Wall Street wants $2.87 a share from IBM. Will Big Blue clear that bar when it reports Oct 21?
100% of users predicted YES — the community got this one right. 9 predictions cast.
IBM reported third-quarter 2026 results after the market close on Oct. 21, posting adjusted earnings per share of $2.95, above the roughly $2.87-$2.89 analyst consensus and up from $2.65 a year earlier. Revenue rose 5% year over year to $17.1 billion, driven by an 8% increase in software revenue, while consulting was flat and infrastructure grew 4%.
Despite the beat, shares fell as much as 7% in the following session after CEO Arvind Krishna told analysts that corporate customers are growing more cautious about whether their AI spending is producing measurable returns. IBM also held its full-year constant-currency revenue growth guidance at 4%-5% rather than raising it, which disappointed investors who had hoped for an upgrade. The company did lift its full-year free-cash-flow outlook, now expecting an increase of more than $1 billion year over year.
The quarter extended a pattern seen earlier in 2026, when IBM beat per-share estimates in multiple quarters while its stock still fell on investor skepticism about AI-driven growth.
Predict Six's community voted 100% yes across nine votes, correctly anticipating that IBM would clear the $2.87 bar.