IBM remains on track

Article Excerpt

IBM $151.95 (New York symbol IBM; Shares outstanding: 955.8 million; Market cap: $145.3 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 3.7%; www.ibm.com) is one of the world’s largest computer companies, with operations in over 175 countries. Revenue from its new Strategic Imperatives businesses (including cloud computing software that allows users to store files and programs on the Internet) rose 15% in the third quarter of 2016. Those operations now account for 40% of its revenue. However, weaker demand for IBM’s traditional products cut total revenue by 0.3% in the quarter, to $19.2 billion from $19.3 billion a year earlier. Overall earnings fell 3.8%, to $3.1 billion from $3.3 billion; per-share profits declined 1.5%, to $3.29 from $3.34, on fewer shares outstanding. IBM expects to earn at least $13.50 a share in 2016, and it trades at just 11.3 times that forecast. IBM is a buy. buy…