International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) Stock Price Down 1.4% on Analyst Downgrade

International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM) dropped 1.4% on Wednesday after Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price target on the stock from $340.00 to $290.00. Stifel Nicolaus currently has a buy rating on the stock. International Business Machines traded as low as $240.80 and last traded at $241.6160. Approximately 4,755,440 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 17% from the average daily volume of 5,724,350 shares. The stock had previously closed at $245.07.

Several other research firms have also commented on IBM. Wedbush reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $340.00 price objective on shares of International Business Machines in a research note on Tuesday, February 24th. UBS Group upgraded International Business Machines from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $236.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on International Business Machines from $317.00 to $283.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, March 18th. BMO Capital Markets cut their price objective on International Business Machines from $350.00 to $290.00 and set a “market perform” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, March 19th. Finally, Dbs Bank upgraded International Business Machines from a “hold” rating to a “moderate buy” rating in a research note on Monday, January 19th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $311.27.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Michael Miebach purchased 434 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 25th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $233.33 per share, for a total transaction of $101,265.22. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 434 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $101,265.22. This trade represents a ∞ increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, Director David N. Farr purchased 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 30th. The stock was bought at an average price of $304.00 per share, with a total value of $304,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 9,258 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,814,432. This represents a 12.11% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Insiders bought 1,484 shares of company stock valued at $417,157 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.27% of the company’s stock.

International Business Machines News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: IBM’s recent AI and government‑cloud moves (Arm collaboration on dual‑architecture AI hardware, FedRAMP authorizations for watsonx on AWS GovCloud, and expanded cyber/voice AI partnerships) strengthen its enterprise AI + cloud positioning and support longer‑term revenue mix improvement. What IBM’s Arm AI Hardware and GovCloud Push Means For Shareholders
• Positive Sentiment: Stifel maintained a buy stance even after lowering its target to $290, signaling analysts still see upside versus current levels. That keeps a portion of the analyst community constructive. Stifel Resets IBM Stock Price Target Ahead of Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: IBM set its Q1 2026 earnings release and conference call for April 22 — this upcoming report is the next clear catalyst that could reverse or reinforce today’s move. IBM to Announce First-Quarter 2026 Financial Results
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple analysts trimmed price targets (consensus cuts clustered around $290), which likely pressured the stock; cuts reflect near‑term uncertainty and trim upside expectations. International Business Machines (IBM) Stock Falls as Analysts Cut Price Targets to $290
• Negative Sentiment: Stifel explicitly cited currency headwinds and geopolitical/conflict risks as reasons for reducing its target, highlighting macro and regional risk that could weigh on near‑term results. IBM In Focus After Analyst Price Target Trim

Institutional Investors Weigh In On International Business Machines

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. J. Derek Lewis & Associates Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of International Business Machines in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $465,000. Purpose Unlimited Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of International Business Machines in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $817,000. Cornerstone Planning LLC purchased a new stake in shares of International Business Machines in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $4,366,000. Forty three Eighteen Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of International Business Machines in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $2,063,000. Finally, Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. lifted its holdings in International Business Machines by 20.3% in the fourth quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 564,188 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $167,118,000 after acquiring an additional 95,065 shares during the last quarter. 58.96% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

International Business Machines Stock Down 1.4%

The company has a market capitalization of $226.64 billion, a PE ratio of 21.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.47 and a beta of 0.69. The company has a quick ratio of 0.92, a current ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.67. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $257.17 and a two-hundred day moving average of $283.63.

International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 28th. The technology company reported $4.52 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.33 by $0.19. The company had revenue of $19.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.23 billion. International Business Machines had a return on equity of 38.15% and a net margin of 15.69%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $3.92 earnings per share. Equities research analysts predict that International Business Machines Corporation will post 10.78 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

International Business Machines Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 10th were given a $1.68 dividend. This represents a $6.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 10th. International Business Machines’s dividend payout ratio is presently 60.27%.

International Business Machines Company Profile

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is a global technology and consulting company headquartered in Armonk, New York. Founded in 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR) and renamed IBM in 1924, the company has evolved from early electromechanical machines to a diversified technology provider serving enterprises and governments worldwide. IBM is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol IBM.

IBM’s principal businesses encompass cloud computing and software, infrastructure and systems, consulting and technology services, and research and development.