BUZZ-Guggenheim upgrades Salesforce, ServiceNow; says AI not 'death knell'

AppLovin
Autodesk, Inc.
Datadog
ServiceNow, Inc.
Workday

AppLovin

APP

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Autodesk, Inc.

ADSK

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Datadog

DDOG

0.00

ServiceNow, Inc.

NOW

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Workday

WDAY

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** Guggenheim upgrades Salesforce CRM.N and ServiceNow NOW.N to "buy" from "neutral, with price targets of $228 and $125, respectively

** CRM shares rise 5% in morning trading, while NOW up 4.6%

** Guggenheim says rating upgrade does not reflect view that companies are AI beneficiaries, noting that AI poses significant risks to both

** However, it says AI is unlikely to prove "death knell" for the companies

** For ServiceNow, current levels present attractive opportunity for investors to purchase a comfortably profitable stock, brokerage says

** Adds that "Armageddon" scenario currently priced into CRM's stock is misaligned with reality

** Other software stocks up: AppLovin APP.O rise 8.8%, Workday WDAY.O up 5.3%, while Datadog DDOG.O and Autodesk ADSK.O each up 4%
** S&P 500 software index .SPLRCIS rise 2.2%

** YTD, NOW down ~33%, CRM slipped ~38%, while software index lost 20.2%