IBM Option Alert: Jan 16 $270 Calls at the Ask: 700 vs 1048 OI

IBM Option Alert: Jan 16 $270 Calls at the Ask: 700 @ $18.4 vs 1048 OI; Ref=$257.41

IBM Option Alert: Aug 15 $245 Puts Sweep (18) near the Ask: 580 vs 8 OI

IBM Option Alert: Aug 15 $245 Puts Sweep (18) near the Ask: 580 @ $13.983 vs 8 OI; Ref=$247.88

IBM Option Alert: Aug 15 $245 Puts Sweep (11) near the Ask: 438 vs 8 OI

IBM Option Alert: Aug 15 $245 Puts Sweep (11) near the Ask: 438 @ $13.985 vs 8 OI; Ref=$247.88

IBM Option Alert: Jan, 2027 $220 Calls Sweep (4) near the Ask: 100 vs 470 OI

IBM Option Alert: Jan, 2027 $220 Calls Sweep (4) near the Ask: 100 @ $53.3 vs 470 OI; Ref=$249.2001

IBM (NYSE:IBM) 주식

INTL BUSINESS MACHINES CORP

IBM looks to be a part of every aspect of an enterprise's IT needs. The company primarily sells software, IT services, consulting, and hardware. IBM operates in 175 countries and employs approximately 300,000 people. The company has a robust roster of business partners to service its clients, which include 95% of all Fortune 500 companies. Primary products include its mainframes, Red Hat software, transaction processing software, and IT consulting.

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아직 초기 단계이지만, 양자 컴퓨팅은 거대 기술 기업과 함께 몇몇 퓨어 플레이 기업들도 주요 관심사로 부상했다. 다음은 양자 컴퓨팅 기술이 발전함에 따라 투자자들이 고려할 수 있는 양자 컴퓨팅 중심 기업에 대한 분석이다. 무슨 일 있었나: 순수한 양자 컴퓨팅 기업과 거대 기술 대기업의 주요 차이점은 핵심 비즈니스 초점과 양자 컴퓨팅 산업에 참여하는 단계에 있다.

주목받는 양자 컴퓨팅 주식: 퓨어 플레이 종목과 대형주의 밸류에이션 차이는?

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도널드 트럼프 대통령은 수조 달러 규모의 투자 약속을 자신의 경제 전략이 미국 제조업과 인프라의 역사적 부흥을 이끌고 있다는 증거로 강조해 왔다. 그러나 골드만삭스의 새로운 분석에 따르면, 이 대규모 수치 뒤에 숨겨진 실제 경제적 영향은 훨씬 더 미미할 수 있다.

트럼프의 6조 달러 투자 거래는 현실 검증 필요, 실제 영향은 훨씬 미미할 수도 - 골드만삭스

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웨드부시 애널리스트 댄 아이브스는 화요일(13일)에 인공지능(AI) 혁명이 다음 주요 침투 영역을 찾았다는 것이 분명해지면서 미국 기술주 투자자들은 강세 전망을 갖게 되었다고 했다. 그곳은 바로 사우디아라비아였다. 

사우디의 1조 달러 AI 투자, 수혜주는 엔비디아·아마존·테슬라·팔란티어 - 웨드부시

International Business Machines Corporation Common Stock

International Business Machines Corp

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On Wednesday, B Of A securities analyst Wamsi Mohan maintained a Buy rating on International Business Machines (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ibm/analyst-ratings" rel="noreferrer noopener">with a price forecast of $270</a>.
The rating reflects the analyst&#8217;s view that the company is a defensive investment and anticipates improving revenue growth that should, in turn, generate higher cash flow available for reinvestment in further mergers and acquisitions.
In an analyst note that focused on IBM&#8217;s transaction processing (TP) software, a critical component of its mainframe operations, Mohan noted TP software has not only stabilized but is now demonstrating significant growth staying extremely relevant in the age of public cloud. 
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/45218573" rel="noreferrer noopener">IBM AI Watsonx Integrates With Oracle Cloud To Boost Enterprise Productivity</a>
This growth is driven by strategic innovation, evolving pricing models, and the enduring demand for its unparalleled reliability in mission-critical operations.
The analyst noted that TP software contributes approximately one-third of the company&#8217;s total Software segment revenue (over 90% comes from IBM Z/mainframe environments) and generated annual revenues ranging from the mid-$5 billion to over $7 billion over the past decade.
Several factors contribute to the growth of IBM&#8217;s TP software, including increased mainframe workloads and innovative pricing models. He asserted in an analyst note that these drivers ensure that IBM remains competitive in the evolving IT landscape.
While Red Hat has often been the primary focus for growth (exhibiting mid-teens growth), TP remains critically important to IBM&#8217;s overall revenue expansion and profitability, Mohan noted.
He further said that the company projects this business to achieve mid-single-digit growth, compared to an expected 10% growth for the entire Software segment.
Also, WatsonX integration and innovative pricing strategies have driven greater adoption and improved retention for IBM&#8217;s TP software, enhancing its overall stickiness within enterprise environments, he added.
Moreover, the analyst said several IBM Z customers are scaling MIPS to meet rising digital transaction demands, with 70% increasing usage, boosting recurring software revenue.
In 2024, IBM noted about 4 points of transaction processing revenue growth came from higher workload consumption fueled by mobile banking, e-commerce, and data-driven activity.
Mohan added that IBM&#8217;s Enterprise License Agreement (ELA) approach for its TP software has been central to boosting its adoption and financial consistency.
Overall, the analyst believes that ELAs have strengthened IBM&#8217;s capacity to retain clients and consistently grow transaction processing revenue by deeply integrating IBM&#8217;s software into customer operations and strategic planning.
Regarding pricing trends, Mohan said that IBM has transitioned its TP software pricing from rigid capacity-based billing to more flexible, subscription-style models.
By combining modest price increases with modern options like Tailored Fit Pricing (TFP) and Enterprise License Agreements (ELAs), IBM has reduced cost barriers and encouraged greater usage. Mohan added that this shift has supported both higher unit pricing and volume growth.
Investors can gain exposure to the stock via&nbsp;First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TDIV#NASDAQ">TDIV</a>) and&nbsp;FT Vest Technology Dividend Target Income ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TDVI#BATS">TDVI</a>).
Price Action: IBM shares are trading lower by 0.86% to $258.01 at last check Thursday.
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IBM's TP Software Stays 'Extremely Relevant' To Growth, Even In The Public Cloud Age: Analyst

IBM's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) short percent of float has risen 3.66% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 21.31 million shares sold short, which is 2.55% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 5.64 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>IBM Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1748462420_0_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for IBM has grown since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to fall in the near-term but traders should be aware that more shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing IBM's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>, IBM's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 4.46%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

