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About Eight Percent a YearWide moat

Salesforce (CRM) — moat facet

Salesforce's attrition has held near eight percent for eight years through a pandemic and a growth slowdown: customers rarely leave the system that holds their customer list.

The cleanest evidence that Salesforce is hard to leave is a number it publishes every year: attrition. At 31 January 2026, "our attrition rate, excluding Slack self-service and current year acquisitions, was approximately eight percent"1. The rate measures revenue lost from customers who cancel or shrink, so a figure near 8% means about 92 cents of each subscription dollar comes back the following year before any new selling.

Salesforce attrition rate at fiscal year end (%, upper bound or midpoint)<10FY2019<9FY20209.0-9.5FY20217.0-7.5FY2022<7.5FY2023about 8FY2024about 8FY2025about 8FY2026Salesforce Forms 10-K FY2019-FY2026; definitions change, see labels
A narrow band for eight years, on shifting definitions.

The series has barely moved. The filings put attrition below ten percent at the end of fiscal 2018 and 20192, below nine percent in fiscal 20203, between 9.0% and 9.5% in fiscal 20214, between 7.0 and 7.5 percent in fiscal 20225, about eight percent in fiscal 20246 and fiscal 20257, and about eight percent again in fiscal 20268. Through a pandemic, a cut of about ten percent in its own workforce and a sharp slowdown in growth, the share of revenue that walked out each year stayed in a narrow band.

Why so steady? A CRM system holds the customer list, the sales pipeline, the service history and the rules that route work between people. Replacing it means moving that data, retraining every salesperson and service agent, and rebuilding the integrations that feed it. Salesforce says so in its own words: "Consistent attrition rates play a role in our ability to maintain growth in our subscription and support revenues."9

The steadiness is the moat. Growth has fallen from 24.7% in fiscal 2022 to 9.6% in fiscal 202610, but the customers who were already there mostly stayed.

The rate is a trailing measure of value, not of logos. Salesforce defines attrition as "the reduction or loss of the annualized value of our contracts with customers"11, so a customer that halves its seats counts as half a departure. A steady rate therefore rules out both mass cancellations and widespread shrinking.

What would show the lock-in weakening is attrition itself, not growth. A reported rate of nine percent or more, on any definition, would be the first move outside the band since fiscal 2021.

Moat trajectory: Holding steady

About 8% at FYE 2024, 2025 and 2026.

The number that tests this moat
Reported
Attrition rate, fiscal year end
about 8% (31 Jan 2026, excluding Slack self-service and current-year acquisitions), unchanged from FYE 2025 and 2024

Revenue lost to cancellations and downgrades each year; 9% or more would be the first move outside the band since FY2021.

