Salesforce's Agentforce Bet Made It Dow’s Worst Performer. How Markets Will React?

Salesforce Inc. (NYSE:CRM) faced a major setback in 2026 after its high hopes for AI agents were dashed by the failure of its Agentforce platform. The company's bet on this investment resulted in a 31.48% decline in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, making it the worst-performing component. Bernstein downgraded Salesforce to Sector Weight due to poor customer feedback, while Goldman Sachs maintained a Buy rating and expected organic growth to pick up in Q3, citing management's acknowledgment of headwinds in Tableau, Commerce, and Marketing. Salesforce's current forward P/E of 10.83x is significantly lower than its five-year average of over 127x. Combined with Gartner's prediction that 40% of agentic AI initiatives will be discontinued and Anaconda's data showing that 88% of AI agent pilots never reach production, the sector's trust in this technology is severely shaken.

Growth Under Agentforce’s Shadow

■Salesforce's 2026 expectations for AI agents were dashed by Agentforce's failure.

■The company's bet resulted in a 31.48% decline in the Dow, making it the worst performer.

■Bernstein downgraded Salesforce to Sector Weight due to poor customer feedback.

■Goldman Sachs expects organic growth to pick up in Q3, citing management's acceptance of challenges.

Valuation and Market Sentiment

■Salesforce's 10.83x forward P/E is significantly lower than its five-year average of over 127x.

■Compared to ServiceNow's 20.43x forward P/E, Salesforce's valuation is undervalued.

■Gartner's 40% discontinuation rate and Anaconda's 88% non-production rate for AI agent pilots have eroded sector trust.

How will markets react to this setback? What steps must Salesforce take to regain credibility? Observing how other AI sector players capitalize on this failure is crucial.