for Executives & Strategy and how AI Agents & Automation are reshaping platform strategy.
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