Salesforce Ecosystem Review – M&A Trends and Outlook for 2024

Recent market analysis indicates that the Salesforce Ecosystem is projected to exceed six times the size of Salesforce itself by 2026.

In 2022, the volume of mergers and acquisitions within the ecosystem reached an unprecedented peak, driven by growing investment interest from strategic buyers and private equity-backed portfolio companies.

Our Salesforce Sector Review aims to provide you with the latest insights into M&A trends within this partner ecosystem. It explores the implications for dealmaking and value creation from 2020 to 2023[H1] and offers a forward-looking outlook to help your enterprise navigate inorganic growth opportunities.

Key highlights of the Salesforce Sector Review include:

1. Overview of the Salesforce ecosystem, including discussions on the latest partner program and growth prospects for Salesforce partners.
2. Analysis of the geographical distribution of acquirers and targets, with a focus on trends related to the dominance of the US market and the emergence of new markets.
3. Commentary on recent global M&A activity, featuring valuation drivers. We provide a comparative analysis of multiples across the S&P 500, IT consulting firms, and proprietary market findings from SA Global.
4. Profiles of potential buyers/investors categorized into five major buyer types. We showcase an exemplar list of representative companies and delve into their specific preferences and requirements.
5. Comparison between strategic investors and private equity/PE-backed portfolio companies, along with a detailed examination of transaction rationales.
6. In-depth breakdown of the strategic drivers behind M&A activity, including trend analysis of Salesforce capabilities sought by acquirers in recent years.
7. Outlook for 2024, highlighting the buy-side interest in implementing select Salesforce capabilities such as business intelligence and advanced analytics. We also explore the integration of generative AI within the partner ecosystem.

The Salesforce Sector Review not only provides a comprehensive view of the current landscape but also equips your enterprise with valuable insights for future inorganic growth opportunities.