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International Business Machines (IBM)
NYSE:IBM

International Business Machines (IBM) AI Stock Analysis

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International Business Machines

(NYSE:IBM)

Rating:75Outperform
Price Target:
$316.00
▲(7.20%Upside)
IBM's overall stock score is driven by strong financial performance and positive technical indicators, highlighting robust growth in software and AI. Valuation concerns due to a high P/E ratio and macroeconomic challenges in consulting and infrastructure present potential risks. Nonetheless, strategic initiatives and financial flexibility position IBM well for continued growth.
Positive Factors
Strategic M&A and portfolio rebalancing
IBM underwent a significant transformation by shifting their software segment towards strategic M&A investments, shedding lower growth/high-cost businesses, and rebalancing their portfolio towards cloud and AI trends.
Transformational initiatives
IBM remains interesting due to the transformational initiatives undertaken by management, positioning for growth in Gen AI, Agentic AI, and eventually quantum, and strong free cash flow driven by internal productivity initiatives.
Negative Factors
Historical performance concerns
Bears cling to IBM’s pre-2020 history as a value trap, with underperformance from 2010-2019 as revenues, margins and FCF were under pressure.
Structural under-ownership
Despite its recent rally, IBM remains structurally under-owned and underweight due to underperformance from 2010-2019, which bears highlight as a value trap.

International Business Machines (IBM) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

International Business Machines Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionInternational Business Machines Corporation provides integrated solutions and services worldwide. The company operates through four business segments: Software, Consulting, Infrastructure, and Financing. The Software segment offers hybrid cloud platform and software solutions, such as Red Hat, an enterprise open-source solutions; software for business automation, AIOps and management, integration, and application servers; data and artificial intelligence solutions; and security software and services for threat, data, and identity. This segment also provides transaction processing software that supports clients' mission-critical and on-premise workloads in banking, airlines, and retail industries. The Consulting segment offers business transformation services, including strategy, business process design and operations, data and analytics, and system integration services; technology consulting services; and application and cloud platform services. The Infrastructure segment provides on-premises and cloud-based server and storage solutions for its clients' mission-critical and regulated workloads; and support services and solutions for hybrid cloud infrastructure, as well as remanufacturing and remarketing services for used equipment. The Financing segment offers lease, installment payment, loan financing, and short-term working capital financing services. The company was formerly known as Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co. International Business Machines Corporation was incorporated in 1911 and is headquartered in Armonk, New York.
How the Company Makes MoneyIBM makes money through several key revenue streams, primarily stemming from its hybrid cloud and AI solutions, software, and consulting services. The hybrid cloud and cognitive software segment, which includes IBM's cloud platform and data analytics, represents a significant portion of its revenue as businesses increasingly migrate to cloud environments. Additionally, IBM's consulting division offers digital transformation and technology consulting services, helping clients implement and manage complex IT systems. The company also generates income from its infrastructure segment, which includes the sale of server hardware and operating systems, as well as through its financing arm, offering leasing and loan services for its products. Strategic partnerships with other technology companies and continued investment in research and development further bolster IBM's revenue streams, enabling the company to innovate and maintain its competitive edge in the technology sector.

International Business Machines Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Annual Recurring Revenue
Annual Recurring Revenue
Shows the steady income IBM earns from subscription-based services, highlighting business stability and customer retention.
Chart InsightsIBM's Annual Recurring Revenue surged significantly in early 2025, reflecting a strategic pivot towards software and AI initiatives. The earnings call highlights robust software growth, particularly from Red Hat, and a successful mainframe program. Despite challenges in consulting and infrastructure, IBM's focus on generative AI and strategic partnerships is driving momentum. The company's positive outlook for 2025, with expected revenue growth exceeding 5% and strong free cash flow, underscores its resilience and adaptability in a challenging macroeconomic environment.
Data provided by:Main Street Data

