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IBMInternational Business MachinesHold5.4·$264.63-0.12%
IBM · Why this verdict

Why International Business Machines (IBM) is rated HOLD

Updated

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

VerdictHOLD
Overall score5.4/10
ConfidenceHIGH
MacroNEUTRAL

Per-dimension breakdown

Value

4.8/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
P/E5.5
P/S7.9
EV/EBITDA0.9
Fwd P/E6.5
PEG4.1
Analyst target4.0
  • Forward P/E: 19.7x
  • PEG: 2.36

Quality

6.8/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
ROE10.0
ROA3.6
Gross margin7.7
Op margin5.5
Net margin7.8
Current ratio3.2
FCF quality9.1
Moat6.9
Piotroski F7.8
  • Excellent ROE: 36%
  • Strong margins: 16%
  • Excellent cash conversion: 122% FCF/NI
  • Strong Piotroski F-Score: 7/9

Growth

4.8/10data confidence 67%
ComponentSub-score
Rev growth4.9
EPS growth4.8

Momentum

3.4/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
RSI3.0
MACD0.0
OBV10.0
MA position4.2
Volume0.0
  • Capitulation risk (RSI 25, below 200MA)
  • Volume accumulation (rising OBV)
  • Below 200-MA but MA still rising (+1.2%/30d) — pullback in uptrend, not confirmed weakness

Sentiment

7.2/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
LLM sentiment7.4
Analyst rating7.5
Price target6.6
  • LLM news sentiment: +0.48 (n=5)

Insider

5.0/10data confidence 50%
ComponentSub-score
materiality5.0
holder change5.1
  • No net insider activity — $0 (0.000% of mkt cap)

Peer rank

4.1/10data confidence 80%
ComponentSub-score
value rank1.5
quality rank8.1
growth rank7.0
  • Superior ROE vs peers
  • Best-in-class margins

Technical

6.5/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
bollinger6.6
support resistance7.6
52w position5.9
gap6.0

Risk (lower is worse)

5.2/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
short interest8.2
days to cover7.3
volatility1.6
put call4.7
implied vol4.6
max pain risk3.0
beta9.0
debt equity2.9
  • Above max pain $130
  • Concentration risks: 2 HIGH (10-K Item 1A — sized via position_sizing, validated via buy_confidence)

Catalyst

6.6/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
erm6.0
earnings history10.0
earnings timing5.0
surprise avg5.6
dividend safety4.8
news activity8.0
  • Perfect beat streak: 4Q
  • Yield trap warning: high yield but unsafe

How the verdict was assembled

Engine trigger

Multiple concerning factors. Consider reducing position. | News modifier +2 (SELL_IF_HOLDING → HOLD_IF_HOLDING).

Engine technical detail
verdict_path: L4:PATH_F_SELL|L3:NEWS_MOD=+2
Passed (7)
  • INSIDER:OK
  • 8K:CLEAN
  • NEWS_BOOST:ANALYST:0.60
  • NEWS_BOOST:ANALYST_CLUSTER(4)
  • EARNINGS_PROXIMITY:28d clear
  • SEMI_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
  • MATERIALS_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
Failed (2)
  • MOMENTUM:3.4<4.5
  • ASYMMETRY:-0.0=NEGATIVE
Warning (0)

none

Reward-to-Risk
-0.02
Upside
-0.1%
Downside
8.7%
Sizing output
AVOID

SetupUNKNOWN No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed

EdgeCATALYST Earnings in 28d with 4/4 beat streak

SuitabilityMODERATE Balanced profile

Investment implication

The F-path SELL output reflects an overall score of 3.9 below the 5.4 soft trigger — multiple weakening dimensions accumulated rather than a single hard-floor breach. The strongest dimension ( Sentiment at 7.2) was not enough to lift the adjusted overall above the threshold. Co-occurring failed gates ( MOMENTUM:3.4<4.5, ASYMMETRY:-0.0=NEGATIVE) reinforce the read. Current asymmetry R:R is -0.02 — supplementary context, not the trigger for this path.

The strongest dimensions are Sentiment at 7.2, Quality at 6.8, and Catalyst at 6.6; the weakest are Momentum at 3.4, Peer rank at 4.1, and Growth at 4.8. The V9 engine flagged 2 failed gates, producing an asymmetric reward-to-risk of -0.02 and an engine sizing output of AVOID.

Engine reasoning is mechanically derived from pipeline gate outputs. See decision view.

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Why TrendMatrix rates IBM the way it does — verdict reasoning