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Braze Stock Soars 51% After Salesforce Agrees to Buy Customer Engagement Platform in $5.66 Billion Deal The customer engagement software maker's shareholders and regulators must approve the transaction before it can close. NEW YORK — Shares of Braze Inc. soared more than 50% on Tuesday after Salesforce agreed to acquire the customer engagement software company in a cash deal valued at about $5.66 billion. Braze shares jumped $15.34, or 51.08%, to $45.38 in early trading. Volume surged to more than 8.5 million shares, more than three times the stock's average daily volume, lifting the company's market value to about $5.2 billion. Deal terms Under the agreement, announced Tuesday, Salesforce will pay $47.50 in cash for each share of Braze Class A common stock. The deal values Braze at approximately $5.66 billion in enterprise value. Braze's board of directors unanimously approved the merger agreement, which was signed on Oct. 19, according to a regulatory filing. The deal is subject to customary closing conditions, including shareholder and regulatory approvals. Braze shares were trading below the $47.50 offer price early Tuesday, a gap that typically reflects the time needed to complete a deal and the risk that it might not close. Why Salesforce wants Braze New York-based Braze provides a platform that helps companies engage with customers through mobile apps, websites, email, text messages, WhatsApp and other channels. Its technology is designed to respond to customer behavior in real time, allowing brands to personalize marketing messages and customer journeys. The company's cloud-based system processes trillions of messages and customer actions each year. Its BrazeAI tools use artificial intelligence to optimize the content, timing and channels of marketing messages. Salesforce, the world's largest customer relationship management software company, plans to combine Braze with its Marketing Cloud, CRM and data platforms. "Braze was built to turn live customer behavior into personalized engagement at scale," said Patrick Stokes, Salesforce's president of applications and marketing. Salesforce has been expanding its marketing and AI capabilities as competition intensifies among software companies seeking to help businesses use customer data and artificial intelligence. Braze's growth Braze has grown steadily since going public in 2021. The company has posted solid revenue growth, driven by new customers and expanding relationships with existing clients, and has invested heavily in AI. In 2025, Braze acquired OfferFit, an AI decisioning company, for about $303 million in cash and stock. The technology, rebranded as AI Decisioning Studio, uses reinforcement learning to automatically test and optimize marketing strategies. Earlier this year, Braze announced its first share buyback program, worth $100 million, after reporting strong fourth-quarter results. Despite that growth, Braze shares had struggled before Tuesday's deal, as investors worried about competition and the impact of AI on software businesses. The stock had gained only about 5% over the past 52 weeks before the announcement. Software consolidation The deal adds to a wave of consolidation in the software industry, as larger companies acquire smaller competitors to expand their product offerings and AI capabilities. Marketing technology has become an especially competitive field, with companies racing to offer tools that combine customer data, automation and artificial intelligence. What's next Braze shareholders will vote on the deal at a meeting to be scheduled later. The companies did not immediately say when they expect the transaction to close. Investors will be watching for any regulatory scrutiny of the deal and for any signs of competing offers. © Copyright 2026 IBTimes AU. All rights reserved.
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