Key Points
- Salesforce will acquire Informatica for $8 billion to enhance its AI and data management capabilities.
- The deal marks Salesforce’s largest acquisition since its acquisition of Slack in 2021.
- The $25-per-share offer reflects a 30% premium over Informatica’s recent closing price.
- The acquisition will be funded through a combination of cash and new debt, with a closing date expected by early next fiscal year.
Salesforce announced on Tuesday that it will acquire data management company Informatica for approximately $8 billion, marking its largest deal since acquiring Slack Technologies for nearly $28 billion in 2021. The acquisition underscores Salesforce’s renewed focus on major M&A activity to enhance its artificial intelligence offerings and improve data management as competition in the AI space intensifies.
The deal comes after Salesforce previously halted talks with Informatica last year due to disagreements on terms. However, renewed interest and strategic alignment have now led to an agreement, as Salesforce seeks to strengthen its position in the $150 billion-plus enterprise data market.
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff stated that the acquisition will enable the creation of the “most complete, agent-ready data platform in the industry.” The move is intended to enhance Salesforce’s capabilities in managing and utilizing business data, which is critical for the company’s AI ambitions.
With AI-powered tools becoming central to Salesforce’s growth strategy, the integration of Informatica’s data infrastructure is expected to enhance the performance of offerings like Agentforce—Salesforce’s platform that enables businesses to deploy autonomous AI agents for tasks such as customer service and recruiting. The company has already signed over 1,000 paid deals for Agentforce.
Salesforce will pay $25 per Informatica share, reflecting a 30% premium over Informatica’s May 22 closing price—the day before news of renewed acquisition talks surfaced. Informatica’s shares rose 5.8% to $23.86 in premarket trading, while Salesforce’s shares gained 1.2%.
The transaction will be financed through a combination of cash and newly issued debt and is expected to close in the early part of Salesforce’s next fiscal year, starting in February. The company projects that the deal will positively impact its operating margin by the second year following the acquisition’s closure.
Analysts from Scotiabank noted the strategic benefits of the acquisition, emphasizing that large-scale tech providers are increasingly offering enterprise data management software as part of integrated solutions.