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While still in its early stages, quantum computing is a major focus for a few pure-play companies, along with technology giants alike. Here is a breakdown of quantum computing-focused companies that investors could consider as the technology evolves.
What Happened: The key difference between the pure-play quantum computing companies and large technology giants lies in their core business focus and their stage of involvement in the quantum computing industry.
The pure-play companies are primarily, if not exclusively, focused on the development and commercialization of quantum computing technologies. The success of such companies is almost entirely tied to the progress and adoption of quantum computing.
The price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of these companies is used to analyze their valuation, as these companies, which are in early stages of development, have negative earnings, making the popular valuation metric, price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, unusable.
Among a few pure-play quantum computing companies, D-Wave Quantum Inc. has the lowest P/S ratio of 199.114, whereas Quantum Computing Inc. had a staggering P/S ratio of 3,500.00, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>.
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table class="has-fixed-layout">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Stocks</td>
<td>Price-To-Sales Ratio</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rigetti Computing Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RGTI#NASDAQ">RGTI</a>)</td>
<td>334.237</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Quantum Computing Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QUBT#NASDAQ">QUBT</a>)</td>
<td>3,500.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QBTS#NYSE">QBTS</a>)</td>
<td>199.114</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IonQ Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IONQ#NYSE">IONQ</a>)</td>
<td>232.028</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
On the other hand, the established, diversified technology giants with vast resources and multiple revenue streams are also involved in quantum computing, but it is typically not a part of their broader R&amp;D strategy.
These firms leverage their existing cloud infrastructure and expertise in AI and high-performance computing for quantum computing.
While the P/S ratios of these firms are much lower than their pure-play counterparts, Amazon.com Inc. has the lowest ratio of all at 3.358.
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table class="has-fixed-layout">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Stocks</td>
<td>Price-To-Sales Ratio</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>)</td>
<td>25.247</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>)</td>
<td>12.58</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Amazon.com Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NYSE">AMZN</a>)</td>
<td>3.358</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alphabet Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NYSE">GOOG</a>)</td>
<td>5.862</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>International Business Machines Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>)</td>
<td>3.866</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/05/45607433/trump-administration-claims-its-kicking-1-4-million-undocumented-immigrants-off-medicaid-but-grok-clarifies-federal-medicaid-does-not-cover-them-states-do">Trump Administration Claims It&#8217;s &#8216;Kicking&#8217; 1.4 Million Undocumented Immigrants Off Medicaid, But Grok Clarifies Federal Medicaid Does Not Cover Them, States Do</a>
Why It Matters: Another way for investors to get exposure to the quantum computing stocks is via Defiance Quantum ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QTUM#NASDAQ">QTUM</a>).
It is an exchange-traded fund that tracks the BlueStar Quantum Computing and Machine Learning Index, which helps investors capture the growth potential of the quantum computing sector.
The ETF has gained 14.45% over the last month, 25.97% over the last six months, and 4.47% on a year-to-date basis, as per <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>.
The ETF invests in over 70 global stocks across the value chain, including hardware, software, and application-focused companies. Its top holdings include Rigetti and D-Wave, followed by IonQ.
Price Action: The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which track the S&amp;P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, fell on Friday. The SPY was down 0.68% to $579.11, while the QQQ declined 0.93% to $509.24, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.
On Tuesday, the futures of Dow Jones, S&amp;P 500, and Nasdaq 100 indices were trading higher.
Read Next:
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Photo courtesy: jamesonwu1972 / Shutterstock.com

Quantum Computing Stocks In Focus: Pure Play Vs. Large Caps - Here's A Look At The Valuations

President Donald Trump's push to bring back manufacturing to the U.S. from abroad has forced major companies to rethink their entire business models and invest in the country.
Earlier this year, Apple (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) announced plans to invest $500 billion in the U.S. to expand its manufacturing in the country, while Nvidia (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) said last month that it will produce AI servers worth up to $500 billion in the U.S. Other major tech giants, including Amazon (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), Alphabet (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>, GOOGL)) and IBM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>), have also announced their U.S. investment plans.
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In an interview with <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/29/cnbc-transcript-united-states-commerce-secretary-howard-lutnick-speaks-with-cnbcs-brian-sullivan-on-the-exchange-today.html">CNBC</a> last month, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick talked about the progress the Trump administration has made so far in reshoring key manufacturing. Lutnick said the U.S. needs to cut its reliance on foreign manufacturing for national security and economic progress.&nbsp;
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">‘Jobs of the Future'</h2>
Asked how the U.S. would secure the workforce needed for manufacturing, Lutnick said community colleges need to start training people for "jobs of the future" based on a "new model" where American families would work in major manufacturing plants.
"It's time to train people not to do the jobs of the past, but to do the great jobs of the future," Lutnick said. "You know, this is the new model where you work in these kinds of plants for the rest of your life and your kids work here and your grandkids work here."&nbsp;
Trending: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/boxabl-scaling-fast-from-spacex-orders-to-600-homes-built-this-60k-foldable-home-may-be-the-future-of-housing">this is your last chance to become an investor for $0.80 per share.</a>
Lutnick called his proposed model the "future" of American manufacturing and said it would create job opportunities with salaries starting around $80,000 and rising to as much as $200,000.
"This is tradecraft. This is high school-educated, great jobs that start in the 80s and 90s and go up to one hundred and fifty to two hundred thousand dollars," according to Lutnick. "We are going to drive the high-value, high-performance jobs to America."
Lutnick's model assumes that the "rest of the world" will make "low-value" products and sell to the U.S. "inexpensively," he said.
When asked about the potential impact of automation and robotics on manufacturing, Lutnick said that even highly automated plants need humans to operate and fix equipment.
"What you're going to see is a highly automated plant that employs three thousand people per plant," he said. "You&#8217;ve got to remember these plants, all these automated arms and stuff. They need to be fixed. They all need a technician to fix them."
See Also: Nancy Pelosi Invested $5 Million In An AI Company Last Year — <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/elf-labs-ym?v=123">Here's How You Can Invest In Multiple Pre-IPO AI Startups With Just $1,000.</a>
Lutnick emphasized that bringing critical manufacturing back to the U.S. has national security significance, adding that without domestic semiconductor production, the country cannot build drones or fighter jets for its defense.
He also highlighted the importance of automobile manufacturing, connecting it to the production of military equipment.
"Why do you need to make autos? Because if you decide you want to make tanks and you want to make trucks and in military, if you don't have steel, if you don't have aluminum, if you don't have cars, you know what you are? You're nowhere," he said.
Americans are <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/05/45336111/warren-buffett-didnt-buy-a-new-car-for-years-heres-why-you-might-want-to-wait-even-with-looming-tariffs">scrambling</a> to buy new cars as Trump&#8217;s tariffs on imported vehicles and auto parts are expected to drive up prices. Some analysts <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2025/05/05/economists-tariff-costs-per-vehicle/83446003007/">estimate</a> the tariff impact to range from $2,000 to $15,000 per vehicle in the U.S.
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Trump's Commerce Secretary Says Future of American Manufacturing is 'Tradecraft' Jobs That Only Require High School Education - 'Great jobs that Start in $80,000'

