Salesforce.com Announces Fiscal Second Quarter Results

First enterprise cloud computing company to exceed $2.1 billion annual revenue run rate

First Enterprise Cloud Computing Company to Exceed $2.1 Billion Annual Revenue Run Rate

• Record Quarterly Revenue of $546 Million, up 38% Year-Over-Year
• Raises FY12 Revenue Guidance to $2.22 Billion – $2.23 Billion
• Deferred Revenue of $935 Million, up 37% Year-Over-Year
• Operating Cash Flow of $83 Million, up 9% Year-Over-Year
• Company Record 6,300 Net New Customer Additions
• Total Customers Rise to 104,000, up 21,600 or 26% Year-Over-Year

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – August 18, 2011 – Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM), the enterprise cloud computing company, today announced results for its fiscal second quarter ended July 31, 2011.

“We’re expecting over 40,000 people to register for Dreamforce which takes place in San Francisco later this month. It’s the cloud event of the year where attendees can learn how to supercharge their relationships with employees and customers using social, mobile and open cloud technologies,” said Marc Benioff, Chairman and CEO, salesforce.com. “We hope to see you there.”

Salesforce.com delivered the following results for its fiscal second quarter:

Revenue: Total Q2 revenue was $546 million, an increase of 38% on a year-over-year basis. Subscription and support revenues were $509 million, an increase of 38% on a year-over-year basis. Professional services and other revenues were $37 million, an increase of 44% on a year-over-year basis.

Earnings Per Share: Q2 GAAP net loss per share was ($0.03), and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share increased 3% year-over-year to $0.30. These GAAP and non-GAAP results include a one-time charge of $0.04 per diluted share associated with the legal settlement disclosed in the Form 8-K filed on June 15, 2011. The company’s non-GAAP results exclude the effects of approximately $55 million in stock-based compensation expense, approximately $19 million in amortization of purchased intangibles, and approximately $3 million in net non-cash interest expense related to the company’s convertible senior notes. Non-GAAP EPS calculations are based on 143 million diluted shares outstanding during the quarter, including approximately 4 million shares associated with the convertible senior notes and warrants. GAAP EPS calculations are based on a basic share count of approximately 135 million shares.

Customers: Net paying customers rose approximately 6,300 during the quarter to finish at approximately 104,000. This was a quarterly record for the company. Since July 31, 2010, the company added 21,600 net paying customers, an increase of 26% on a year-over-year basis. As discussed on May 19, 2011, the company will no longer provide the customer metric on a quarterly basis, but expects to provide periodic updates on achievement of customer milestones in the future.

Cash: Cash generated from operations for the fiscal second quarter was $83 million, an increase of 9% on a year-over-year basis. Total cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities finished the quarter at approximately $1.3 billion.

Deferred Revenue: Deferred revenue on the balance sheet as of July 31, 2011 was $935 million, an increase of 37% on a year-over-year basis.

As of August 18, 2011, salesforce.com is initiating guidance for its third quarter of fiscal year 2012. In addition, the company is raising its prior full fiscal year 2012 revenue guidance and updating its projected full fiscal year 2012 GAAP and non-GAAP EPS guidance previously provided on May 19, 2011.

Q3 FY12 Guidance: Revenue for the company’s third fiscal quarter is projected to be in the range of approximately $568 million to approximately $570 million.

For the third fiscal quarter, the company expects to report a GAAP net loss per share of approximately ($0.06) to ($0.05), while diluted non-GAAP EPS is expected to be approximately $0.30 to $0.31. The non-GAAP estimate excludes the effects of stock-based compensation expense, expected to be approximately $60 million, amortization of purchased intangibles related to acquisitions, expected to be approximately $18 million, and net non-cash interest expense related to the company’s convertible senior notes, expected to be approximately $3 million. EPS estimates assume a GAAP tax rate of 54%, and a non-GAAP tax rate of 33%. For the purpose of the EPS calculation, the company assumed an average basic share count of approximately 137 million shares, and an average diluted share count of approximately 146 million shares.

Full Year FY12 Guidance: Revenue for the company’s full fiscal year 2012 is projected to be in the range of approximately $2.22 billion to approximately $2.23 billion.

