Continue reading Is IBM Headed to $200 and Beyond?

Is IBM Headed to $200 and Beyond? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) is down 1.2% to $159.86 as I write this during the afternoon session. Volume is below average, however. More perspective: the 52-week low is $116 and the 52-week high is $166.25. Here's the one-year chart.

A few days ago, IBM received a positive initiation from CLSA, according to our Analyst Calls piece. The stock was given an outperform rating. Indeed, this company has been impressive as of late. I enjoyed the fourth-quarter results myself.

Continue reading IBM: How Is the Stock Doing

IBM: How Is the Stock Doing originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I first wrote about International Business Machines (IBM) in February 2009 at a price of $91.51, and the stock continues to power higher -- clearing psychological resistance at $150. Now may be a good time to consider taking some profits.

However, those investors who can tolerate the risk can maintain their full position to go for a bigger gain. IBM's shares will likely trade above $180 by the end of 2011. If Big Blue approaches $195 in 2011, that would be another good to time to consider taking some profits.

Continue reading IBM: Time to Take Some Profits with Big Blue?

IBM: Time to Take Some Profits with Big Blue? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 30 Jan 2011 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) issued its Q4 report after the bell today. At the time of this writing, shares were up 2.4% to $154.25 on the news in the extended-hours session. So, is IBM a buy at this point? After all, that quote means that the stock has now gone beyond the new 52-week high of $151.47 that was set earlier in the intraday session.

You know, buying high can be scary and ill-advised. Still, I like IBM's prospects. According to the Associated Press, earnings of $4.24 per share went beyond the overall prediction by sixteen pennies. Net sales also impressed.

Continue reading IBM's Q4: Thesis Remains Viable

IBM's Q4: Thesis Remains Viable originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading IBM to Report Q4 Earnings

IBM to Report Q4 Earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• "This is not a rescue plan. It is the longest ransom note in history: Do what we tell you and you may, in time, get your country back," said Fintan O'Toole, a commentator and author who led a weekend protest by labor-union activists in central Dublin against the imminent bailout. He called the average interest rate being demanded "viciously extortionate."

Continue reading Chasing Value: Stocks and Irish Bailout -- ACN & IBM

Chasing Value: Stocks and Irish Bailout -- ACN & IBM originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading IBM: Buy or Sell After Q3 Earnings?

IBM: Buy or Sell After Q3 Earnings? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Oracle (ORCL), a software company whose colleagues include International Business Machines (IBM) and Microsoft (MSFT), issued its first-quarter earnings numbers Thursday after the bell. The market was quite pleased; during extended-hours trading, and at the time of writing, shares of the business were higher by 4.3% at $26.46.

That isn't far from the 52-week high of $26.63. The 52-week low for the stock is $20.10, so the range is very narrow. The one-year chart shows that the company has been on an uptrend as of late. Should you buy at this point?

Continue reading Oracle Posts a Fine Q1 -- Is Stock a Buy?

Oracle Posts a Fine Q1 -- Is Stock a Buy? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Dell: Buy or Sell?

Dell: Buy or Sell? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"We believe that high-quality stocks purchased at historically low-price-to-high-yield offers the best potential for downside protection and upside appreciation," says dividend specialist Kelley Wright.

The editor of Investment Quality Trends explains, "Here we look at three blue chip stocks that have earned our top designation for outstanding dividend growth: IBM (IBM), Automated Data Processing (ADP) and Abbott Laboratories (ABT).

Continue reading Blue Chip Trio: IBM, Abbott and Automated Data

Blue Chip Trio: IBM, Abbott and Automated Data originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here is a common sentiment about the stock market: "No fun at all. As I have said before, I believe it has turned into one big casino largely divorced from its original goal of providing capital to companies who produce something of value."

There's a lot of truth to what "granny" recently said to me in an e-mail. Fortunately she also noted "FYI Granny's up 5.86% + dividends." That would give her a gain of about 10% in the past ten months since I posted Where should granny put $50,000, suggesting a very conservative portfolio for an uncertain time.

