Salesforce stock price has sold off this year as investors watch its investments in artificial intelligence and its rumoured talks to acquire Informatica. CRM dropped to $273 last week, down by 25% from its highest point this year, meaning that it is in a deep bear market. 

Salesforce in talks to buy Informatica

The main catalyst for the CRM stock is a report by the Wall Street Journal that the company was considering buying Informatica, which helps companies manage their data in the cloud and on-premises.

WSJ wrote that the deal could be announced as soon as Salesforce publishes its financial results this week. It would be a sizable deal since Informatica has a market capitalization of over $6.8 billion. 

Salesforce has a history of executing large transactions. It acquired Slack in a $28 billion deal that some of its management regretted afterwards. 

Salesforce bought Tableau for $15.7 billion, Mulesoft for $6.5 billion, and Demandware for $2.8 billion. It also bought ExactTarget, ClickSoftware, Quip, Datorama, and many other companies. 

Salesforce believes these services help grow its ecosystem and serve its clients better. For example, its Tableau acquisition made it the biggest company in the business intelligence industry after Microsoft. Its buyout of Slack made it a big name in corporate communications, where it has almost 20% market share. 

However, some analysts, including Third Point and Starboard, have questioned the approach, saying that Salesforce would do better buying back its stock. 

Salesforce earnings ahead

The next key catalyst for the Salesforce stock price will be its earnings, which are scheduled on Wednesday.

These numbers will provide more information on whether the company’s AI solutions like AgentForce, are leading to higher sales. 

The most recent results showed that its revenue rose from $9.2 billion in Q4’24 to $9.99 billion in Q4’25. This growth was driven by its subscription and support business, which made over $9.45 billion. It generated a net profit of $1.7 billion, an increase from the previous $1.65 billion.

Salesforce issued a forward revenue guidance of between $40.5 billion and $40.9 billion this year.

The average estimate by analysts is that Salesforce’s revenue will come in at $9.75 billion, up by 6.75% from the same quarter last year. They also expect the earnings per share to come in at $2.55, up from the previous $2.44. While Salesforce has missed its earnings in the past, there is a likelihood that it will do better than estimates. 

There are signs that Salesforce is a bit overvalued using the rule of 40 approach. It has a revenue growth of about 8% and an operating margin of 21.6%, giving it a rule-of-40 figure of 29%. Its net profit margin is 16%, bringing the rule-of-40 figure to 24%. 

Salesforce stock price technical analysis

The daily chart shows that the CRM stock price formed a double-top pattern at $366 earlier this year. It then crashed below the neckline at $313 on January 13.

The stock has plunged below the 38.2% Fibonacci Retracement level and the 50-day and 100-day Exponential Moving Averages. 

Therefore, the most likely scenario is where the Salesforce stock price continues its downtrend after earnings. If this happens, the next point to watch will be at the April low of $230, down by 16% from the current level. A move above the resistance at $295 will invalidate the bearish view.

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European stock markets presented a somewhat mixed but generally positive picture at Tuesday’s open, with the pan-European Stoxx 600 index ticking higher.

London’s FTSE 100 notably outperformed, surging as trading resumed after a long Bank Holiday weekend, buoyed by a temporary reprieve in US-EU trade tensions.

However, concerns over rising UK food inflation and cautious German consumer spending tempered broader optimism.

Approximately 15 minutes into the trading day, the Stoxx Europe 600 index was trading 0.2% higher, indicating a modest overall advance.

However, performance across national bourses varied.

The UK’s FTSE 100 index of blue-chip shares jumped impressively, up 75 points, or 0.85%, to 8792 points, approaching a two-month high.

This relief rally in London was largely attributed to news that US President Donald Trump had delayed his threatened hike on EU tariffs to 50% until July, temporarily cooling fears of an escalating trade war.

Leading the FTSE 100 risers were engineering group Melrose (+3.8%), followed by technology firm DCC (+2.4%) and aerospace giant Rolls-Royce (+2%).

In contrast, mainland European markets showed more restraint.

France’s CAC 40 declined by 0.2%, while Germany’s DAX held steady, suggesting a more cautious investor stance on the continent.

Economic undercurrents

Despite the cheer in London’s equity market, fresh economic data highlighted ongoing inflationary pressures in the UK.

