International Business Machines Corporation $IBM Stock: Milestone Asset Management LLC Decreases Holdings

Milestone Asset Management LLC reduced its stake in International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM) by 74.5% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,868 shares of the technology company’s stock after selling 8,372 shares during the period. Milestone Asset Management LLC’s holdings in International Business Machines were worth $631,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in shares of International Business Machines in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $21,586,659,000. State Street Corp grew its stake in International Business Machines by 2.7% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 56,045,055 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $15,760,430,000 after buying an additional 1,450,562 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE bought a new position in International Business Machines during the 2nd quarter worth $4,214,868,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp acquired a new stake in International Business Machines in the second quarter worth $2,606,782,000. Finally, UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC increased its position in International Business Machines by 0.7% in the second 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 buying an additional 53,388 shares during the period. 58.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have issued reports on IBM. HSBC cut their target price on International Business Machines from $175.00 to $174.00 in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Barclays lowered their price target on shares of International Business Machines from $288.00 to $262.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 23rd. Argus dropped their price objective on shares of International Business Machines from $360.00 to $280.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, July 16th. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price objective on shares of International Business Machines from $270.00 to $230.00 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, July 23rd. Finally, Evercore cut their price objective on shares of International Business Machines from $310.00 to $250.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 16th. Nineteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $254.96.

Insider Activity

In other news, SVP Robert Thomas sold 25,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $230.32, for a total value of $5,758,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president owned 47,800 shares in the company, valued at $11,009,296. This represents a 34.34% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 0.27% of the stock is owned by insiders.

International Business Machines Stock Performance

International Business Machines stock opened at $234.04 on Friday. International Business Machines Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $199.19 and a fifty-two week high of $332.46. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $232.08 and its 200-day simple moving average is $243.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.63, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.74. The company has a market cap of $220.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.17 and a beta of 0.73.

International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 22nd. The technology company reported $2.93 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $2.93. International Business Machines had a net margin of 15.52% and a return on equity of 35.65%. The business had revenue of $17.16 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $17.46 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.80 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 1.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts predict that International Business Machines Corporation will post 12.33 EPS for the current year.

International Business Machines Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 10th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 10th were paid a dividend of $1.69 per share. This represents a $6.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 10th. International Business Machines’s payout ratio is 59.98%.

Key International Business Machines News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Potential earnings beat: Bank of America expects IBM to modestly exceed third-quarter estimates, while maintaining its 2026 outlook. The bank reiterated a “buy” rating and $280 price target, citing higher-margin software growth, improving profitability and strong free cash flow. IBM poised for modest third-quarter beat, says Bank of America
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support: Morgan Stanley raised its IBM price target from $190 to $238, although it retained an “equal weight” rating. Royal Bank of Canada also reaffirmed its “outperform” rating, providing additional support ahead of earnings.
• Positive Sentiment: Semiconductor research collaboration: IBM and Siemens are working together to advance IBM’s nanostack transistor architecture. Siemens will contribute electronic-design automation, process simulation and manufacturing expertise, potentially strengthening IBM’s long-term semiconductor and technology prospects. IBM and Siemens Collaborate on Research to Advance Nanostack Architecture
• Neutral Sentiment: AI governance demand: IBM reported that 80% of surveyed EMEA executives had escalated an AI-related incident to their board or C-suite. The findings highlight a growing need for AI governance, cybersecurity and compliance services, but also show that many organizations are not yet prepared for autonomous AI agents. IBM Study on AI Incidents and Governance
• Negative Sentiment: Dividend and balance-sheet concerns: IBM’s century-long record of annual dividend increases is being tested by token-sized raises, rising debt and concerns that shareholder payouts could compete with funding for AI investments. IBM Dividend and Debt Concerns
• Negative Sentiment: Cash-flow quality and execution risks: Analysts note that much of IBM’s first-half operating-cash-flow improvement came from movements in financing receivables rather than clearly sustainable growth. Investors also remain focused on competition, margin pressure and whether AI and hybrid-cloud expansion can justify IBM’s premium valuation.

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.