Salesforce’s (NYSE: CRM) share price has struggled with traction because its heavy investment in agentic AI has yet to pay off. Those days are over. While revenue growth had slowed, falling below the 10% year-over-year mark for the preceding five quarters, revenue is now accelerating, and the forecasts are rising.
The primary takeaway from Salesforce’s Dreamforce event is that it has lifted its long-term forecasts, and the reason is agentic AI. An expanding ecosystem of partnerships is cementing it as the go-to source for AI-assisted CRM services, and those services are now easily found at your fingertips.
Expanding partnerships with Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Anthropic, and OpenAI highlight the company’s strength and position within the tech sector. The new deals improve access to Salesforce’s tools and AI for Salesforce’s clients, embedding models such as Gemini, Claude, and ChatGPT directly into the Agentforce 360 platform. Highlights include improved employee and consumer experiences, increased operational efficiency, and workflow.
What does this mean for Salesforce’s revenue and earnings outlook? The company lifted its long-term target to annualized revenue exceeding $60 billion by 2030, exceeding analysts’ forecasts and likely to be cautious. The estimates for agentic AI vary but tend to run very high, expecting a double-digit CAGR in the 35% to 45% range through the middle of the next decade.
In that time, the agentic AI industry will grow by a high quadruple-digit amount, underpinned by mainstream adoption, which Salesforce is well-suited to. It already accounts for roughly 90% of the Fortune 500 among its clients, making it a natural choice when they need additional services.
Salesforce’s Free Cash Flow Outlook Drives Investor Sentiment
Salesforce is a free cash flow machine that delivers robust capital returns over time. The Dreamforce event underscored the strength, with execs forecasting a 200% increase in free cash flow over the next five years. Their confidence in the forecast is evident in the accelerated buyback program.
Management forecasts $7 billion in repurchase activity over the next six months, equating to more than 3% of the market cap, with shares trading near long-term lows.
Aggressive buybacks are likely to continue due to the company’s growth, cash flow outlook, and fortress balance sheet.
The analysts’ response signals a shift in sentiment that will help lift CRM’s stock price as the year progresses. The first reports tracked by MarketBeat are reaffirmed ratings and price targets, amounting to an Outperform rating and a $353.75 price target.
The rating and price target are above the broader consensus, which forecasts a 30% upside from the critical support level, with the highest target at $400, which would double the upside.
The assumption is that analysts have begun a cycle of price target increases that will drive sentiment and price action over the coming quarters.
Institutional activity also aligns with a rising CRM share price. Data from MarketBeat shows that this influential group owns more than 80% of the stock and has accumulated throughout the year. The balance of activity is $1.50 bought for each $1 sold, providing solid support and a tailwind for the market.
Salesforce Confirms Bottom: Poised to Fire a Strong Signal
The price action in CRM stock was bullish following the release, but it fell short of a powerful buy signal solely because of the moving averages. They provide resistance as of mid-October, but may not hold long. Besides that, the 7% increase, bullish MACD, and stochastic swings reveal a solid bottom and a market ready to move higher.
A move above the moving averages could trigger a rapid influx of capital, driving the price to $288 within weeks, if not days. In the long term, the shift in analysts’ sentiment will likely lead this market to retest the 2025 highs and move to new highs.
AMD’s stock surged over 32% after a blockbuster deal with OpenAI.
Investors are cashing in on the AI boom, and it’s all fueled by the data you’re giving away for free.
Every scroll and swipe on your phone trains today’s smartest AI models, and companies are racing to buy your data like it’s oil in the 1900s.
Mode Mobile recognized what most others missed, and they’re paying users for their data and screen time. They achieved 32,481% growth, after paying out over $325M to over 50M users.
With their Nasdaq ticker secured, accredited investors can still get pre-IPO shares at just $0.50 — plus a 120% bonus.
The good news keeps flowing for Rocket Lab USA (NASDAQ: RKLB). The aerospace stock has continued to build on its impressive momentum with two positive analyst actions, another flawless Electron launch, and a new contract with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
The company’s steady execution and growing Wall Street recognition highlight its emergence as a credible, publicly traded alternative to SpaceX, one that’s positioning itself to lead in both small and medium-lift launch markets.
