Salesforce said late on Tuesday that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Informatica for about $8 billion (₹66,650 crore) in equity value, in a move that is seen to increase the scope of its data management platform services as artificial intelligence takes centre stage.

Interestingly, Salesforce had called off a potential deal with Informatica last year, after the two companies failed to reach terms for an agreement that was acceptable to both parties. According to the terms of the agreement, Salesforce will pay $25 (₹2080) for each outstanding Informatica share, representing a 10.9% premium over its last closing price of $22.55 (approximately ₹1876). Informatica shares were up 5.7% in early trade on the Nasdaq. 

“This is a transformational step in delivering enterprise-grade AI that is safe, responsible, and deeply integrated with the world’s data,” said Marc Benioff, chair and CEO, Salesforce. According to Benioff, the deal will ensue in Salesforce’s Einstein and Informatica’s CLAIRE AI engines, which, according to him, “will forge the ultimate AI-data platform.”

The transaction—which has been approved by the boards of both companies—is expected to close early in Salesforce’s fiscal year 2027. Stockholders holding approximately 63% of the voting power of Informatica Class A and Class B-1 common stock have delivered a written consent approving the transaction. Salesforce expects to fund the transaction through a combination of cash on the company’s balance sheet and new debt that the company will take on.

Salesforce said in a statement that it expects to achieve accretion on its core (non-GAAP) operating margin, core earnings per share, and free cash flow basis starting in the second year following the expected closing of the transaction and continuing thereafter, driven by substantial cost synergies and revenue uplift with a new comprehensive data portfolio. The transaction is not expected to disrupt Salesforce’s capital return program.

J.P. Morgan Securities is serving as financial advisor to Salesforce, whereas Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Morrison & Foerster are serving as legal counsel to Salesforce. On the other hand, Goldman Sachs & Co is serving as the exclusive financial advisor to Informatica, and Latham & Watkins LLP and Fenwick & West LLP are serving as legal counsel to Informatica.