Salesforce completed its $8 billion acquisition of Informatica on November 18, 2025, bringing the data‑catalog, integration, governance, quality, privacy, and master‑data‑management capabilities of Informatica’s Intelligent Data Management Cloud into the Salesforce ecosystem. The deal closes the gap between Salesforce’s Data Cloud and its autonomous‑AI Agentforce platform, giving the company a unified, trusted data foundation for building and operating AI agents across sales, service, marketing, and commerce.
The strategic rationale centers on data as the “fuel” for AI. By embedding Informatica’s catalog and governance tools, Salesforce can reduce hallucinations and improve the accuracy of its AI models, a priority highlighted by CEO Marc Benioff who said, “You have to get your data right to get your AI right. Data and context is the true fuel of Agentforce.” The acquisition also positions Salesforce to accelerate its digital‑labor vision, deepen its competitive advantage in the enterprise software market, and unlock new revenue streams from AI‑enabled customer‑experience solutions.
Salesforce’s Q3 fiscal 2025 results provide context for the deal’s value. Revenue rose 8% year‑over‑year to $9.44 billion, driven by strong demand in core cloud services and a 10% lift in the Data Cloud segment. Operating cash flow grew 29% to $1.12 billion, and free cash flow increased 30% to $1.08 billion, reflecting disciplined cost control and high‑margin AI‑related contracts. Adjusted earnings per share of $2.41 fell short of the $2.44 consensus by $0.03, a miss attributed to a one‑time restructuring charge related to the Informatica integration and a modest decline in the Customer Success segment.
Management emphasized both the upside and the risks. CFO Amy Weaver noted the company’s “disciplined profitable growth” and highlighted the 280‑basis‑point rise in GAAP operating margin to 20.0% and a 190‑basis‑point increase in non‑GAAP operating margin to 33.1%. She also cautioned that the $8 billion price tag and the complexity of integrating Informatica’s product portfolio could create short‑term integration costs and potential vendor‑lock‑in concerns for customers.
Market reaction on the day of completion was muted. Shares dipped 0.5%, a slight decline that analysts linked to investor concerns about integration challenges and the sizable acquisition cost, rather than the strategic fit. The modest dip contrasts with the positive reaction to Salesforce’s Q3 earnings, where a 10% stock surge reflected the company’s strong cash‑flow generation and AI momentum.
The acquisition is expected to be accretive to Salesforce’s adjusted earnings per share, operating margin, and free cash flow within 12 months, a year earlier than initially projected. If the integration proceeds smoothly, the combined platform could accelerate adoption of Agentforce, expand the Data Cloud’s customer base, and reinforce Salesforce’s leadership in AI‑enabled enterprise solutions. However, the company must manage integration risks, maintain its data‑neutral stance, and avoid excessive vendor lock‑in to preserve customer trust and long‑term growth.
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