WallStSmart

International Business Machines (IBM)vsBanco Santander SA ADR (SAN)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

International Business Machines generates 44% more annual revenue ($67.53B vs $46.84B). SAN leads profitability with a 30.1% profit margin vs 15.7%. IBM appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 2.26. IBM earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 70/100 (B-).

IBM

Strong Buy

70

out of 100

Grade: B-

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

SAN

Buy

63

out of 100

Grade: C+

Growth: 6.0Profit: 7.5Value: 7.3Quality: 3.8
Piotroski: 4/9Altman Z: 0.38
IV

Intrinsic Value Comparison

Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula

IBMUndervalued (+53.7%)

Margin of Safety

+53.7%

Fair Value

$521.35

Current Price

$241.39

$279.96 discount

UndervaluedFair: $521.35Overvalued
SANUndervalued (+72.4%)

Margin of Safety

+72.4%

Fair Value

$45.40

Current Price

$10.90

$34.50 discount

UndervaluedFair: $45.40Overvalued

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

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

SAN6 strengths · Avg: 9.5/10
P/E RatioValuation
11.5x10/10

Attractively priced relative to earnings

Price/BookValuation
1.3x10/10

Reasonable price relative to book value

Profit MarginProfitability
30.1%10/10

Keeps 30 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Operating MarginProfitability
43.7%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 43.7%

Market CapQuality
$163.16B9/10

Large-cap with strong market position

EPS GrowthGrowth
25.3%8/10

Earnings expanding 25.3% YoY

Areas to Watch

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

SAN4 concerns · Avg: 1.8/10
PEG RatioValuation
2.532/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

Revenue GrowthGrowth
-6.4%2/10

Revenue declined 6.4%

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
0.382/10

Distress zone — elevated risk

Debt/EquityHealth
4.471/10

Elevated debt levels

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

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.

Bull Case : SAN

The strongest argument for SAN centers on P/E Ratio, Price/Book, Profit Margin. Profitability is solid with margins at 30.1% and operating margin at 43.7%.

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 : SAN

The primary concerns for SAN are PEG Ratio, Revenue Growth, Altman Z-Score. Debt-to-equity of 4.47 is elevated, increasing financial risk.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

IBM profiles as a mature stock while SAN is a declining play — different risk/reward profiles.

SAN carries more volatility with a beta of 0.92 — expect wider price swings.

IBM is growing revenue faster at 12.2% — sustainability is the question.

Monitor INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES industry trends, competitive dynamics, and regulatory changes.

Bottom Line

IBM scores higher overall (70/100 vs 63/100), backed by strong 15.7% margins and 12.2% revenue growth. SAN offers better value entry with a 72.4% margin of safety. 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.

Visit Website →

Banco Santander SA ADR

FINANCIAL SERVICES · BANKS - DIVERSIFIED · USA

Banco Santander, SA, offers various commercial and retail banking products and services to individuals, small and medium-sized companies and large companies worldwide. The company is headquartered in Madrid, Spain.

Want to dig deeper into these stocks?