For the full fiscal year 2012, the company expects to report a GAAP net loss per share of approximately ($0.11) to ($0.09), while diluted non-GAAP EPS is expected to be approximately $1.30 to $1.32. The non-GAAP estimate excludes the effects of stock-based compensation expense, expected to be approximately $241 million, amortization of purchased intangibles related to acquisitions, expected to be approximately $64 million, and net non-cash interest expense related to the convertible senior notes, expected to be approximately $11 million. EPS estimates assume a GAAP tax rate of 72%, and a non-GAAP tax rate of 32%. For the purpose of the EPS calculation, assume an average basic share count of approximately 136 million shares, and an average diluted share count of approximately 145 million shares.

The following is a per share reconciliation of GAAP diluted EPS to non-GAAP diluted EPS Guidance for the third quarter and full fiscal year:

Quarterly Conference Call

Salesforce.com will host a conference call to discuss its second quarter fiscal year 2012 results at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time today. A live audio webcast of the conference call, together with detailed financial information, can be accessed through the company’s Investor Relations Web site at http://www.salesforce.com/investor. In addition, an archive of the webcast can be accessed through the same link. Participants who choose to call in to the conference call can do so by dialing domestically 866-901-SFDC or 866-901-7332 and internationally at +1 706-902-1764, passcode salesforce.com or 64853124. A replay will be available at 800-642-1687 or +1 706-645-9291, passcode 88793161, until midnight (Eastern Time) September 16, 2011

Non-GAAP Financial Measures: This press release includes information about non-GAAP EPS and non-GAAP tax rates (collectively the “non-GAAP financial measures”). Non-GAAP EPS estimates exclude the impact of the following non-cash items: stock-based compensation, amortization of acquisition-related intangibles, and the amortization of debt discount on the company’s convertible senior notes, as well as the tax consequences associated with these items. The purpose of the non-GAAP tax rate is to quantify the excluded tax consequences of the excluded expense items. These non-GAAP estimates are not measurements of financial performance prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The method used to produce non-GAAP financial measures is not computed according to GAAP and may differ from the methods used by other companies. Non-GAAP financial measures are not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for comparable GAAP measures and should be read only in conjunction with the company’s consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP.

The primary purpose of these non-GAAP measures is to provide supplemental information that may prove useful to investors who wish to consider the impact of certain non-cash items on the company’s operating performance. Non-cash stock-based compensation, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, and the amortization of debt discount on the company’s convertible senior notes are being excluded from the company’s FY12 financial results because the decisions which gave rise to these expenses were not made to increase revenue in a particular period, but were made for the company’s long-term benefit over multiple periods. While strategic decisions, such as those to issue stock-based compensation, acquire a company, or issue convertible senior notes, are made to further the company’s long-term strategic objectives and impact the company’s income statement under GAAP measures, these items affect multiple periods and management is not able to change or affect these items in any particular period. As such, supplementing GAAP disclosure with non-GAAP disclosure using the non-GAAP measures provides management with an additional view of operational performance by excluding expenses that are not directly related to performance in any particular period, and management uses both GAAP and non-GAAP measures when planning, monitoring, and evaluating the company’s performance.

In addition, the majority of the company’s industry peers report non-GAAP operating results that exclude certain non-cash or non-recurring items. Management believes that the provision of supplemental non-GAAP information will enable a more complete comparison of the company’s relative performance.

Specifically, management is excluding the following items from its non-GAAP EPS for Q2 and its non-GAAP estimates for Q3 and FY12:

• Stock-Based Expenses: The company’s compensation strategy is to use stock-based compensation to attract and retain key employees and executives. It is principally aimed at aligning their interests with those of our stockholders and at long-term employee retention, rather than to motivate or reward operational performance for any particular period. Thus, stock-based compensation expense varies for reasons that are generally unrelated to operational decisions and performance in any particular period.
   
• Amortization of Purchased Intangibles: The company views amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, such as the amortization of the cost associated with an acquired company’s research and development efforts, customer lists and customer relationships, as items arising from pre-acquisition activities determined at the time of an acquisition. While it is continually viewed for impairment, amortization of the cost is a static expense, one that is not typically affected by operations during any particular period.
   
