International Business Machines Corporation $IBM Shares Sold by Congress Asset Management Co.

Key Points

• Congress Asset Management reduced its IBM stake by 18.2% in the third quarter, selling 11,305 shares and retaining 50,676 shares valued at approximately $11.1 million. Institutional investors collectively own 58.96% of IBM.
• IBM reported mixed recent developments: quarterly EPS matched estimates at $2.93, but revenue of $17.16 billion fell short of expectations. The company is advancing in quantum computing and expanding hybrid-cloud and AI offerings, while its next earnings report remains a key near-term catalyst.
• Analyst sentiment remains generally positive, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $253.52, although several firms recently lowered their targets. IBM also pays a quarterly dividend of $1.69, representing a 3.1% yield.

Congress Asset Management Co. decreased its holdings in shares of International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM - Free Report) by 18.2% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 50,676 shares of the technology company's stock after selling 11,305 shares during the period. Congress Asset Management Co.'s holdings in International Business Machines were worth $11,145,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new position in International Business Machines during the second quarter worth $21,586,659,000. State Street Corp boosted its stake in shares of International Business Machines by 2.7% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 56,045,055 shares of the technology company's stock valued at $15,760,430,000 after purchasing an additional 1,450,562 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE grew its holdings in shares of International Business Machines by 7.0% in the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 16,063,653 shares of the technology company's stock worth $3,893,669,000 after purchasing an additional 1,049,602 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new stake in shares of International Business Machines in the 2nd quarter worth about $2,606,782,000. Finally, UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC increased its position in shares of International Business Machines by 0.7% during the 2nd quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 7,621,512 shares of the technology company's stock worth $2,143,245,000 after purchasing an additional 53,388 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 58.96% of the company's stock.

International Business Machines News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: IBM advanced to Stage C of DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, the third phase of an independent evaluation of its approach to building a fault-tolerant quantum computer. The milestone strengthens IBM’s credibility in quantum computing, although commercial revenue remains longer term. IBM Advances to Stage C of DARPA Quantum Benchmarking Initiative
• Positive Sentiment: IBM and SAP launched IBM Ready for SAP Solutions, combining IBM consulting with SAP cloud ERP technology to help midsize businesses modernize operations, unify data and prepare for AI adoption. IBM cited customers cutting operational cycle times and expanding their enterprise platforms. IBM Teams Up with SAP to Help Businesses Modernize Operations and Advance AI-Readiness
• Positive Sentiment: IBM is expanding self-hosted AI deployment through Bob, giving customers more control over sensitive workloads and supporting hybrid-cloud modernization. This could help differentiate IBM in regulated and security-conscious markets. IBM Brings AI to Customer-Managed Infrastructure
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry reports project strong expansion in digital transformation and IT operations analytics through 2030, potentially benefiting IBM’s consulting, automation, AI and hybrid-cloud businesses. However, the reports describe industrywide opportunities rather than new IBM revenue or guidance. IT Operations Analytics Global Strategic Business Report
• Negative Sentiment: IBM scheduled its third-quarter 2026 earnings release for October 21, leaving investors focused on whether growth in AI and software can offset competitive pressure and pricing concerns in hybrid cloud. A preview article advised against buying before the report, reinforcing near-term uncertainty. IBM to Announce Third-Quarter 2026 Financial Results

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have weighed in on the stock. Citic Securities upped their price objective on shares of International Business Machines from $294.00 to $297.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Craig Hallum began coverage on shares of International Business Machines in a research note on Wednesday, August 19th. They issued a "buy" rating for the company. Daiwa Securities Group reduced their target price on International Business Machines from $247.00 to $217.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price target on International Business Machines from $320.00 to $260.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st. Finally, Weiss Ratings cut International Business Machines from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a report on Tuesday, September 29th. Eighteen 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, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $253.52.

International Business Machines Stock Down 0.3%

Shares of NYSE IBM opened at $220.62 on Thursday. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $232.14 and a 200 day moving average price of $244.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.63, a quick ratio of 0.74 and a current ratio of 0.79. The stock has a market cap of $207.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.58, a P/E/G ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.73. International Business Machines Corporation has a 52-week low of $199.19 and a 52-week high of $332.46.

International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 22nd. The technology company reported $2.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $2.93. The company had revenue of $17.16 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.46 billion. International Business Machines had a net margin of 15.52% and a return on equity of 35.65%. The firm's revenue was up 1.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.80 EPS. Analysts expect that International Business Machines Corporation will post 12.33 EPS for the current year.

International Business Machines Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 10th. Investors of record on Monday, August 10th were given a $1.69 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 10th. This represents a $6.76 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.1%. International Business Machines's payout ratio is currently 59.98%.

Insider Activity

In related news, SVP Robert Thomas sold 25,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $230.32, for a total transaction of $5,758,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 47,800 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $11,009,296. This represents a 34.34% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.27% of the company's stock.

International Business Machines Profile

International Business Machines Corporation NYSE: IBM, commonly known as IBM, is a global technology company that provides hybrid cloud, artificial intelligence, software, consulting and infrastructure solutions. Its offerings help businesses and government organizations manage data, modernize applications, automate processes and improve cybersecurity.

IBM's portfolio includes the Red Hat hybrid cloud platform, the watsonx suite of artificial intelligence and data tools, consulting services, and enterprise software for areas such as automation, application management, security and asset management.

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