International Business Machines Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Apr 23, 2025
(Q1-2025)
|
% Change Since: 20.88%|
Next Earnings Date:Jul 23, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The earnings call for IBM's first quarter of 2025 reflects a strong start with significant achievements in software growth, free cash flow generation, and AI expansion. However, challenges in infrastructure revenue and consulting, along with macroeconomic uncertainties, present potential risks.
Q1-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Strong Start to 2025
IBM exceeded expectations for the quarter with solid revenue growth, profitability, and cash flow generation driven by its hybrid cloud and AI strategy.
Software Segment Growth
Software revenue grew by 9%, with strength across Red Hat, automation, data, and transaction processing.
Record Free Cash Flow
Generated $2 billion of free cash flow, marking the highest first-quarter free cash flow in many years.
Red Hat Growth
Red Hat delivered strong performance with 13% growth, driven by high teens bookings growth and OpenShift's 25% growth.
Generative AI Expansion
IBM's generative AI book of business grew by $1 billion in the quarter, reaching over $6 billion inception to date.
Mainframe Innovation
Announced the upcoming launch of z17, which delivers enhanced AI acceleration and new security features.
Negative Updates
Infrastructure Revenue Decline
Infrastructure revenue declined by 4%, with hybrid infrastructure down 7% and IBM z down 14%.
Consulting Revenue Challenges
Consulting revenue was flat with delays in client decision-making, especially in discretionary projects.
Macro Environment Uncertainty
Uncertainty in the macro environment may cause clients to pause decision-making, impacting consulting and discretionary projects.
Company Guidance
In the first quarter of 2025, IBM exceeded expectations with $14.5 billion in revenue, driven by strong growth in software, which was up 9% with contributions from Red Hat (13%), automation (15%), data (7%), and transaction processing (2%). Generative AI initiatives generated over $6 billion in business, predominantly through consulting, which remains a key focus alongside hybrid cloud and AI strategies. Despite consulting revenue remaining flat, IBM maintained solid backlog growth and steady performance in transformational offerings. Infrastructure revenue saw a 4% decline, largely due to the end of the z16 program cycle, though future growth is anticipated with the launch of z17. IBM's strategic acquisitions, including HashiCorp, are expected to bolster its hybrid cloud strategy. Overall, IBM projects full-year revenue growth of 5%+ and free cash flow of over $13.5 billion, reflecting confidence in its diversified portfolio and ability to navigate economic uncertainties.

International Business Machines Financial Statement Overview

Summary
IBM demonstrates strong profitability with a TTM gross profit margin of 57.0% and a net profit margin of 8.7%. Revenue growth is steady at 1.7%, but EBIT margin has declined, indicating operational challenges. The high debt-to-equity ratio of 2.49 poses a financial risk, though cash flow metrics are robust with a healthy operating cash flow to net income ratio of 2.49.
Income Statement
78
Positive
IBM demonstrates solid profitability with a TTM gross profit margin of 57.0% and a net profit margin of 8.7%. Revenue growth has been steady, with a 1.7% increase from the previous year. However, EBIT margin has declined from 9.6% to 7.3%, indicating operational challenges.
Balance Sheet
70
Positive
IBM's balance sheet shows a high debt-to-equity ratio of 2.49, which could pose financial risk if not managed properly. However, the company maintains a reasonable equity ratio of 18.4%, and a return on equity of 20.4% is strong, indicating efficient use of equity capital.
Cash Flow
75
Positive
Cash flow metrics are robust, with a healthy operating cash flow to net income ratio of 2.49 and a free cash flow to net income ratio of 2.25. The free cash flow growth rate shows a 4.9% increase, indicating effective cash generation despite capital expenditures.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue62.83B62.75B61.86B60.53B57.35B55.18B
Gross Profit35.84B35.55B34.30B32.69B31.49B30.86B
EBITDA12.33B12.18B14.69B7.17B12.41B10.55B
Net Income5.47B6.02B7.50B1.64B5.74B5.59B
Balance Sheet
Total Assets145.67B137.18B135.24B127.24B132.00B155.97B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments17.46B14.59B13.44B8.74B7.25B13.81B
Total Debt66.83B58.40B59.94B54.01B55.14B65.09B
Total Liabilities118.71B109.78B112.63B105.22B113.00B135.25B
Stockholders Equity26.88B27.31B22.53B21.94B18.90B20.60B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow11.94B11.76B12.12B8.46B10.03B14.97B
Operating Cash Flow13.65B13.45B13.93B10.44B12.80B18.20B
Investing Cash Flow-13.71B-4.94B-7.07B-4.20B-5.97B-3.03B
Financing Cash Flow-3.51B-7.08B-1.77B-4.96B-13.35B-9.72B