Food inflation rose by 2.8% year-on-year in May, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC).

This marked the fourth consecutive month of price increases in this category, up from 2.6% year-on-year growth in April and exceeding the three-month average of 2.6%.

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the BRC, stated on Tuesday that “fresh food prices were the main driver of the price rises, with wholesale beef prices increasing.”

She argued that increased costs being levied on businesses were having a clear inflationary impact.

“With retailers now absorbing the additional £5bn in costs from April’s increased Employer National Insurance contributions and National Living Wage, it is no surprise that inflation is rearing its head once again,” Dickinson said.

Meanwhile, in Germany, consumer sentiment showed signs of improvement in May, as per the GfK Consumer Climate report released on Tuesday.

This marked the third consecutive month of an upward trend for the index, partly driven by slowing inflation and “good wage settlements.”

However, despite this improvement, overall sentiment remained low, and analysts noted that consumers were hesitant to make discretionary purchases.

This reluctance was attributed to the ongoing threat of US tariff policies.

“The unpredictable customs and trade policy of the US government, turbulence on the stock markets and fears of a third consecutive year of stagnation are reasons why the consumer climate remains weak,” commented Rolf Bürkl, consumer expert at the NIM, in a statement on Tuesday.

In view of the general economic situation, people seem to think it advisable to save.

The GfK Consumer Climate report, which surveyed around 2,000 German consumers between May 1 and May 12, was jointly published by NIQ and the Nuremberg Institute for Market Decisions.

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Samsung is actively pursuing strategic moves on multiple fronts to bolster its technological prowess and market reach, with its investment arm reportedly in talks to back US health-care innovator Exo Imaging Inc., even as Samsung Electronics finalizes a major acquisition in the HVAC sector.

Samsung Electronics Co.’s investment division, Samsung Ventures Investment Corp., is reportedly among a consortium of firms looking to invest in Exo Imaging Inc., a US-based company specializing in health-care software and devices.

According to people familiar with the matter who spoke to Bloomberg, Samsung Ventures may participate in a private fundraising round for Exo.

This round is said to be led by Sands Capital, Bold Capital, and Qubit Health Capital.

The sources, who requested anonymity due to the private nature of the information, indicated that Santa Clara, California-based Exo could secure approximately $100 million in total funding from this round.

In a significant development tied to this potential investment, Qubit Health Chairman Omar Ishrak is also reportedly set to join Exo’s board.

Ishrak brings a wealth of experience to the role, having previously served as chief executive officer at Medtronic Plc and headed General Electric Co.’s health-care business.

Furthermore, Exo is said to be in discussions for a potential partnership with Samsung Medison Co., a Samsung subsidiary renowned for its ultrasound diagnostic devices and its sales of digital X-ray systems and scanners.

These discussions, along with the investment details, are reportedly ongoing, and the specifics could change, the people familiar with the matter cautioned.

When approached for comment, Samsung declined, while Exo, Sands Capital, Bold Capital, and Qubit Health Capital did not respond to requests. Ishrak also did not immediately respond.

Samsung Electronics acquires FläktGroup for €1.5 billion

In a separate but significant strategic maneuver, Samsung Electronics announced on May 14 its agreement to acquire all shares of FläktGroup, a leading global provider of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) solutions, from European investment firm Triton for €1.5 billion.

This acquisition underscores Samsung’s commitment to expanding and fortifying its presence in the rapidly growing global applied HVAC market.

“Through the acquisition of FläktGroup, an applied HVAC specialist, Samsung Electronics has laid the foundation to become a leader in the global HVAC business, offering a full range of solutions to our customers,” stated TM Roh, Acting Head of the Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics.

Our commitment is to continue investing in and developing the high-growth HVAC business as a key future growth engine.

FläktGroup, headquartered in Herne, Germany, boasts over a century of technological expertise and design capabilities.

The company offers a diverse range of products and solutions tailored to various customer needs, supplying high-reliability and high-efficiency HVAC systems to a wide array of buildings and facilities.

These include critical environments such as data centers requiring stable cooling, museums and libraries managing sensitive historical artifacts, high-traffic airports and terminals, and large hospitals where hygiene, temperature, and humidity control are paramount.