Microsoft (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) executive Colette Stallbaumer says companies racing to harness artificial intelligence must activate &#8220;at every level of the organization,&#8221; warning that relying on a single person for driving that change risks stalling momentum.
What Happened: Speaking at Fortune's Workplace Innovation Summit, the general manager of Microsoft 365 Copilot <a href="https://fortune.com/2025/05/22/ai-business-adoption/">added</a> that while more firms now name AI chiefs, &#8220;business leaders&#8221; have to own the transformation if skills are to scale.
Microsoft signaled that shift in March when CEO Satya Nadella moved longtime HR head Kathleen Hogan into the newly created post of chief transformation officer to steer the software giant's next phase of change &#8220;in this AI era.&#8221;
That tension of one quarterback and many owners echoed across the summit. Indeed CEO Chris Hyams said the hiring platform tapped its R&amp;D chief to coordinate AI work because "if everyone is responsible, no one is responsible." That said, it still ties every unit's goals to Pathfinder, an AI &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45511651/ai-wont-steal-your-paycheck-yet-two-thirds-of-all-jobs-have-half-their-skills-up-for-grabs-says-indeed-ceo-chris-hyams">talent agent</a>&#8221; due next year.
See also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/05/45580812/trump-may-want-a-recession-market-observers-say-it-serves-his-economic-agendalower-rates-inflation-and-trade-deficit">Trump May &#8216;Want&#8217; A Recession: Market Observer Says It Serves His Economic Agenda—Lower Rates, Oil Prices, And Trade Deficit</a>
Why It Matters: Several tech bosses watching from afar are already forcing the issue. IBM's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) Arvind Krishna is pausing hiring for back-office staff he expects AI to replace, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/23/05/32148732/rise-of-the-machines-ibm-eyes-replacing-7-800-non-customer-facing-jobs-with-ai">targeting 7,800 positions</a> for automation over five years.
Nvidia (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) CEO Jensen Huang calls the talent race an "<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/05/45157527/nvidia-ceo-jensen-huang-sounds-alarm-as-50-of-ai-researchers-are-chinese-urges-america-to-reskill-am">infinite game</a>" and urges U.S. leaders to double down on reskilling after noting that half the world's AI researchers are Chinese.
Google Cloud boss Thomas Kurian told analysts that more than four million developers are already building with Gemini models, a datapoint <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38183102/wedbush-analysts-bullish-on-google-say-encouraged-by-generative-ai-stack-unmatched-">Wedbush calls proof</a> that bottom-up demand, not executive edict, is driving adoption.
Even at Microsoft, the push is relentless. Nadella <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/10/35342804/linkedin-soars-ai-roars-satya-nadella-unpacks-microsofts-record-year-and-the-dawn-of-a-new-ai-era">recently touted</a> record LinkedIn revenue and dubbed Copilot the spearhead of a new AI era, while Build 2025 delivered another <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/top-stories/24/05/38949565/microsoft-unveils-5-game-changing-ai-tools-at-build-2024-conference">raft of agent tools</a> aimed at frontline workers.
For Stallbaumer, those anecdotes land the same punch line that companies may appoint AI leaders if they must, but true momentum arrives only when revenue chiefs, marketers and plant managers all have skin and metrics in the AI game.
Photo Courtesy: katuSka on Shutterstock.com
Read next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45580549/ssa-commissioner-frank-bisignano-had-to-google-social-security-when-he-first-got-a-call-for-the-job">Frank Bisignano Had To Google Social Security When He First Got A Call For The Job: &#8216;What The Heck&#8217;s The Commissioner…&#8217;</a>

Microsoft Executive Says Companies Might Be Naming 'AI Chiefs' But They Risk Losing Momentum In The Artificial Intelligence Age If They Rely On Individuals

IBM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 3.02% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 17.31%. Currently, IBM has a market capitalization of $240.71 billion. 
Buying $1000 In IBM: If an investor had bought $1000 of IBM stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $2,221.57 today based on a price of $259.00 for IBM at the time of writing.
<h3>IBM's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1747951252_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

$1000 Invested In IBM 5 Years Ago Would Be Worth This Much Today

President Donald Trump has touted multi-trillion-dollar investment commitments as proof that his economic strategy is delivering a historic revival of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/donald-trump">American manufacturing and infrastructure. </a>
Yet, behind the massive figures, new analysis from Goldman Sachs suggests the actual economic impact could be far more modest.
Foreign governments and corporations have pledged over $6 trillion in U.S. investments, including $2 trillion from companies and $4.2 trillion from foreign governments, according to Goldman Sachs economist Joseph Briggs.
Just a week ago, President Trump secured $2 trillion in investment commitments from Gulf nations, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, Japan pledged $1 trillion.
Among the companies making the largest pledges, Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) announced $787 billion, followed by International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) with $409 billion, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) with $302 billion, and Eli Lilly &amp; Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>) with $35 billion.
"We expect the impact on U.S. investment to be smaller than suggested by these promises for three reasons," Briggs said in a report, highlighting project uncertainty, limited alignment with national accounts definitions, and overlap with prior plans.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">The Real Investment Boost May Be Just $30B–$135B</h3>
After analyzing the announcements and stripping out less tangible commitments—like purchases of goods, partnerships, and reannounced projects—Goldman estimates that only $135 billion in new annual investment is directly tied to GDP-relevant projects like physical capital expenditures and R&amp;D. 
Applying historical realization rates and analyst feedback, the bank sees the likely net impact closer to $30 billion per year, or just 0.1% of U.S. GDP.
That figure starkly contrasts with headline projections that initially suggested a 4% GDP boost over time.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Why The Gap?</h3>
Many large-cap companies, including Apple Inc. and Nvidia Corp., have promised massive investments—$500 billion each over multiple years—but their past spending doesn't align. 
Apple spent just $10 billion on U.S. capex and $31.4 billion on global R&amp;D in 2024. Nvidia's corresponding figures were even lower, suggesting that headline figures may include spending on acquisitions, partnerships or input costs that don't translate into actual U.S. capital formation.
Further, Goldman's equity analysts found that 69% of the corporate investments likely overlap with previously planned spending, with just 6% seen as mostly new.
Goldman Sachs noted that &#8220;these announcements have not driven major upgrades to equity analyst capex forecasts.&#8221;
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Foreign Deals May Help, If They Materialize</h3>
&#8220;In contrast to company-level announcements, investment promises from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Japan could provide a material incremental increase if they materialize,&#8221; Briggs said.
Countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Japan and the UAE have announced ambitious commitments—from AI data centers to energy infrastructure and defense purchases.
Both Saudi Arabia and Qatar emphasized large-scale purchases of U.S. goods—$142 billion in defense contracts from Saudi Arabia and $96 billion in aircraft orders from Qatar—which would support U.S. GDP through exports, but not count as domestic investment. 
Yet, the lack of specificity on most other announced projects suggests that much of the foreign capital may contribute indirectly by lowering financing costs rather than driving immediate, measurable increases in U.S. capital formation.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45528339/us-assets-still-vital-in-global-portfolios-despite-debt-downgrade-blackrock">US Assets Still Vital In Global Portfolios Despite Debt Downgrade: BlackRock </a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Trump's $6 Trillion Investment Deals Face Reality Check: Only A Fraction May Reach The Real Economy

