IBM (NYSE:IBM) Stock

IBM looks to be a part of every aspect of an enterprise's IT needs. The company primarily sells software, IT services, consulting, and hardware. IBM operates in 175 countries and employs approximately 300,000 people. The company has a robust roster of business partners to service its clients, which include 95% of all Fortune 500 companies. Primary products include its mainframes, Red Hat software, transaction processing software, and IT consulting.

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AMD remains a strong buy with a $170 target price, thanks to its strong position in AI market, market share gains and competition with Intel and Nvidia.

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Cloud and other IT infrastructure and services provider Kyndryl Holdings Inc. (NYSE:KD) has impressed with a return of nearly 98% in the year leading to February 14, 2025. Indeed, as of that date, the stock is

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Oppenheimer analyst predicts IBM&#39;s Red Hat-driven software growth could lead to 20% growth, boosting margins and stock value.

&#39;Not Your Father&#39;s IBM&#39; - Analyst Says Company&#39;s Shift To A Software-Centric Company Is Overlooked

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IBM's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) short percent of float has fallen 7.02% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 19.62 million shares sold short, which is 2.12% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 3.4 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock?utm_source=insights&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest?utm_source=insights&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>IBM Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1740070824_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for IBM has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing IBM's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>, IBM's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 3.88%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze?utm_source=insights&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

Short Sellers

Short Ideas

What Does the Market Think About IBM?

Deep-pocketed investors have adopted a bullish approach towards IBM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>), and it's something market players shouldn't ignore. Our tracking of public options records at Benzinga unveiled this significant move today. The identity of these investors remains unknown, but such a substantial move in IBM usually suggests something big is about to happen.
We gleaned this information from our observations today when Benzinga's options scanner highlighted 10 extraordinary options activities for IBM. This level of activity is out of the ordinary.
The general mood among these heavyweight investors is divided, with 40% leaning bullish and 40% bearish. Among these notable options, 3 are puts, totaling $132,681, and 7 are calls, amounting to $321,088.
<h3>What's The Price Target?</h3>
Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $235.0 to $270.0 for IBM during the past quarter. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Trends</h3>
In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for IBM options trades today is 1835.62 with a total volume of 575.00.
In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for IBM's big money trades within a strike price range of $235.0 to $270.0 over the last 30 days.
<h3>IBM 30-Day Option Volume &amp; Interest Snapshot</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1739981735_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Biggest Options Spotted:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th align="right">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/28/25</td>
<td>$3.55</td>
<td>$3.25</td>
<td>$3.65</td>
<td>$262.50</td>
<td>$72.7K</td>
<td>739</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>02/28/25</td>
<td>$5.9</td>
<td>$5.6</td>
<td>$5.68</td>
<td>$257.50</td>
<td>$56.8K</td>
<td>797</td>
<td align="right">25</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$12.5</td>
<td>$11.15</td>
<td>$11.5</td>
<td>$250.00</td>
<td>$55.0K</td>
<td>8.4K</td>
<td align="right">42</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$13.05</td>
<td>$12.95</td>
<td>$12.95</td>
<td>$270.00</td>
<td>$50.8K</td>
<td>342</td>
<td align="right">83</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$13.05</td>
<td>$12.75</td>
<td>$12.9</td>
<td>$270.00</td>
<td>$50.3K</td>
<td>342</td>
<td align="right">5</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About IBM</h3>
IBM looks to be a part of every aspect of an enterprise's IT needs. The company primarily sells software, IT services, consulting, and hardware. IBM operates in 175 countries and employs approximately 300,000 people. The company has a robust roster of business partners to service its clients, which include 95% of all Fortune 500 companies. Primary products include its mainframes, Red Hat software, transaction processing software, and IT consulting.
Having examined the options trading patterns of IBM, our attention now turns directly to the company. This shift allows us to delve into its present market position and performance
<h3>Present Market Standing of IBM</h3>
<ul>
<li>Trading volume stands at 648,867, with IBM's price down by -0.48%, positioned at $261.81.</li>
<li>RSI indicators show the stock to be may be overbought.</li>
<li>Earnings announcement expected in 63 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Professional Analyst Ratings for IBM</h3>
Over the past month, 5 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $255.4.
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20-year pro options trader reveals his one-line chart technique that shows when to buy and sell. Copy his trades, which have had averaged a 27% profit every 20 days. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/options-moneyline-2/?t=Moop1arja3be22op14&amp;utm_source=benzinga-insights">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; An analyst from B of A Securities persists with their Buy rating on IBM, maintaining a target price of $260. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from BMO Capital continues to hold a Market Perform rating for IBM, targeting a price of $280. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Jefferies persists with their Hold rating on IBM, maintaining a target price of $270. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Morgan Stanley persists with their Equal-Weight rating on IBM, maintaining a target price of $217. 
&#x2A; An analyst from RBC Capital downgraded its action to Outperform with a price target of $250. 
Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest IBM options trades with real-time alerts from <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a>.

Options

IBM's Options Frenzy: What You Need to Know

Benchmark analyst Cody Acree reiterated Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) with a Buy and a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/AMD/analyst-ratings" rel="noreferrer noopener">$170&nbsp;price target</a>.
Acree recently hosted AMD&#8217;s Jean Hu, CFO, for a discussion with investors. He came away with further conviction in AMD&#8217;s strong fundamental position, its increasing competitiveness in the AI market, and its continued market share gains in both the Client and Server markets versus Intel Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>).
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43728563/amc-networks-q4-earnings-subscriber-growth-cash-flow-despite-revenue-declines-impairment-charges-free-cash-flow-outlook" rel="noreferrer noopener">AMC Networks Q4 Earnings: Streaming Revenue And Subscriber Growth Cushions Revenue Decline</a>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="750" height="650" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/18102022/newplot-12.png" alt="" class="wp-image-787133" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/18102022/newplot-12.png 750w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/18102022/newplot-12-300x260.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></figure>
The analyst noted a focus on the company&#8217;s AI ramp of its next-generation MI350 GPU with a pulled-ahead schedule of mid-year 2025 versus the prior schedule of the second half. With the transition, AMD expects first-half 2025 Data Center revenue to be flat due to softer seasonality and its Instinct revenue to be flat as customers wait for the launch of the new platform.
AMD broadly expects MI350 to be much more directly competitive with Nvidia Corp&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) Blackwell, with MI400 likely to be technically competitive with Rubin. Nvidia&#8217;s Blackwell delays and accelerated move-up of the MI350 launch proved that AMD is closing the competitive gap.
AMD noted ASICs only make up about 20% of the total AI silicon opportunity, thereby remaining adamant about not changing its focus priority from its primary GPU roadmap.
The analyst said that the company&#8217;s Client business continues to look solid as AMD gains market share momentum in both the Desktop and Notebook markets.
At a high level, for 2025, AMD is forecasting its PC TAM to grow by a mid-single-digit percentage year-on-year. However, based on the breadth of its client CPU portfolio and strong design win momentum, the company expects to grow its Client segment revenue well ahead of the market.
While the company expects its Client business to see normal first-quarter softer seasonality, in 2025, it is benefiting from its first win at Dell Technologies Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DELL#NYSE">DELL</a>) in the commercial client space.
In the server market, AMD continues to benefit from the strong adoption of its Gen 4 and new Gen 5 designs.
The company is seeing its EPYC processors gaining traction thanks to Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>), Dell, and Super Micro Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>).
Amazon.Com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), Amazon Web Services, Alibaba Group Holding (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>), Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google, Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) launched over 100 AMD general-purpose and AI instances in just the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, EPYC CPU sales grew by a strong double-digit percentage annually, thanks to high-volume deployments with ServiceNow Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NOW#NYSE">NOW</a>), Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>), Visa Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/V#NYSE">V</a>), and others. Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) exclusively used MI300X to power their Llama 405B frontier model on meta.ai.
Microsoft leveraged MI300X to power multiple GPT-4-based Copilot services.
With over 100 customer engagements in AI, AMD expanded its ROCm software suite.
International Business Machines Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>), DigitalOcean Holdings (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DOCN#NYSE">DOCN</a>), and several other AI-focused Cloud Service Providers have begun deploying AMD Instinct accelerators for new instances. IBM also announced plans to enable MI300X on their watsonx.ai and data platform for training and deploying enterprise-ready generative AI applications.
AMD began volume production of MI325X in the fourth quarter. MI325 delivers significant performance and TCO advantages compared to competitive offerings, including H100.
AMD has passed key milestones and received unconditional regulatory approvals regarding its acquisition of ZT Systems. Additionally, AMD expects to divest ZT Systems&#8217; data center infrastructure production capabilities.
While industry capacity will likely remain tight, AMD noted it has successfully secured sufficient wafer capacity to support its customers&#8217; planned ramps through the end of this year and into 2026.
Price Action: AMD stock is up 1.10% at $114.35 at the last check on Tuesday.
Also Read:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43727973/taiwan-semiconductor-eyes-us-expansion-amid-taiwans-push-for-bigger-investments-and-advanced-chip-production" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Taiwan Semiconductor Eyes US Expansion Amid Push for Bigger Investments and Advanced Chip Production</a></li>
</ul>
Photo via Shutterstock

