
Investing.com -- Shares in Salesforce (NYSE:CRM) fell in early U.S. trading on Tuesday after JPMorgan removed the cloud-based software group from its analyst focus list.
In a note to clients, analysts at the bank said the move was carried out to reflect "outperformance and realization of certain catalysts" in the stock, which has risen by more than 54% this year.
The JPMorgan analysts flagged concerns over ongoing signs of "unevenness and variability" in the demand environment for the front-office software-as-a-service offerings provided by Salesforce.
The company reported its slowest increase in quarterly revenue since 2010 earlier this year and said it expected a further slowdown ahead, as clients rein in tech spending in response to elevated inflation and a jump in interest rates.
Hopes remain that generative AI can provide a boost to Salesforce's recent performance, leading at least 25 brokerages to improve their price targets for Salesforce in early June, according to Refinitiv data cited by Reuters.
But the JPMorgan analysts argued that some of the benefits from the surge in interest in AI may have now been "played out."
Salesforce is set to report its results for the second quarter on August 30.
Begin trading today! Create an account by completing our form
At One Financial Markets we are committed to safeguarding your privacy.
Please see our Privacy Policy for details about what information is collected from you and why it is collected. We do not sell your information or use it other than as described in the Policy.
Please note that it is in our legitimate business interest to send you certain marketing emails from time to time. However, if you would prefer not to receive these you can opt-out by ticking the box below.
Alternatively, you can use the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the Demo account confirmation email or any subsequent emails we send.
By completing the form and downloading the platform you agree with the use of your personal information as detailed in the Policy.