International Business Machines Corporation $IBM Shares Bought by KBC Group NV

Key Points

• KBC Group NV raised its stake in IBM by 28.6% in Q4, acquiring 191,267 shares to hold 860,199 shares worth about $254.8 million (roughly 0.09% of the company).
• IBM beat Q4 estimates with EPS of $4.52 (vs. $4.33) and revenue of $19.69B (up 12.2% YoY), triggering positive analyst momentum and an average price target of $307.63 with a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy."
• IBM recently paid a quarterly dividend of $1.68 (annualized $6.72, ~2.7% yield) and recorded insider purchases, while institutional ownership remains high at about 59%.

KBC Group NV grew its stake in International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM - Free Report) by 28.6% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 860,199 shares of the technology company's stock after purchasing an additional 191,267 shares during the period. KBC Group NV owned about 0.09% of International Business Machines worth $254,799,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in IBM. Family CFO Inc purchased a new stake in International Business Machines during the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Mountain Hill Investment Partners Corp. purchased a new position in International Business Machines in the third quarter valued at $28,000. SWAN Capital LLC purchased a new position in International Business Machines in the third quarter valued at $28,000. Trifecta Capital Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of International Business Machines by 129.1% in the third quarter. Trifecta Capital Advisors LLC now owns 126 shares of the technology company's stock worth $36,000 after acquiring an additional 71 shares during the period. Finally, American Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of International Business Machines during the 3rd quarter worth about $40,000. 58.96% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

International Business Machines Trading Up 2.0%

Shares of IBM opened at $245.08 on Thursday. International Business Machines Corporation has a 52-week low of $220.72 and a 52-week high of $324.90. The stock has a market cap of $229.89 billion, a PE ratio of 21.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 0.69. The firm's fifty day moving average is $250.73 and its two-hundred day moving average is $282.32. The company has a quick ratio of 0.92, a current ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.67.

International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results 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 firm had revenue of $19.69 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $19.23 billion. International Business Machines had a net margin of 15.69% and a return on equity of 38.15%. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 12.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $3.92 earnings per share. Research analysts forecast that International Business Machines Corporation will post 10.78 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

International Business Machines Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 10th were given a dividend of $1.68 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 10th. This represents a $6.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. International Business Machines's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 60.27%.

Key Headlines Impacting International Business Machines

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

• Positive Sentiment: Citi initiated coverage with a Buy and a $285 price target, a high‑profile endorsement that frames meaningful upside vs. current levels and likely supported buying interest. Why Citi Analysts Are Betting IBM Stock Can Gain Nearly 20% From Here
• Positive Sentiment: IBM launched “Autonomous Security,” an AI agent‑based cybersecurity offering aimed at automating threat detection and remediation — a product move that reinforces IBM’s enterprise AI/security narrative and can boost near‑term commercial momentum. IBM Announces New Cybersecurity Measures to Help Enterprises Confront Agentic Attacks
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and research outlets (Zacks, Yahoo Finance) flag IBM as having the right setup for another earnings beat — citing its recent revenue and EPS upside history — which raises expectations into next week’s report and supports a higher stock multiple. Will IBM (IBM) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report?
• Positive Sentiment: Partnerships with ecosystem players (e.g., news of Arm alliances that include IBM) emphasize IBM’s place in enterprise AI infrastructure and could extend TAM for its hybrid cloud and AI hardware/software offerings. Arm Alliances With SK Telecom And IBM Put AI Valuation In Focus
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader market strength on macro headlines contributed to higher intraday prices across the tape, which likely helped lift IBM alongside peers. Equities Mostly Rise Intraday as Trump Reportedly Says War Likely 'Very Close to Over'
• Neutral Sentiment: Some sell‑side coverage remains mixed: certain firms keep Hold ratings (Morgan Stanley reiterated a Hold), suggesting limited re‑rating upside absent a major beat or guide‑up. That constrains potential rallies if earnings merely meet expectations. IBM: Near-Term Beat Potential but Limited Re-Rating Upside Supports Continued Hold
• Negative Sentiment: 13F fund disclosure shows Prospera Financial trimmed its IBM stake materially during the quarter, a reported reduction that can pressure shares if other funds follow similar rebalancing. Fund Update: Prospera Financial Services Inc Just Disclosed New Holdings
• Negative Sentiment: IBM agreed to pay $17M to settle DOJ allegations related to DEI‑linked executive bonuses — a headline legal/regulatory expense that is modest financially but negative for governance headlines. IBM Pays $17 Million To Settle DOJ DEI Allegations: Executive Bonuses Tied To Demographic Targets

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director David N. Farr acquired 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, January 30th. The shares were bought at an average price of $304.00 per share, with a total value of $304,000.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director owned 9,258 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,814,432. This represents a 12.11% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Michael Miebach bought 434 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 25th. The stock was bought at an average price of $233.33 per share, with a total value of $101,265.22. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 434 shares in the company, valued at $101,265.22. This represents a ∞ increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. In the last quarter, insiders have purchased 1,484 shares of company stock worth $417,157. 0.27% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on IBM shares. Weiss Ratings restated a "buy (b)" rating on shares of International Business Machines in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Oppenheimer set a $380.00 price target on International Business Machines and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Evercore raised their price objective on International Business Machines from $330.00 to $345.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Bank of America boosted their price objective on International Business Machines from $315.00 to $335.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price 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. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $307.63.

About International Business Machines

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.

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