KBC Group NV Has $224.38 Million Position in International Business Machines Corporation $IBM

Key Points

• KBC Group NV increased its IBM stake by 7.6% in the first quarter, bringing its holdings to 925,680 shares valued at about $224.38 million. IBM now makes up roughly 0.6% of KBC’s portfolio and is its 26th largest holding.
• IBM is facing pressure after a preliminary Q2 miss and weaker near-term outlook, which have driven the stock lower and sparked securities-fraud investigations from multiple law firms. The shares recently traded at $212.54, well below their 50-day and 200-day moving averages.
• Despite the selloff, analyst sentiment remains mixed but generally constructive: several firms still rate IBM a buy or overweight, and the consensus target price is about $292.89. IBM also recently raised its quarterly dividend to $1.69 per share, implying a 3.2% annual yield.

KBC Group NV raised its holdings in International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM - Free Report) by 7.6% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 925,680 shares of the technology company's stock after acquiring an additional 65,481 shares during the quarter. International Business Machines makes up about 0.6% of KBC Group NV's portfolio, making the stock its 26th largest holding. KBC Group NV owned about 0.10% of International Business Machines worth $224,376,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Family CFO Inc bought a new stake in shares of International Business Machines in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Basepoint Wealth LLC bought a new position in International Business Machines during the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Portus Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in International Business Machines in the first quarter worth $26,000. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new stake in International Business Machines in the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Finally, Cornerstone Financial Management LLC bought a new stake in International Business Machines in the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. 58.96% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about International Business Machines

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

• Positive Sentiment: IBM launched new Power server products aimed at automation, app modernization, and local AI inferencing, which could support its enterprise AI push over time.
• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan kept an overweight rating on IBM even after cutting its price target to $250, indicating Wall Street still sees upside from current levels.
• Positive Sentiment: Some analysts say the stock’s sharp decline may have pushed it into oversold territory, which could attract bargain hunters if sentiment stabilizes.
• Neutral Sentiment: IBM heads into its July 22 earnings report with investors focused on whether the company can validate its AI and cloud momentum after the warning.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts at Zacks and others are debating whether the selloff is an opportunity or a sign to wait, reflecting uncertainty rather than a clear fundamental shift.
• Negative Sentiment: IBM’s preliminary Q2 miss and weak near-term outlook are the main reasons the stock is falling, as they suggest slower growth and margin pressure.
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms have announced securities-fraud investigations after the plunge, which can keep negative headlines around the stock.
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst sentiment is turning more cautious, with some estimate reductions and technical warnings reinforcing bearish momentum.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Barclays began coverage on shares of International Business Machines in a research report on Monday, June 1st. They set an "overweight" rating and a $350.00 price objective on the stock. Needham & Company LLC initiated coverage on International Business Machines in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. They issued a "buy" rating for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on International Business Machines from $291.00 to $250.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Bank of America increased their price target on International Business Machines from $315.00 to $330.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, July 6th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on International Business Machines from $267.00 to $293.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. Fifteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $292.89.

International Business Machines Stock Performance

Shares of International Business Machines stock opened at $212.54 on Monday. International Business Machines Corporation has a 52 week low of $204.44 and a 52 week high of $332.46. The company has a quick ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.75. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $263.84 and a 200-day moving average price of $263.28. The company has a market cap of $199.76 billion, a PE ratio of 18.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 0.68.

International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, April 22nd. The technology company reported $1.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.81 by $0.10. International Business Machines had a return on equity of 37.23% and a net margin of 15.61%.The company had revenue of $15.92 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $15.60 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.60 earnings per share. International Business Machines's quarterly revenue was up 9.5% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that International Business Machines Corporation will post 12.28 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

International Business Machines Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, June 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 8th were issued a dividend of $1.69 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 8th. This represents a $6.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.2%. This is a positive change from International Business Machines's previous quarterly dividend of $1.68. International Business Machines's payout ratio is presently 59.77%.

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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