Saleforce's new takeover talk ruffles feathers

Salesforce's rumoured takeover interest in cloud-data firm Informatica is evidently ruffling some feathers.

The flagship customer relationship management (CRM) software firm is in advanced talks to acquire Informatica, according to widespread media reporting, following a Wall Street Journal exclusive over the last weekend. The potential deal has not been well received by shareholders, however, with Salesforce stock dropping so far this week.

A deal could value Informatica in excess of $11 billion, the initial reports claimed.

Critics, including an Informatica co-founder, say the integration of the two sets of technology would be overly complex and time-consuming, and claim that it could potentially take more than five years to fully onboard.

Proponents however reckon a merger may enhance Salesforce's data management capabilities and support its artificial intelligence strategy.

Notable authoritative financial media outlets present a critical view, highlighting historical challenges and investor concerns regarding Salesforce's acquisition strategy.

Other reports share a more positive viewpoint and talk up the purported 'strategic fit' of the merger.

Elsewhere, straight write ups fix more upon Salesforce's negative stock performance, measuring quantitatively the impact the speculative news has had on the share price.