Stock Market Today, Oct. 20: Salesforce Agrees to Acquire Braze for $5.66 Billion: BRZE Stock Soars 52%

Braze (BRZE) shares surged 52% after Salesforce (CRM) agreed to acquire the customer engagement and marketing software provider for $5.66 billion, or $47.50 per share in cash.

The deal is expected to close in 2027, a lengthy runway that leaves BRZE holders waiting more than a year for completion. Salesforce positioned the purchase as part of its continued push to integrate AI into its offerings, following its June acquisition of Fin.

The pop provides partial relief for long-term holders. Braze has declined 51% since its 2021 IPO, so even after the 52% single-day jump, the stock remains in a recovery posture relative to its debut. That framing is interpretation: the source gives the IPO-to-date decline and the one-day gain, but not the pre-deal price or the post-jump close.

Interpretation only: a cash offer at a fixed $47.50 typically anchors the target's shares near the offer price, which would cap upside for BRZE and shift the focus to deal-completion risk rather than fundamentals. For CRM, the $5.66 billion price tag marks another AI-oriented acquisition in a string that includes Fin.