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders will search for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges heavily from its normal worth. High amounts of trading activity could push option prices to exaggerated or underestimated levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Information Technology sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>SMCI</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/14/25</td>
<td>$40.00</td>
<td>$38.4K</td>
<td>5.6K</td>
<td>34.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>INTC</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$21.50</td>
<td>$25.8K</td>
<td>15.8K</td>
<td>9.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>02/14/25</td>
<td>$320.00</td>
<td>$302.2K</td>
<td>5.5K</td>
<td>8.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$255.00</td>
<td>$37.0K</td>
<td>2.2K</td>
<td>2.8K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PLTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$38.0K</td>
<td>17.6K</td>
<td>2.8K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>RGTI</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$15.00</td>
<td>$27.0K</td>
<td>10.9K</td>
<td>2.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$150.00</td>
<td>$28.5K</td>
<td>31.9K</td>
<td>1.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TSM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$190.00</td>
<td>$2.8 million</td>
<td>2.0K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SOUN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$37.00</td>
<td>$66.9K</td>
<td>7.7K</td>
<td>704</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MARA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$15.00</td>
<td>$55.5K</td>
<td>5.9K</td>
<td>685</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding SMCI (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 2 day(s) on February 14, 2025. Parties traded 300 contract(s) at a $40.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 16 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $38.4K, with a price of $128.0 per contract. There were 5657 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 34060 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For INTC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 9 day(s) on February 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 275 contract(s) at a $21.50 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 14 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $25.8K, with a price of $94.0 per contract. There were 15857 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 9675 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MSTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 2 day(s) on February 14, 2025. Parties traded 785 contract(s) at a $320.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $302.2K, with a price of $385.0 per contract. There were 5574 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 8216 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding IBM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 9 day(s) on February 21, 2025. Parties traded 100 contract(s) at a $255.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 7 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $37.0K, with a price of $370.0 per contract. There were 2256 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2848 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For PLTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 37 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 50 contract(s) at a $120.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $38.0K, with a price of $760.0 per contract. There were 17635 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2804 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For RGTI (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RGTI#NASDAQ">RGTI</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 338 day(s) on January 16, 2026. This event was a transfer of 60 contract(s) at a $15.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $27.0K, with a price of $450.0 per contract. There were 10927 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2007 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 93 day(s) on May 16, 2025. Parties traded 39 contract(s) at a $150.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 5 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.5K, with a price of $735.0 per contract. There were 31971 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1445 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For TSM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 128 day(s) on June 20, 2025. This event was a transfer of 1000 contract(s) at a $190.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $2.8 million, with a price of $2862.0 per contract. There were 2077 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1053 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding SOUN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOUN#NASDAQ">SOUN</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 338 day(s) on January 16, 2026. Parties traded 300 contract(s) at a $37.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 7 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $66.9K, with a price of $223.0 per contract. There were 7711 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 704 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MARA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 37 day(s) on March 21, 2025. Parties traded 500 contract(s) at a $15.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 18 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $55.5K, with a price of $111.0 per contract. There were 5953 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 685 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more about unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

