WallStSmart

Canadian Natural Resources Ltd (CNQ)vsInternational Business Machines (IBM)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

International Business Machines generates 74% more annual revenue ($67.53B vs $38.76B). CNQ leads profitability with a 27.9% profit margin vs 15.7%. IBM appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 2.26. IBM earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 70/100 (B-).

CNQ

Strong Buy

67

out of 100

Grade: B-

Growth: 3.3Profit: 8.5Value: 7.3Quality: 5.0

IBM

Strong Buy

70

out of 100

Grade: B-

Growth: 6.7Profit: 8.0Value: 10.0Quality: 4.0
Piotroski: 3/9Altman Z: 2.29
IV

Intrinsic Value Comparison

Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula

CNQUndervalued (+76.9%)

Margin of Safety

+76.9%

Fair Value

$175.97

Current Price

$49.02

$126.95 discount

UndervaluedFair: $175.97Overvalued
IBMUndervalued (+53.7%)

Margin of Safety

+53.7%

Fair Value

$521.35

Current Price

$241.39

$279.96 discount

UndervaluedFair: $521.35Overvalued

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

CNQ5 strengths · Avg: 8.6/10
Market CapQuality
$102.25B9/10

Large-cap with strong market position

Return on EquityProfitability
25.8%9/10

Every $100 of equity generates 26 in profit

Profit MarginProfitability
27.9%9/10

Keeps 28 of every $100 in revenue as profit

P/E RatioValuation
13.0x8/10

Attractively priced relative to earnings

Free Cash FlowQuality
$2.31B8/10

Generating 2.3B in free cash flow

IBM5 strengths · Avg: 9.2/10
Market CapQuality
$225.77B10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

Return on EquityProfitability
35.2%10/10

Every $100 of equity generates 35 in profit

EPS GrowthGrowth
89.9%10/10

Earnings expanding 89.9% YoY

Operating MarginProfitability
24.8%8/10

Strong operational efficiency at 24.8%

Free Cash FlowQuality
$3.13B8/10

Generating 3.1B in free cash flow

Areas to Watch

CNQ3 concerns · Avg: 3.3/10
Revenue GrowthGrowth
1.5%4/10

1.5% revenue growth

EPS GrowthGrowth
3.7%4/10

3.7% earnings growth

PEG RatioValuation
3.422/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

IBM3 concerns · Avg: 2.7/10
PEG RatioValuation
2.264/10

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 : CNQ

The strongest argument for CNQ centers on Market Cap, Return on Equity, Profit Margin. Profitability is solid with margins at 27.9% and operating margin at 19.6%.

Bull Case : IBM

The strongest argument for IBM centers on Market Cap, Return on Equity, EPS Growth. Profitability is solid with margins at 15.7% and operating margin at 24.8%. Revenue growth of 12.2% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bear Case : CNQ

The primary concerns for CNQ are Revenue Growth, EPS Growth, PEG Ratio.

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

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

CNQ carries more volatility with a beta of 1.06 — expect wider price swings.

IBM is growing revenue faster at 12.2% — sustainability is the question.

IBM generates stronger free cash flow (3.1B), providing more financial flexibility.

Bottom Line

IBM scores higher overall (70/100 vs 67/100), backed by strong 15.7% margins and 12.2% revenue growth. CNQ offers better value entry with a 76.9% margin of safety. Both earn "Strong Buy" and "Strong 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.

Canadian Natural Resources Ltd

ENERGY · OIL & GAS E&P · USA

Canadian Natural Resources Limited acquires, explores, develops, produces, markets and sells crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGL). The company is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

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.

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