FläktGroup’s strength in data centers and specialized industries

FläktGroup has established a strong reputation in the global large-scale data center market, achieving high customer satisfaction through its product performance, reliability, and service support.

This has translated into substantial revenue growth for the company over the past three years.

FläktGroup’s data center solutions feature industry-leading liquid cooling and air cooling products, which have enabled customers to reduce energy consumption and contribute to achieving lower carbon footprint goals.

Last year, FläktGroup’s innovative technologies were recognized with the DCS Cooling Innovation of the Year Award at the DCS Cooling Awards.

Trevor Young, CEO of FläktGroup, expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition:

We are extremely pleased that FläktGroup has become a part of Samsung Electronics. FläktGroup, as a global top-tier HVAC specialist with over a century of expertise, has been relied on by global large clients for its technological and product innovations. Now, with Samsung Electronics’ global business foundation and investment, we expect to further accelerate our growth.

Beyond data centers, FläktGroup has cultivated a diverse portfolio of over 60 large customers, including leading pharmaceutical companies, biotech and food and beverage firms, and gigafactories, showcasing its broad market applicability and established client base.

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Costco stock price will be in focus this week as it publishes its financial results, which will provide more color on its performance and impact on tariffs. COST share price was trading at $1,000, down a bit from its all-time high of $1,075.

This article explores what to expect when Costco releases its financial results, and why a risky chart pattern points to a dive. 

Costco’s business is doing well

Costco Wholesale Corporation will be the biggest retailer to publish its financial results this week. Its other competitors, like Walmart, Home Depot, and Target published theirs recently and warned that they would increase prices to deal with Trump’s tariffs. 

Read more: Walmart to pass on tariff burden to shoppers, braces for margin volatility

Costco’s business has been thriving in the past few years, with its annual revenues rising from $166 billion in 2020 to over $264 billion in the trailing twelve months (TTM).

This increase happened because of the rising demand for its products and membership price increases. 

It has also become a highly profitable company, with its annual profit rising from $4 billion to $7.62 billion in the same period. 

The most recent numbers showed that Costco’s net sales jumped by 9.1% in Q2’25 to $62.5 billion. The closely-watched comparable sales data rose by 6.8%, with the e-commerce section rising by 20.9%.

Costco is still adding more members, with the growth rate coming in at 7.4% and the renewal rate rising to 90.5% despite the price increase. Customers are always ready to pay for Costco’s subscriptions because of the value they get. 

Read more: 2 reasons why the Costco stock price has collapsed this year

Unlike other companies, Costco makes most of its profits from the membership fees instead of its merchandise. It even barely breaks even on some of its products. 

This business model helps it get more members. Also, because of its scale, the business model helps it negotiate better pricing with suppliers, especially now that tariffs are affecting most products.

COST earnings and valuation

The average estimate is that Costco’s revenue will be $63.1 billion, representing a 7.83% annual growth rate. Its forward guidance for the next quarter will be $85.5 billion, also representing a 7.2% growth rate.

If this trend continues, the company will then make $274 billion in its financial year, followed by $294 billion next year. The quarterly earnings per share is expected to rise from $3.78 to $4.23.

A key concern that Costco has always had is its valuation, which is one of the most stretched in the retail industry. The company, despite its low-margin business, has a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 55, higher than the sector median of 18. It is also higher than other popular companies like Microsoft and Google.

Costco stock price analysis

The daily chart shows that the COST stock price has rebounded after bottoming at $870 in April this year. This rebound has mirrored that of other companies in Wall Street. 

The risk, however, is that the Costco share price has formed a rising wedge chart pattern, a popular bearish reversal sign. This pattern happens when there are two ascending and converging trendlines, with the bearish breakout happening when they converge.

Therefore, there is a risk that the Costco stock price will have a bearish breakdown after earnings. If this happens, the next point to watch will be at $950. 

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Nio stock price retreated in Hong Kong as investors expressed concerns about the intensifying competition in China’s electric vehicle industry. The stock dropped to a low of H$29.15, its lowest level since April 23, and 52% below the highest point in 2024. 

