WallStSmart

Cigna Corp (CI)vsInternational Business Machines (IBM)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Cigna Corp generates 303% more annual revenue ($277.89B vs $68.91B). IBM leads profitability with a 15.6% profit margin vs 2.3%. CI appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 0.82. CI earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 68/100 (B-).

CI

Strong Buy

68

out of 100

Grade: B-

Growth: 6.7Profit: 6.0Value: 9.3Quality: 4.8
Piotroski: 2/9

IBM

Buy

60

out of 100

Grade: C

Growth: 5.3Profit: 7.5Value: 4.0Quality: 4.0
Piotroski: 3/9Altman Z: 2.29
IV

Intrinsic Value Comparison

Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula

CIUndervalued (+79.8%)

Margin of Safety

+79.8%

Fair Value

$1364.02

Current Price

$281.98

$1082.04 discount

UndervaluedFair: $1364.02Overvalued
IBMSignificantly Overvalued (-28.5%)

Margin of Safety

-28.5%

Fair Value

$178.18

Current Price

$225.74

$47.56 premium

UndervaluedFair: $178.18Overvalued

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

CI5 strengths · Avg: 8.6/10
P/E RatioValuation
12.0x10/10

Attractively priced relative to earnings

Market CapQuality
$74.83B9/10

Large-cap with strong market position

PEG RatioValuation
0.828/10

Growing faster than its price suggests

Price/BookValuation
1.8x8/10

Reasonable price relative to book value

EPS GrowthGrowth
29.1%8/10

Earnings expanding 29.1% YoY

IBM3 strengths · Avg: 9.3/10
Market CapQuality
$218.24B10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

Return on EquityProfitability
35.8%10/10

Every $100 of equity generates 36 in profit

Free Cash FlowQuality
$4.78B8/10

Generating 4.8B in free cash flow

Areas to Watch

CI3 concerns · Avg: 3.3/10
Revenue GrowthGrowth
4.6%4/10

4.6% revenue growth

Profit MarginProfitability
2.3%3/10

2.3% margin — thin

Piotroski F-ScoreQuality
2/93/10

Weak financial health signals

IBM3 concerns · Avg: 2.7/10
PEG RatioValuation
2.184/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

Piotroski F-ScoreQuality
3/93/10

Weak financial health signals

Debt/EquityHealth
2.061/10

Elevated debt levels

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull Case : CI

The strongest argument for CI centers on P/E Ratio, Market Cap, PEG Ratio. PEG of 0.82 suggests the stock is reasonably priced for its growth.

Bull Case : IBM

The strongest argument for IBM centers on Market Cap, Return on Equity, Free Cash Flow. Profitability is solid with margins at 15.6% and operating margin at 13.8%.

Bear Case : CI

The primary concerns for CI are Revenue Growth, Profit Margin, Piotroski F-Score. Thin 2.3% margins leave little buffer for downturns.

Bear Case : IBM

The primary concerns for IBM are PEG Ratio, Piotroski F-Score, Debt/Equity. Debt-to-equity of 2.06 is elevated, increasing financial risk.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

CI profiles as a value stock while IBM is a mature play — different risk/reward profiles.

IBM carries more volatility with a beta of 0.69 — expect wider price swings.

IBM is growing revenue faster at 9.5% — sustainability is the question.

IBM generates stronger free cash flow (4.8B), providing more financial flexibility.

Bottom Line

CI scores higher overall (68/100 vs 60/100). Both earn "Strong Buy" and "Buy" ratings respectively — the choice depends on your investment horizon and risk tolerance.

This analysis is generated from publicly available financial data. Not financial advice.

Cigna Corp

HEALTHCARE · HEALTHCARE PLANS · USA

Cigna is an American multinational managed healthcare and insurance company based in Bloomfield, Connecticut. Its insurance subsidiaries are major providers of medical, dental, disability, life and accident insurance and related products and services, the majority of which are offered through employers and other groups (e.g. governmental and non-governmental organizations, unions and associations).

Visit Website →

International Business Machines

TECHNOLOGY · INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES · USA

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Armonk, New York, with operations in over 170 countries. The company began in 1911, founded in Endicott, New York, as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR) and was renamed International Business Machines in 1924. IBM is incorporated in New York. IBM produces and sells computer hardware, middleware and software, and provides hosting and consulting services in areas ranging from mainframe computers to nanotechnology. IBM is also a major research organization, holding the record for most annual U.S. patents generated by a business (as of 2020) for 28 consecutive years. Inventions by IBM include the automated teller machine (ATM), the floppy disk, the hard disk drive, the magnetic stripe card, the relational database, the SQL programming language, the UPC barcode, and dynamic random-access memory (DRAM). The IBM mainframe, exemplified by the System/360, was the dominant computing platform during the 1960s and 1970s.

Visit Website →

Want to dig deeper into these stocks?