ARMONK, N.Y., October 23, 2024 . . . IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced third-quarter 2024 earnings results.

“Our third-quarter performance was led by double-digit growth in Software, including a re-acceleration in Red Hat. We continue to see great momentum in AI as our models are trusted, fit-for-purpose, and lower cost, with performance leadership. Our generative AI book of business now stands at more than $3 billion, up more than $1 billion quarter to quarter," said Arvind Krishna, IBM chairman, president and chief executive officer. "Heading into the final quarter of 2024, we expect fourth-quarter constant currency revenue growth to be consistent with the third quarter, with continued strength in Software. We are confident in our ability to deliver more than $12 billion in free cash flow for the year, driven by continued expansion of our operating margins."

•Revenue

–Revenue of $15.0 billion, up 1 percent, up 2 percent at constant currency

–Software revenue up 10 percent

–Consulting revenue flat

–Infrastructure revenue down 7 percent

•Profit

–Gross Profit Margin: GAAP: 56.3 percent, up 190 basis points; Operating (Non-GAAP): 57.5 percent, up 210 basis points

•Cash Flow

–Year to date, net cash from operating activities of $9.1 billion; free cash flow of $6.6 billion

(1) 2024 GAAP results include the impact of a one-time, non-cash, pension settlement charge of $2.7 billion ($2.0 billion net of tax) related to the transfer of a portion of the company's U.S. defined benefit pension obligations and related plan assets to a third-party insurer, announced in September 2024.

(2) 2% at constant currency.

“Our investments are paying off in Software as we've repositioned our portfolio in recent years. In the third quarter, Software delivered broad-based growth and now represents nearly 45 percent of our total revenue. Our ongoing focus on product mix, coupled with our productivity initiatives enables us to continue to drive operating leverage in our underlying profit performance," said James Kavanaugh, IBM senior vice president and chief financial officer. "With our strong cash generation, we are well-positioned to continue investing for growth while returning value to shareholders through dividends.”

•Software — revenues of $6.5 billion, up 9.7 percent, up 9.6 percent at constant currency:

–Hybrid Platform & Solutions up 10 percent

•Red Hat up 14 percent

•Automation up 13 percent

•Data & AI up 5 percent

•Security down 1 percent

–Transaction Processing up 9 percent

•Consulting — revenues of $5.2 billion, down 0.5 percent, down 0.2 percent at constant currency:

–Business Transformation up 2 percent

–Technology Consulting down 4 percent

–Application Operations down 1 percent

•Infrastructure — revenues of $3.0 billion, down 7.0 percent, down 6.7 percent at constant currency:

–Hybrid Infrastructure down 9 percent

•IBM Z down 19 percent

•Distributed Infrastructure down 3 percent

–Infrastructure Support down 4 percent, down 3 percent at constant currency

•Financing — revenues of $0.2 billion, down 2.5 percent, down 1.3 percent at constant currency

In the third quarter, the company generated net cash from operating activities of $2.9 billion, down $0.2 billion year to year. IBM’s free cash flow was $2.1 billion, up $0.4 billion year to year. The company returned $1.5 billion to shareholders in dividends in the third quarter.

For the first nine months of the year, the company generated net cash from operating activities of $9.1 billion, down $0.4 billion year to year. IBM's free cash flow was $6.6 billion, up $1.5 billion year to year.

IBM ended the third quarter with $13.7 billion of cash, restricted cash and marketable securities, up $0.3 billion from year-end 2023. Debt, including IBM Financing debt of $10.4 billion, totaled $56.6 billion, flat year to date.

•Revenue: The company expects fourth-quarter constant currency revenue growth consistent with the third quarter. At current foreign exchange rates, currency is expected to be about a half-point headwind to revenue growth in the quarter

•Free cash flow: The company continues to expect more than $12 billion in free cash flow for the full year

Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements contained in this release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on the company’s current assumptions regarding future business and financial performance.

These statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to, the following: a downturn in economic environment and client spending budgets; a failure of the company’s innovation initiatives; damage to the company’s reputation; risks from investing in growth opportunities; failure of the company’s intellectual property portfolio to prevent competitive offerings and the failure of the company to obtain necessary licenses; the company’s ability to successfully manage acquisitions, alliances and dispositions, including integration challenges, failure to achieve objectives, the assumption of liabilities and higher debt levels; fluctuations in financial results; impact of local legal, economic, political, health and other conditions; the company’s failure to meet growth and productivity objectives; ineffective internal controls; the company’s use of accounting estimates; impairment of the company’s goodwill or amortizable intangible assets; the company’s ability to attract and retain key employees and its reliance on critical skills; impacts of relationships with critical suppliers; product quality issues; impacts of business with government clients; reliance on third party distribution channels and ecosystems; cybersecurity and data privacy considerations; adverse effects related to climate change and environmental matters; tax matters; legal proceedings and investigatory risks; the company’s pension plans; currency fluctuations and customer financing risks; impact of changes in market liquidity conditions and customer credit risk on receivables; potential failure of the separation of Kyndryl Holdings, Inc. to qualify for tax-free treatment; risk factors related to IBM securities; and other risks, uncertainties and factors discussed in the company’s Form 10-Qs, Form 10-K and in the company’s other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or in materials incorporated therein by reference.

Statements in this communication regarding the strategic acquisition that are forward-looking may include projections as to closing date for the transaction, the extent of, and the time necessary to obtain, the regulatory approvals required for the transaction, the anticipated benefits of the transaction, the impact of the transaction on IBM’s business, the synergies from the transaction, and the combined company’s future operating results.

Any forward-looking statement in this release speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Except as required by law, the company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

For generative AI, book of business includes Software transactional revenue, SaaS Annual Contract Value and Consulting signings. The generative AI book of business is further defined within Exhibit 99.2 in the Form 8-K that includes this press release.

In an effort to provide investors with additional information regarding the company’s results as determined by generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the company has also disclosed in this press release the following non-GAAP information, which management believes provides useful information to investors:

IBM results —

•adjusting for currency (i.e., at constant currency);

•presenting operating (non-GAAP) earnings per share amounts and related income statement items;

•free cash flow;

•adjusted EBITDA.

The rationale for management’s use of these non-GAAP measures is included in Exhibit 99.2 in the Form 8-K that includes this press release and is being submitted today to the SEC.

IBM’s regular quarterly earnings conference call is scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m. ET, today. The Webcast may be accessed via a link at https://www.ibm.com/investor/events/earnings-3q24. Presentation charts will be available shortly before the Webcast.

Financial Results Below (certain amounts may not add due to use of rounded numbers; percentages presented are calculated from the underlying whole-dollar amounts).

(2) 2024 includes the impact of a one-time, non-cash, pension settlement charge of $2.7 billion ($2.0 billion net of tax).

(1) Includes operating lease right-of-use assets amortization.

(2) Includes a $0.7 billion tax effect associated with the one-time, non-cash pension settlement charge in the third-quarter 2024.

(3) 2024 includes proceeds of $0.4 billion from the sale of certain QRadar SaaS assets.

(1) 2024 includes the impact of a one-time, non-cash pension settlement charge of $2.7 billion ($2.0 billion net of tax).

(2) Primarily consists of amortization of acquired intangible assets.

(3) Corporate (gains) and charges primarily consists of unique corporate actions such as gains on divestitures and asset sales (e.g., certain QRadar SaaS assets).

(1)Includes amortization of purchased intangible assets, in process R&D, transaction costs, applicable restructuring and related expenses, tax charges related to acquisition integration and pre-closing charges, such as financing costs.

(2)Includes amortization of prior service costs, interest cost, expected return on plan assets, amortized actuarial gains/losses, the impacts of any plan curtailments/settlements and pension insolvency costs and other costs. 2024 also includes the impact of a one-time, non-cash, pre-tax pension settlement charge of $2.7 billion ($2.0 billion net of tax).

(3)Tax impact on operating (non-GAAP) pre-tax income from continuing operations is calculated under the same accounting principles applied to the As Reported pre-tax income under ASC 740, which employs an annual effective tax rate method to the results.

(4)Operating (non-GAAP) earnings per share was calculated using 938.4 million shares, which includes 14.9 million dilutive potential shares under our stock-based compensation plans and contingently issuable shares. Due to the GAAP net loss for the three months ended September 30, 2024, these dilutive potential shares were excluded from the GAAP loss per share calculation as the effect would have been antidilutive. The difference in share count resulted in an additional $(0.04) reconciling item.

