WallStSmart

International Business Machines (IBM)vsOtter Tail Corporation (OTTR)

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Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

International Business Machines generates 5145% more annual revenue ($68.91B vs $1.31B). OTTR leads profitability with a 21.3% profit margin vs 15.6%. OTTR appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 1.81. OTTR earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 67/100 (B-).

IBM

Buy

60

out of 100

Grade: C

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

OTTR

Strong Buy

67

out of 100

Grade: B-

Growth: 4.0Profit: 7.5Value: 4.7Quality: 6.3
Piotroski: 2/9Altman Z: 1.67
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
OTTRSignificantly Overvalued (-60.8%)

Margin of Safety

-60.8%

Fair Value

$53.45

Current Price

$88.03

$34.58 premium

UndervaluedFair: $53.45Overvalued

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

OTTR4 strengths · Avg: 8.3/10
Profit MarginProfitability
21.3%9/10

Keeps 21 of every $100 in revenue as profit

P/E RatioValuation
13.2x8/10

Attractively priced relative to earnings

Price/BookValuation
2.0x8/10

Reasonable price relative to book value

Operating MarginProfitability
24.7%8/10

Strong operational efficiency at 24.7%

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

OTTR4 concerns · Avg: 3.8/10
PEG RatioValuation
1.814/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

Revenue GrowthGrowth
2.9%4/10

2.9% revenue growth

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
1.674/10

Distress zone — elevated risk

Piotroski F-ScoreQuality
2/93/10

Weak financial health signals

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 : OTTR

The strongest argument for OTTR centers on Profit Margin, P/E Ratio, Price/Book. Profitability is solid with margins at 21.3% and operating margin at 24.7%.

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 : OTTR

The primary concerns for OTTR are PEG Ratio, Revenue Growth, Altman Z-Score.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

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

IBM carries more volatility with a beta of 0.58 — 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

OTTR scores higher overall (67/100 vs 60/100), backed by strong 21.3% margins. 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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Otter Tail Corporation

INDUSTRIALS · CONGLOMERATES · USA

Otter Tail Corporation is engaged in electrical service, manufacturing and plastic piping businesses in the United States. The company is headquartered in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.

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