RKLB Gains Further Wall Street Validation
On Oct. 15, Baird initiated coverage on RKLB with an Outperform rating and a lofty $83 price target. The firm noted that Rocket Lab has “firmly established itself” as a reliable space launch provider, citing its remarkable 94% mission success rate. Baird projects a 34% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for revenue through 2030, an ambitious but achievable target given the company’s track record and pipeline.
The firm’s thesis centers on Neutron, Rocket Lab’s upcoming medium-lift rocket, which is expected to enable the company to compete directly with SpaceX’s Falcon 9. Entering this highly lucrative market could significantly expand RKLB’s total addressable market and diversify its revenue beyond small satellite launches.
The Baird initiation followed just days after another bullish move from Wall Street heavyweight Morgan Stanley. On Oct. 13, the bank raised its price target on Rocket Lab to $68 from $20, citing the company’s emergence as a public market alternative to SpaceX amid growing demand for space capacity. The analysts emphasized that RKLB is “an earlier-stage alternative to SpaceX,” noting that their valuation model takes cues from SpaceX’s implied private valuation.
Morgan Stanley also highlighted the strength of Rocket Lab’s space systems division and its plans to develop its own satellite constellation, moves that mirror SpaceX’s expansion into Starlink. While the firm expects Neutron to generate negative margins early on, it forecasts company-wide revenue to grow at a 41% CAGR from 2025 to 2029, with positive free cash flow projected to begin in 2027.
Electron Continues to Deliver
While the market’s focus is understandably on the upcoming Neutron, Rocket Lab’s workhorse Electron rocket continues to deliver with precision. On Oct. 14, Rocket Lab completed its 73rd Electron mission, once again achieving flawless execution.
The successful flight came just days after another positive development. On Oct. 10, Rocket Lab announced it had signed a direct contract with JAXA for two dedicated Electron launches. The first, scheduled for December 2025, will deploy the RApid Innovative payload demonstration SatellitE-4 (RAISE-4) spacecraft, which will carry eight technology demonstrations developed by Japanese private companies, universities, and research institutions.
The second launch, planned for 2026, will carry a rideshare of eight separate spacecraft. This will include educational smallsats, an ocean monitoring satellite, a demonstration satellite for ultra-small multispectral cameras, and a deployable antenna designed using origami folding techniques.
So, with continued praise from analysts and further success with its Electron program, should investors be looking for a buy entry at current prices?
Is It Time to Buy RKLB?
Rocket Lab’s stock has been on a remarkable run, surging 172% year-to-date and over 630% in the past year. However, while the company continues to execute flawlessly and attract high-profile analyst attention, the technical picture suggests some caution for new buyers. With the RSI at 75, the stock sits in overbought territory, raising the likelihood of a near-term pullback.
Fundamentally, RKLB remains one of the most exciting names in the space sector. It’s well-positioned for long-term growth through its dual-engine strategy: consistent Electron launches and the forthcoming Neutron rocket. However, after such a steep rally, a more prudent entry point may emerge after a period of price digestion, a pullback toward $60, or even previous resistance near $55, where strong support could form.
With the next earnings scheduled for November 11, investors should pay close attention to updates on margins, backlog growth, and Neutron development progress. If management continues to deliver as it has, Rocket Lab could solidify its position as a high-growth space stock and as one of the defining players in the new space economy.
If you want a way to generate consistent market income without chasing volatile AI stocks or complex crypto trades, you’ll want to see my new e-book, How To Master The Retirement Trade. It reveals a simple, time-based strategy that targets trades designed to play out in as little as 11 hours — no guesswork, no hype.
In a significant strategic maneuver, Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR) announced on Oct. 15, 2025, that it has won a competitive bid to acquire the entire patent portfolio of pioneering electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) developer Lilium GmbH. The market reacted with immediate and strong enthusiasm, sending Archer’s stock price up on high trading volume to a new 52-week high of $14.62.
This move comes during a powerful stock rally that has seen shares climb over 45% in the last month and more than 36% year-to-date. This acquisition is more than just a business deal; it represents a significant power play in the rapidly consolidating eVTOL industry, a fledgling new part of the aerospace sector, strengthening Archer’s technological foundation and competitive position for years to come.
