Updating INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORP., C.R. BARD INC. and ABB LTD. ADRs

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INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORP. $189 (New York symbol IBM, Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 1.1 billion; Market cap: $207.9 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.0; Dividend yield: 1.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.ibm.com) continues to add to its software expertise. The company recently paid an undisclosed sum for U.K.-based Daeja Image Systems. This company’s products make it easier to view digital images in hundreds of different computer-file formats, without first installing the program that created the original image. Daeja’s products also help businesses mask sensitive information on computer images, and restrict access to certain files. IBM is a buy. C.R. BARD INC. $116 (New York symbol BCR; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 79.2 million; Market cap: $9.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.2; Dividend yield: 0.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.crbard.com) is buying Rochester Medical (Nasdaq symbol ROCM), which makes disposable medical catheters and incontinence products for patients with urinary and bladder conditions. Bard will pay $262 million…