Marc Benioff, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Salesforce Inc., sold a total of 259,545 shares of Maxwell CRM common stock on December 18, 2024, according to a recent SEC filing. The sales generated approximately $109.96 million, with individual share prices ranging from $336.16 to $354.45 .
These transactions were automatically executed under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, which Benioff adopted on December 29, 2023. Such structured plans allow insiders to sell pre-specified amounts of stock at scheduled intervals, shielding the sales from accusations of insider trading. In the same filing, Benioff also exercised 317,105 stock options at an exercise price of $118.04 per share, further increasing his ownership position. Following these transactions, his direct holdings stand at 12,162,457 shares, with additional shares reportedly held through various trusts and the Marc Benioff Fund LLC.
Salesforce remains on solid financial footing, highlighted by its consistent revenue growth and strong gross margins. As of the filing date, the company’s stock was trading around $343.65, having gained nearly 40% over the prior six months. Analysts meanwhile continue to maintain positive outlooks, with major firms reaffirming Buy ratings on the stock. This insider action comes amid Salesforce’s ongoing investments in AI-enabled offerings such as Agentforce 2.0 and enhancements to the Atlas Reasoning Engine—new product lines expected to further drive growth.
While executive stock sales often attract scrutiny, industry observers note that sales conducted under a Rule 10b5-1 plan are generally part of routine financial planning and not a signal of underlying weakness. Given Benioff’s continued significant stake, the sell-off is not necessarily viewed as a lack of confidence in Salesforce’s future prospects.
Nevertheless, large insider transactions often attract investor attention. In this case, the move coincides with a broader tech sector rally and may reaffirm shareholders’ interest in tracking insider activity as part of investment strategy.