• Amortization of Debt Discount: Under GAAP, certain convertible debt instruments that may be settled in cash (or other assets) on conversion are required to be separately accounted for as liability (debt) and equity (conversion option) components of the instrument in a manner that reflects the issuer’s non-convertible debt borrowing rate. Accordingly, for GAAP purposes we are required to recognize imputed interest expense on the company’s $575 million of convertible subordinated notes that were issued in a private placement in January 2010. The imputed interest rate is approximately 5.9%, while the coupon interest rate is 0.75%. The difference between the imputed interest expense and the coupon interest expense, net of the interest amount capitalized, is excluded from management’s assessment of the company’s operating performance because management believes that this non-cash expense is not indicative of ongoing operating performance. Management believes that the exclusion of the non-cash interest expense provides investors an enhanced view of the company’s operational performance.
   
• Income Tax Effects: The company’s estimated non-GAAP effective tax rate is lower than the estimated GAAP effective tax rate due to the exclusion of the expense items described above.

“Safe harbor” statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press release contains forward-looking statements about expected GAAP revenue and GAAP and non-GAAP EPS for the second fiscal quarter of 2012 and the full fiscal year, the company’s expected tax rates, stock-based compensation expenses, amortization expenses, and shares outstanding. The achievement or success of the matters covered by such forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If any such risks or uncertainties materialize or if any of the assumptions prove incorrect, the company’s results could differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements we make.

The risks and uncertainties referred to above include – but are not limited to – risks associated with possible fluctuations in the company’s financial and operating results; rate of growth and anticipated revenue run rate; errors, interruptions or delays in the company’s service or the company’s Web hosting; breaches of the company’s security measures; the financial impact of any previous and future acquisitions; the nature of the company’s business model; the company’s ability to continue to release, and gain customer acceptance of, new and improved versions of the company’s service; successful customer deployment and utilization of the company’s existing and future services; changes in the company’s sales cycle; competition; various financial aspects of the company’s subscription model; unexpected increases in attrition or decreases in new business; the emerging markets in which we operate; unique aspects of entering or expanding in international markets, the company’s ability to hire, retain and motivate employees and manage the company’s growth; changes in the company’s customer base; technological developments; regulatory developments; litigation related to intellectual property and other matters, and any related claims, negotiations and settlements; unanticipated changes in the company’s effective tax rate; fluctuations in the number of shares we have outstanding and the price of such shares; foreign currency exchange rates; interest rates; the company’s plans to build our new global headquarters in San Francisco, California and the associated costs; and general developments in the economy, financial markets, and credit markets.

Further information on these and other factors that could affect the company’s financial results is included in the reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K and in other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, including the company’s Form 10-Q that will be filed for the fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2011, and our Form 10-K filed for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2011. These documents are available on the SEC Filings section of the Investor Information section of the company’s website at www.salesforce.com/investor.

Salesforce.com, inc. assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Copyright (c) 2011 salesforce.com, inc. All rights reserved. Salesforce and the “no software” logo are registered trademarks of salesforce.com, inc., and salesforce.com owns other registered and unregistered trademarks. Other names used herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

About Salesforce

Salesforce is the global leader in Customer Relationship Management (CRM), bringing companies closer to their customers in the digital age. Founded in 1999, Salesforce enables companies of every size and industry to take advantage of powerful technologies—cloud, mobile, social, internet of things, artificial intelligence, voice and blockchain—to create a 360° view of their customers. For more information about Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), visit: www.salesforce.com.

Any unreleased services or features referenced in this or other press releases or public statements are not currently available and may not be delivered on time or at all. Customers who purchase Salesforce applications should make their purchase decisions based upon features that are currently available. Salesforce has headquarters in San Francisco, with offices in Europe and Asia, and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “CRM.” For more information please visit https://www.salesforce.com, or call 1-800-NO-SOFTWARE.

About Salesforce

Salesforce is the #1 AI CRM, empowering companies to connect with their customers in a whole new way through the power of CRM + AI + Data + Trust on one unified platform: Einstein 1. For more information visit: www.salesforce.com. 

Any unreleased services or features referenced in this or other press releases or public statements are not currently available and may not be delivered on time or at all. Customers who purchase Salesforce applications should make their purchase decisions based upon features that are currently available. Salesforce has headquarters in San Francisco, with offices in Europe and Asia, and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "CRM." For more information please visit https://www.salesforce.com, or call 1-800-NO-SOFTWARE.