It seems like technology plays a bigger role in the business world with every passing day. Just look at all of the changes that have occurred over the last decade for proof, which include the adoption of smart devices for mobile business environments, powerful cloud computing changing the way companies operate, and the rise of remote work. Companies are willing to spend big on innovative tools and software that can make them more competitive, which has created some truly intriguing investment opportunities to consider taking advantage of.
One area of the tech industry has completely revolutionized the way that companies interact and support their customer relationships and continues to gain momentum in a post-pandemic market environment. CRM, or Customer Relationship Management software, is specifically designed to help organizations automate and manage the customer life cycle and improve their profitability. After all, the customer is king in the business world, which is a big reason why this type of software has become so popular over the last few years.
There are 3 CRM software stocks that stand out as strong buys at this time, let’s take a deeper look at them below.
1. Salesforce
Let’s start with the largest provider of CRM software and one of the pioneers of the software-as-a-service model, Salesforce (NYSE:CRM). The company offers software through its Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud, and Salesforce Platform solutions, which each offer something unique for businesses and helps the company benefit from cross-selling. Salesforce is perhaps one of the biggest beneficiaries of cloud migration and offers exposure to some of the most exciting growth areas in technology including e-commerce, artificial intelligence, analytics, marketing automation, and more.
The latest earnings results from this CRM software provider are a clear confirmation that Salesforce is firing on all cylinders as companies invest in their digital transformations, which is another great reason to consider adding shares. Q2 revenue for the CRM powerhouse grew 23% year-over-year to $6.34 billion and the company raised its full-year guidance, which tells investors that the company’s robust product offerings should continue driving profits for the foreseeable future. Finally, the company’s recent acquisition of Slack is a strong addition that adds value to Salesforce customers and further solidifies the company as the true leader in CRM.
2. HubSpot
Next up is HubSpot Inc (NYSE:HUBS), another CRM software company that is focused on selling its platform to small and medium-sized businesses, which are often overlooked by some of the biggest providers in the industry. The company operates with a freemium model that allows companies to try out the platform and then purchase upgraded versions after they realize how helpful the software can be, which seems to be a successful strategy. The company serves over 121,000 customers in more than 120 countries and doesn’t necessarily have to compete directly with Salesforce since it is focused on gaining business from smaller companies, which is another reason why it's a great pick.
Q2 was noteworthy for HubSpot for a few reasons, as the company delivered very positive results including total revenue of $310.8 million, up 53% year-over-year, and announced that HubSpot executive Yamini Rangan will take the helm as CEO. Yamini is perfectly suited to lead HubSpot towards additional growth, as she is a tech industry veteran that has worked at companies Dropbox (NASDAQ:DBX), SAP (NYSE:SAP), and Workday (NASDAQ:WDAY). There’s also plenty to like about the customer growth here, as HubSpot grew its total customers by 40% year-over-year in Q2 and reported total average subscription revenue per customer of $10,198, up 8% year-over-year. If you’re looking for a smaller player in CRM with massive upside, look no further than HubSpot.
3. Oracle Corp
Even though Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL) only had about 5% of the global CRM market share as of 2020, it’s still a great stock to consider adding at this time for exposure to the CRM industry and more. Often considered to be the premier provider of on-premises relational database technologies and ERP software, Oracle has a massive global customer base and has been one of the true pioneers in the technology sector for years. The company provides products and services that address enterprise information technology environments, and Oracle’s CRM systems can benefit sales teams along with marketing, commerce, and service functions for almost any business.
This stock has been a very strong performer in 2021 and is up over 38% year-to-date, although there could be more upside in store for Oracle shareholders as the company continues its transition towards a more cloud-centric business model. There’s also a lot to like about Oracle’s dividend growth prospects, as the company has boosted its annual payout for 8 consecutive years. If you are looking for a more conservative way to play CRM and the cloud computing space, this should be a company at the top of your shopping list.