MARA

MSTR

PLTR

RGTI

SOUN

10 Information Technology Stocks Whale Activity In Today's Session

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on IBM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>).
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with IBM, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
So how do we know what these investors just did? 
Today, <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?utm_source=insights">Benzinga</a>'s options scanner spotted 10 uncommon options trades for IBM.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 40% bullish and 50%, bearish.
Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 2 are puts, for a total amount of $101,145, and 8 are calls, for a total amount of $626,690.
<h3>Expected Price Movements</h3>
Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $160.0 to $265.0 for IBM over the recent three months. 
<h3>Insights into Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
In today's trading context, the average open interest for options of IBM stands at 1245.43, with a total volume reaching 1,892.00. The accompanying chart delineates the progression of both call and put option volume and open interest for high-value trades in IBM, situated within the strike price corridor from $160.0 to $265.0, throughout the last 30 days.
<h3>IBM Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1739372438_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Noteworthy Options Activity:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th align="right">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$98.0</td>
<td>$98.0</td>
<td>$98.0</td>
<td>$160.00</td>
<td>$196.0K</td>
<td>494</td>
<td align="right">20</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$71.2</td>
<td>$69.7</td>
<td>$70.0</td>
<td>$200.00</td>
<td>$175.0K</td>
<td>394</td>
<td align="right">25</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$1.45</td>
<td>$1.37</td>
<td>$1.45</td>
<td>$260.00</td>
<td>$72.5K</td>
<td>3.4K</td>
<td align="right">514</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$15.35</td>
<td>$14.9</td>
<td>$15.35</td>
<td>$265.00</td>
<td>$50.6K</td>
<td>193</td>
<td align="right">33</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$15.3</td>
<td>$14.9</td>
<td>$15.3</td>
<td>$265.00</td>
<td>$50.4K</td>
<td>193</td>
<td align="right">66</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About IBM</h3>
IBM looks to be a part of every aspect of an enterprise's IT needs. The company primarily sells software, IT services, consulting, and hardware. IBM operates in 175 countries and employs approximately 300,000 people. The company has a robust roster of business partners to service its clients, which include 95% of all Fortune 500 companies. Primary products include its mainframes, Red Hat software, transaction processing software, and IT consulting.
In light of the recent options history for IBM, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.
<h3>IBM's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>Currently trading with a volume of 194,155, the IBM's price is down by -0.51%, now at $253.39. </li>
<li>RSI readings suggest the stock is currently may be overbought.</li>
<li>Anticipated earnings release is in 70 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Expert Opinions on IBM</h3>
A total of 5 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $273.6.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=Be8be9arja3be22bz20&amp;utm_source=benzinga-insights">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Oppenheimer has revised its rating downward to Outperform, adjusting the price target to $320. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from BMO Capital continues to hold a Market Perform rating for IBM, targeting a price of $280. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Morgan Stanley has decided to maintain their Equal-Weight rating on IBM, which currently sits at a price target of $228. 
&#x2A; Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from B of A Securities keeps a Buy rating on IBM with a target price of $270. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Jefferies has decided to maintain their Hold rating on IBM, which currently sits at a price target of $270. 
Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest IBM options trades with real-time alerts from <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a>.

