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Forbes
23 minutes ago
- Forbes
U.S. Investors Rush Into Middle East: $50+ Billion In Recent Mega-Deals
U.S. investors are making massive bets on Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Recent months have seen a flurry of billion-dollar commitments that signal a fundamental shift in how American capital views the Gulf region. "When the winds of change blow, some build walls, others build windmills." That ancient proverb captures the mindset of a new wave of American investors eyeing the Middle East not as a geopolitical question mark, but as a global growth engine. The Mega-Deal Wave Here are three recent, high-profile examples of U.S. investors or firms making major deals or launching investments in Saudi Arabia: 1. Salesforce – $500 Million AI Investment At LEAP 2025 held in Riyadh, Salesforce announced plans to invest $500 million in artificial intelligence operations in Saudi Arabia. Their investment includes launching the Hyperforce platform in partnership with AWS, deploying Agentforce via local service providers, providing Arabic-language AI support, and establishing a regional HQ in Riyadh. Part of the program also aims to train 30,000 Saudi citizens by 2030. 2. Public Investment Fund (PIF) Partnerships with U.S. Asset Managers During President Trump's May 2025 Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum, Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund (PIF) signed MOUs worth up to $12 billion total with top U.S. asset managers. Among them: 3. American Tech Firms Working with Humain Saudi Arabia's newly launched AI platform Humain secured partnerships with several U.S. tech companies in May 2025: These agreements anchor U.S. semiconductor and cloud providers in the Kingdom's AI build-out. These agreements anchor U.S. semiconductor and cloud providers in the Kingdom's AI build-out and represent over $40 billion in combined commitments. The Transformation Behind the Money These investments aren't happening in a vacuum. They're responding to one of the most ambitious economic transformation programs in modern history. Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, the brainchild of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, aims to pivot the Kingdom from oil dependence to a diversified economy powered by tourism, technology, and private enterprise. Flagship projects like NEOM—a $500 billion smart city stretching across the Red Sea coast—are emblematic of the scale and ambition. Behind this push is the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saudi Arabia's $900 billion sovereign wealth fund. Once a passive domestic investor, PIF has become one of the most influential capital allocators in the world, making bold bets in sports, tech, gaming, infrastructure, and clean energy. Meanwhile, the UAE, anchored by Abu Dhabi and Dubai, has taken a different but equally effective approach: positioning itself as the Middle East's financial, logistics, and innovation hub. The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and Mubadala Investment Company, with combined assets over $1.5 trillion, have not only expanded their global footprints but are actively co-investing with and backing foreign companies entering the region. Why Now? Three Converging Forces Three factors are drawing unprecedented U.S. capital toward the Gulf: Capital-Rich, Partner-Hungry Ecosystems: Saudi and Emirati leaders are eager to bring in global expertise. Whether through joint ventures, incentive-laden investment zones, or direct stakes in strategic sectors, American investors who bring operating know-how, brand value, or intellectual property are welcome guests. It's not uncommon for sovereign funds to co-invest or provide capital to accelerate these ventures. Demographics Driving Demand: The Middle East has one of the youngest populations on Earth, nearly two-thirds under the age of 35. That's translating into surging demand across education, housing, healthcare, tech, and consumer services. Investors who understand the aspirations of this next generation digitally fluent, globally ambitious, and culturally rooted can build enduring franchises. Stability and Sovereign Ambition: While Western markets wrestle with political gridlock, rising interest rates, and regulatory unpredictability, the Gulf offers a paradoxical mix of centralized control and long-term stability. Sovereign funds think in decades, not quarters. This creates fertile ground for patient capital. The AI and Tech Focus What's particularly striking about these recent deals is their concentration in artificial intelligence and technology infrastructure. The Salesforce announcement, the Humain partnerships with Nvidia and AMD, and AWS's $5 billion "AI Zone" investment all point to the same conclusion: the Gulf states are positioning themselves as global AI powerhouses. This isn't just about buying technology—it's about building entire ecosystems. Saudi Arabia's commitment to train 30,000 citizens in AI through the Salesforce partnership, combined with the massive infrastructure investments from U.S. tech giants, suggests a comprehensive approach to becoming a technology leader, not just a consumer. What This Means for American Capital The recent wave of commitments totaling over $50 billion when you add up the major deals—represents more than opportunistic investing. It signals a fundamental reorientation of global capital flows. For decades, Middle Eastern oil wealth flowed West, seeking returns in established markets. Now, that dynamic is reversing. American investors, asset managers, and technology companies are flowing East, chasing growth in emerging markets backed by sovereign wealth. The early movers such as Salesforce, Franklin Templeton, Nvidia, and Fisher Investments aren't just making financial bets. They're establishing strategic beachheads in what could become the next major global growth region. The Bottom Line The Middle East is no longer a frontier, it's a fast-emerging epicenter of capital, innovation, and long-term vision. The recent wave of billion-dollar commitments from America's most sophisticated investors proves that the Gulf has moved from the periphery to the center of global investment strategy. For American capital, the question is no longer if to engage with the Gulf but how to do so successfully. The window for early-mover advantage remains open, but it won't stay that way forever. Next week: The five principles every U.S. investor needs to master before entering Middle East markets—and the sectors offering the biggest opportunities.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Salesforce Stock: Is Wall Street Bullish or Bearish?