Not only has she earned a very nice return, surpassing her CD account by 9.5% (20 fold), but she was able to do so with a great deal less volatility than the overall market most of us have lived through.

Continue reading Chasing Value: Granny Said, 'It Has Turned into One Big Casino'

Chasing Value: Granny Said, 'It Has Turned into One Big Casino' originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading IBM Tops Estimates But Revenues Fall Short

IBM Tops Estimates But Revenues Fall Short originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I first wrote about International Business Machines (IBM) in February 2009 at a price of $91.51. Shares have meandered near $129 for the past three months, but just look on that pause as a decent opportunity to consider the shares of a superior company.

Look for business model-demonstrated IBM's 2010 revenue to increase 4% to 6% amid the U.S. and global economic recoveries.

Continue reading IBM: Big Blue Still Rings True

IBM: Big Blue Still Rings True originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 09 Jul 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Dell May Not Be a Buy Just Yet

Dell May Not Be a Buy Just Yet originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 21 May 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

CA Inc. (CA), a software company that provides IT solutions, has traded in a narrow range over the past twelve months. The 52-week low is $16.12; the 52-week high is $24.15. On Friday, the stock closed down $1.37, or over 6%, to $20.51. Volume was way, way above normal. What's going on?

As you may have guessed, you can blame an earnings report for the sell-off. Adjusted earnings of 34 cents per share was two pennies below analyst expectations. Also, Bloomberg BusinessWeek states that guidance for next fiscal year's top line was slightly below estimates, and that the chief operating officer was leaving the business.

Continue reading Not Interested in CA After Q4 Report

Not Interested in CA After Q4 Report originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 15 May 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Serious Money: The Cost of Pushing Chinese Yuan Higher

Serious Money: The Cost of Pushing Chinese Yuan Higher originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

International Business Machines (IBM), whose colleagues include Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) and Microsoft (MSFT), did not disappoint with its first-quarter report, posted yesterday after the market close. However, Wall Street seemed disappointed. I'm not sure why; perhaps it's just a case of profit-taking.

In any case, the after-hours selling I saw on Monday wasn't too bad. At one point, shares were off by 2.8% -- not the worst post-earnings reaction I've ever seen. And I can tell you this: it doesn't dissuade me from feeling bullish on Big Blue.

Continue reading IBM: Should This Stock Be in Your Portfolio?

IBM: Should This Stock Be in Your Portfolio? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 20 Apr 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Understandably, the financial crisis and long recession have shaken investor confidence in Wall Street and in stock investments. Further, in uncertain times, it makes sense to prefer demonstrated business models, and International Business Machines (IBM), which I first wrote about in February 2009, at a price of $91.51, is one.

Look for IBM's 2010 revenue to increase 4% to 6% amid the U.S./global economic recoveries.

Continue reading IBM's Shares Are Headed North

IBM's Shares Are Headed North originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Microsoft (MSFT), the tech giant behind the Windows operating system, whose colleagues include Apple (AAPL), Google (GOOG), IBM (IBM), and Yahoo! (YHOO), issued Q2 numbers after the bell on Thursday. Revenues increased 14%, and diluted earnings per share went up well over 50% to 74 cents.

In terms of expectations, Earnings.com says 59 cents was the number to beat. Obviously, the company had no problem doing that. As the news outlets have been reporting, Windows 7 was the big driver of the quarter's success.

Continue reading Microsoft Q2 Earnings Jump, Aided by Windows 7

Microsoft Q2 Earnings Jump, Aided by Windows 7 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

International Business Machines (IBM) nailed another quarter. Going into the report, it was difficult to believe that Big Blue's fundamentals were going to suddenly collapse. Although they didn't, yesterday's after-hours crowd wasn't kind to the company's shares, which slid by almost 2%.

Who cares? The stats from the Q4 release should dissuade anyone from feeling bearish. Earnings per share increased 10% to $3.59. Expectations were for $3.47 per share, so congratulations are in order for another solid beat. Furthermore, gross margin experienced a nice expansion.

Continue reading IBM's Q4 Was Superb

IBM's Q4 Was Superb originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 20 Jan 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.