Source: Salesforce Form 10-K, FY2026 ↗
⚠ Threats to the moat
⚠ THREAT 01
The Definition Moves Every Year
Salesforce's eight percent attrition excludes self-service Slack and recent acquisitions, and its definition has changed in most years since 2020.
References
  1. ReportedAt 31 January 2026, "our attrition rate, excluding Slack self-service and current year acquisitions, was approximately eight percent".
    Salesforce Form 10-K for fiscal 2026 (year ended 31 January 2026) - acquisitions, purchase-price allocations, goodwill and intangible assets. — FY2026 · publ. 2 March 2026 · source ↗
  2. ReportedThe filings put attrition below ten percent at the end of fiscal 2018 and 2019, below nine percent in fiscal 2020, between 9.0% and 9.5% in fiscal 2021, between 7.0 and 7.5 percent in fiscal 2022, about eight percent in fiscal 2024 and fiscal 2025, and about eight percent again in fiscal 2026.
    Salesforce Form 10-K for fiscal 2019 (year ended 31 January 2019) - the MuleSoft acquisition, employees, attrition, RPO and revenue by service offering for fiscal 2017-2019 under ASC 606. — FY2019 · publ. March 2019 · source ↗
  3. ReportedThe filings put attrition below ten percent at the end of fiscal 2018 and 2019, below nine percent in fiscal 2020, between 9.0% and 9.5% in fiscal 2021, between 7.0 and 7.5 percent in fiscal 2022, about eight percent in fiscal 2024 and fiscal 2025, and about eight percent again in fiscal 2026.
    Salesforce Form 10-K for fiscal 2020 (year ended 31 January 2020) - the Tableau acquisition, employees, attrition and revenue by service offering for fiscal 2018-2020. — FY2020 · publ. March 2020 · source ↗
  4. ReportedThe filings put attrition below ten percent at the end of fiscal 2018 and 2019, below nine percent in fiscal 2020, between 9.0% and 9.5% in fiscal 2021, between 7.0 and 7.5 percent in fiscal 2022, about eight percent in fiscal 2024 and fiscal 2025, and about eight percent again in fiscal 2026.
    Salesforce Form 10-K for fiscal 2021 (year ended 31 January 2021) - employees, attrition and RPO. — FY2021 · publ. March 2021 · source ↗
  5. ReportedThe filings put attrition below ten percent at the end of fiscal 2018 and 2019, below nine percent in fiscal 2020, between 9.0% and 9.5% in fiscal 2021, between 7.0 and 7.5 percent in fiscal 2022, about eight percent in fiscal 2024 and fiscal 2025, and about eight percent again in fiscal 2026.
    Salesforce Form 10-K for fiscal 2022 (year ended 31 January 2022) - the Slack acquisition, the reclassification of Integration and Analytics into a Data line with fiscal 2020-2021 restated, employees, attrition and RPO. — FY2022 · publ. March 2022 · source ↗
  6. ReportedThe filings put attrition below ten percent at the end of fiscal 2018 and 2019, below nine percent in fiscal 2020, between 9.0% and 9.5% in fiscal 2021, between 7.0 and 7.5 percent in fiscal 2022, about eight percent in fiscal 2024 and fiscal 2025, and about eight percent again in fiscal 2026.
    Salesforce Form 10-K for fiscal 2024 (year ended 31 January 2024) - the January 2023 restructuring plan, the renaming of Data to Integration and Analytics, attrition, employees and revenue by service offering for fiscal 2022-2024. — FY2024 · publ. March 2024 · source ↗
