<div id="readability-page-1"><p>Farmers &amp; Merchants Investments Inc. lessened its stake in  International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM - Free Report) by 9.1% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities &amp; Exchange Commission. The firm owned 26,882 shares of the technology company's stock after selling 2,700 shares during the quarter. Farmers &amp; Merchants Investments Inc.'s holdings in International Business Machines were worth $7,585,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.</p><ul><li>Big Blue’s Big Bet: IBM Buys AI Nervous System for $11B</li></ul><p>A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in  International Business Machines during the 2nd quarter valued at $2,011,122,000.  Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in  International Business Machines by 2.1% in the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 95,051,475 shares of the technology company's stock valued at $28,019,274,000 after buying an additional 1,913,708 shares during the last quarter.  Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of  International Business Machines by 27,928.2% during the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,903,116 shares of the technology company's stock valued at $561,001,000 after acquiring an additional 1,896,326 shares in the last quarter.  UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC increased its position in shares of  International Business Machines by 6.5% during the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 8,636,725 shares of the technology company's stock worth $2,147,608,000 after acquiring an additional 524,633 shares during the last quarter.  Finally, VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al acquired a new position in shares of  International Business Machines in the second quarter worth about $133,771,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own  58.96% of the company's stock. </p><h2>Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades</h2><p>A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Sanford C. Bernstein  restated a &#34;market perform&#34; rating on shares of International Business Machines in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Erste Group Bank upgraded International Business Machines from a &#34;hold&#34; rating to a &#34;buy&#34; rating in a research note on Friday, December 5th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on shares of International Business Machines from $300.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock a &#34;market perform&#34; rating in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on shares of International Business Machines from $280.00 to $305.00 and gave the company a &#34;hold&#34; rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 21st. Finally, UBS Group  reissued a &#34;sell&#34; rating on shares of International Business Machines in a report on Tuesday, December 9th. One research analyst  has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating, six have assigned  a Hold rating and one  has assigned  a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of &#34;Moderate Buy&#34; and an average price target of $293.38.</p><ul><li>How Does D-Wave Stack Up to Quantum Rivals After Earnings Season?</li></ul><p><b>Read Our Latest Report on IBM</b></p><h2>Key International Business Machines News</h2><p>Here are the key news stories impacting International Business Machines this week:</p><ul>   <li><span>Positive Sentiment: </span>Analysts argue IBM’s diversified quantum roadmap and steady progress could give Big Tech an edge vs. pure-play quantum names in 2026 — a strategic positioning that supports long-term growth expectations. <i></i><span>2026 Big Tech Quantum Bets</span></li>    <li><span>Positive Sentiment: </span>IBM expanded its AI footprint with a partnership to deliver AI-powered learning tools (Pearson), reinforcing revenue diversification in AI-enabled services and enterprise solutions. <i></i><span>Can IBM's AI Investments Secure Future Market Leadership?</span></li>    <li><span>Positive Sentiment: </span>IBM was highlighted in lists of attractive high-yield S&amp;P 500 stocks for 2026, which can attract income-focused investors and support demand for the shares. <i></i><span>Top 5 High-Yield S&amp;P 500 Stocks to Buy for 2026</span></li>    <li><span>Positive Sentiment: </span>Market commentators (including Jim Cramer) continue to describe IBM as undervalued despite recent gains, a narrative that can support further buying interest. <i></i><span>Jim Cramer on IBM</span></li>    <li><span>Positive Sentiment: </span>Regional demand signals: reports of growing AI adoption in Indonesia’s manufacturing highlight incremental enterprise deals and geographic expansion for IBM’s software and services. <i></i><span>IBM Sees Growing AI Adoption in Indonesia</span></li>    <li><span>Neutral Sentiment: </span>Former CEO and chairman Louis (Lou) Gerstner, credited with turning around IBM in the 1990s, died at 83; widespread obituaries (NYT/WSJ/Reuters) are generating headlines and reminiscence about the company’s legacy but are unlikely to affect near-term fundamentals. <i></i><span>Louis V. Gerstner, Who Revived a Faltering IBM in the ’90s, Dies at 83</span></li> </ul><h2>International Business Machines Stock Up 0.1%</h2><ul><li>Rigetti’s Q3 Miss Reveals Quantum Funding and Timing Pressures</li></ul><p>Shares of NYSE:IBM opened at $305.36 on Tuesday. The company's fifty day moving average is $304.06 and its two-hundred day moving average is $281.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.97, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a current ratio of 0.93. International Business Machines Corporation has a 1-year low of $214.50 and a 1-year high of $324.90. The stock has a market capitalization of $285.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.53, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.04 and a beta of 0.69. </p><p>International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 22nd. The technology company reported $2.65 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.45 by $0.20. The business had revenue of $16.33 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.10 billion. International Business Machines had a net margin of 12.09% and a return on equity of 37.76%. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 9.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.30 EPS.  Equities analysts anticipate that  International Business Machines Corporation will post 10.78 EPS for the current year. </p><h2>International Business Machines Announces Dividend</h2><p>The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 10th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 10th were given a dividend of $1.68 per share. This represents a $6.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 10th. International Business Machines's dividend payout ratio  is presently 80.38%. </p><h2>International Business Machines Profile</h2> (Free Report)<p>International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is a global technology and consulting company headquartered in Armonk, New York. Founded in 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR) and renamed IBM in 1924, the company has evolved from early electromechanical machines to a diversified technology provider serving enterprises and governments worldwide. IBM is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol IBM.  </p><p>IBM's principal businesses encompass cloud computing and software, infrastructure and systems, consulting and technology services, and research and development.</p><h2>Further Reading</h2><ul><li>Five stocks we like better than International Business Machines</li><li>Do not delete, read immediately</li><li>How a Family Trust May Be Able To Help Preserve Your Wealth</li><li>Your “birthright claim” just got activated</li><li>Wall Street Stockpicker Names #1 Stock of 2026</li><li>Turn your &#34;dead money&#34; into $306+ monthly (starting this month)</li></ul><p><strong>Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IBM?</strong> Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM - Free Report).</p><p><img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://www.marketbeat.com/scripts/SECFilingChart.ashx/query-UHJlZml4PU5ZU0UmU3ltYm9sPUlCTQ?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="650" height="350" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://www.marketbeat.com/scripts/SECFilingChart.ashx/query-UHJlZml4PU5ZU0UmU3ltYm9sPUlCTQ"/></p><p><em>This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.</em></p><h2>Should You Invest $1,000 in International Business Machines Right Now?</h2><p>Before you consider International Business Machines, you'll want to hear this.</p><p>MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and International Business Machines wasn't on the list.</p><p>While International Business Machines currently has a Moderate Buy rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.</p><p>View The Five Stocks Here</p>                  </div>

FMAO

<p>Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. reduced its stake in International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) by 9.1% in Q3, now holding 26,882 shares valued at $7.58 million. Other hedge funds also adjusted their positions, with Norges Bank acquiring a stake worth over $2 billion. Analysts have mixed ratings on IBM, with an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a price target of $293.38. Positive sentiment surrounds IBM's AI investments and quantum roadmap, while the recent passing of former CEO Louis Gerstner is noted but unlikely to impact fundamentals.</p>

Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. Reduces Stock Holdings in International Business Machines Corporation $IBM