WallStSmart

International Business Machines (IBM)vsTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing generates 6327% more annual revenue ($4.44T vs $69.09B). TSM leads profitability with a 49.9% profit margin vs 15.5%. TSM appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 0.79. TSM earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 86/100 (A).

IBM

Buy

54

out of 100

Grade: C-

Growth: 3.3Profit: 8.0Value: 4.0Quality: 4.5
Piotroski: 3/9Altman Z: 2.29

TSM

Exceptional Buy

86

out of 100

Grade: A

Growth: 9.3Profit: 10.0Value: 7.3Quality: 9.0
Piotroski: 6/9Altman Z: 3.85
IV

Intrinsic Value Comparison

Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula

IBMSignificantly Overvalued (-84.8%)

Margin of Safety

-84.8%

Fair Value

$131.65

Current Price

$249.20

$117.55 premium

UndervaluedFair: $131.65Overvalued
TSMUndervalued (+50.6%)

Margin of Safety

+50.6%

Fair Value

$889.36

Current Price

$433.24

$456.12 discount

UndervaluedFair: $889.36Overvalued

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

IBM3 strengths · Avg: 9.3/10
Market CapQuality
$229.21B10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

Return on EquityProfitability
31.1%10/10

Every $100 of equity generates 31 in profit

Free Cash FlowQuality
$2.37B8/10

Generating 2.4B in free cash flow

TSM6 strengths · Avg: 10.0/10
Market CapQuality
$2.22T10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

Return on EquityProfitability
34.9%10/10

Every $100 of equity generates 35 in profit

Profit MarginProfitability
49.9%10/10

Keeps 50 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Operating MarginProfitability
60.3%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 60.3%

Revenue GrowthGrowth
36.0%10/10

Revenue surging 36.0% year-over-year

EPS GrowthGrowth
77.4%10/10

Earnings expanding 77.4% YoY

Areas to Watch

IBM4 concerns · Avg: 3.5/10
PEG RatioValuation
2.214/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

Revenue GrowthGrowth
1.1%4/10

1.1% revenue growth

Debt/EquityHealth
1.893/10

Elevated debt levels

Piotroski F-ScoreQuality
3/93/10

Weak financial health signals

TSM2 concerns · Avg: 3.0/10
P/E RatioValuation
31.8x4/10

Premium valuation, high expectations priced in

Price/BookValuation
88.6x2/10

Trading at 88.6x book value

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull Case : IBM

The strongest argument for IBM centers on Market Cap, Return on Equity, Free Cash Flow. Profitability is solid with margins at 15.5% and operating margin at 16.6%.

Bull Case : TSM

The strongest argument for TSM centers on Market Cap, Return on Equity, Profit Margin. Profitability is solid with margins at 49.9% and operating margin at 60.3%. Revenue growth of 36.0% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bear Case : IBM

The primary concerns for IBM are PEG Ratio, Revenue Growth, Debt/Equity. Debt-to-equity of 1.89 is elevated, increasing financial risk.

Bear Case : TSM

The primary concerns for TSM are P/E Ratio, Price/Book.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

IBM profiles as a value stock while TSM is a growth play — different risk/reward profiles.

TSM carries more volatility with a beta of 1.25 — expect wider price swings.

TSM is growing revenue faster at 36.0% — sustainability is the question.

TSM generates stronger free cash flow (287.4B), providing more financial flexibility.

Bottom Line

TSM scores higher overall (86/100 vs 54/100), backed by strong 49.9% margins and 36.0% revenue growth. Both earn "Exceptional 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.

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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Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing

TECHNOLOGY · SEMICONDUCTORS · USA

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Limited is a Taiwanese multinational semiconductor contract manufacturing and design company. It is one of Taiwan's largest companies, the world's most valuable semiconductor company, and the world's largest dedicated independent (pure-play) semiconductor foundry, with its headquarters and main operations located in the Hsinchu Science Park in Hsinchu, Taiwan. It is majority owned by foreign investors.

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