International Business Machines Corp. director David N. Farr reported the acquisition of 1,000 shares of IBM common stock, according to a Form 4 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The purchase was executed on January 30, 2026, at a price of $304.0 per share, for a reported total of $304,000. After completing the trade, Farr directly holds 9,258 shares of IBM.
The insider purchase follows IBM's release of fourth-quarter results in which the company posted revenue of $19.7 billion and earnings per share of $4.52. Those figures exceeded the expectations cited in the filing, where consensus revenue and EPS were $19.2 billion and $4.31 respectively.
Market analysts and credit watchers provided contemporaneous reactions. Bernstein analyst Mark C. Newman raised IBM's price target to $330 while keeping a Market Perform rating. Separately, Evercore ISI maintained an Outperform rating with a $345 price target, although IBM was removed from the firm’s Tactical Outperform list.
On the credit side, Moody's Ratings affirmed IBM's A3 senior unsecured rating and revised the outlook to stable from negative, attributing the adjustment to strong operating performance. Corporate governance changes announced by the company include the election of Ramon Laguarta, the CEO of PepsiCo, to IBM's board of directors, with the appointment effective March 1, 2026.
IBM also issued guidance for fiscal year 2026, projecting revenue growth of more than 5% at constant currency. Taken together, the insider purchase, the quarterly beat, analyst price target updates, the credit assessment by Moody's, the board appointment, and the 2026 guidance were cited in the filing as context around the firm's recent strategic and financial positioning.
Key points
- David N. Farr purchased 1,000 IBM shares on January 30, 2026, at $304.0 per share, increasing his direct holdings to 9,258 shares.
- IBM reported Q4 revenue of $19.7 billion and EPS of $4.52, beating the cited consensus of $19.2 billion and $4.31.
- Analyst and rating developments include Bernstein raising its price target to $330, Evercore ISI's Outperform rating with a $345 target, Moody's affirmation of an A3 rating with a stable outlook, and the election of Ramon Laguarta to the board; IBM guided to fiscal 2026 revenue growth of more than 5% at constant currency.
Risks and uncertainties
- Future financial performance could diverge from the company’s fiscal 2026 guidance, which may affect investor evaluations and analyst ratings.
- Changes in analyst sentiment or credit assessments could alter market perception of IBM and influence investor decision making.
- Corporate governance shifts, such as board composition changes, introduce execution and oversight uncertainties for stakeholders.
This report presents filings and corporate disclosures as reported in the Form 4 and related company communications. It does not offer recommendations or projections beyond the information provided in those disclosures.