WallStSmart

AstraZeneca PLC (AZN)vsInternational Business Machines (IBM)

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Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

International Business Machines generates 15% more annual revenue ($67.53B vs $58.74B). AZN leads profitability with a 17.4% profit margin vs 15.7%. AZN appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 1.50. IBM earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 70/100 (B-).

AZN

Strong Buy

66

out of 100

Grade: B-

Growth: 6.7Profit: 8.0Value: 10.0Quality: 6.0
Piotroski: 6/9Altman Z: 1.48

IBM

Strong Buy

70

out of 100

Grade: B-

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

Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula

AZNUndervalued (+32.8%)

Margin of Safety

+32.8%

Fair Value

$306.07

Current Price

$185.78

$120.29 discount

UndervaluedFair: $306.07Overvalued
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

AZN5 strengths · Avg: 9.0/10
Market CapQuality
$284.63B10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

EPS GrowthGrowth
53.9%10/10

Earnings expanding 53.9% YoY

Return on EquityProfitability
22.8%9/10

Every $100 of equity generates 23 in profit

Operating MarginProfitability
21.6%8/10

Strong operational efficiency at 21.6%

Free Cash FlowQuality
$1.38B8/10

Generating 1.4B 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

AZN3 concerns · Avg: 3.3/10
P/E RatioValuation
28.1x4/10

Moderate valuation

Revenue GrowthGrowth
4.1%4/10

4.1% revenue growth

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
1.482/10

Distress zone — elevated risk

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 : AZN

The strongest argument for AZN centers on Market Cap, EPS Growth, Return on Equity. Profitability is solid with margins at 17.4% and operating margin at 21.6%.

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 : AZN

The primary concerns for AZN are P/E Ratio, Revenue Growth, Altman Z-Score.

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

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

IBM carries more volatility with a beta of 0.71 — 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 66/100), backed by strong 15.7% margins and 12.2% revenue growth. AZN offers better value entry with a 32.8% 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.

AstraZeneca PLC

HEALTHCARE · DRUG MANUFACTURERS - GENERAL · USA

AstraZeneca PLC discovers, develops, manufactures and markets prescription drugs in the areas of oncology, cardiovascular, renal and metabolism, respiratory, infections, neuroscience and gastroenterology worldwide. The company is headquartered in Cambridge, the United Kingdom.

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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