Stock Traders Purchase Large Volume of International Business Machines Put Options (NYSE:IBM)

International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM) saw unusually large options trading activity on Thursday. Investors acquired 88,456 put options on the stock. This is an increase of 115% compared to the average daily volume of 41,215 put options.

International Business Machines Stock Performance

NYSE IBM traded down $2.20 on Thursday, hitting $249.41. The stock had a trading volume of 2,416,066 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,959,650. The company’s 50-day moving average is $274.07 and its two-hundred day moving average is $284.72. The stock has a market cap of $233.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.39, a P/E/G ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 0.73. The company has a quick ratio of 0.92, a current ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.67. International Business Machines has a one year low of $214.50 and a one year high of $324.90.

International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 28th. The technology company reported $4.52 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 the consensus estimate of $19.23 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $3.92 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 12.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect that International Business Machines will post 10.78 earnings per share for the current year.

International Business Machines Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 10th were issued a dividend of $1.68 per share. This represents a $6.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 10th. International Business Machines’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 60.27%.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Michael Miebach bought 434 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 25th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $233.33 per share, for a total transaction of $101,265.22. Following the purchase, the director owned 434 shares in the company, valued at $101,265.22. This trade represents a ∞ increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director David N. Farr purchased 1,000 shares of International Business Machines stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 30th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $304.00 per share, for a total transaction of $304,000.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 9,258 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,814,432. The trade was a 12.11% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Insiders bought a total of 1,484 shares of company stock valued at $417,157 in the last three months. Insiders own 0.27% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On International Business Machines

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of IBM. Mattson Financial Services LLC bought a new position in shares of International Business Machines during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $852,000. Waverton Investment Management Ltd increased its stake in shares of International Business Machines by 3.3% in the 3rd quarter. Waverton Investment Management Ltd now owns 993,743 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $280,439,000 after acquiring an additional 32,072 shares in the last quarter. NEOS Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of International Business Machines by 51.7% during the 3rd quarter. NEOS Investment Management LLC now owns 114,395 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $32,278,000 after acquiring an additional 38,973 shares during the period. American National Bank & Trust boosted its stake in International Business Machines by 26.2% during the third quarter. American National Bank & Trust now owns 12,537 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $3,537,000 after acquiring an additional 2,603 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Advisors Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in International Business Machines by 3.8% in the third quarter. Advisors Capital Management LLC now owns 347,155 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $97,953,000 after purchasing an additional 12,623 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 58.96% of the company’s stock.

International Business Machines News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: IBM closed its $11 billion acquisition of Confluent, which should strengthen IBM’s real‑time data‑streaming and AI workflow capabilities across hybrid environments — a strategic boost to its software/AI roadmap. IBM Closes Confluent Buyout to Power AI
• Positive Sentiment: IBM expanded go‑to‑market AI muscle by deepening partnerships (notably with Nvidia) to help enterprises deploy AI at scale — supports upside in software and consulting revenue over time. IBM and Nvidia Partner to Help Businesses Deploy AI at Scale
• Positive Sentiment: IBM Consulting announced a collaboration with The Hackett Group to accelerate enterprise AI adoption and prioritize high‑ROI use cases — a near‑term commercial channel for consulting engagements. IBM Business Operations and The Hackett Group Collaborate to Accelerate and Enhance Enterprise AI Business Outcomes
• Positive Sentiment: Recent quarterly results (Jan 28) showed an EPS beat and double‑digit revenue growth year‑over‑year, supporting the argument that fundamentals justify a constructive long‑term view. IBM Stock Performance / Earnings Summary
• Neutral Sentiment: Jim Cramer commentary and other media attention (highlighting IBM’s quantum and data‑center positioning) pushed short‑term retail interest, but this is more sentiment‑driven than fundamental. International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) Shares Higher After Jim Cramer Advised In August To Step In Due To Fundamentals
• Neutral Sentiment: Recognition of IBM research (A.M. Turing Award to an IBM fellow) boosts long‑term credibility in quantum/advanced research, but has limited immediate revenue impact. IBM Fellow and Quantum Pioneer Charles H. Bennett Receives A.M. Turing Award
• Negative Sentiment: JPMorgan cut its IBM price target to $283 (neutral rating) after the Confluent deal, signaling tempered upside given the acquisition cost and integration risk. JPMorgan Lowers IBM Target after Confluent Deal
• Negative Sentiment: BMO also trimmed its target to $290 with a market‑perform call — additional analyst downgrades heighten near‑term downside pressure despite strategic rationale for the Confluent purchase. BMO Lowers IBM Price Target
• Negative Sentiment: Short‑term price momentum has weakened (1‑ and 3‑month negative returns highlighted by valuation analyses), which can amplify selling after analyst target cuts. A Look At IBM Valuation As Recent Returns Show Mixed Momentum

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on IBM. Dbs Bank upgraded International Business Machines from a “hold” rating to a “moderate buy” rating in a report on Monday, January 19th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of International Business Machines from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Sunday, January 11th. Evercore increased their target price on shares of International Business Machines from $330.00 to $345.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, January 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of International Business Machines from $317.00 to $283.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Oppenheimer set a $380.00 price objective on shares of International Business Machines and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $314.60.

International Business Machines Company Profile

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.