International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) Stock Price Up 2% – Here’s What Happened

International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM)’s share price shot up 2% during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $303.67 and last traded at $302.6880. 3,318,060 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 13% from the average session volume of 3,829,097 shares. The stock had previously closed at $296.73.

International Business Machines News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: IBM finalized its acquisition of Confluent and hit a quantum milestone, reinforcing its data-streaming and advanced-computing strategy — a clear strategic catalyst for revenue and tech leadership. IBM’s Strategic Expansion: Confluent Acquisition Finalized and Quantum Milestone Reached
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and research note that the Confluent deal should boost EBITDA and free cash flow through margin and scale improvements, supporting valuation upside and cash-return capacity. IBM’s (IBM) Confluent Deal Expected to Boost EBITDA and Free Cash Flow
• Positive Sentiment: Several analysts issued buy/upbeat commentary citing software acceleration and stronger growth prospects for 2026, which lifts investor confidence in forward earnings momentum. IBM Earns Buy Rating as Analysts See Software Acceleration Ahead in 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Preview pieces outline expectations for IBM’s next earnings report (consensus looking for continued top-line and margin progress); results that beat/confirm guidance could reinforce the current rally. Here’s What to Expect From International Business Machines’ Next Earnings Report
• Neutral Sentiment: IBM research (with the National Retail Federation) finds AI influences shoppers before store visits, supporting demand for IBM’s AI/analytics offerings in retail — a positive narrative but not an immediate revenue shock. AI Is Influencing Shoppers Before They Enter Stores, IBM Study Says
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary asks whether it’s too late to buy IBM after a strong multi-year run — discussion focuses on valuation metrics (higher P/E) versus continued growth potential. Is It Too Late To Consider Buying IBM (IBM) After Its Strong Five Year Run?
• Neutral Sentiment: Feature pieces projecting a stronger 2026 point to upside if IBM sustains software/AI momentum, but they are forward-looking and contingent on execution. IBM Stock Had a Good 2025. It Could Have an Even Better 2026.
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage of Datavault AI’s expanded collaboration with IBM highlights partner-led adoption of IBM edge/AI tech; Datavault’s own stock volatility is not a material event for IBM but signals ecosystem demand. What’s Going On With Datavault AI Stock Thursday?
• Neutral Sentiment: Reporting that Datavault shares fell after a major shareholder sale notes short-term partner-stock noise; this is relevant to the partnership narrative but not materially negative for IBM. Datavault AI (DVLT) Stock Falls Friday After Major Shareholder Dumps 14.7M Shares

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have issued reports on IBM shares. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on International Business Machines from $300.00 to $305.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a report on Thursday, October 23rd. Wall Street Zen raised shares of International Business Machines from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, January 3rd. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed a “market perform” rating on shares of International Business Machines in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Oppenheimer started coverage on shares of International Business Machines in a research note on Friday, November 21st. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $360.00 target price for the company. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded International Business Machines from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research report on Saturday, October 25th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $301.85.

International Business Machines Trading Up 0.5%

The company has a quick ratio of 0.89, a current ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.97. The company has a market cap of $284.49 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.41, a P/E/G ratio of 2.80 and a beta of 0.70. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $303.55 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $282.05.

International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The technology company reported $2.65 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.45 by $0.20. The company had revenue of $16.33 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.10 billion. International Business Machines had a return on equity of 37.76% and a net margin of 12.09%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 9.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.30 EPS. On average, analysts predict that International Business Machines Corporation will post 10.78 EPS for the current year.

International Business Machines Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 10th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 10th were paid a dividend of $1.68 per share. This represents a $6.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 10th. International Business Machines’s dividend payout ratio is currently 80.38%.

Institutional Trading of International Business Machines

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in IBM. First Heartland Consultants Inc. increased its holdings in shares of International Business Machines by 2.7% during the 4th quarter. First Heartland Consultants Inc. now owns 2,472 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $732,000 after acquiring an additional 66 shares during the last quarter. Sunflower Bank N.A. lifted its holdings in International Business Machines by 21.2% during the 4th quarter. Sunflower Bank N.A. now owns 1,045 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $310,000 after purchasing an additional 183 shares during the last quarter. Capital Asset Advisory Services LLC grew its holdings in International Business Machines by 4.8% in the 4th quarter. Capital Asset Advisory Services LLC now owns 7,729 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $2,338,000 after buying an additional 351 shares in the last quarter. Clear Trail Advisors LLC bought a new position in International Business Machines during the 4th quarter worth $4,028,000. Finally, Cambridge Financial Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of International Business Machines by 2.1% during the fourth quarter. Cambridge Financial Group LLC now owns 2,021 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $599,000 after buying an additional 41 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 58.96% of the company’s stock.

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.