IBM vs MSTR vs PLTR Stock Comparison

International Business Machines, Strategy and Palantir Technologies Prices as of Oct 23, 2026 Peers: Industry group
MSTR Strategy Inc
$146.01 -10.0% 1M -48.8% 1Y
Market cap
$49.33B
P/E
–
Revenue (TTM)
$498.35M
Div. yield
–
Analytics and BI Technology
1 win

Head to Head

11 decided of 12

Palantir Technologies leads on 6 of the 12 questions below (Palantir Technologies 6, International Business Machines 4, Strategy 1). Which ones matter depends on what you are buying for; a cheap multiple and slow growth often come together.

QuestionIBMMSTRPLTRLeader
Larger companyMarket capitalisation $238.12B $49.33B $477.64B PLTR
Cheaper on earningsLower P/E, profitable companies only 22.2x -1.6x 158.3x IBM
Cheaper on forward earningsLower price / next fiscal year consensus EPS 19.4x — 118.5x IBM
Faster revenue growthRevenue growth, trailing twelve months +7.9% +7.8% +78.9% PLTR
More profitableNet margin, trailing twelve months 15.5% -6,294.3% 49.0% PLTR
Better return on capitalReturn on invested capital 11.3% -73.9% — IBM
Less leveragedLower net debt / EBITDA 3.3x -0.1x — MSTR
Higher dividend yieldTrailing dividend yield 0.03% 0.00% 0.00% –
Better 1-year returnPrice return, last 12 months -11.0% -48.8% +9.0% PLTR
Better 5-year returnAnnualised price return, 5 years +15.7%/yr +15.2%/yr +51.8%/yr PLTR
Less volatileAnnualised volatility, 1 year 51.3% 81.1% 59.5% IBM
Higher overall scoreMean of the five percentile scores vs peers 67/100 21/100 68/100 PLTR

Percentile Scorecard

IBMMSTRPLTR

Each axis is the mean percentile of its metrics against the company's industry group. 100 is the best in the group, 50 the middle.

Scores by Axis

AxisIBMMSTRPLTR
Valuation 76 #10 of 38 8 #93 of 101 22 #79 of 101
Growth 60 #15 of 36 7 #90 of 97 100 #1 of 97
Profitability 91 #4 of 34 8 #87 of 94 96 #5 of 94
Financial Health 38 #24 of 38 80 #23 of 109 98 #3 of 109
Shareholder Returns 71 #7 of 22 3 #62 of 64 25 #48 of 64
Overall 67 21 68
  • IBM ranked among 39 companies in Cloud Computing
  • MSTR ranked among 114 companies in Business Applications
  • PLTR ranked among 114 companies in Business Applications

Price Performance

Price return, split-adjusted, before dividends. Click a name to hide or show it.

Returns

PeriodIBMMSTRPLTRSPY
1 month +8.9%-10.0%+2.6% -1.0%
3 months +18.4%+59.3%+60.1% +2.9%
6 months +9.3%-14.6%+37.5% +6.4%
Year to date -14.4%-3.9%+10.7% +11.4%
1 year -11.0%-48.8%+9.0% +13.1%
3 years +84.0%+243.6%+1,082.4% +79.4%
3 years, per year +22.6%+50.9%+127.9% +21.5%
5 years +107.4%+103.2%+705.4% +67.7%
5 years, per year +15.7%+15.2%+51.8% +10.9%
10 years +77.3%+766.0%— +255.2%
10 years, per year +5.9%+24.1%— +13.5%

Risk

MeasureIBMMSTRPLTRSPY
Volatility, 1Y 51.3%81.1%59.5% 12.7%
Downside volatility, 1Y 59.9%74.6%56.1% 12.7%
Beta vs S&P 500, 1Y 0.883.161.98 1.00
Return / volatility, 1Y -0.21-0.600.15 1.03
Max drawdown, 5Y -37.4%-84.1%-77.6% -25.4%
From 52-week high -23.0%-50.6%-5.9% -2.5%
52-week high $329.23$295.63$209.05 $779.14
52-week low $205.96$82.31$107.27 $631.97

Valuation History

Weekly multiples on trailing twelve-month fundamentals. Negative or extreme readings (a loss year, a collapsed denominator) are left out so the chart stays readable.

MultipleIBMMSTRPLTR
P/E now vs peer median 22.3xmedian 29.1x -1.6xmedian 29.9x 156.5xmedian 29.9x
P/S now vs peer median 3.5xmedian 4.5x 103.1xmedian 2.8x 76.8xmedian 2.8x
EV/EBITDA now vs peer median 17.9xmedian 21.5x -1.5xmedian 17.4x 174.0xmedian 17.4x
P/FCF now vs peer median 17.3xmedian 17.3x -1,962xmedian 16.9x 140.8xmedian 16.9x
P/B now vs peer median 6.9xmedian 3.9x 1.7xmedian 3.1x 47.8xmedian 3.1x
PEG now vs peer median 0.31median 0.33 0.01median 0.86 0.55median 0.86

Financial History

Reported figures by fiscal period, placed on the calendar year (or quarter) each period ended in, so companies with different fiscal years line up.