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) announced an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/05/b45515224/red-hat-and-amd-strengthen-strategic-collaboration-expand-customer-choice-for-ai-and-virtualizatio" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">expanded partnership</a> with Red Hat Inc. Tuesday to boost artificial intelligence capabilities and modernize virtualization across hybrid cloud environments.
The collaboration integrates AMD&#8217;s high-performance computing hardware with Red Hat&#8217;s open-source platforms to support enterprise demand for scalable and cost-efficient AI solutions.
As part of the effort, AMD Instinct GPUs are now fully supported on Red Hat OpenShift AI, allowing developers to run both small and large language models on a single virtual machine. Recent tests using Microsoft Azure&#8217;s ND MI300X v5 instances showed improved efficiency and reduced infrastructure requirements.
Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization has also been validated for AMD EPYC CPUs to help organizations consolidate legacy virtual machines and container-based applications across on-premise, cloud, and hybrid environments. Supported systems include Dell PowerEdge, HPE ProLiant, and Lenovo ThinkSystem servers.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45476624/us-china-trade-truce-trumps-middle-east-deals-spark-wall-street-rally-this-week-in-markets" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">US-China Trade Truce, Trump&#8217;s Middle East Deals Spark Wall Street Rally: This Week In Markets</a>
Both companies emphasized that modernizing the current infrastructure can unlock the capacity needed for AI innovation at scale.
Recently, Advanced Micro Devices announced a $3 billion deal to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/guidance/25/05/45495637/amd-sells-off-a-5-billion-powerhouse-whats-the-catch-in-this-3-billion-deal" rel="noreferrer noopener">sell</a> its U.S.-based data center infrastructure manufacturing business to Sanmina Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SANM#NASDAQ">SANM</a>). The transaction includes $2.25 billion in cash and a $300 million premium, split equally between cash and equity. The deal also establishes a long-term strategic partnership, with AMD receiving Sanmina shares subject to a three-year lock-up.
AMD reached a 52-week high of $187.28 on July 9, 2024, and a 52-week low of $76.48 on April 8, 2025. The stock experienced a significant 39% decline from its peak in February to its trough in early April. Since then, it has rebounded over 30% from its April lows and is currently up approximately 5% year-to-date.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/25/05/45443777/best-amd-stock-rally-in-2-years-gets-a-buyback-boost" rel="noreferrer noopener">Best AMD Stock Rally In 2 Years Gets A Buyback Boost</a>
Related ETFs: Global X Artificial Intelligence &amp; Technology ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AIQ#NASDAQ">AIQ</a>), iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IGV#BATS">IGV</a>).
Price Action: AMD shares are trading lower by 1.29% at $113.26 on Tuesday&#8217;s last check.
Read Next: 
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/05/45503727/nvidias-key-differentiators-include-its-ability-to-expand-its-addressable-market-analyst" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nvidia&#8217;s Key Differentiators Include Its Ability To Expand Its Addressable Market: Analyst</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

SANM

AMD Expands Red Hat Partnership To Power Scalable AI And Hybrid Cloud

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Here's the list of options activity happening in today's session: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/23/25</td>
<td>$140.00</td>
<td>$119.4K</td>
<td>62.8K</td>
<td>58.8K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$400.00</td>
<td>$47.4K</td>
<td>6.4K</td>
<td>20.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PLTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$125.00</td>
<td>$32.0K</td>
<td>17.9K</td>
<td>5.3K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ARM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$105.00</td>
<td>$36.2K</td>
<td>381</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CFLT</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$25.00</td>
<td>$51.9K</td>
<td>2.1K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CRWV</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$90.00</td>
<td>$54.9K</td>
<td>520</td>
<td>865</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TSM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$150.00</td>
<td>$1.3 million</td>
<td>2.7K</td>
<td>646</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>FSLR</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/23/25</td>
<td>$177.50</td>
<td>$37.7K</td>
<td>37</td>
<td>518</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/30/25</td>
<td>$265.00</td>
<td>$39.6K</td>
<td>178</td>
<td>276</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ADBE</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$392.50</td>
<td>$31.9K</td>
<td>417</td>
<td>203</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These itemized elaborations have been created using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 7 day(s) on May 23, 2025. Parties traded 859 contract(s) at a $140.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 7 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $119.4K, with a price of $139.0 per contract. There were 62860 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 58878 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MSTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, is expiring today. Parties traded 79 contract(s) at a $400.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 17 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $47.4K, with a price of $600.0 per contract. There were 6406 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 20732 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For PLTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, is expiring today. Parties traded 100 contract(s) at a $125.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $32.0K, with a price of $320.0 per contract. There were 17948 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 5331 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding ARM (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARM#NASDAQ">ARM</a>), we observe a call option sweep with neutral sentiment. It expires in 126 day(s) on September 19, 2025. Parties traded 10 contract(s) at a $105.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $36.2K, with a price of $3618.0 per contract. There were 381 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1696 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For CFLT (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CFLT#NASDAQ">CFLT</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 35 day(s) on June 20, 2025. This event was a transfer of 799 contract(s) at a $25.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $51.9K, with a price of $65.0 per contract. There were 2113 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1050 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding CRWV (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRWV#NASDAQ">CRWV</a>), we observe a call option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 35 day(s) on June 20, 2025. Parties traded 67 contract(s) at a $90.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $54.9K, with a price of $820.0 per contract. There were 520 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 865 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding TSM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 245 day(s) on January 16, 2026. Parties traded 260 contract(s) at a $150.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 54 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $1.3 million, with a price of $5290.0 per contract. There were 2748 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 646 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding FSLR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FSLR#NASDAQ">FSLR</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 7 day(s) on May 23, 2025. Parties traded 62 contract(s) at a $177.50 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 26 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $37.7K, with a price of $605.0 per contract. There were 37 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 518 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For IBM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 14 day(s) on May 30, 2025. This event was a transfer of 72 contract(s) at a $265.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $39.6K, with a price of $550.0 per contract. There were 178 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 276 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For ADBE (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ADBE#NASDAQ">ADBE</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be neutral, is expiring today. Parties traded 14 contract(s) at a $392.50 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 8 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $31.9K, with a price of $2291.0 per contract. There were 417 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 203 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more about unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Options

