Salesforce announced on Tuesday that it will acquire data management firm Informatica in a deal valued at approximately $8 billion, marking a major return to high-profile mergers and acquisitions. This strategic move is aimed at enhancing Salesforce’s competitive position in the rapidly growing artificial intelligence (AI) market. After a period of restraint driven by pressure from activist investors to boost profitability, the cloud software giant is once again making a significant acquisition—the largest since its $27.7 billion purchase of Slack Technologies in 2021.
While Salesforce had previously walked away from deal talks with Informatica last year due to disagreements over terms, negotiations regained momentum in early April. The revival was reportedly prompted by renewed interest from multiple potential buyers, including private equity firms like Thoma Bravo and Cloud Software Group. Although both declined to comment on the matter, the increased competition is believed to have influenced the final agreement.
The acquisition of Informatica, a company known for its enterprise cloud data management solutions, is expected to strengthen Salesforce’s capabilities in managing and leveraging data—an increasingly vital resource as AI technologies advance. By integrating Informatica’s tools, Salesforce aims to build the most comprehensive, agent-ready data platform in the industry. CEO Marc Benioff stated that the deal will significantly bolster Salesforce’s standing in the $150 billion-plus enterprise data market.
Salesforce has already introduced AI agents to assist with recruitment and customer service through its “Agentforce” platform, which has secured over 1,000 paid deals. The Informatica acquisition is projected to accelerate these efforts by giving Salesforce tighter control over how business data is structured and utilized across its ecosystem.
Under the terms of the deal, Salesforce will pay $25 per Informatica share—representing a roughly 30% premium over the company’s closing stock price on May 22, just before news of renewed negotiations surfaced. Informatica shares rose 5.8% to $23.86 following the announcement, while Salesforce stock was up 1.78%.
The transaction, funded through a combination of cash and new debt, is expected to close in early fiscal 2026, beginning in February. Salesforce anticipates a boost to its operating margin starting in the second year post-acquisition. Industry analysts, including those from Scotiabank, noted that the deal positions Salesforce to better compete with other software giants offering comprehensive data management as part of broader enterprise solutions.
Salesforce’s track record as a prolific dealmaker includes notable acquisitions such as Tableau Software in 2019 for $15.7 billion. However, the company faced intense scrutiny from activist investors in 2023—among them ValueAct Capital and Elliott Management—who demanded greater focus on profitability and operational efficiency.