Trailing twelve monthsIBMMSTRPLTR
Revenue $69.10B $498.35M $6.16B
Gross profit $40.15B $336.89M $5.22B
Operating income $11.11B -$36.36B $2.63B
Net income $10.73B -$30.41B $3.03B
Free cash flow $13.79B -$26.19M $3.36B
R&D $8.75B $93.13M $641.24M
EPS (diluted) $11.25 $-88.98 $1.17
Cash & equivalents $7.17B $1.71B $2.03B
Total debt $252.72B $6.71B –
Shares (diluted) 953.30M 352.53M 2.57B
Enterprise value $188.94B $42.32B $446.59B

All Metrics

58 metrics · best in bold

Bold marks the best reading: the lowest positive value for multiples, leverage and payout, the highest for everything else. The bar under each value is its percentile against that company's own peers. Hover a value for its rank and the peer median.

Valuation

12 metrics
MetricIBMMSTRPLTR
P/E 22.3x -1.6x 156.5x
P/FCF 17.3x -1,962x 140.8x
P/Operating cash flow 16.0x -2,558x 139.0x
P/S 3.5x 103.1x 76.8x
P/B 6.9x 1.7x 47.8x
P/Tangible book 11.6x -2.7x 47.8x
EV/EBITDA 17.9x -1.5x 174.0x
EV/EBIT 26.3x -1.5x 175.9x
EV/Revenue 4.2x 111.7x 75.3x
EV/FCF 21.2x -2,125x 138.0x
EV/Operating cash flow 19.7x -2,770x 136.3x
PEG (3Y EPS CAGR) 0.31 0.01 0.55

Growth

14 metrics
MetricIBMMSTRPLTR
Revenue growth (1Y) 7.9% 7.8% 78.9%
Revenue CAGR (3Y) 4.5% -0.1% 44.4%
Gross profit growth (1Y) 8.9% 4.0% 89.6%
Gross profit CAGR (3Y) 6.7% -5.0% 47.7%
Operating income growth (1Y) 19.6% -645.8% 362.6%
Operating income CAGR (3Y) 13.5% -437.1% 247.7%
Net income growth (1Y) 83.9% -734.6% 292.3%
Net income CAGR (3Y) 74.3% -430.3% 308.7%
EPS growth (1Y) 82.8% -676.7% 294.3%
EPS CAGR (3Y) 72.3% -314.6% 286.3%
Operating cash flow growth (1Y) 12.1% 79.0% 96.6%
Operating cash flow CAGR (3Y) 6.6% -202.3% 103.5%
Free cash flow growth (1Y) 12.7% 74.1% 96.5%
Free cash flow CAGR (3Y) 8.2% -109.9% 107.6%

Profitability

14 metrics
MetricIBMMSTRPLTR
Gross margin 58.1% 67.6% 84.8%
EBITDA margin 23.6% -7,284% 43.3%
Operating margin 16.1% -7,295% 42.8%
Pretax margin 15.1% -7,280% 49.9%
Net margin 15.5% -6,294% 49.0%
FCF margin 20.0% -5.3% 54.6%
Operating cash flow margin 21.5% -4.0% 55.2%
Return on equity 31.7% -90.1% 32.9%
Return on assets 7.0% -56.9% 27.7%
Return on invested capital 11.3% -73.9% –
Return on capital employed 9.4% -68.7% 28.0%
Asset turnover 0.4x 0.0x 0.6x
Cash conversion (OCF / net income) 1.4x 0.0x 1.1x
Stock comp / revenue 2.7% 10.7% 13.6%

Financial Health

11 metrics
MetricIBMMSTRPLTR
Debt / assets 40.8% 12.8% –
Debt / equity 1.8x 0.2x –
Net debt / EBITDA 3.3x -0.1x –
Debt / FCF 4.5x -256.2x –
Liabilities / assets 77.3% 41.2% 15.4%
Equity / assets 22.7% 58.8% 84.6%
Interest coverage 5.8x – –
Current ratio 0.8x 5.4x 7.2x
Quick ratio 0.4x 5.2x 7.1x
Cash ratio 0.2x 4.9x 6.1x
Altman Z-score 3.29 -1.21 160.20

Shareholder Returns

7 metrics
MetricIBMMSTRPLTR
Dividend yield 2.7% – –
Net buyback yield -0.3% -51.6% 0.0%
Shareholder yield 2.4% -51.6% 0.0%
Payout ratio (earnings) 58.8% – –
Payout ratio (FCF) 45.8% – –
Dividend growth (1Y) 1.7% – –
Dividend CAGR (3Y) 1.7% – –

Analyst Estimates

Solid lines are reported fiscal-year results; dashed lines are the consensus for the years ahead. Hover a year for the analysts' high and low, and how each result compared with its estimate.

