Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. Lowers Stock Position in International Business Machines Corporation $IBM

Key Points

• Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group trimmed its stake in IBM by 4.6% in Q4, selling 116,525 shares and ending the quarter with 2,439,930 shares worth about $722.7 million (roughly 0.26% of the company).
• IBM reported a quarterly beat with $4.52 EPS versus $4.33 expected and revenue of $19.69 billion (up 12.2% YoY); analysts' consensus is a "Moderate Buy" with an average price target of $309.63, though some firms have lowered targets (JPMorgan to $283) while others remain bullish above $360.
• Insiders bought 1,484 shares in the past three months (notably director David N. Farr at $304 and Michael Miebach at $233.33), even as IBM faces a $17 million DOJ settlement over alleged discriminatory hiring practices.

Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. lowered its position in shares of International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM - Free Report) by 4.6% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,439,930 shares of the technology company's stock after selling 116,525 shares during the quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. owned about 0.26% of International Business Machines worth $722,732,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Mountain Hill Investment Partners Corp. purchased a new position in shares of International Business Machines in the 3rd quarter worth about $28,000. SWAN Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of International Business Machines in the 3rd quarter worth about $28,000. Trifecta Capital Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of International Business Machines by 129.1% in the 3rd quarter. Trifecta Capital Advisors LLC now owns 126 shares of the technology company's stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 71 shares during the last quarter. American Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of International Business Machines in the 3rd quarter worth about $40,000. Finally, Maseco LLP purchased a new position in shares of International Business Machines in the 4th quarter worth about $53,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 58.96% of the company's stock.

Insider Transactions at International Business Machines

In other International Business Machines news, Director David N. Farr bought 1,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Friday, January 30th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $304.00 per share, with a total value of $304,000.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 9,258 shares in the company, valued at $2,814,432. This represents a 12.11% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Michael Miebach bought 434 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 25th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $233.33 per share, with a total value of $101,265.22. Following the transaction, the director owned 434 shares in the company, valued at $101,265.22. The trade was a ∞ increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. In the last three months, insiders acquired 1,484 shares of company stock valued at $417,157. 0.27% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on IBM shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on International Business Machines from $317.00 to $283.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, March 18th. Argus set a $360.00 price target on International Business Machines in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $361.00 price target on International Business Machines in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Erste Group Bank lowered International Business Machines from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 18th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of International Business Machines in a research report on Monday, February 23rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $309.63.

International Business Machines Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:IBM opened at $230.68 on Friday. International Business Machines Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $220.72 and a fifty-two week high of $324.90. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $254.23 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $283.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.67, a quick ratio of 0.92 and a current ratio of 0.96. The firm has a market cap of $216.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.30 and a beta of 0.69.

International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The technology company reported $4.52 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $4.33 by $0.19. International Business Machines had a return on equity of 38.15% and a net margin of 15.69%.The business had revenue of $19.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.23 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $3.92 EPS. International Business Machines's revenue was up 12.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect that International Business Machines Corporation will post 10.78 earnings per share for the current year.

International Business Machines Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 10th were given a $1.68 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 10th. This represents a $6.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.9%. International Business Machines's payout ratio is 60.27%.

International Business Machines News Summary

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, arguing IBM has meaningful AI growth potential plus upside from its mainframe and quantum businesses — the call highlights a ~23% upside vs. current levels. Citi Analyst Upgrades IBM (IBM) Stock with $285 Target on AI Growth Potential
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple outlets and analysts echoed a bullish view (Barron's, TipRanks/MSN coverage), noting IBM’s ability to navigate technology cycles and the potential for earnings leverage from AI and enterprise offerings — these narratives support longer-term upside despite 2026 weakness. IBM Stock Is Having Its Worst Year Since 2002. Here's Why It Just Got a Buy Rating.
• Neutral Sentiment: IBM is participating in industry moves around AI patent sharing (the SAIL initiative), which could reshape competitive dynamics and reduce friction for model development — a longer‑term strategic development that may affect moat but has uncertain near-term revenue impact. IBM’s SAIL Move Reframes AI Patent Sharing And Long Term Moat
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage on quantum computing ETFs and IBM’s expanded quantum roadmap highlights a structural growth story; this is positive for long-term optionality but remains developmental and unlikely to drive near-term earnings. The Quantum Computing ETF That Could Be Bigger Than AI, and 2 Tech Funds Riding the Same Wave
• Negative Sentiment: The U.S. Department of Justice said IBM will pay $17 million to settle allegations related to discriminatory DEI hiring practices — a reputational and regulatory event that adds near‑term legal cost and scrutiny (though the monetary amount is small relative to revenue). IBM to pay $17 million to settle discrimination allegations, DOJ says
• Negative Sentiment: Short-term technical and sentiment pressure: the stock has underperformed peers recently and faced at least one analyst downgrade and intraday selling, which compounds downside momentum despite bullish reports. International Business Machines NYSE: IBM Trading Down 1.4% Following Analyst Downgrade

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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