BYD price cuts continue

Nio’s share price dropped after BYD, the biggest electric vehicle (EV) in China, announced a series of price cuts across its range. It has slashed prices of some of its models by up to 35%, a sign that demand was slowing. 

For example, BYD slashed the price of the popular Seagull hatchback by 20% to $7,780, which makes it one of the cheapest EVs in the country.

Recent data shows that dealership stock levels rose to 3.5 million vehicles or 57 days, the highest level since December 2023. Soaring stock means more supply in the market, which needs to be rebalanced by high demand.

The BYD price cuts in China came a few days after two big dealerships – Xingqi Group and Qiancheng – went out of business, confirming that the industry was slowing.

Therefore, Nio stock price crashed as investors anticipated that other EV companies will start cutting prices to compete with BYD, which makes some of the most popular vehicles in the country. 

The shares also dropped as the price cuts mean that demand for electric vehicles is falling in the country.

Read more: Nio stock price resilient to trade war, yet crash to $1.12 likely

Nio earnings ahead

The next important catalyst for the Nio stock price will be its quarterly results on June 3. These numbers will provide more information about its business, especially its ONVO brand and the Firefly. 

A report released in April showed that Nio delivered 15,039 vehicles in March, a 26.7% increase from the same period last year. It delivered 42,094 vehicles in the first quarter, a 40.1% increase. 

Most of these vehicles were its premium Nio brand, while the rest was from its ONVO brand, which delivered 4,820 vehicles.

The most recent results showed that Nio’s vehicle sales rose by 13% in the fourth quarter to $2.39 billion, while its vehicle margin grew to 13.1%. Total revenue rose to $2.6 billion during the quarter. 

Analysts anticipate next week’s results to show that its revenue will be CNY 12.46 billion, up from 25% from the same quarter last year. 

Nio’s annual revenue is expected to be CNY 92.46 billion this year, followed by CNY 120 billion next year. 

Analysts will also watch for more information about firefly, its recently launched hatchback that will compete with BMW Mini and Mercedes Smart.

Nio’s earnings come a few months after the company raised H$4.03 billion through a share sale that led to a dilution of its shareholders.

Nio stock price technical analysis

The daily chart shows that the Nio share price has fallen in the past few days. It moved from a high of $34.25 on April 29 to the current $29.25. 

The stock fell below the key support level at $31.25, its lowest point on January 15. It has also moved below the 50-day and 100-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMA).

The MACD and the Relative Strength Index (RSI) have continued falling this year. Therefore, the stock will likely continue falling as sellers target the next key support level at $23.80. 

Read more: Nio stock price has crashed: is it safe to buy the dip?

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This week will be important for the stock market as NVIDIA publishes its financial results on Wednesday. NVIDIA is watched closely because of its role in the artificial intelligence industry. This article highlights some of the top Chinese stocks to watch this week, including PDD Holdings (PDD), Li Auto (LI), and Ehang (EH).

EHang Holdings (EH)

EHang Holdings is one of the top Chinese stocks to watch this week as it publishes its financial results. These numbers come after the stock dropped by over 43% from its highest point this year.

EHang is one of the top players in the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) industry that analysts believe will continue doing well in the long term. 

Unlike its American counterparts like Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation, EHang is already in business and delivering product. 

The most recent financial results showed that its revenue jumped by 190% in the fourth-quarter and 288% in the full year. It delivered 216 units last year and has already achieved non-GAAP profitability.

EHang’s revenue rose to $22.5 million in the fourth quarter. It made a net loss of $6.4 million, and the management expects to break even this year.

Its advantage is that it has a first-mover advantage in the Chinese market, and is now expanding in other countries like Japan, Thailand, and Mexico. It has also announced plans to expand in Yunfu, Hefei, Weihai, and Beijing. It also has a backlog of over 1,200 aircraft.

PDD Holdings (PDD)

PDD Holdings is another top stock to watch this week, as the parent company of Pinduoduo and Temu publishes its financial results. 

These will be notable results as the company will discuss the end of de minimis and its impact on Temu. de minimis is a government policy that let products worth less than $800 come to the US without paying taxes. 

PDD’s earnings will showcase whether its business continues to grow. The most recent earnings showed that its fourth-quarter revenue rose by 24% to $15.15 billion, while its operating profit rose by 14% to $3.5 billion. 

