Core Viewpoint - IBM has shown strong performance in 2025, outperforming the S&P 500, and investors are keen to see if this trend will continue into 2026 [1] Group 1: Stock Performance and Analyst Ratings - IBM has gained approximately 2.35% year to date, while the S&P 500 (SPY) has increased by 1.74% [1] - Bank of America has reiterated a buy rating for IBM stock and raised the target price from $315 to $335 [3][5] Group 2: Financial Estimates and Projections - Analysts have adjusted revenue estimates for fiscal year 2025, increasing it from $66.9 billion to $67.1 billion, while lowering the non-GAAP EPS estimate from $11.38 to $11.32 [5] - For fiscal year 2025, free cash flow (FCF) is estimated at $14.0 billion, with guidance for approximately $15 billion in fiscal year 2026 [4] Group 3: Margin and Cost Considerations - A workforce rebalancing expense of $400 million is expected in Q4, leading to a projected PTI margin expansion of 70 basis points year-over-year for fiscal year 2025 [4] - Analysts predict that the PTI margin expansion for fiscal year 2025 will be below the guidance of more than 100 basis points due to various headwinds [3] Group 4: Growth Justification - The target multiple for IBM is set to exceed the historical range of 8-22x, justified by the company's improving growth and FCF trajectory, particularly with Red Hat [6]