Salesforce beats on every metric but the existential AI question lingers

Salesforce Inc (NYSE:CRM, XETRA:FOO), the enterprise software group, delivered a comprehensive first-quarter earnings beat on Wednesday evening, with revenue and profits comfortably ahead of expectations Yet the results did little to settle the deeper debate about whether the company can survive the AI revolution it is simultaneously trying to lead. The stock was little changed in extended trading, a muted reaction that speaks to the weight of the narrative that has dragged Salesforce shares down roughly 33% in 2026, making it the worst performer in the Dow Jones Industrial Average this year.