WallStSmart

International Business Machines (IBM)vsVisa Inc. Class A (V)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

International Business Machines generates 60% more annual revenue ($68.91B vs $43.03B). V leads profitability with a 51.7% profit margin vs 15.6%. V appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 1.71. V earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 72/100 (B).

IBM

Buy

60

out of 100

Grade: C

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

V

Strong Buy

72

out of 100

Grade: B

Growth: 8.7Profit: 10.0Value: 5.0Quality: 5.5
Piotroski: 4/9Altman Z: 1.84
IV

Intrinsic Value Comparison

Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula

IBMSignificantly Overvalued (-29.8%)

Margin of Safety

-29.8%

Fair Value

$178.18

Current Price

$229.76

$51.58 premium

UndervaluedFair: $178.18Overvalued

Intrinsic value data unavailable for V.

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

IBM3 strengths · Avg: 9.3/10
Market CapQuality
$217.40B10/10

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

V6 strengths · Avg: 9.3/10
Market CapQuality
$610.99B10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

Return on EquityProfitability
60.4%10/10

Every $100 of equity generates 60 in profit

Profit MarginProfitability
51.7%10/10

Keeps 52 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Operating MarginProfitability
67.3%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 67.3%

Revenue GrowthGrowth
17.1%8/10

17.1% revenue growth

EPS GrowthGrowth
35.5%8/10

Earnings expanding 35.5% YoY

Areas to Watch

IBM3 concerns · Avg: 2.7/10
PEG RatioValuation
2.114/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

Piotroski F-ScoreQuality
3/93/10

Weak financial health signals

Debt/EquityHealth
2.061/10

Elevated debt levels

V4 concerns · Avg: 4.0/10
PEG RatioValuation
1.714/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

P/E RatioValuation
28.0x4/10

Moderate valuation

Price/BookValuation
15.9x4/10

Trading at 15.9x book value

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
1.844/10

Grey zone — moderate risk

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 15.6% and operating margin at 13.8%.

Bull Case : V

The strongest argument for V centers on Market Cap, Return on Equity, Profit Margin. Profitability is solid with margins at 51.7% and operating margin at 67.3%. Revenue growth of 17.1% demonstrates continued momentum.

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.

Bear Case : V

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

Key Dynamics to Monitor

IBM profiles as a mature stock while V is a growth play — different risk/reward profiles.

V carries more volatility with a beta of 0.78 — expect wider price swings.

V is growing revenue faster at 17.1% — sustainability is the question.

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

Bottom Line

V scores higher overall (72/100 vs 60/100), backed by strong 51.7% margins and 17.1% revenue growth. 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.

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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Visa Inc. Class A

FINANCIAL SERVICES · CREDIT SERVICES · USA

Visa Inc. is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Foster City, California, United States. It facilitates electronic funds transfers throughout the world, most commonly through Visa-branded credit cards, debit cards and prepaid cards. Visa is one of the world's most valuable companies.

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