Strong quarter for IBM

Article Excerpt

IBM, $137.25, is still a buy. The company (New York symbol IBM; Shares o/s: 896.8 million; Market cap: $121.5 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 4.8%) is one of the world’s largest computer companies, with operations in over 175 countries. Thanks to strong growth in cloud computing and software, IBM’s revenue in the three months ended December 31, 2021, rose 6.5%, to $16.70 billion from $15.68 billion a year earlier. Earnings jumped 80.0%, to $3.04 billion, or $3.35 a share, from $1.69 billion, or $1.88. On November 3, 2021, IBM completed the spinoff of Kyndryl Holdings Inc. (New York symbol KD). The company has yet to announce its post-spinoff dividend rate. However, the combined dividends from IBM and Kyndryl will be no less than IBM’s pre-spinoff annual rate of $6.56 a share, which yields a high 4.8%. IBM will likely earn $10.30 a share in 2022, and the stock trades at a low 13.3 times that estimate. IBM remains a buy. buy…