International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) Trading Up 1.9% on Insider Buying Activity

International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM)’s share price was up 1.9% during mid-day trading on Thursday after an insider bought additional shares in the company. The stock traded as high as $247.49 and last traded at $242.05. Approximately 7,314,143 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 21% from the average daily volume of 6,053,305 shares. The stock had previously closed at $237.54.

Specifically, Director Michael Miebach acquired 434 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 25th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $233.33 per share, for a total transaction of $101,265.22. Following the completion of the purchase, the director directly owned 434 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $101,265.22. This represents a ∞ increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms recently issued reports on IBM. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on International Business Machines from $325.00 to $340.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on shares of International Business Machines from $304.00 to $247.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday. Argus set a $360.00 target price on shares of International Business Machines in a report on Friday, January 30th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of International Business Machines from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, January 11th. Finally, UBS Group raised shares of International Business Machines from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $236.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Wednesday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, International Business Machines currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $320.87.

International Business Machines News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: UBS upgraded IBM (from Sell to Neutral), which helped spark buying interest and provided a near‑term catalyst by arguing the recent selloff improved the stock’s risk/reward. UBS upgrades International Business Machines (IBM)
• Positive Sentiment: IBM won a government/defense-related contract (up to ~$112M) to modernize commissary pricing systems — a concrete services booking that supports revenue visibility in consulting/integration work. Can IBM’s New Defense Contract Win Boost Top-Line Growth?
• Positive Sentiment: Company insiders (directors) made small share purchases, which investors often view as a vote of confidence after recent price weakness. International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) Director Michelle Howard Buys 50 Shares
• Positive Sentiment: Several analysts and deep-dive pieces argue the earlier AI-driven selloff was overdone given IBM’s solid Q4 results, cash flow and strategic positioning in hybrid cloud/AI — supporting a recovery narrative. IBM’s Steep Drop on AI Fears May Be an Overreaction
• Neutral Sentiment: Morgan Stanley trimmed its price target to $247 and moved to an “equal weight” stance — this tempers upside expectations and can cap near‑term momentum without being a full downgrade. Morgan Stanley Lowers International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) Price Target to $247.00
• Neutral Sentiment: IBM’s security research (2026 X‑Force Threat Intelligence Index) highlights rising ransomware and cyber threats — a mixed signal: higher market risk overall but potential tailwinds for IBM’s security services. Ransomware Surges 49% as AI Makes Cyberattacks Faster and Easier, IBM Says
• Negative Sentiment: Anthropic’s new COBOL/legacy modernization tools (Claude Code) triggered the earlier steep selloff amid fears these AI tools could erode IBM’s services revenue from legacy modernization — this remains the primary near‑term downside risk. IBM Is Just AI’s Latest Victim
• Negative Sentiment: High‑profile commentary (e.g., Jim Cramer) highlighted the abrupt drop after Anthropic’s announcement, amplifying short‑term fear and volatility even though some analysts call the reaction overblown. Jim Cramer on International Business Machines

International Business Machines Stock Performance

The company has a current ratio of 0.96, a quick ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.67. The company’s 50-day moving average is $287.17 and its two-hundred day moving average is $283.58. The stock has a market capitalization of $224.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.51, a P/E/G ratio of 2.43 and a beta of 0.69.

International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The technology company reported $4.52 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.33 by $0.19. The firm had revenue of $19.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $19.23 billion. International Business Machines had a net margin of 15.69% and a return on equity of 38.15%. International Business Machines’s quarterly revenue was up 12.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $3.92 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that International Business Machines Corporation will post 10.78 EPS for the current fiscal year.

International Business Machines Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 10th will be given a $1.68 dividend. This represents a $6.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 10th. International Business Machines’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 60.27%.

Institutional Trading of International Business Machines

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in IBM. Financially in Tune LLC bought a new position in shares of International Business Machines in the fourth quarter worth $532,000. OakTrust Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in International Business Machines in the fourth quarter worth about $278,000. Oak Grove Capital LLC grew its position in International Business Machines by 13.4% in the 4th quarter. Oak Grove Capital LLC now owns 43,550 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $12,900,000 after buying an additional 5,150 shares in the last quarter. Tempo Wealth LLC acquired a new position in International Business Machines during the 4th quarter valued at about $935,000. Finally, MidFirst Bank acquired a new position in International Business Machines during the 4th quarter valued at about $3,210,000. Institutional investors own 58.96% of the company’s stock.

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.