ConsensusIBMMSTRPLTR
Forward P/E 19.4xFY2026 – 118.5xFY2026
EPS, next fiscal year $13.05FY2026 $-20.12FY2026 $1.66FY2026
EPS growth, next FY +12.6%FY2026 – +121.3%FY2026
EPS growth, the year after -1.8% – +45.8%
Revenue, next fiscal year $66.19BFY2026 $466.60MFY2026 $8.41BFY2026
Revenue growth, next FY -2.0%FY2026 -2.2%FY2026 +87.8%FY2026
Revenue growth, the year after +15.9% +14.0% +37.5%

Institutional Ownership

13F filings, quarter ended Jun 30, 2026
HoldersIBMMSTRPLTR
Held by institutions 65.1% 57.9% 60.3%
Institutions holding 3,632 867 2,836
Change in shares held, QoQ +3.5% +12.5% +10.9%
Institutions buying 1,973 501 1,480
Institutions selling 1,226 256 1,093
Buyers to sellers 1.61 1.96 1.35

Return Correlation

Daily returns, last 12 months

1.00 means two stocks move in lockstep, 0 that they move independently. Pairs below about 0.5 diversify each other.

IBMMSTRPLTR
IBM 1.00 0.10 0.26
MSTR 0.10 1.00 0.43
PLTR 0.26 0.43 1.00

Add a Peer

Largest companies in the same industry

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is bigger, IBM, MSTR and PLTR?

Palantir Technologies (PLTR) is the largest by market capitalisation: International Business Machines (IBM) $238.12B, Strategy (MSTR) $49.33B, Palantir Technologies (PLTR) $477.64B.

Which stock is cheaper, IBM, MSTR and PLTR?

International Business Machines (IBM) trades on the lowest price-to-earnings ratio (International Business Machines (IBM) 22.2x, Strategy (MSTR) -1.6x, Palantir Technologies (PLTR) 158.3x). On next year's consensus earnings, International Business Machines (IBM) is cheapest (International Business Machines (IBM) 19.4x, Palantir Technologies (PLTR) 118.5x). A lower multiple can reflect slower expected growth, so read it next to the growth figures.

Which company is growing faster?

Palantir Technologies (PLTR) grew revenue fastest over the trailing twelve months: International Business Machines (IBM) +7.9%, Strategy (MSTR) +7.8%, Palantir Technologies (PLTR) +78.9%.

Which company is more profitable?

Palantir Technologies (PLTR) has the highest net margin (International Business Machines (IBM) 15.5%, Strategy (MSTR) -6,294.3%, Palantir Technologies (PLTR) 49.0%). On return on invested capital, International Business Machines (IBM) leads (International Business Machines (IBM) 11.3%, Strategy (MSTR) -73.9%).

Which stock has performed better?

Over the past year Palantir Technologies (PLTR) returned the most: International Business Machines (IBM) -11.0%, Strategy (MSTR) -48.8%, Palantir Technologies (PLTR) +9.0%. Over five years, Palantir Technologies (PLTR) compounded fastest (International Business Machines (IBM) +15.7%/yr, Strategy (MSTR) +15.2%/yr, Palantir Technologies (PLTR) +51.8%/yr). Returns are price only, before dividends.

Which pays a higher dividend?

Only one of these companies pays a dividend: International Business Machines (IBM) 0.03%, Strategy (MSTR) 0.00%, Palantir Technologies (PLTR) 0.00%. Strategy (MSTR) and Palantir Technologies (PLTR) pays no regular dividend.

Which stock is riskier?

By one-year price volatility, International Business Machines (IBM) has been the steadiest (International Business Machines (IBM) 51.3%, Strategy (MSTR) 81.1%, Palantir Technologies (PLTR) 59.5%). Volatility measures how widely the price swings, not the risk of the business.

Which is the better stock, IBM, MSTR and PLTR?

There is no single answer; it depends on what you are buying for. On the 12 head-to-head measures on this page, Palantir Technologies (PLTR) leads on 6. Business Quant does not give investment advice; use the comparison as a starting point for your own research.

Data from SEC filings, exchange prices and consensus estimates, via Business Quant. Percentile scores compare each company with its own peer group, so two companies' scores are each relative to different peers unless you rank against the whole market. Price returns exclude dividends. Nothing on this page is investment advice.