ADBE

CFLT

CRWV

FSLR

MSTR

10 Information Technology Stocks With Whale Alerts In Today's Session

7 analysts have shared their evaluations of IBM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) during the recent three months, expressing a mix of bullish and bearish perspectives.
Summarizing their recent assessments, the table below illustrates the evolving sentiments in the past 30 days and compares them to the preceding months.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th></th>
<th align="right">Bullish</th>
<th align="right">Somewhat Bullish</th>
<th align="right">Indifferent</th>
<th align="right">Somewhat Bearish</th>
<th align="right">Bearish</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Total Ratings</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">4</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Last 30D</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1M Ago</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2M Ago</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3M Ago</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
In the assessment of 12-month price targets, analysts unveil insights for IBM, presenting an average target of $261.29, a high estimate of $300.00, and a low estimate of $170.00. Observing a 0.55% increase, the current average has risen from the previous average price target of $259.86. 
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1747346488_0.png" alt="price target chart" />
<h2>Understanding Analyst Ratings: A Comprehensive Breakdown</h2>
The analysis of recent analyst actions sheds light on the perception of IBM by financial experts. The following summary presents key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Analyst</th>
<th>Analyst Firm</th>
<th>Action Taken</th>
<th>Rating</th>
<th>Current Price Target</th>
<th>Prior Price Target</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Matthew Swanson</td>
<td>RBC Capital</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$285.00</td>
<td>$276.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Daniel Ives</td>
<td>Wedbush</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$300.00</td>
<td>$300.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>David Vogt</td>
<td>UBS</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Sell</td>
<td>$170.00</td>
<td>$160.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Erik Woodring</td>
<td>Morgan Stanley</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Equal-Weight</td>
<td>$233.00</td>
<td>$237.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Daniel Ives</td>
<td>Wedbush</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$300.00</td>
<td>$300.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Matthew Swanson</td>
<td>RBC Capital</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$276.00</td>
<td>$276.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Brent Thill</td>
<td>Jefferies</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Hold</td>
<td>$265.00</td>
<td>$270.00</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Key Insights:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Action Taken: Analysts respond to changes in market conditions and company performance, frequently updating their recommendations. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise' or 'Lower' their stance, it reflects their reaction to recent developments related to IBM. This information offers a snapshot of how analysts perceive the current state of the company.</li>
<li>Rating: Offering insights into predictions, analysts assign qualitative values, from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings convey expectations for the relative performance of IBM compared to the broader market.</li>
<li>Price Targets: Understanding forecasts, analysts offer estimates for IBM's future value. Examining the current and prior targets provides insight into analysts' changing expectations.</li>
</ul>
Navigating through these analyst evaluations alongside other financial indicators can contribute to a holistic understanding of IBM's market standing. Stay informed and make data-driven decisions with our Ratings Table.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/IBM/analyst-ratings?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=analyst-ratings&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Stay up to date on IBM analyst ratings.</a>
<h2>All You Need to Know About IBM</h2>
IBM looks to be a part of every aspect of an enterprise's IT needs. The company primarily sells software, IT services, consulting, and hardware. IBM operates in 175 countries and employs approximately 300,000 people. The company has a robust roster of business partners to service its clients, which include 95% of all Fortune 500 companies. Primary products include its mainframes, Red Hat software, transaction processing software, and IT consulting.
<h3>A Deep Dive into IBM's Financials</h3>
Market Capitalization: Boasting an elevated market capitalization, the company surpasses industry averages. This signals substantial size and strong market recognition.
Positive Revenue Trend: Examining IBM's financials over 3M reveals a positive narrative. The company achieved a noteworthy revenue growth rate of 0.55% as of 31 March, 2025, showcasing a substantial increase in top-line earnings. As compared to its peers, the revenue growth lags behind its industry peers. The company achieved a growth rate lower than the average among peers in Information Technology sector.
Net Margin: IBM's net margin excels beyond industry benchmarks, reaching 7.26%. This signifies efficient cost management and strong financial health.
Return on Equity (ROE): IBM's ROE surpasses industry standards, highlighting the company's exceptional financial performance. With an impressive 3.89% ROE, the company effectively utilizes shareholder equity capital.
Return on Assets (ROA): The company's ROA is a standout performer, exceeding industry averages. With an impressive ROA of 0.75%, the company showcases effective utilization of assets.
Debt Management: The company faces challenges in debt management with a debt-to-equity ratio higher than the industry average. With a ratio of 2.49, caution is advised due to increased financial risk.
<h2>Analyst Ratings: Simplified</h2>
Experts in banking and financial systems, analysts specialize in reporting for specific stocks or defined sectors. Their comprehensive research involves attending company conference calls and meetings, analyzing financial statements, and engaging with insiders to generate what are known as analyst ratings for stocks. Typically, analysts assess and rate each stock once per quarter.
Some analysts publish their predictions for metrics such as growth estimates, earnings, and revenue to provide additional guidance with their ratings. When using analyst ratings, it is important to keep in mind that stock and sector analysts are also human and are only offering their opinions to investors.
If you want to keep track of which analysts are outperforming others, you can view updated analyst ratings along withanalyst success scores in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Breaking: Wall Street's Next Big Mover
Benzinga's #1 analyst just identified a stock poised for explosive growth. This under-the-radar company could surge 200%+ as major market shifts unfold. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/turning-point-trader-checkout-2/?t=Tu1tu3arja3be22tu36&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=analyst-ratings&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantag">Click here for urgent details</a>.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

What 7 Analyst Ratings Have To Say About IBM

RBC Capital analyst Matthew Swanson maintains IBM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) with a Outperform and raises the price target from $276 to $285.

RBC Capital Maintains Outperform on IBM, Raises Price Target to $285

Tuesday was a bullish eye-opener for investors in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/technology-stocks" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. tech stocks</a>, as it&#8217;s becoming crystal clear that the AI Revolution has found its next major area of penetration: Saudi Arabia, Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives said.
Joining President Trump and his team of advisors on this key trip to the Middle East starting at the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum he was joined by titans of the tech world including Nvidia Corp&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) Godfather of AI Jensen, Elon Musk, Amazon.Com Inc&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) Andy Jassy, Palantir Technologies Inc&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>) Alex Karp, Alphabet Inc&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Ruth Porat, International Business Machines Corp&#8217;s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) Arvind Krishna, OpenAI&#8217;s Sam Altman, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) Lisa Su, among other prominent tech leaders.
The theme was clear in Riyadh: the AI Revolution is coming to the Saudi Kingdom, and Riyadh will be a major buyer of AI chips, software, autonomous robotics, and data centers over the next decade.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/buybacks/25/05/45410939/amd-stock-pops-on-6-billion-buyback-plan-us-tariff-ease" rel="noreferrer noopener">AMD Stock Pops On $6 Billion Buyback Plan, U.S. Tariff Ease</a>
Coming off a major US and China trade deal this weekend in Switzerland, which was a &#8220;dream scenario&#8221; for the markets and bullish tech investors, the tone in Riyadh has been about the bright green light on the massive AI buildout in Saudi, and this could open up a vast opportunity and TAM for Nvidia, Palantir, Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), Amazon, Alphabet, Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) and many other well-positioned chip/software names over the coming years.
Ives noted that the market opportunity in Saudi Arabia could add another $1 trillion to the broader global AI market in the coming years, and this dynamic is not being priced into the market and tech names.
Trump granted the Crown Prince&#8217;s new AI company, Humain (PIF AI subsidiary), a major strategic partnership with Nvidia in which Jensen &amp; Co. will sell 18,000 next-generation Blackwell chips in the first deployment to power a Saudi supercomputer.
Over the next five years, Saudi Arabia will construct major data centers to train and deploy the Kingdom&#8217;s sovereign AI models.
This technology innovation is part of Saudi Arabia&#8217;s Vision 2030 initiative to move away from dependence and focus on technology and other strategic initiatives.
This is all part of a regional focus in the Middle East on building out data centers and the AI Revolution, which will start to vault UAE, Saudi, and Qatar to the priority list for U.S. tech companies. It also speaks to this global game of high-stakes poker being played by the Trump Administration, as while China is getting restrictions from Nvidia&#8217;s older H20 chip slowing down the AI buildout in Beijing, on the contrary, Ives noted Saudi getting the best Nvidia next-generation chips with a red carpet rollout from the rest of the Big Tech world.
China is taking notice, which will add to the drama of the broader U.S.-China tariff talks over the coming months.
This Saudi development is a significant trend to focus on over the coming months. As per the analyst, the AI theme is a bullish indicator that further shows the U.S. tech&#8217;s lead in this fourth Industrial Revolution.
He stated that there is one chip fueling this generational spending: the Godfather of AI, Jensen and Nvidia. This will be just the beginning as tech players like the hyperscalers, Palantir, Tesla, and others see the game-changing AI market opportunity in the Middle East. Ives expects bigger AI deals on the horizon, Ives added.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45411148/taiwan-semiconductor-commits-15-billion-to-chip-expansion-approves-dividend-amid-rising-global-demand" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Taiwan Semiconductor Commits $15 Billion To Chip Expansion, Approves Dividend</a></li>
</ul>
Photo by AKOBCHUK V via Shuttesrtock