International Business Machines Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price294.78
Price Trends
50DMA
262.25
Positive
100DMA
254.88
Positive
200DMA
237.32
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
8.80
Negative
RSI
72.11
Negative
STOCH
79.28
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For IBM, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 294.78 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 279.90, above the 50-day MA of 262.25, and above the 200-day MA of 237.32, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 8.80 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 72.11 is Negative, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 79.28 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for IBM.

International Business Machines Risk Analysis

International Business Machines disclosed 25 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. International Business Machines reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 1 New Risks
1.
The Development and Use of AI and Generative AI, including the Company's Increased Offerings and Use of AI-based Technologies, Could Impact the Long-Term Success of the Company and its Reputation or Give Rise to Legal or Regulatory Action: Q4, 2024

International Business Machines Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (69)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
81
Outperform
$78.03B24.2829.00%2.78%3.85%-0.38%
ACACN
77
Outperform
$201.01B23.5227.27%2.00%6.21%14.87%
IBIBM
75
Outperform
$269.25B49.8321.91%2.32%1.23%-33.87%
WIWIT
72
Outperform
$32.41B20.4616.62%1.01%-2.83%106.18%
71
Outperform
$38.32B16.3716.61%1.59%4.09%14.05%
FIFIS
71
Outperform
$42.45B50.545.25%1.98%-9.12%
69
Neutral
¥231.71B14.677.64%2.71%9.09%8.52%
* Technology Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
IBM
International Business Machines
294.78
124.83
73.45%
ACN
Accenture
298.89
1.63
0.55%
CTSH
Cognizant
78.03
11.31
16.95%
FIS
Fidelity National Info
81.41
8.55
11.73%
INFY
Infosys
18.53
0.17
0.93%
WIT
Wipro
3.02
-0.02
-0.66%

International Business Machines Corporate Events

Private Placements and FinancingBusiness Operations and Strategy
IBM Amends Credit Agreements for Financial Flexibility
Positive
Jun 20, 2025

On June 20, 2025, IBM announced amendments to its existing credit agreements, extending the maturity of its $2.5 billion Three-Year Credit Agreement to June 20, 2028, and its $7.5 billion Five-Year Credit Agreement to June 22, 2030. These amendments, involving major financial institutions like JPMorgan Chase Bank, BNP Paribas, Citibank, and Royal Bank of Canada, are expected to provide IBM with enhanced financial flexibility and stability, potentially impacting its operational strategies and market positioning.

The most recent analyst rating on (IBM) stock is a Buy with a $200.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on International Business Machines stock, see the IBM Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and StrategyFinancial Disclosures
IBM Exceeds Q1 2025 Financial Expectations with Strong Growth
Positive
Apr 24, 2025

IBM reported strong financial performance for the first quarter of 2025, exceeding expectations with solid revenue growth, profitability, and cash flow generation. The company’s strategy around hybrid cloud and AI continues to drive success, with significant contributions from its software segment, particularly in automation and AI. IBM’s infrastructure segment also showed strong performance, and the company remains optimistic about its future growth prospects, maintaining its full-year guidance for revenue growth and free cash flow.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Jun 21, 2025