Veeva vs. Salesforce: Which Life Sciences CRM Stock Is the Better Buy?

A significant shift is underway in the enterprise software landscape, particularly within the life sciences customer relationship management (CRM) market. Veeva Systems VEEV, a long-time partner of Salesforce CRM, has announced it will end its reliance on Salesforce’s cloud infrastructure by September 2025. This strategic decision marks the beginning of Veeva’s transition to its proprietary Vault platform, signaling a decisive move toward platform independence and deeper industry specialization.The split sets up a compelling faceoff between two companies now heading down very different paths. Veeva is sharpening its focus on life sciences by building vertically integrated solutions tailored to the sector’s needs. At the same time, Salesforce is making a deliberate push into life sciences with its own purpose-built CRM offering. Both companies are accelerating investments in AI and product innovation, but their visions for capturing long-term growth are rapidly diverging. For investors, the key question is which company offers the stronger roadmap in this evolving market.Price Performance & Valuation of VEEV & CRMShares of Veeva have gained 35.7%, while CRM stock has plunged 21.1% in the year-to-date period.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchFrom a valuation standpoint, CRM looks slightly more attractive than VEEV. According to the price-to-book ratio, Salesforce’s shares currently trade at 4.15X, which is lower than Veeva's 7.50X.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchPlatform Control & Industry Focus: Who Owns the Vertical?Veeva has long differentiated itself by serving a single industry—life sciences—with laser focus. That specialization is now reaching a new level as the company prepares to fully shift its CRM operations from Salesforce’s infrastructure to its own Vault platform by September 2025. This move is more than just a tech transition. It gives Veeva full control over its software stack, allowing it to tailor features, optimize performance, and potentially expand margins without depending on a third-party host. More importantly, it strengthens Veeva’s position as a vertically integrated player with deep regulatory and workflow understanding, something horizontal platforms often struggle to replicate in niche markets.Salesforce, meanwhile, brings the power of a highly adaptable and proven CRM infrastructure that serves thousands of enterprise customers across industries. Its recent push into life sciences through the introduction of a dedicated Life Sciences Cloud reflects a strategic intent to expand within this high-value vertical. While its approach is broader by design, Salesforce benefits from scale, flexibility, and a robust ecosystem that supports rapid customization through its platform tools. With the partnership ending, Salesforce now has the freedom to compete directly in life sciences CRM, and its entry could accelerate innovation and choice in the market without being constrained by a single client relationship.AI & Product Innovation: Whose Tech Vision Leads?Veeva is taking a focused approach to AI by building capabilities directly into its Vault platform. In April 2025, it launched Veeva AI, which integrates LLM agents and shortcuts across clinical, regulatory, and commercial apps. Features like Vault CRM Bot, Voice Control, and MLR Bot are set to roll out by late 2025, automating tasks such as pre-call planning and content compliance. Veeva also released the Direct Data API to enable faster, secure access to Vault data, supporting integrations with platforms like Snowflake and Databricks. These innovations are already gaining traction, with over 80 Vault CRM deployments and a goal of exceeding 200 by fiscal 2026.Salesforce is advancing AI at scale through Agentforce, a platform of prebuilt AI assistants embedded across its suite. Within 90 days of launch, Agentforce reached 3,000 paying customers and crossed $100 million in ARR. It connects with Tableau, MuleSoft, and Data Cloud to unify workflows and supports the Life Sciences Cloud Partner Network, which includes integrations with H1, ComplianceQuest, Box, and others. The company has also brought on AI-focused board members and continues to emphasize responsible adoption, aiming to augment human roles rather than replace them.The Road Ahead: Who’s Better Positioned for CRM Leadership in Life Sciences?Veeva is focused on finalizing its shift to the Vault platform, aiming to boost margins and accelerate innovation with full control over its tech stack. Its AI roadmap, including tools like Vault CRM Bot and Voice Control, is designed to enhance productivity and compliance for life sciences users. With strong early adoption of Vault CRM and expanding enterprise relationships, Veeva is positioning itself as the go-to vertical platform for the sector.Salesforce is pursuing growth through its broad platform and expanding presence in life sciences via its dedicated cloud and AI-led offerings. Backed by a strong ecosystem and new integrations with healthcare partners, Salesforce is embedding Agentforce AI across its products. Its scale, flexibility, and ability to serve complex enterprise needs provide a strong foundation as it targets more specialized verticals like life sciences.How Do Zacks Estimates Compare for VEEV & CRM?The Zacks Consensus Estimate for VEEV’s fiscal 2026 sales implies a year-over-year growth of 12.78%. For fiscal 2026, the earnings per share are projected to be $7.64, up 15.76% year over year. The earnings estimates have been trending upward over the past 60 days.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for CRM’s fiscal 2026 sales and earnings implies year-over-year growth of 8.64% and 10.78%, respectively. The earnings estimates have been trending upward over the past 60 days.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchVEEV or CRM: Which Is the Smarter Buy?Veeva and Salesforce represent two powerful but contrasting approaches to the life sciences CRM market—one focused on deep vertical integration, the other leveraging broad enterprise reach. Veeva currently holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), reflecting positive sentiment and growing confidence in its post-Salesforce roadmap. Its Growth Score of ‘A’ highlights strong potential in revenue acceleration, margin expansion, and product adoption. Salesforce, meanwhile, carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) but also maintains a Growth Score of ‘A’, supported by its scale, product breadth, and AI-led innovation strategy. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.Both companies are positioned for long-term relevance, but Veeva’s focused strategy, platform control, and growing traction in life sciences give it the edge for investors seeking targeted exposure in this vertical. Salesforce remains a strong contender with scale and innovation, yet Veeva’s clarity and execution make it the more compelling pick in this CRM faceoff.5 Stocks Set to DoubleEach was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in the coming year. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +112%, +171%, +209% and +232%.Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Salesforce Inc. (CRM): Free Stock Analysis Report Veeva Systems Inc. (VEEV): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks