Yield Theory

Information Technology stock comparison

IBM vs ORCL: which business are you actually underwriting?

Compare International Business Machines Corporation with Oracle 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.
Sector
Information
Industry
Different SIC
Shared themes
1
Updated
2026-06-22

IBM vs ORCL: quick comparison

Company factIBMORCL
CompanyInternational Business Machines CorporationOracle Corporation
ExchangeNYSENYSE
HeadquartersArmonk, New YorkAustin, Texas
Founded19111977
SEC industryComputer & office EquipmentServices-Prepackaged Software
Fiscal year-endDecember 31May 31
Latest annual filing10-K · 2026-02-2410-K · 2026-06-22

IBM vs ORCL: audited financials

IBM reported revenue roughly in line with ORCL in the latest audited fiscal year. On profitability, ORCL converted a larger share of revenue into net income (25.4% versus 15.7%). Scale and margin are starting facts for the thesis, not the verdict.

MetricIBMORCL
Revenue$67.5B$67.4B
Net income$10.6B$17.1B
Operating cash flow$13.2B$32.0B
Diluted EPS$11.17$5.83
Net margin15.7%25.4%

IBM: FY ending 2025-12-31 · ORCL: FY ending 2026-05-31. 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

IBM and ORCL 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.

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.

Oracle Corporation (ORCL)

Oracle runs one of the world's most widely used database platforms and has pivoted aggressively into cloud infrastructure and applications. Its cloud regions have become a favored home for large AI training workloads.

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. IBM is classified by the SEC as Computer & office Equipment, while ORCL is classified as Services-Prepackaged Software. The different industry codes are a warning against treating sector membership as proof of identical economics.

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The thesis, the numbers behind it, and what would break it. Full access is $15 a month.

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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 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

Study ORCL when…

  • The AI capital-expenditure cycle
  • Interest rates and the cost of long-duration growth
  • Enterprise IT budgets and cloud migration
  • Export controls and the US–China chip race

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.IBM's fiscal year ends December 31, while ORCL's ends May 31. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.

The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 48matched transaction rows for IBMand 48 for ORCL. 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.

IBM vs ORCL FAQs

Are IBM and ORCL direct competitors?

International Business Machines Corporation and Oracle 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, IBM or ORCL?

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 IBM vs ORCL 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 International Business Machines Corporation and Oracle 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 2026-09-25. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.

Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-09-25. Independent educational research; not investment advice.

A comparison is the setup. The thesis is the call.

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