International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) Price Target Raised to $260.00

International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) had its price objective lifted by Robert W. Baird from $230.00 to $260.00 in a research note published on Thursday morning, Marketbeat.com reports. The firm currently has a neutral rating on the technology company’s stock.

Several other research analysts have also commented on IBM. Craig Hallum began coverage on shares of International Business Machines in a research note on Wednesday, August 19th. They set a “buy” rating for the company. Evercore reduced their target price on shares of International Business Machines from $310.00 to $250.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 16th. Susquehanna increased their target price on shares of International Business Machines from $235.00 to $256.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Jefferies Financial Group raised their target price on shares of International Business Machines from $270.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday. Finally, UBS Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of International Business Machines in a research note on Tuesday, October 13th. Twenty analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, International Business Machines has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $266.12.

International Business Machines Price Performance

Shares of International Business Machines stock opened at $253.69 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $239.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.43 and a beta of 0.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.57, a quick ratio of 0.74 and a current ratio of 0.85. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $233.06 and a 200-day moving average price of $243.70. International Business Machines has a one year low of $199.19 and a one year high of $332.46.

International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 21st. The technology company reported $2.95 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.85 by $0.10. International Business Machines had a return on equity of 34.37% and a net margin of 15.99%. The company had revenue of $17.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16.82 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.65 EPS. International Business Machines’s quarterly revenue was up 4.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that International Business Machines will post 12.41 EPS for the current year.

International Business Machines Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, November 10th will be given a $1.69 dividend. This represents a $6.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, November 10th. International Business Machines’s dividend payout ratio is 57.63%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other International Business Machines news, SVP Robert Thomas sold 25,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $230.32, for a total value of $5,758,000.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 47,800 shares in the company, valued at $11,009,296. This trade represents a 34.34% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.27% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of International Business Machines

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC increased its stake in International Business Machines by 6.1% in the 3rd quarter. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC now owns 1,810 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $398,000 after buying an additional 104 shares during the period. Bright Futures Wealth Management LLC. lifted its holdings in International Business Machines by 11.6% during the 3rd quarter. Bright Futures Wealth Management LLC. now owns 1,879 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $413,000 after buying an additional 196 shares in the last quarter. Paladin Wealth LLC bought a new stake in International Business Machines during the 3rd quarter valued at about $347,000. Orange Investment Advisors Inc. boosted its position in International Business Machines by 2.5% in the 3rd quarter. Orange Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 31,252 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $6,874,000 after buying an additional 749 shares during the period. Finally, Lederer & Associates Investment Counsel CA boosted its position in International Business Machines by 3.1% in the 3rd quarter. Lederer & Associates Investment Counsel CA now owns 3,511 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $772,000 after buying an additional 105 shares during the period. 58.96% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about International Business Machines

Here are the key news stories impacting International Business Machines this week:

• Positive Sentiment: IBM reported third-quarter revenue of $17.1 billion, up 4.7% year over year, while adjusted EPS of $2.95 exceeded analyst expectations. Software growth accelerated to 9% at constant currency, infrastructure demand improved, and operating pretax margins expanded by 70 basis points. IBM Beats Q3 Earnings Estimates on Software, Infrastructure Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Management raised its full-year free-cash-flow outlook, supported by stronger software performance, Red Hat demand and enterprise AI activity. Transaction-processing revenue also rose 10%, suggesting improving demand in key recurring-revenue businesses. IBM: 3 Key Takeaways for Long-Term Investors
• Positive Sentiment: Several analysts raised their earnings estimates or price targets following the results. Erste Group increased its FY2027 EPS forecast to $13.40 from $13.13, while JPMorgan, RBC and Stifel reiterated positive ratings and lifted targets. IBM Analyst Estimates and Ratings
• Neutral Sentiment: IBM’s updated FY2026 revenue guidance of $70.2 billion to $70.9 billion broadly brackets the $70.4 billion consensus estimate. The outlook was not meaningfully raised, leaving investors focused on whether the software rebound can continue.
• Neutral Sentiment: IBM declared a quarterly dividend of $1.69 per share, or $6.76 annualized, reinforcing its appeal to income-oriented investors. A separate dividend-stock article highlighted IBM’s decades-long record of payout increases. IBM Declares $1.69 Dividend
• Negative Sentiment: Investors remain concerned that roughly half of the software growth benefited from the Confluent acquisition and that management’s unchanged revenue outlook implies slower growth later in the year. IBM’s comments that lower-cost, open-weight AI models can deliver comparable performance also raised questions about pricing power and AI monetization. Why Isn’t IBM’s Stock Bouncing Back After Strong Earnings Results?
• Negative Sentiment: Some analysts view IBM’s valuation as demanding relative to its modest underlying growth, while slower Consulting performance, debt and uncertainty over the durability of the software rebound could limit further upside.

International Business Machines Company Profile

International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM), commonly known as IBM, is a global technology and consulting company that helps organizations modernize their information technology and business operations. Its offerings include hybrid cloud solutions, artificial intelligence software and services, enterprise software, IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, data analytics, and technology consulting.

IBM provides products and services to businesses, governments, and other institutions across industries and regions worldwide.