  7. ReportedThe filings put attrition below ten percent at the end of fiscal 2018 and 2019, below nine percent in fiscal 2020, between 9.0% and 9.5% in fiscal 2021, between 7.0 and 7.5 percent in fiscal 2022, about eight percent in fiscal 2024 and fiscal 2025, and about eight percent again in fiscal 2026.
    Salesforce Form 10-K for fiscal 2025 (year ended 31 January 2025) - employees, attrition, repurchases and revenue by service offering for fiscal 2023-2025. — FY2025 · publ. March 2025 · source ↗
  8. ReportedThe filings put attrition below ten percent at the end of fiscal 2018 and 2019, below nine percent in fiscal 2020, between 9.0% and 9.5% in fiscal 2021, between 7.0 and 7.5 percent in fiscal 2022, about eight percent in fiscal 2024 and fiscal 2025, and about eight percent again in fiscal 2026.
    Salesforce Form 10-K for fiscal 2026 (year ended 31 January 2026) - remaining performance obligations, unearned revenue and attrition. — FY2026 · publ. 2 March 2026 · source ↗
  9. ReportedSalesforce says so in its own words: "Consistent attrition rates play a role in our ability to maintain growth in our subscription and support revenues."
    Salesforce Form 10-K for fiscal 2026 (year ended 31 January 2026) - revenue by service offering, geography and timing of recognition. — FY2026 · publ. 2 March 2026 · source ↗
  10. Moat Explorer calcGrowth has fallen from 24.7% in fiscal 2022 to 9.6% in fiscal 2026, but the customers who were already there mostly stayed.
    Moat Explorer calculation from Salesforce reported figures ($ millions unless stated; fiscal years end 31 January). Revenue growth: FY2016 6,667.2 / 5,373.6 - 1 = +24.1%; FY2021 21,252 / 17,098 - 1 = +24.3%; FY2022 26,492 / 21,252 - 1 = +24.7%; FY2023 31,352 / 26,492 - 1 = +18.3%; FY2024 34,857 / 31,352 - 1 = +11.2%; FY2025 37,895 / 34,857 - 1 = +8.7%; FY2026 41,525 / 37,895 - 1 = +9.6%; FY2026 without Informatica (41,525 - 399) / 37,895 - 1 = +8.5%; Q2 FY2027 reported 11,345 / 10,236 - 1 = +10.8%, without Informatica (11,345 - 456) / 10,236 - 1 = +6.4%; Q3 FY2027 guide 11% to 12% less slightly above 4 points of Informatica = roughly 7% to 8% organic; revenue increase FY2023 to FY2026 41,525 - 31,352 = 10,173, about $10.2bn; trailing twelve months to July 2026: revenue 41,525 - 20,065 + 22,478 = 43,938; net income 7,457 - 3,428 + 5,633 = 9,662; Q1 FY2027 revenue 22,478 - 11,345 = 11,133; fiscal 2027 revenue guidance midpoint (45,800 + 46,200) / 2 = 46,000 in February and (46,100 + 46,400) / 2 = 46,250 in August, 46,250 / 46,000 - 1 = +0.5%; FY2030 target 63,000: (63,000 / 46,400) ^ (1/3) - 1 = 10.7% a year; 46,400 times 1.107 = about 51,400 in FY2028. Revenue lines: Sales FY2016-FY2026 9,028 / 2,699.0 = 3.3 times, (3.34) ^ (1/10) - 1 = 12.8% a year; Sales growth FY2022 5,989 / 5,191 - 1 = 15.4%, FY2023 6,831 / 5,989 - 1 = 14.1%, FY2024 7,580 / 6,831 - 1 = 11.0%, FY2025 8,322 / 7,580 - 1 = 9.8%, FY2026 9,028 / 8,322 - 1 = 8.5%; Sales share of subscription revenue FY2016 2,699.0 / 6,205.6 = 43.5%, FY2026 9,028 / 39,388 = 22.9%, of total revenue 9,028 / 41,525 = 21.7%. Service FY2016-FY2026 9,818 / 1,817.8 = 5.4 times, 18.4% a year; Service growth FY2022 6,474 / 5,377 - 1 = 20.4%, FY2023 7,369 / 6,474 - 1 = 13.8%, FY2024 8,245 / 7,369 - 1 = 11.9%, FY2025 9,054 / 8,245 - 1 = 9.8%, FY2026 9,818 / 9,054 - 1 = 8.4%; Service share of revenue 9,818 / 41,525 = 23.6%. Platform, Slack and Other growth FY2018 1,913 / 1,433 - 1 = 33.5%, FY2019 2,854 / 1,913 - 1 = 49.2%, FY2021 3,324 / 2,787 - 1 = 19.3%, FY2022 4,509 / 3,324 - 1 = 35.6%, FY2023 5,967 / 4,509 - 1 = 32.3%, FY2024 6,611 / 5,967 - 1 = 10.8%, FY2025 7,247 / 6,611 - 1 = 9.6%, FY2026 8,882 / 7,247 - 1 = 22.6%, without Informatica (8,882 - 388) / 7,247 - 1 = 17.2%. Data 360, Headless Platform and Other Q2 FY2027 3,618 / 3,008 - 1 = 20.3%, without Informatica (3,618 - 440) / 3,008 - 1 = 5.7%. Marketing and Commerce FY2016-FY2026 5,428 / 654.1 = 8.3 times, 23.6% a year; growth FY2018 1,382 / 947 - 1 = 45.9%, FY2019 1,898 / 1,382 - 1 = 37.3%, FY2020 2,506 / 1,898 - 1 = 32.0%, FY2021 3,133 / 2,506 - 1 = 25.0%, FY2022 3,902 / 3,133 - 1 = 24.5%, FY2023 4,516 / 3,902 - 1 = 15.7%, FY2024 4,912 / 4,516 - 1 = 8.8%, FY2025 5,281 / 4,912 - 1 = 7.5%, FY2026 5,428 / 5,281 - 1 = 2.8%. Integration and Analytics growth FY2022 3,783 / 2,951 - 1 = 28.2%, FY2023 4,338 / 3,783 - 1 = 14.7%, FY2024 5,189 / 4,338 - 1 = 19.6%, FY2025 5,775 / 5,189 - 1 = 11.3%, FY2026 6,232 / 5,775 - 1 = 7.9%; FY2021-FY2026 (6,232 / 2,951) ^ (1/5) - 1 = 16.1% a year; share of subscription revenue FY2025 5,775 / 35,679 = 16.2%, FY2026 6,232 / 39,388 = 15.8%; growth less Sales growth FY2024 20% - 11% = +9 points, FY2026 8% - 8% = 0 points; revenue per dollar paid 6,232 / (6,425 + 14,845 = 21,270) = 0.29. Subscription and support growth FY2026 39,388 / 35,679 - 1 = 10.4%. Sales plus Service 9,028 + 9,818 = 18,846, 18,846 / 39,388 = 47.9% of subscription revenue. Sales growth FY2024-FY2026: 11.0%, 9.8%, 8.5%; Service 11.9%, 9.8%, 8.4%. Professional services: share of revenue FY2016 461.6 / 6,667.2 = 6.9%; FY2020 1,055 / 17,098 = 6.2%; FY2022 1,835 / 26,492 = 6.9%; FY2023 2,331 / 31,352 = 7.4%; FY2025 2,216 / 37,895 = 5.8%; FY2026 2,137 / 41,525 = 5.1%; Q2 FY2026 546 / 10,236 = 5.3%; Q2 FY2027 525 / 11,345 = 4.6%. Gross margin (revenue less cost, over revenue): FY2017 (638 - 617) / 638 = 3.3%, FY2018 (774 - 740) / 774 = 4.4%, FY2019 (869 - 847) / 869 = 2.5%, FY2020 (1,055 - 1,037) / 1,055 = 1.7%, FY2021 (1,276 - 1,284) / 1,276 = -0.6%, FY2022 (1,835 - 1,967) / 1,835 = -7.2%, FY2023 (2,331 - 2,539) / 2,331 = -8.9%, FY2024 (2,320 - 2,364) / 2,320 = -1.9%, FY2025 (2,216 - 2,445) / 2,216 = -10.3%, FY2026 (2,137 - 2,474) / 2,137 = -15.8%; Q2 FY2026 (546 - 597) / 546 = -9.3%; Q2 FY2027 (525 - 628) / 525 = -19.6%. Subscription and support gross margin: FY2020 (16,043 - 3,198) / 16,043 = 80.1%, FY2023 (29,021 - 5,821) / 29,021 = 79.9%, FY2025 (35,679 - 6,198) / 35,679 = 82.6%, FY2026 (39,388 - 6,796) / 39,388 = 82.7%; Q2 FY2026 (9,690 - 1,645) / 9,690 = 83.0%; Q2 FY2027 (10,820 - 2,021) / 10,820 = 81.3%. Margins and costs: GAAP operating margin = income from operations over revenue: FY2016 114.9 / 6,667.2 = 1.7%; FY2017 218 / 8,437 = 2.6%; FY2018 454 / 10,540 = 4.3%; FY2019 535 / 13,282 = 4.0%; FY2020 297 / 17,098 = 1.7%; FY2021 455 / 21,252 = 2.1%; FY2022 548 / 26,492 = 2.1%; FY2023 1,030 / 31,352 = 3.3%; FY2024 5,011 / 