Information Technology stock comparison

AMD vs IBM: which business are you actually underwriting?

Compare Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. with International Business Machines Corporation using their business models, SEC classifications, fiscal calendars, current primary filings, and the research questions that matter. This is a thesis framework—not a price target or automatic winner.
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Updated
2026-02-24

AMD vs IBM: quick comparison

Company factAMDIBM
CompanyAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc.International Business Machines Corporation
ExchangeNASDAQNYSE
HeadquartersSanta Clara, CaliforniaArmonk, New York
Founded19691911
SEC industrySemiconductors & Related DevicesComputer & office Equipment
Fiscal year-endDecember 26December 31
Latest annual filing10-K/A · 2026-02-0410-K · 2026-02-24

AMD vs IBM: audited financials

IBM reported about 1.9× the revenue of AMD in the latest audited fiscal year. On profitability, IBM converted a larger share of revenue into net income (15.7% versus 12.5%). Scale and margin are starting facts for the thesis, not the verdict.

MetricAMDIBM
Revenue$34.6B$67.5B
Net income$4.3B$10.6B
Operating cash flow$7.7B$13.2B
Diluted EPS$2.65$11.17
Net margin12.5%15.7%

AMD: FY ending 2025-12-27 · IBM: FY ending 2025-12-31. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.

How the businesses differ

Why this pair belongs in the comparison set

AMD and IBM have different SEC industry classifications, but both map to the maintained Artificial intelligence research theme inside the Information Technology sector. A shared classification or theme makes the pair useful for a defined research question; it does not mean the companies have identical products, economics, or risks.

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD)

AMD designs CPUs and GPUs for PCs, servers, and gaming consoles, positioning itself as the primary challenger to both Intel and NVIDIA. Its data-center accelerators are central to its ambitions in the AI compute market.

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

IBM provides hybrid-cloud software, consulting, and mainframe systems to large enterprises and governments. Its Red Hat and watsonx platforms anchor a strategy built around open hybrid cloud and enterprise AI.

The useful starting point is not which ticker has performed better. It is whether the two companies convert the same economic forces into revenue and cash flow in the same way. AMD is classified by the SEC as Semiconductors & Related Devices, while IBM is classified as Computer & office Equipment. The different industry codes are a warning against treating sector membership as proof of identical economics.

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Which thesis does each company fit?

Use the distinction below to decide which filing deserves deeper work. It is a research routing rule, not a recommendation or prediction.

Study AMD when…

  • Data Center revenue from EPYC server CPUs and Instinct GPU accelerators
  • Execution on the OpenAI 6-gigawatt deployment agreement and MI450 ramp
  • Client and Gaming demand for Ryzen processors and semi-custom console chips
  • U.S. export controls on MI308 shipments to China

Study IBM when…

  • Software growth across Hybrid Cloud (Red Hat), Automation, Data, and Transaction Processing
  • Consulting signings, backlog, and book-to-bill
  • The IBM z17 mainframe cycle within Infrastructure
  • Acquisition integration, including HashiCorp and the pending Confluent deal

Shared research themes

Artificial intelligence

SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence

Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable.AMD's fiscal year ends December 26, while IBM's ends December 31. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.

The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 50matched transaction rows for AMDand 48 for IBM. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.

What this comparison cannot tell you

This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.

A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.

AMD vs IBM FAQs

Are AMD and IBM direct competitors?

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. and International Business Machines Corporation sit in the same Information Technology sector but have different SEC industry classifications. The comparison is most useful for portfolio role and sector exposure, not as a claim that every product competes directly.

Which is better, AMD or IBM?

There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.

Does this AMD vs IBM comparison include live prices?

No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. and International Business Machines Corporation tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.

Where does the company information come from?

Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-09-26. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.

Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-09-26. Independent educational research; not investment advice.

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