Nvidia, Amazon, Tesla, Palantir Among Top Beneficiaries Of $1 Trillion Saudi Arabia AI Push, Analyst Says

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on IBM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>).
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether this is an institution or just a wealthy individual, we don't know. But when something this big happens with IBM, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 17 options trades for IBM.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 23% bullish and 64%, bearish.
Out of all of the options we uncovered, 16 are puts, for a total amount of $961,274, and there was 1 call, for a total amount of $28,960.
<h3>Expected Price Movements</h3>
Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $200.0 to $260.0 for IBM over the recent three months. 
<h3>Analyzing Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
Assessing the volume and open interest is a strategic step in options trading. These metrics shed light on the liquidity and investor interest in IBM's options at specified strike prices. The forthcoming data visualizes the fluctuation in volume and open interest for both calls and puts, linked to IBM's substantial trades, within a strike price spectrum from $200.0 to $260.0 over the preceding 30 days.
<h3>IBM 30-Day Option Volume &amp; Interest Snapshot</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1747242143_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Significant Options Trades Detected:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th align="right">Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>08/15/25</td>
<td>$13.5</td>
<td>$13.45</td>
<td>$13.5</td>
<td>$255.00</td>
<td>$130.8K</td>
<td align="right">45</td>
<td>3.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>08/15/25</td>
<td>$13.5</td>
<td>$13.45</td>
<td>$13.53</td>
<td>$255.00</td>
<td>$98.4K</td>
<td align="right">45</td>
<td>3.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>08/15/25</td>
<td>$13.4</td>
<td>$13.35</td>
<td>$13.4</td>
<td>$255.00</td>
<td>$93.6K</td>
<td align="right">45</td>
<td>2.3K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>08/15/25</td>
<td>$13.4</td>
<td>$13.1</td>
<td>$13.4</td>
<td>$255.00</td>
<td>$93.4K</td>
<td align="right">45</td>
<td>2.3K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>08/15/25</td>
<td>$13.5</td>
<td>$13.45</td>
<td>$13.52</td>
<td>$255.00</td>
<td>$93.2K</td>
<td align="right">45</td>
<td>3.0K</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About IBM</h3>
IBM looks to be a part of every aspect of an enterprise's IT needs. The company primarily sells software, IT services, consulting, and hardware. IBM operates in 175 countries and employs approximately 300,000 people. The company has a robust roster of business partners to service its clients, which include 95% of all Fortune 500 companies. Primary products include its mainframes, Red Hat software, transaction processing software, and IT consulting.
<h3>IBM's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a volume of 1,470,659, the price of IBM is down -0.67% at $256.85. </li>
<li>RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock may be approaching overbought.</li>
<li>Next earnings are expected to be released in 70 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What The Experts Say On IBM</h3>
Over the past month, 4 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $250.75.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=Be8be9arja3be22bz20&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=options-activity&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Wedbush has revised its rating downward to Outperform, adjusting the price target to $300. 
&#x2A; Reflecting concerns, an analyst from Wedbush lowers its rating to Outperform with a new price target of $300. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Morgan Stanley persists with their Equal-Weight rating on IBM, maintaining a target price of $233. 
&#x2A; An analyst from UBS has decided to maintain their Sell rating on IBM, which currently sits at a price target of $170. 
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for IBM, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a> gives you real-time options trades alerts.

Decoding IBM's Options Activity: What's the Big Picture?

General

Finanz Informatik And IBM  Expand Collaboration; IBM To Support Finanz Informatik In Its Strategic Initiatives With AI, Automation, And Hybrid Cloud Technology

Benzinga examined the prospects for <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">many investors' favorite stocks</a> over the last week — here's a look at some of our top stories.
U.S. markets experienced a notable upswing this week, driven by President Donald Trump's announcement of a trade agreement with the United Kingdom. The deal includes reductions in tariffs on UK automobiles, steel, and aluminum, and grants the UK access to the U.S. beef market. This development spurred optimism for potential future trade agreements and contributed to a rally in equities, with the S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq posting gains. Additionally, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) surpassed the $100,000 mark, reflecting increased investor confidence and a shift toward riskier assets.
Despite the positive market response, concerns about the broader economic outlook persist. The Federal Reserve opted to maintain current interest rates, citing uncertainties related to the new tariff policies and their potential impact on inflation and employment. Analysts warn of the risk of stagflation — a combination of stagnant economic growth and high inflation—especially as the effects of the tariffs become more pronounced.
Looking ahead, high-level trade discussions between U.S. and Chinese officials are scheduled, aiming to address ongoing tensions and possibly adjust existing tariffs. Investors are closely monitoring these developments, as outcomes could significantly influence market dynamics and economic forecasts in the coming months.
Benzinga provides daily reports on the stocks most popular with investors. Here are a few of this past week's most bullish and bearish posts that are worth another look.

The Bulls
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45259042/ibm-thinks-big-ai-delivers-bigger-why-bulls-are-charging-toward-300">"IBM Thinks Big, AI Delivers Bigger – Why Bulls Are Charging Toward $300"</a>, by Surbhi Jain, reports that International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) shares have climbed 48% over the past year and 13% year-to-date, driven by strong technical indicators and a bullish AI strategy, prompting Wedbush analyst Dan Ives to reiterate an Outperform rating with a $300 price target.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45295534/novavax-reports-q1-profit-as-revenue-surges-to-over-600-million-and-lower-costs-raises-2025-forecasts">"Novavax reports Q1 profit as revenue surges to over $600 million and lower costs, raises 2025 forecasts"</a>, by Vandana Singh, reports that Novavax Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVAX#NASDAQ">NVAX</a>) posted a Q1 profit of $2.93 per share on $667 million in revenue — driven by $603 million from terminated advance purchase agreements — while raising its 2025 revenue forecast to $975 million-$1.025 billion and noting ongoing discussions with the FDA for full approval of its COVID-19 vaccine.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45297555/hims-hers-stocks-100-surge-is-squeezing-shorts-and-it-might-just-be-getting-started">"Hims &amp; Hers stock's 100% surge is squeezing shorts—and it might just be getting started"</a>, by Surbhi Jain, reports that Hims &amp; Hers Health Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HIMS#NYSE">HIMS</a>) shares have doubled over the past month, fueled by strong Q1 earnings, a partnership with Novo Nordisk to offer Wegovy, and a high short interest of 33% of float, suggesting a classic short squeeze may be underway.
For additional bullish calls of the past week, check out the following:
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/05/45298562/chipmakers-enter-bullish-seasonal-window-5-stocks-that-could-outperform">Chipmakers Enter Bullish Seasonal Window: 5 Stocks That Could Outperform</a>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45291509/nvidia-broadcom-amd-surge-as-trump-reshapes-ai-chip-export-rules-to-ease-market-pressure">Nvidia, Broadcom, AMD Gain As Trump Reshapes AI Chip Export Rules To Ease Market Pressure</a>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/05/45268589/sunrun-stock-rallies-after-strong-q1-report-details">Sunrun Stock Rallies After Strong Q1 Report: Details</a>

