What Salesforce's Earnings Mean for Mutual Fund Investors (CRM)

Salesforce.com (CRM) released its third quarter financial results after the closing bell on Wednesday, reporting a loss for the quarter, but still beating analysts’ expectations on an adjusted basis. Below, we look at the company’s results and what they mean for mutual fund investors.

Inside CRM’s Q4 Results

Earnings

The company reported a net loss of $38.9 million, or 6 cents per share, compared to a net loss of $124.4 million, or 21 cents per share, a year ago. Excluding special items, earnings were 14 cents per share, compared to 9 cents per share last year. On average, analysts expected to see adjusted earnings of 13 cents per share.

Revenue
Revenue increased to $1.38 billion from $1.08 billion last year. On average, analysts expected to see revenue of $1.37 billion.

Outlook
Looking ahead, the company expects to see fourth quarter adjusted earnings of between 13 cents and 14 cents per share. Revenue is expected to be about $1.44 billion. Analysts expect to see EPS of 15 cents and revenue of $1.45 billion,

For FY2015, the company expects to see earnings between 51 cents and 52 cents and $5.37 billion in revenue. Analysts expect to see earnings of 52 cents and $5.37 billion in revenue.

Mutual Funds to Watch

For investors seeking exposure to Salesforce.com, there are several options when it comes to mutual funds. The funds below currently have the largest stake in Salesforce.com and may be a good alternative to purchasing the stock.

The Bottom Line

The three mutual funds mentioned above give investors a diversified bundle of stocks that offer exposure to a number of industries. For investors interested in Salesforce.com for its growth potential, the Fidelity Growth Company fund is one to consider. Investors seeking investments similar to Salesforce.com may also be interested in Oracle (ORCL) and Microsoft (MSFT).