The annual revenue jumped by 59% to $27 billion, helped by the strong growth of Temu, a company that is known for cheap stuff. 

PDD has one of the best balance sheets in Corporate China. It ended the year with over $56 billion in current assets, with $7.9 billion being cash and cash equivalents and $37 billion being short-term investments. It also has $9.7 billion in restricted cash. 

Wall Street analysts anticipate the numbers to show that its revenue rose by 18.7% to 103.1 billion CNY and its earnings per share to be CNY 18.96.

Li Auto (LI)

Li Auto is another top Chinese EV stocks to watch this week as the EV company publishes its financial results. These numbers come as the stock has jumped by over 50% from the lowest point this year.

Analysts anticipate the results to show that Li Auto’s revenue dropped slightly in the first quarter to CNY 25 billion. The earnings per share is also expected to fall from CNY 1.21 to CNY 0.64. 

Li Auto will then resume its growth, with analysts expecting its annual revenue to be CNY 169 billion, up by 17.2% from last year. 

Recent results numbers showed that its deliveries are still growing. It delivered 33,939 vehicles in April, up by 31% from the same period last year. Its March deliveries were 36,674. 

Analysts are largely bullish on the Li Auto stock price, with the average target of $33.77, up from the current $28.9. 

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Box stock price has retreated in the past few months as the company has slowed and competition in the core market has risen. It was trading at $31 on Friday, down by 12% from its highest level this year, as focus shifts to the upcoming earnings.

Box growth has stalled

Box is a technology company that provides cloud file storage solutions to customers worldwide.

The company has expanded its business in the past few years. For example, it has invested heavily in artificial intelligence (AI) tools like content management, AI agents, and e-signatures. 

Box’s business has slowed in the past few years, with its annual revenue growing from $770 million in 2021 to $1.09 billion last year. While a 41% growth is a good one, it is much slower than other companies in the software-as-a-service industry.

Box’s main challenge is that it operates in a highly competitive industry. It competes with companies like DropBox, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, which offer mostly similar solutions.

Many large companies prefer to use one cloud software provider. As such, a company paying for Google Cloud solutions will prefer its Drive solution for storage and sharing solutions. 

Earnings ahead

The next key catalyst for the Box stock price will be the upcoming earnings, which will shed color on its business trajectory. 

The most recent results showed that Box’s revenue rose to $280 million in the fourth quarter of its 2025 fiscal year. It also expanded its gross margin to 81% from 78.4% in the same period last year. 

Analysts expect that Box’s revenue will be $274.4 million, up by 3.8% from the same period last year. The most optimistic analyst see the revenue coming in at $276 million. 

Its earnings per share (EPS) is expected to come in at 26 cents, down from 39 cents a year earlier. 

For the year, analysts anticipate that Box’s revenue will come in at $1.15 billion, up by 5.70% from last year. It will then get to $1.23 billion next year. 

Is Box overvalued or cheap?

A key concern among investors is that Box is relatively overvalued for a company whose business has largely stalled or matured. 

Box has a forward P/E ratio of 26, higher than the S&P 500 Index’s average of 21 even though the index has a faster growth rate. FactSet data shows that the S&P 500 Index had a blended earnings growth rate of 13% in the first quarter. It has a forward EV-to-EBITDA multiple of 13.70, higher than the sector median of 12. 

A good approach for valuing Box is to use the rule-of-40 approach, which compares its growth and margins. The most recent data showed that its revenue growth is about 5%, while its operating margin was 28%, giving it a rule of 40 metric of 33%. 

Box has a free cash flow margin of 28%, meaning that its rule-of-40 metric using this approach is also 33%. A rule of 40 figure of less than 40 is a sign that a company is prioritizing growth over profitability.

Box stock price technical analysis

The daily chart shows that the Box share price peaked at $35.75 in December last year. It formed a double-top pattern at that level with a neckline at $30.56. 

Box shares have moved slightly below the 50-day moving average. They have also formed a head and shoulders pattern, a popular bearish sign.

Therefore, the stock will likely have a bearish breakout after its earnings. If this happens, the next point to watch will be at $31. A move above the resistance level at $32.48 will invalidate the bearish outlook.

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