Join our Waitlist for Expert Advice!

Salesforce May Be Up for Sale The cloud computing giant is reportedly listening to takeover offers. Could Microsoft be interested?

By Dan Primack

This story originally appeared on Fortune Magazine

Salesforce.com stock was halted on Wednesday afternoon, following a Bloomberg report that the company "is working with financial advisers to help it field takeover offers after being approached by a potential acquirer." The cloud software giant's shares had spiked 12% prior to the circuit breaker being tripped.

There were no details on the suitor's identity, although speculation is already running rampant that this could be the first game-changing move for Satya Nadella since taking over last year as CEO of Microsoft. Also worth remembering that, prior to being named CEO, Nadella led Microsoft's cloud business.

Other possibilities include IBM and Oracle, the latter of which today sold $10 billion of new bonds. Bloomberg also suggests SAP, although a source familiar with the situation says that it is not in the mix. An alternate outcome could be that Salesforce itself makes a major acquisition play, such as for WorkDay or Adobe.

Another source says that large software companies have always considered Salesforce to be "available" for a particularly high premium, but that an outstanding issue is where CEO Marc Benioff would fall in a combined company's hierarchy. At Oracle, for example, would Benioff be expected to work under co-CEOs Mark Hurd and Safra Catz, or perhaps take both of their jobs?

Salesforce has a market cap of more than $43 billion, with just around $2 billion of debt on its books.

Dan Primack blogs, writes, muses and opines on deals and deal-makers for Fortune.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

At 16, She Started a Side Hustle While 'Stuck at Home.' Now It's on Track to Earn Over $3.1 Million This Year.

Evangelina Petrakis, 21, was in high school when she posted on social media for fun — then realized a business opportunity.

Business News

'Major Impact': Here's What the Big Four Firms Have to Say About the 2024 Election

The Big Four consulting firms conducted surveys and gathered data to garner what business leaders were thinking ahead of the election. Here are the results.

Growing a Business

PR vs. Marketing — Which One Delivers Better ROI for Your Business?

PR builds trust and credibility over time, while marketing drives short-term sales through targeted campaigns, making both essential for business success, depending on goals and budget.

Marketing

How to Leverage AI for Content Creation While Avoiding Potential Risks and Penalties

This article explores the dual promise and risks associated with AI-powered content creation, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach to maintain SEO effectiveness while avoiding potential penalties.

Business News

The Trade Battle is Heating Up — Here's How Smart Businesses Are Preparing for Tariff Wars and Trade Negotiations

As businesses brace for political shifts and changing trade rules, here's how to protect your supply chain and stay ahead of rising costs.

Business News

Hybrid Workers Were Put to the Test Against Fully In-Office Employees — Here's Who Came Out On Top

Productivity barely changed whether employees were in the office or not. However, hybrid workers reported better job satisfaction than in-office workers.