Crown Castle (CCI)vsInternational Business Machines (IBM)
CCI
Crown Castle
$85.87
-0.35%
REAL ESTATE · Cap: $37.47B
IBM
International Business Machines
$227.10
+1.71%
TECHNOLOGY · Cap: $213.45B
Smart Verdict
WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison
International Business Machines generates 1536% more annual revenue ($68.91B vs $4.21B). CCI leads profitability with a 25.1% profit margin vs 15.6%. CCI appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 1.42. IBM earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 60/100 (C).
CCI
Buy51
out of 100
Grade: C-
IBM
Buy60
out of 100
Grade: C
Intrinsic Value Comparison
Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula
Margin of Safety
-13.3%
Fair Value
$75.96
Current Price
$85.87
$9.91 premium
Margin of Safety
-30.2%
Fair Value
$177.45
Current Price
$227.10
$49.65 premium
Key Strengths & Concerns
Side-by-side fundamental analysis
Key Strengths
Strong operational efficiency at 47.7%
Conservative balance sheet, low leverage
Keeps 25 of every $100 in revenue as profit
Mega-cap, among the largest globally
Every $100 of equity generates 36 in profit
Generating 4.8B in free cash flow
Areas to Watch
Premium valuation, high expectations priced in
Weak financial health signals
ROE of -206.7% — below average capital efficiency
Revenue declined 4.8%
Expensive relative to growth rate
Weak financial health signals
Elevated debt levels
Comparative Analysis Report
WallStSmart ResearchBull Case : CCI
The strongest argument for CCI centers on Operating Margin, Debt/Equity, Profit Margin. Profitability is solid with margins at 25.1% and operating margin at 47.7%. PEG of 1.42 suggests the stock is reasonably priced for its growth.
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%.
Bear Case : CCI
The primary concerns for CCI are P/E Ratio, Piotroski F-Score, Return on Equity.
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
CCI profiles as a declining stock while IBM is a mature play — different risk/reward profiles.
CCI carries more volatility with a beta of 0.96 — expect wider price swings.
IBM is growing revenue faster at 9.5% — sustainability is the question.
IBM generates stronger free cash flow (4.8B), providing more financial flexibility.
Bottom Line
IBM scores higher overall (60/100 vs 51/100), backed by strong 15.6% margins. Both earn "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.
Crown Castle
REAL ESTATE · REIT - SPECIALTY · USA
Crown Castle is a real estate investment trust and provider of shared communications infrastructure in the United States. Its network includes over 40,000 cell towers and nearly 80,000 route miles of fiber supporting small cells and fiber solutions. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, the company has 100 offices nationwide.
Visit Website →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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