(1)Includes amortization of purchased intangible assets, in process R&D, transaction costs, applicable restructuring and related expenses, tax charges related to acquisition integration and pre-closing charges, such as financing costs. 2024 also includes a loss of $68 million on foreign exchange derivative contracts entered into by the company prior to the acquisition of StreamSets and webMethods from Software AG.

(2)Includes amortization of prior service costs, interest cost, expected return on plan assets, amortized actuarial gains/losses, the impacts of any plan curtailments/settlements and pension insolvency costs and other costs. 2024 also includes the impact of a one-time, non-cash, pre-tax pension settlement charge of $2.7 billion ($2.0 billion net of tax).

(3)2024 includes a net benefit from discrete tax events.

(4)Tax impact on operating (non-GAAP) pre-tax income from continuing operations is calculated under the same accounting principles applied to the As Reported pre-tax income under ASC 740, which employs an annual effective tax rate method to the results.

(1)Other assets and liabilities/other, net mainly consists of operating assets and liabilities/Other, net in the Cash Flow chart, workforce rebalancing charges, non-operating impacts and corporate (gains) and charges.

Operating (non-GAAP) Earnings Per Share and Related Income Statement Items

In an effort to provide better transparency into the operational results of the business, supplementally, the company separates business results into operating and non-operating categories. Operating earnings from continuing operations is a non-GAAP measure that excludes the effects of certain acquisition-related charges, intangible asset amortization, expense resulting from basis differences on equity method investments, retirement-related costs and their related tax impacts. Due to the unique, non-recurring nature of the enactment of the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (U.S. tax reform), the company characterizes the one-time provisional charge recorded in the fourth quarter of 2017 and adjustments to that charge as non-operating. Adjustments primarily include true-ups, accounting elections and any changes to regulations, laws, or audit adjustments that affect the recorded one-time charge. For acquisitions, operating (non-GAAP) earnings exclude the amortization of purchased intangible assets and acquisition-related charges such as in-process research and development, transaction costs, applicable retention, restructuring and related expenses, tax charges related to acquisition integration and pre-closing charges, such as financing costs. These charges are excluded as they may be inconsistent in amount and timing from period to period and are significantly impacted by the size, type and frequency of the company’s acquisitions. Given its unique and temporary nature, management has also characterized as non-operating expense, the mark-to-market impact on the foreign exchange derivative contracts entered into prior to the acquisition of StreamSets and webMethods from Software AG to economically hedge the foreign currency exposure related to the purchase price of this acquisition. These derivative contracts expired by June 28, 2024. This impact was recorded in other (income) and expense in the Consolidated Income Statement and reflects the realized loss from the changes in fair value of these derivative contracts. All other spending for acquired companies is included in both earnings from continuing operations and in operating (non-GAAP) earnings. For retirement-related costs, the company characterizes certain items as operating and others as non-operating, consistent with GAAP. The company includes defined benefit plan and nonpension postretirement benefit plan service costs, multi-employer plan costs and the cost of defined contribution plans in operating earnings. Non-operating retirement-related costs include defined benefit plan and nonpension postretirement benefit plan amortization of prior service costs, interest cost, expected return on plan assets, amortized actuarial gains/losses, the impacts of any plan curtailments/settlements including the impact of a one-time, non-cash, pre-tax settlement charge of $2.7 billion ($2.0 billion net of tax) resulting from the transfer to the Insurer of a portion of the Qualified PPP’s defined benefit pension obligations and related plan assets in the third quarter of 2024 and pension insolvency costs and other costs. Non-operating retirement-related costs are primarily related to changes in pension plan assets and liabilities which are tied to financial market performance, and the company considers these costs to be outside of the operational performance of the business.

Overall, the company believes that supplementally providing investors with a view of operating earnings as described above provides increased transparency and clarity into both the operational results of the business and the performance of the company’s pension plans; improves visibility to management decisions and their impacts on operational performance; enables better comparison to peer companies; and allows the company to provide a long-term strategic view of the business going forward. In addition, these non-GAAP measures provide a perspective consistent with areas of interest the company routinely receives from investors and analysts. The company’s reportable segment financial results reflect pre-tax operating earnings from continuing operations, consistent with the company’s management and measurement system.

