IBM Soars 16% In A Single Month: How Does It Compare With Others?
Here is how International Business Machines (IBM) stacks up against its peers in size, valuation, growth and margin.
- IBM’s operating margin of 17.1% is strong, lower than most peers – trailing MSFT (45.6%).
- IBM’s revenue growth of 2.7% in the last 12 months is low, lagging MSFT, ORCL, SAP, GLOB but outpacing INTC.
- IBM’s stock gained 31.7% over the past year and trades at a PE of 46.2, though peers like ORCL, INTC delivered stronger returns.
As a quick background, International Business Machines provides integrated global solutions and services across software, consulting, infrastructure, and financing, including hybrid cloud platforms, open-source software, and server and storage solutions.
IBM stock has jumped meaningfully recently and we currently find it unattractive. This may feel like a caution, and there is significant risk in relying on a single stock. However, there is a huge value to a broader diversified approach we take with Trefis High Quality Portfolio. We go beyond just equities. Is a portfolio of 10% commodities, 10% gold, and 2% crypto in addition to equities and bonds – likely to return more during the next 1-3 years, and protect you better if markets crash 20%? We have crunched the numbers.
| IBM | MSFT | ORCL | SAP | INTC | GLOB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap ($ Bil) | 269.4 | 3,927.3 | 824.0 | 319.8 | 159.9 | 2.7 |
| Revenue ($ Bil) | 64.0 | 281.7 | 59.0 | 35.9 | 53.1 | 2.5 |
| PE Ratio | 46.2 | 38.6 | 66.2 | 48.9 | -7.8 | 24.2 |
| LTM Revenue Growth | 2.7% | 14.9% | 9.7% | 10.3% | -3.7% | 8.7% |
| LTM Operating Margin | 17.1% | 45.6% | 31.6% | 25.9% | -8.3% | 7.5% |
| LTM FCF Margin | 18.2% | 25.4% | -10.0% | 17.8% | -20.6% | 6.2% |
| 12M Market Return | 31.7% | 28.0% | 72.4% | 25.3% | 62.0% | -68.9% |
Why does this matter? IBM just went up 16.5% in a month – peer comparison puts stock performance, valuation, and financials in context – highlighting whether it is truly outperforming, lagging behind, and above all – can this continue? Read Buy or Sell IBM Stock to see if International Business Machines holds up as a quality investment. Furthermore, there is always a risk of fall after a strong rally – see how the stock has dipped and recovered in the past through IBM Dip Buyer Analysis lens.
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Revenue Growth Comparison
| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IBM | 2.7% | – | 1.4% | 2.2% | 5.5% |
| MSFT | 14.9% | 14.9% | 15.7% | 6.9% | |
| ORCL | 9.7% | 8.4% | 6.0% | 17.7% | |
| SAP | 10.3% | – | 9.5% | 5.7% | 9.5% |
| INTC | -3.7% | – | -2.1% | -14.0% | -20.2% |
| GLOB | 8.7% | – | 15.3% | 17.7% | 37.3% |
Operating Margin Comparison
| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IBM | 17.1% | – | 16.1% | 15.9% | 13.5% |
| MSFT | 45.6% | 45.6% | 44.6% | 41.8% | |
| ORCL | 31.6% | 31.5% | 30.3% | 27.6% | |
| SAP | 25.9% | – | 22.8% | 19.3% | 20.5% |
| INTC | -8.3% | – | -8.9% | 0.1% | 3.7% |
| GLOB | 7.5% | – | 9.6% | 10.4% | 12.0% |
PE Ratio Comparison
| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IBM | 46.2 | – | 33.6 | 19.9 | 77.5 |
| MSFT | 38.6 | 30.8 | 31.7 | 24.7 | |
| ORCL | 66.2 | 37.4 | 27.6 | 25.9 | |
| SAP | 48.9 | – | 91.9 | 29.4 | 52.9 |
| INTC | -7.8 | – | -4.6 | 124.7 | 13.5 |
| GLOB | 24.2 | – | 56.2 | 63.9 | 47.4 |
The Trefis High Quality (HQ) Portfolio, with a collection of 30 stocks, has a track record of comfortably outperforming its benchmark that includes all 3 – the S&P 500, S&P mid-cap, and Russell 2000 indices. Why is that? As a group, HQ Portfolio stocks provided better returns with less risk versus the benchmark index; less of a roller-coaster ride, as evident in HQ Portfolio performance metrics.