IBM Mainframe Business Achieves Best Revenue in 20 Years
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 31 2026
0mins
Should l Buy IBM?
Source: Fool
- Significant Revenue Growth: IBM's mainframe business reported a 61% year-over-year revenue increase in Q4, achieving its best performance in over 20 years, which drove a 17% growth in the infrastructure segment, highlighting the ongoing demand and importance of mainframes in enterprises.
- Strong Market Share: According to Market Reports World, 71% of Fortune 500 companies rely on mainframe systems, with IBM holding over 90% of the market share, indicating its dominant position in critical industries.
- Broad AI Application Prospects: The latest z17 mainframe system from IBM supports over 250 AI applications, capable of handling up to 450 billion inference operations per day with a response time of just one millisecond, further solidifying IBM's competitive edge in the AI space.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: IBM expects total revenue to grow by at least 5% in 2026, with software revenue increasing by 10%, and the mainframe business will continue to be a key contributor to the company's profits and free cash flow, showcasing a strong market outlook.
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Analyst Views on IBM
Wall Street analysts forecast IBM stock price to rise
16 Analyst Rating
11 Buy
4 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 239.370
Low
210.00
Averages
315.80
High
375.00
Current: 239.370
Low
210.00
Averages
315.80
High
375.00
About IBM
International Business Machines Corporation is a provider of global hybrid cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) and consulting expertise. The Company’s segments include Software, Consulting, Infrastructure and Financing. The Software segment includes hybrid cloud and AI platforms, which allow clients to realize their digital and AI transformations across the applications, data, and environments in which they operate. The Consulting segment focuses on integrating skills on strategy, experience, technology and operations by domain and industry. The Infrastructure segment is focused on the hybrid cloud infrastructure market, providing on-premises and cloud-based server and storage solutions. In addition, it offers a portfolio of life-cycle services for hybrid cloud infrastructure deployment. The Financing segment provides client and commercial financing, facilitating its clients’ acquisition of hardware, software and services. It helps clients in more than 175 countries.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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