34,857 = 14.4%; FY2025 7,205 / 37,895 = 19.0%; FY2026 8,331 / 41,525 = 20.1%; operating income FY2026 over FY2023 8,331 / 1,030 = 8.1 times. Non-GAAP operating margin FY2015 574.1 / 5,373.6 = 10.7%; FY2016 830.0 / 6,667.2 = 12.4%. Marketing and sales over revenue FY2022 11,855 / 26,492 = 44.7%; FY2023 13,526 / 31,352 = 43.1%; FY2024 12,877 / 34,857 = 36.9%; FY2025 13,257 / 37,895 = 35.0%; FY2026 14,345 / 41,525 = 34.5%; marketing and sales growth FY2026 14,345 / 13,257 - 1 = 8.2%. Stock-based compensation over revenue FY2015 564.8 / 5,373.6 = 10.5%; FY2023 3,279 / 31,352 = 10.5%; FY2024 2,787 / 34,857 = 8.0%; FY2025 3,183 / 37,895 = 8.4%; FY2026 3,509 / 41,525 = 8.5%; unrecognised stock compensation after FY2028: 8,324 - 1,955 - 2,918 = 3,451. Amortisation of purchased intangibles FY2026 1,687 / 41,525 = 4.1%; FY2027 guide 4.4% times 46,250 = about 2,035. Restructuring FY2023-FY2026 828 + 988 + 461 + 586 = 2,863, about $2.9bn. Employees 83,334 - 76,453 = 6,881, 83,334 / 76,453 - 1 = +9.0%; revenue per employee FY2025 37,895 / 76,453 = about $496,000, FY2026 41,525 / 83,334 = about $498,000. Attrition dollars: 8% times 39,388 = about 3,151, about $3.2bn; bookings needed for 10% growth about 10% + 8% = 18% of the base; revenue kept each year at about 8% attrition 100% - 8% = about 92%. Cash: free cash flow FY2026 over FY2022 14,402 / 5,283 = 2.7 times; free cash flow over revenue FY2026 14,402 / 41,525 = 34.7%; capital expenditure over revenue 594 / 41,525 = 1.4%; non-cash charges FY2026 stock compensation 3,509 + amortisation 1,687 = 5,196, about $5.2bn; interest expense Q2 FY2027 473 / 67 = 7.1 times; unearned revenue over revenue 24,317 / 41,525 = 58.6%; unearned revenue growth FY2026 24,317 / 20,743 - 1 = +17.2%; 31 July 2026 18,787 / 16,555 - 1 = +13.5%; billings and other 45,099 / 39,635 - 1 = +13.8%; accounts receivable 14,339 / 11,945 - 1 = +20.0%. Net debt: 31 January 2025 debt 8,433 less cash 8,848 and marketable securities 5,184 = net cash of 5,599, about $5.6bn; 31 January 2026 (4,000 + 10,439 = 14,439) - 7,327 - 2,238 = 4,874, about $4.9bn; 31 July 2026 39,288 - 8,310 - 3,093 = 27,885, about $27.9bn. Contracted revenue: current RPO as a share of total RPO FY2018 9.6 / 20.6 = 46.6%; FY2019 11.9 / 25.7 = 46.3%; FY2020 15.0 / 30.8 = 48.7%; FY2021 18.0 / 36.1 = 49.9%; FY2022 22.0 / 43.7 = 50.3%; FY2023 24.6 / 48.6 = 50.6%; FY2024 27.6 / 56.9 = 48.5%; FY2025 30.2 / 63.4 = 47.6%; FY2026 35.1 / 72.4 = 48.5%; 31 July 2026 33.5 / 66.3 = 50.5%; acquired RPO FY2026 2.2 / 72.4 = 3.0%. Acquisitions and shares: MuleSoft 6,425 + Tableau 14,845 + Slack 27,068 + Informatica 9,636 = 57,974, about $58.0bn; MuleSoft goodwill 4,816 / 6,425 = 75.0%, other net assets 6,425 - 4,816 - 1,279 = 330; Tableau stock 14,552 / 14,845 = 98.0%, goodwill 10,806 / 14,845 = 72.8%; Slack goodwill 21,161 / 27,068 = 78.2%, Slack goodwill over total goodwill 21,161 / 57,941 = 36.5%; Informatica goodwill 5,257 / 9,636 = 54.6%, net of cash acquired 9,636 - 1,405 = 8,231, price over cloud ARR 9,636 / 1,100 = 8.8 times; Informatica Q2 FY2027 revenue 456 times 4 = about 1,824 a year. Goodwill over total assets FY2025 51,283 / 102,928 = 49.8%; FY2026 57,941 / 112,305 = 51.6%; goodwill plus intangibles (57,941 + 6,815 = 64,756) / 112,305 = 57.7%; goodwill FY2026 over FY2015 57,941 / 3,782.7 = 15.3 times. Shares outstanding at fiscal year end (SEC XBRL cover data): 650.6 million (FY2015), 730 (FY2018), 770 (FY2019), 893 (FY2020), 989 (FY2022), 929 (FY2026); 893 / 770 - 1 = +16.0%; 989 / 650.6 - 1 = +52.0%; 823 million on 20 August 2026. Pending Contentful 1.5 + Fin 3.6 = $5.1bn; with Informatica 9.6 + 3.6 + 1.5 = $14.7bn; if the two add 400 a year, 5,100 / 400 = 12.75 times. Valuation: market value 193,150 over trailing net income 9,662 = 20.0 times, over trailing revenue 43,938 = 4.40 times; fiscal 2027 EPS guidance midpoints GAAP (7.85 + 7.93) / 2 = 7.89 in February and (10.21 + 10.25) / 2 = 10.23 in August, +29.7%; adjusted (13.11 + 13.19) / 2 = 13.15 and (16.67 + 16.71) / 2 = 16.69, +26.9%; Q2 FY2027 EPS without investment gains 4.29 - 2.43 = 1.86 against 1.96. Geography and customers: United States share 0.93 times 27,193 / 41,525 = about 61%; growth FY2026 Americas 27,193 / 25,143 - 1 = 8.2%, Europe 10,017 / 8,891 - 1 = 12.7%, Asia Pacific 4,315 / 3,861 - 1 = 11.8%; Q2 FY2027 Europe 2,764 / 2,429 - 1 = 13.8%; Agentforce ARR 1,500 / 43,938 = 3.4% of trailing revenue. Additional: subscription and support growth FY2024 32,537 / 29,021 - 1 = 12.1%; Marketing and Commerce share of subscription revenue FY2023 4,516 / 29,021 = 15.6%, FY2024 4,912 / 32,537 = 15.1%, FY2025 5,281 / 35,679 = 14.8%, FY2026 5,428 / 39,388 = 13.8%; noncurrent RPO FY2026 37.3 / 33.2 - 1 = +12.3%, current RPO 35.1 / 30.2 - 1 = +16.2%; average repurchase price FY2023 4.0bn / 28 million = about $143, FY2024 7.7bn / 36 million = about $214, FY2025 7.8bn / 30 million = $260, FY2026 12.7bn / 50 million = $254; dividends over net income FY2026 1,587 / 7,457 = 21.3%; tangible equity 31 July 2026 38,378 - 59,250 - 6,142 = -27,014, about minus $27.0bn; fiscal 2027 free cash flow at 4% to 5% growth 14,402 times 1.04 = 14,978 to 14,402 times 1.05 = 15,122, about $15.0bn to $15.1bn. Competition (IDC estimates compiled by CX Foundation): Salesforce over the next-largest vendor 2021 23.8 / 5.4 (SAP) = 4.4 times, 2025 20.0 / 4.1 (Oracle) = 4.9 times; Salesforce 23.8% - 20.0% = 3.8 points lost 2021-2025; vendors outside the top five 65.4% - 56.6% = 8.8 points gained; Oracle, Microsoft, SAP and Adobe 5.1 + 5.3 + 5.4 + 3.8 = 19.6% in 2021 and 4.1 + 4.0 + 3.1 + 3.4 = 14.6% in 2025, 5.0 points lost; Salesforce over Oracle 20.0 / 4.1 = 4.9 times - growth, margins, costs, people, geography and market share. — FY2015-Q2 FY2027 · publ. October 2026 · source ↗
    Method: Arithmetic on figures reported in Salesforce Forms 10-K, 10-Q and results releases, SEC XBRL, the Investor Day presentation, stockanalysis market data and CX Foundation's compilation of IDC shares; each operand is stated in the source line.
  11. ReportedSalesforce defines attrition as "the reduction or loss of the annualized value of our contracts with customers", so a customer that halves its seats counts as half a departure.
    Salesforce Form 10-K for fiscal 2026 (year ended 31 January 2026) - remaining performance obligations, unearned revenue and attrition. — FY2026 · publ. 2 March 2026 · source ↗
Sources
Generated October 4, 2026