The Bears
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/05/45268429/arm-holdings-stock-plunges-after-q4-results-heres-why">"Arm Holdings Stock Plunges After Q4 Results: Here's Why"</a>, by Erica Kollmann, reports that Arm Holdings plc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARM#NASDAQ">ARM</a>) shares fell nearly 9% after the company beat Q4 expectations with $1.24 billion in revenue and $0.55 EPS but issued weaker-than-expected guidance for fiscal 2026, citing uncertainty in licensing deals and global trade tensions.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45272331/super-micro-slides-as-ai-server-delays-nvidia-supply-limits-weigh-on-analyst-ratings">"Super Micro slides as AI server delays, Nvidia supply limits weigh on analyst ratings"</a>, by Anusuya Lahiri, reports that Super Micro Computer Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>) shares fell 5% after the company missed Q3 revenue and EPS expectations and issued a cautious Q4 outlook, attributing delays to customers awaiting NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) Blackwell GPUs and facing supply constraints, leading analysts to lower forecasts amid concerns over AI server demand and margin pressures.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45261806/sarepta-therapeutics-stock-sinks-on-gloomy-forecast-analysts-cut-price-forecasts">"Sarepta Therapeutics stock sinks on gloomy forecast, analysts cut price forecasts"</a>, by Vandana Singh, reports that Sarepta Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SRPT#NASDAQ">SRPT</a>) shares fell after the company posted a deeper-than-expected Q1 loss and cut its 2025 forecast due to Elevidys rollout delays, despite beating revenue estimates.
For more bearish takes, be sure to see these posts:
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/05/45239188/arista-networks-shares-fall-after-mixed-q1-results-eps-beat-revenues-miss-q2-guidance-below-estimates">Arista Networks Shares Fall After Mixed Q1 Results: EPS Beat, Revenues Miss, Q2 Guidance Below Estimates</a>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/05/45270996/cleveland-cliffs-stock-falls-on-q1-earnings-miss-steelmaker-idles-6-facilities-taking-decisive-action-to-streamline-our-operations">Cleveland-Cliffs Stock Falls On Q1 Earnings Miss, Steelmaker Idles 6 Facilities: ‘Taking Decisive Action To Streamline Our Operations'</a>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/05/45302422/coinbase-q1-earnings-highlights-revenue-eps-miss-2025">Coinbase Slips On Q1 Miss, Highlights SEC ‘Win' And Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Executive Order</a>

Keep up with all the latest breaking news and trading ideas by following <a href="https://twitter.com/Benzinga" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga</a><a href="http://twitter.com/Benzinga" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> on X</a>.
Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

$BTC

AMAT

ANET

AVGO

COIN

Hims & Hers Health, Inc. Class A Common Stock

HIMS

MRVL

NVAX

ORCL

SMCI

iShares PHLX SOX Semiconductor Sector Index Fund

SOXX

SRPT

Benzinga Bulls And Bears: IBM, Novavax, Arm Holdings — And UK Trade Deal Boosts Markets

IBM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) held its Think 2025 event in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45259042/ibm-thinks-big-ai-delivers-bigger-why-bulls-are-charging-toward-300">Boston on Tuesday. </a> 
The key takeaway from the event is the company's portfolio of software products and services being "integral to large enterprise customers as they leverage AI across their organizations," according to Goldman Sachs.
The IBM Analyst: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/analyst/5805f8a2846faa000106ab15/james-schneider">Analyst James Schneider</a> maintained a Buy rating and price target of $270.
The IBM Thesis: The company launched LinuxONE 5, which enables 450 billion secure AI inference operations per day, Schneider said in the note.
Check out <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings">other analyst stock ratings</a>.
The company also introduced an upgraded watsonx.data, which taps unstructured data to increase accuracy of AI agents, he added.
"CEO Arvind Krishna noted that AI is shifting from experimentation to delivering measurable business value, with an emphasis on productivity and cost efficiency," the analyst wrote.
IBM projected that AI agents could power 30% of the one billion new applications by 2028, he further stated.
By applying its AI solutions internally, the company can "support ongoing margin expansion and FCF growth &#8211; even as it executes on M&amp;A," Schneider said.
IBM Price Action: Shares of IBM were up 1.1% to $252.02 at the time of publication on Wednesday.
Read More: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45218573/ibms-ai-watsonx-integrates-with-oracle-cloud-to-boost-enterprise-productivity">IBM AI Watsonx Integrates With Oracle Cloud To Boost Enterprise Productivity</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Long Ideas

Movers

IBM's AI Push Takes Center Stage At Think 2025, Goldman Sees Path To Margin Growth

Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives reiterates IBM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) with a Outperform and maintains $300 price target.

Wedbush Reiterates Outperform on IBM, Maintains $300 Price Target

IBM's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) stock is strutting like it owns the runway. Up 48% in the past year and 13% just this year, the legacy tech giant is flexing serious momentum and the charts are confirming it.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0507"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="633" height="488" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/07082641/Screenshot-2025-05-07-at-5.56.20-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-905522" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/07082641/Screenshot-2025-05-07-at-5.56.20-PM.png 633w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/07082641/Screenshot-2025-05-07-at-5.56.20-PM-300x231.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 633px) 100vw, 633px" /></a></figure>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0507">Chart created using Benzinga Pro</a>
Trading at $249.12, IBM stock sits comfortably above its five, 20 and 50-day moving averages, with a bullish MACD (moving average convergence/divergence) and RSI (relative strength index) suggesting there's still gas in the tank. Technical traders call it &#8216;strongly bullish.&#8217; Bulls call it a &#8220;no-brainer."
But IBM isn't just riding the AI wave &#8211; it's building the surfboard. At the IBM Think conference in Boston, analysts came away impressed with the company's laser-focused AI and hybrid cloud strategy. 
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45218573/ibms-ai-watsonx-integrates-with-oracle-cloud-to-boost-enterprise-productivity">IBM AI Watsonx Integrates With Oracle Cloud To Boost Enterprise Productivity</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why Dan Ives Is &#8216;Incrementally More Bullish&#8217; On IBM</h2>
Wedbush's Dan Ives is going full throttle, reiterating an Outperform rating and setting a $300 price target. He left the event "incrementally more bullish," noting IBM's sprawling AI use cases, including 70+ AI-infused workflows and over $5B already tied to its generative AI business.
The Z17 mainframe is back in the spotlight, Watsonx Orchestrate lets users build AI agents in minutes, and management is even cozying up with Meta to potentially integrate into the Llama LLM stack. As Ives puts it, IBM's stack is "built for the enterprise AI revolution."
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">JPMorgan Says IBM Is Leading By Example</h2>
JPMorgan's Brian Essex is more measured, holding a Neutral rating, but even he admits IBM is leading by example. He highlighted IBM's internal AI efforts, which have saved $3.5 billion, automating everything from HR to financial forecasting, and proving it&#8217;s not just selling AI—it's living it.
With HashiCorp integration unlocking hybrid automation and a bet on small models paying off, IBM seems determined to reinvent enterprise tech one AI agent at a time.
IBM isn't your grandfather's tech stock anymore. It's leaner, smarter and increasingly essential in the AI-powered future of enterprise.
Don't be surprised if $300 is just the next pit stop.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/05/45251508/warren-buffett-falls-behind-nancy-pelosi-in-stock-market-returns-over-the-last-11-years-heres-what-data-shows">Warren Buffett Falls Behind Nancy Pelosi In Stock Market Returns Over The Last 11 Years: Here&#8217;s What Data Shows</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Technicals