A Closer Look at IBM's Options Market Dynamics

International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) shares are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/movers" rel="noreferrer noopener">trading higher on Tuesday.</a>
Oppenheimer analyst Param Singh initiated coverage on IBM with an Outperform rating and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/IBM/analyst-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a price forecast of $320.</a>
Per Singh, the tech behemoth will experience sustained double-digit revenue growth in its software portfolio, mainly due to Red Hat offerings.
Red Hat has recently broadened its product offerings through several partner integrations, which could drive high-teens to 20% growth for the segment, surpassing consensus expectations, Singh writes.
Additionally, the analyst highlights that IBM has the opportunity to expand cross-selling once the HashiCorp deal is finalized.
The analyst also sees an inflection in consulting growth in the second half of the year, driven by a recovery in application development and management.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/previews/25/02/43630003/lyft-q4-earnings-preview-streak-of-revenue-eps-beats-on-the-line-after-rival-ubers-strong-fourth-quarter" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lyft Q4 Earnings Preview: Streak Of Revenue, EPS Beats On The Line After Rival Uber&#8217;s Strong Fourth Quarter</a>
Additionally, IBM&#8217;s potential in AI applications, including Generative AI, provides further growth opportunities.
This combination of factors will lead to stronger expansion with existing customers, improved margins, and a higher stock valuation as company&#8217;s software pivot gains recognition, the analyst adds.
The analyst writes that IBM&#8217;s successful shift to a software-focused company has been overlooked and forecasts revenue and margin growth to surpass consensus.
The analyst notes the stock is still mainly covered by IT hardware/services analysts.
Price Action: IBM shares are trading higher by 2.2% to $254.75 at last check Tuesday.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42015996/tesla-to-partner-with-lyft-uber-analyst-says-rising-conviction-for-partnership-in-future" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tesla To Partner With Lyft, Uber? Analyst Has &#8216;Rising Conviction&#8217; For Future Partnership</a></li>
</ul>
Photo via Shutterstock.

'Not Your Father's IBM' - Analyst Says Company's Shift To A Software-Centric Company Is Overlooked

WIIM

IBM shares are trading higher after Oppenheimer initiated coverage on the stock with an Outperform rating and announced a price target of $320.

Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades, downgrades and initiations, please see our <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings">analyst ratings page</a>.
<ul>
<li>Goldman Sachs analyst Richard Law initiated coverage on Silence Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SLN#NASDAQ">SLN</a>) with a Sell rating and announced a price target of $6. Silence Therapeutics shares closed at $4.92 on Monday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/SLN/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock</a>.</li>
<li>Roth MKM analyst George Kelly initiated coverage on Gaia, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GAIA#NASDAQ">GAIA</a>) with a Buy rating and announced a price target of $10. Gaia shares closed at $5.00 on Monday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/GAIA/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock</a>.</li>
<li>Goldman Sachs analyst Gerry Sweeney initiated coverage on AZZ Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AZZ#NYSE">AZZ</a>) with a Buy rating and announced a price target of $108. AZZ shares closed at $97.55 on Monday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/AZZ/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock</a>.</li>
<li>Jefferies analyst Glen Santangelo initiated coverage on Waystar Holding Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WAY#NASDAQ">WAY</a>) with a Buy rating and announced a price target of $51. Waystar shares closed at $41.45 on Monday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/WAY/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock</a>.</li>
<li>Oppenheimer analyst Param Singh initiated coverage on International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) with an Outperform rating and announced a price target of $320. IBM shares closed at $249.27 on Monday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/IBM/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
</ul>
Considering buying AZZ stock? Here&#8217;s what analysts think: 
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="625" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/11075847/image-2-25-1024x625.png" alt="" class="wp-image-776492" style="width:601px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/11075847/image-2-25-1024x625.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/11075847/image-2-25-300x183.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/11075847/image-2-25-768x469.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/11075847/image-2-25.png 1091w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
Read This Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43592071/top-3-tech-stocks-that-may-jump-this-month">Top 3 Tech Stocks That May Jump This Month</a></li>
</ul>

Pre-Market Outlook

GAIA

STLD

This IBM Analyst Begins Coverage On A Bullish Note; Here Are Top 5 Initiations For Tuesday

Oppenheimer analyst Param Singh initiates coverage on IBM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) with a Outperform rating and announces Price Target of $320.