Archer’s IP Acquisition: More Than Just Patents
Archer acquired approximately 300 patent assets from Lilium for a remarkably low price of 18 million euros (roughly $21 million). This figure is particularly noteworthy when contrasted with the more than $1.5 billion that Lilium had invested over the years to develop the technology behind these patents, underscoring the exceptional value Archer secured.
Archer’s strong financial position enabled such an opportunistic move, showcasing a strategic use of capital.
The acquired intellectual property covers a wide range of critical eVTOL innovations, including patents related to high-voltage systems, advanced battery management, sophisticated flight controls, electric engines, and aircraft design.
The patents for ducted fan technology are considered especially valuable because this technology is known for its potentially quieter and more efficient performance, which could accelerate Archer’s research and development on next-generation aircraft.
This move has a multifaceted strategic impact on Archer’s stock and its standing in the market:
Strengthens IP Moat: By expanding its patent portfolio to over 1,000 assets worldwide, Archer has built a stronger defensive wall around its technology.
Accelerates Future R&D: Acquiring a mature patent portfolio can save a company years of development time and hundreds of millions in research costs.
Consolidates Industry Leadership: This acquisition positions Archer as a savvy consolidator, securing valuable U.S.-held IP amidst a competitive global landscape.
Wall Street’s Verdict: A Resounding Endorsement
The market’s reaction to the acquisition explicitly endorsed Archer’s strategic decision. On Oct. 15, the stock climbed on exceptionally high trading volume of over 64 million shares, nearly double its 35-million-share average, indicating firm bullish conviction.
This move pushed Archer’s market capitalization to over $8.4 billion and its one-year stock performance to a remarkable gain of over 327%.
While the stock is now trading near the average analyst price target of $13.43, the strategic nature of this acquisition is likely to be viewed very positively in upcoming analyst reports. The current consensus rating among nine analysts is a Moderate Buy, composed of seven Buy ratings, one Hold rating, and one Sell rating.
High-end price targets from bullish analysts, such as HC Wainwright’s $18.00 target, suggest that some experts believe there is still significant room for further growth as the company continues to execute on its milestones. The surge suggests investors see this as a highly value-accretive deal that justifies a higher valuation for Archer’s stock.
Archer’s Momentum Is More Than Just a Deal
The Lilium acquisition did not happen in isolation. It served as the strategic capstone on a landmark two-week period for Archer, during which the company achieved a powerful trifecta of news, demonstrating progress on three critical fronts.
This news followed a series of significant flight test milestones, including the completion of its full flight test envelope with numerous successful autonomous transition flights, which technically de-risked the aircraft’s core design. The company’s public validation preceded this technical victory during the first week of October, when its Midnight aircraft successfully and publicly flew at the Salinas Air Show in front of large crowds.
In parallel, the company continued to execute on its commercial plans, announcing a new partnership on Oct. 8 to establish a vertiport at the Cleveland Clinic in Abu Dhabi.
This sequence of public validation, technical de-risking, and now strategic IP consolidation has fundamentally strengthened the company and justified the market’s renewed enthusiasm.
Solidifying Leadership for the Future
Archer’s acquisition of Lilium’s patent portfolio is a definitive statement that solidifies its status as a leader in the eVTOL space. The company is now demonstrating mastery across all key areas: proving its own technology in the air by completing its full autonomous flight test envelope, winning public confidence with its air show debut, and making shrewd business moves to consolidate its long-term competitive advantage through IP acquisition.
This is all backed by a strong financial position, with approximately $1.8 billion in liquidity as of its second quarter 2025 earnings report. While execution on high-volume manufacturing and FAA certification remains the ultimate goal, this acquisition showcases a level of strategic foresight that significantly strengthens Archer Aviation’s long-term bullish investment case.
While headlines focus on Tesla’s car sales, tech analyst Jeff Brown says the real story is Tesla’s role in a $25 trillion AI revolution — one that Nvidia’s CEO himself has called a “multi-trillion-dollar future industry” — and he’s uncovered a little-known stock 168 times smaller than Nvidia that could be positioned to ride this breakthrough.
The Night Owl is a financial newsletter that provides in-depth market analysis on stocks of interest to individual investors. Published by MarketBeat and Early Bird Publishing, The Night Owl is delivered around 9:00 PM Eastern Sunday through Thursday. If you give a hoot about the market, The Night Owl is the newsletter for you.