Salesforce stock jumps 12% on AI growth and Anthropic investment gain

Salesforce shares jumped 12% in after-hours trading Wednesday after the company posted quarterly results and guidance that topped Wall Street expectations. The cloud software vendor's gains were driven in part by an unrealized profit tied to its stake in Anthropic, the artificial intelligence startup, which boosted earnings in the latest quarter.

The extended-session rally followed the release of financial results that showed strength in both core business performance and investment gains. The Anthropic stake—a strategic bet on the generative AI space—contributed directly to the company's bottom line, underscoring how equity investments in AI companies are beginning to materialize as tangible value for enterprise software firms.

The company's guidance also exceeded analyst projections, signaling management confidence in sustained demand for cloud solutions and AI-powered tools. The combination of operational execution and investment upside sent shares sharply higher in late trading.