Adjusted Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA)

Additionally, the company reports adjusted EBITDA which, in addition to the operating (non-GAAP) earnings adjustments described above, also excludes income/(loss) from discontinued operations, income tax expense, net interest expense, depreciation/amortization of non-acquired intangible assets including operating lease right-of-use assets, stock-based compensation, and certain other activity that is not reflective of the company’s ongoing operational results such as workforce rebalancing charges and corporate gains and charges. The company uses adjusted EBITDA to measure its operating performance and believes that supplementally providing adjusted EBITDA will provide investors with additional transparency and clarity into how the company’s operational profitability is driving its free cash flow results.

Free Cash Flow / Net Cash from Operating Activities Excluding IBM Financing Receivables

The company uses free cash flow as a measure to evaluate its operating results, plan shareholder return levels, strategic investments and assess its ability and need to incur and service debt. The entire free cash flow amount is not necessarily available for discretionary expenditures. The company defines free cash flow as net cash from operating activities less the change in Financing receivables and net capital expenditures, including the investment in software and other asset sales (e.g., certain QRadar SaaS assets). A key objective of the Financing business is to generate strong returns on equity, and our Financing receivables are the basis for that growth. Accordingly, management considers Financing receivables as a profit-generating investment, not as working capital that should be minimized for efficiency.

Therefore, management presents both free cash flow and net cash from operating activities that exclude the effect of Financing receivables. Free cash flow guidance is derived using an estimate of profit, working capital and operational cash flows. Since the company views Financing receivables as a profit-generating investment which it seeks to maximize, it is not considered when formulating guidance for free cash flow and adjusted EBITDA. As a result, the company does not estimate a GAAP net cash from operations expectation metric.

Constant Currency

When the company refers to growth rates at constant currency or adjusts such growth rates for currency, it is done so that certain financial results can be viewed without the impact of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, thereby facilitating period-to-period comparisons of its business performance. Financial results adjusted for currency are calculated by translating current period activity in local currency using the comparable prior year period’s currency conversion rate. This approach is used for countries where the functional currency is the local currency. Generally, when the dollar either strengthens or weakens against other currencies, the growth at constant currency rates or adjusting for currency will be higher or lower than growth reported at actual exchange rates.

Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR):

The ARR metric was updated in the first quarter of 2024 to reflect the company's organizational changes, as described in the Form 8-K furnished with the SEC on March 18, 2024, and to simplify the calculation.

ARR is a key performance metric management uses to assess the health and growth trajectory of our Hybrid Platform & Solutions business within the Software segment. ARR is calculated by using the current quarter’s recurring revenue and then multiplying that value by four. This value includes the following consumption models: (1) software subscription agreements, including committed term licenses, (2) as-a-service arrangements such as SaaS and PaaS, and (3) maintenance and support contracts. ARR should be viewed independently of revenue as this performance metric and its inputs may not represent revenue that will be recognized in future periods.

Red Hat Annual Bookings:

Annual bookings is a key performance metric management uses in its assessment of a customer's commitment under Red Hat subscription and services contracts and provides an indication of forward-looking Red Hat revenue trajectory. It represents the value of a contract over a 12-month period, as of the date of contract signing. Annual bookings is calculated by taking the total subscription and service contract value divided by the number of days in the contract, multiplied by 365, plus the revenue recognized in the quarter for select cloud based offerings. Annual bookings should be viewed independently of revenue as this performance metric and its inputs may not represent the amount of revenue recognized in the period. For example, the conversion of annual bookings to revenue may vary based on types of services, customer decisions, start dates, and other factors. Therefore, annual bookings is not intended to represent current period revenue or revenue that will be recognized in future periods.

Book of Business:

For generative AI, book of business includes Software transactional revenue, SaaS Annual Contract Value and Consulting signings. Book of business inception to date, since second-quarter 2023, is about four-fifths consulting signings. Our book of business reflects the value we are delivering to clients in two ways. First, we are partnering with our clients to design and scale AI solutions, whether that be leveraging AI capabilities of IBM, our partners, or a combination. Second, we are utilizing generative AI solutions to improve delivery by developing new ways of working and driving productivity within our client contracts.