San Francisco, California-based Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) is the leading provider of on-demand Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, connecting companies and customers worldwide. With a market cap of $236.6 billion, the company offers critical services including marketing automation, customer service & support, document management, analytics, etc. The software giant has significantly underperformed the broader market over the past year. CRM stock has gained 4.5% over the past 52 weeks and plunged 25.5% on a YTD basis, compared to the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 21.1% gains over the past year and 7.9% returns on a YTD basis. More News from Barchart Supermicro's Earnings Selloff Explained: Should You Buy SMCI Stock Now? Amazon's $36M Bet on Quantum Computing: What Investors Need to Know AMD Stock Slips After Q2 Earnings, But Here's Why It's a Buying Opportunity Our exclusive Barchart Brief newsletter is your FREE midday guide to what's moving stocks, sectors, and investor sentiment - delivered right when you need the info most. Subscribe today! Narrowing the focus, CRM has also underperformed the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund's (XLK) 31.1% surge over the past year and 13.1% gains in 2025. The sharp decline in CRM stock prices in 2025 can be partly attributed to the fears of AI agents reshaping the industry, which may alter the need for Salesforce. Its stock prices dropped 3.3% in the trading session after the release of its Q1 results on May 28. The company has continued to observe healthy growth in subscription and service revenues, leading to a 7.6% year-over-year growth in overall topline to $9.8 billion. Meanwhile, its adjusted EPS grew by a much more modest 5.7% year-over-year to $2.58. Nevertheless, these figures surpassed the Street's expectations by a small margin. Investors' concerns primarily stem from Salesforce's AI offerings not flaring out as expected. For the full fiscal 2026, ending in January, analysts expect CRM to deliver an EPS of $8.54, up 8.2% year-over-year. Further, the company has a solid earnings surprise history. It has surpassed the Street's bottom-line estimates in each of the past four quarters. The stock has a consensus 'Strong Buy' rating overall. Of the 49 analysts covering the stock, opinions include 36 'Strong Buys,' two 'Moderate Buys,' nine 'Holds,' and two 'Strong Sells.' This configuration is slightly less optimistic than three months ago, when four analysts gave 'Moderate Buy' recommendations. On Jul. 16, Citizens analyst Patrick Walravens reiterated a 'Market Outperform' rating on CRM and set a price target of $430. CRM's mean price target of $355.24 represents a 42.6% premium. Meanwhile, the Street-high target of $440 suggests a 76.6% upside potential from current price levels. On the date of publication, Aditya Sarawgi did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Business Insider
7 hours ago
- Business Insider
Google (GOOGL) Becomes Latest Victim of ShinyHunters Salesforce Hack
U.S. tech giant Alphabet (GOOGL) has revealed that it has become the latest victim of a data breach using Salesforce (CRM) databases. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Google revealed in a blog post that some customers' information has been stolen via one of its Salesforce database systems. Google Hunt Google's Threat Intelligence Group said the database is used for storing contact information and related notes for small and medium businesses. It has been breached by a hacking group known as ShinyHunters. 'The data retrieved by the threat actor was confined to basic and largely publicly available business information, such as business names and contact details,' the company said. Google did not reveal how many customers are affected or whether it has received a ransom demand. Google did say, however, that the ShinyHunters group is likely preparing a data leak site, which some ransomware gangs use to publish stolen data to extort victims into paying a ransom. Long Line of Hits A number of companies using Salesforce have also witnessed data breaches in recent weeks. This includes French luxury brand Chanel, fellow premium group Louis Vuitton (LVMUY), Dior, Tiffany & Co, Adidas (ADDYY), Qantas (QUBSF) and Allianz Life. Hackers from the ShinyHunters group have been stealing data from Salesforce customers since early 2025. They use a trick called 'social engineering,' in which they call employees pretending to be IT support and convince them to install a fake app. This allows hackers to bypass normal security and access sensitive customer data. Salesforce confirmed that its platform has not been compromised. Instead, the breaches stem from credential theft and poor access controls on the customer side. The company is urging users to adopt best practices, including multi-factor authentication (MFA), limited access, and tighter oversight of connected applications. However, the incidents are still likely to have caused a dent in Salesforce's reputation with clients and the wider public. As one can see below, tech risks are key for both the business and investors. Is CRM a Good Stock to Buy Now? On TipRanks, CRM has a Moderate Buy consensus based on 33 Buy, 9 Hold and 2 Sell ratings. Its highest price target is $440. CRM stock's consensus price target is $351.59, implying a 41.88% upside.