IBM Thinks Big, AI Delivers Bigger – Why Bulls Are Charging Toward $300

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Here's the list of options activity happening in today's session: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/09/25</td>
<td>$110.00</td>
<td>$38.9K</td>
<td>27.3K</td>
<td>49.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AAPL</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/09/25</td>
<td>$197.50</td>
<td>$39.0K</td>
<td>3.9K</td>
<td>12.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/09/25</td>
<td>$385.00</td>
<td>$42.5K</td>
<td>1.8K</td>
<td>8.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$240.00</td>
<td>$168.2K</td>
<td>3.2K</td>
<td>1.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSFT</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$440.00</td>
<td>$70.0K</td>
<td>19.0K</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>APP</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>05/09/25</td>
<td>$340.00</td>
<td>$30.2K</td>
<td>320</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WDC</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$42.50</td>
<td>$117.0K</td>
<td>920</td>
<td>488</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DDOG</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/09/25</td>
<td>$102.00</td>
<td>$51.5K</td>
<td>348</td>
<td>328</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DELL</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$31.1K</td>
<td>7.5K</td>
<td>322</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PANW</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$185.00</td>
<td>$29.2K</td>
<td>2.1K</td>
<td>279</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• For NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 3 day(s) on May 9, 2025. This event was a transfer of 351 contract(s) at a $110.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $38.9K, with a price of $111.0 per contract. There were 27300 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 49958 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding AAPL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 3 day(s) on May 9, 2025. Parties traded 100 contract(s) at a $197.50 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 16 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $39.0K, with a price of $390.0 per contract. There were 3938 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 12144 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MSTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), we observe a call option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 3 day(s) on May 9, 2025. Parties traded 50 contract(s) at a $385.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $42.5K, with a price of $850.0 per contract. There were 1825 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 8633 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding IBM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 45 day(s) on June 20, 2025. Parties traded 290 contract(s) at a $240.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 14 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $168.2K, with a price of $580.0 per contract. There were 3214 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1798 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MSFT (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be neutral, expiring in 45 day(s) on June 20, 2025. This event was a transfer of 55 contract(s) at a $440.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 11 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $70.0K, with a price of $1270.0 per contract. There were 19036 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1639 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For APP (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APP#NASDAQ">APP</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be neutral, expiring in 3 day(s) on May 9, 2025. This event was a transfer of 20 contract(s) at a $340.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $30.2K, with a price of $1542.0 per contract. There were 320 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1103 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For WDC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WDC#NASDAQ">WDC</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 136 day(s) on September 19, 2025. This event was a transfer of 200 contract(s) at a $42.50 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $117.0K, with a price of $585.0 per contract. There were 920 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 488 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For DDOG (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DDOG#NASDAQ">DDOG</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 3 day(s) on May 9, 2025. This event was a transfer of 100 contract(s) at a $102.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $51.5K, with a price of $515.0 per contract. There were 348 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 328 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding DELL (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DELL#NYSE">DELL</a>), we observe a put option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 136 day(s) on September 19, 2025. Parties traded 21 contract(s) at a $100.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $31.1K, with a price of $1485.0 per contract. There were 7513 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 322 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For PANW (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PANW#NASDAQ">PANW</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 255 day(s) on January 16, 2026. This event was a transfer of 10 contract(s) at a $185.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $29.2K, with a price of $2920.0 per contract. There were 2130 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 279 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more about unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

DDOG

DELL

PANW

International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) on Tuesday disclosed a collaboration with Oracle Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>) to integrate IBM&#8217;s premier AI platform, Watsonx, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/05/n45213081/ibm-and-oracle-expand-partnership-to-advance-agentic-ai-and-hybrid-cloud" rel="noreferrer noopener">with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI)</a>.
This latest development in their partnership aims to leverage OCI&#8217;s built-in AI capabilities to foster a new wave of AI-powered productivity and efficiency across businesses, particularly through multi-agentic systems.
IBM&#8217;s Watsonx Orchestrate AI agents will be available on OCI in July, integrating with Oracle&#8217;s AI Agent Studio and OCI AI services for unified multi-agent management across Oracle and non-Oracle systems.
Initially focused on HR, watsonx Orchestrate on OCI (Red Hat OpenShift) supports various cloud regions and hybrid deployments, performing AI inferencing on OCI.
Greg Pavlik, executive vice president, AI and Data Management Services, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, said, &#8220;IBM and Oracle have been collaborating to drive customer success for decades, and our expanded partnership will provide customers new ways to help transform their businesses with AI.&#8221;
In a separate release, IBM introduced new hybrid cloud technologies designed to overcome traditional <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/05/n45213085/ibm-accelerates-enterprise-gen-ai-revolution-with-hybrid-capabilities" rel="noreferrer noopener">obstacles in scaling enterprise AI</a>.
The company projects that the app landscape will explode to over a billion by 2028, intensifying the pressure on organizations to achieve scalability across increasingly complex and fragmented IT ecosystems.
In April, the company disclosed a&nbsp;$150 billion&nbsp;investment plan in the U.S.&nbsp;over the next five years to drive economic growth and strengthen its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/45041909" rel="noreferrer noopener">position as a global computing leader</a>.
Investors can gain exposure to the stock via&nbsp;First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TDIV#NASDAQ">TDIV</a>) and&nbsp;FT Vest Technology Dividend Target Income ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TDVI#BATS">TDVI</a>).
Price Action: IBM shares are down 0.59% at $247.70 premarket at the last check on Tuesday.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/04/44987653/ibms-shares-drop-sharply-after-q1-report-analysts-say-its-overdone-revenue-growth-to-accelerate" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IBM&#8217;s Shares Drop Sharply After Q1 Report: Analysts Say It&#8217;s Overdone, Revenue Growth To Accelerate</a></li>
</ul>
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Unusual Options Activity for

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벤징가 글로벌

Date	Put/Call	Strike Price	Exp Date	DTE	Trade Vol	Day Vol	Vol / OI	OI	Trade Type	Sentiment
11:23 AMMay 13, 2025	CALL	$270.00	Jan 16, 2026	229	703	700	67	1048	TRADE	BULLISH
01:28 PMMay 06, 2025	PUT	$245.00	Aug 15, 2025	75	1511	580	18888	8	SWEEP	BEARISH
01:28 PMMay 06, 2025	PUT	$245.00	Aug 15, 2025	75	1511	438	18888	8	SWEEP	BEARISH
11:09 AMMay 06, 2025	CALL	$220.00	Jan 15, 2027	593	100	100	21	470	SWEEP	BULLISH