Software focus pays off for IBM

Article Excerpt

IBM $203.52 (New York symbol IBM; Shares outstanding: 1.1 billion; Market cap: $223.9 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 1.8%) reports that its revenue fell 2.3% in 2012, to $104.5 billion from $106.9 billion in 2011. The slow global economy is hurting sales of IBM’s mainframe computers and computer service. But the company has focused on higherprofit- margin software for some time, and demand in that business segment continues to rise. That’s the main reason why IBM’s earnings rose 8.0% in 2012, to $17.6 billion from $16.3 billion in 2011. The company spent $12.0 billion on share buybacks during the year. Due to fewer shares outstanding, earnings per share rose 13.5%, to $15.25 from $13.44. IBM’s revenue growth may slow in 2013. However, it expects its earnings to rise by 9.5% this year, to at least $16.70 a share. The stock trades at just 12.2 times that estimate. The $3.40 dividend yields 1.7%. IBM is a buy. buy…