Oppenheimer Initiates Coverage On IBM with Outperform Rating, Announces Price Target of $320

Cloud software leader,&nbsp;Salesforce (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>), has declared its intention&nbsp;to invest $500 million in&nbsp;Saudi Arabia to bolster artificial intelligence (AI) development.
What Happened: Salesforce will roll out Hyperforce, its platform architecture, in Saudi Arabia in a strategic alliance with Amazon Web Services (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>). The company announced that it will collaborate with Capgemini, Deloitte, Globant, IBM (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NASDAQ">IBM</a>) and PwC to expand the use of Agentforce, its customer service agent solution, and introduce Arabic language support for its AI-related product suite.
The announcement was made at the LEAP 2025 global tech event in Saudi Arabia, where the country secured $14.9 billion in fresh AI investments. This initiative aligns with Salesforce&#8217;s broader strategy in the region, which involves setting up a regional headquarters in Riyadh and equipping 30,000 Saudi citizens with new skills by 2030.
SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43586484/google-deepmind-ceo-calls-deepseek-ai-best-work-from-china-but-says-hype-is-overblown-theres-no-actual-new-scientific-advance">Google DeepMind CEO Calls DeepSeek AI &#8216;Best Work&#8217; From China, But Says Hype Is Overblown: &#8216;There&#8217;s No Actual New Scientific Advance&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters:&nbsp;This investment comes on the heels of Salesforce&#8217;s recent strategic moves in the AI sector. Last week,&nbsp;the company cut 1,000 jobs while simultaneously<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43452478/salesforce-cuts-1000-jobs-but-ramps-up-hiring-for-ai-sales-roles"> ramping up hiring for AI sales roles</a>. The company was said to be hiring 2,000 employees for sales roles to promote its artificial intelligence products, as announced by CEO Marc Benioff in December.
This latest investment in Saudi Arabia underscores Salesforce&#8217;s commitment to expanding its AI capabilities and footprint globally. The company is not just focussing on enhancing its AI initiatives but is also concerned about its environmental impact. Yesterday, it launched a tool, AI Energy Score, in partnership with Hugging Face, Cohere, and Carnegie Mellon University, to evaluate the relative energy efficiency of different AI models. Boris Gamazaychikov, Head of AI Sustainability at Salesforce emphasized how important it is have to a standardized approach to measure and disclose such information. 
Meanwhile, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives identified Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>) and Salesforce as the leading AI software investments for the year. He stated in a note that 2025 will experience a surge in enterprise consumption, broad adoption of large language models (LLMs), and an expansion of generative AI applications.
<ul>
<li>READ ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/02/43476925/buying-palantir-stock-today-is-like-buying-tesla-stock-10-years-ago-dan-ives-says-this-could-be-a-1-trillion-market-cap">Buying Palantir Stock Today Is Like Buying Tesla Stock 10 Years Ago, Dan Ives Says: &#8216;This Could Be A $1 Trillion Market Cap&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Salesforce And AWS Pledge $500M To Boost AI Development In Saudi Arabia

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders will search for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges heavily from its normal worth. High amounts of trading activity could push option prices to exaggerated or underestimated levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Information Technology sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>INTC</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>02/14/25</td>
<td>$18.50</td>
<td>$103.8K</td>
<td>6.0K</td>
<td>6.3K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PLTR</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/07/25</td>
<td>$117.00</td>
<td>$25.7K</td>
<td>107</td>
<td>5.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>QCOM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$170.00</td>
<td>$76.0K</td>
<td>15.4K</td>
<td>5.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>12/18/26</td>
<td>$2.00</td>
<td>$50.3K</td>
<td>9.2K</td>
<td>4.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>EVLV</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$4.00</td>
<td>$31.5K</td>
<td>786</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TSM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/07/25</td>
<td>$215.00</td>
<td>$158.6K</td>
<td>905</td>
<td>912</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AVGO</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>02/07/25</td>
<td>$210.00</td>
<td>$51.6K</td>
<td>2.4K</td>
<td>887</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>APP</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/07/25</td>
<td>$380.00</td>
<td>$30.0K</td>
<td>656</td>
<td>773</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>02/14/25</td>
<td>$247.50</td>
<td>$31.2K</td>
<td>264</td>
<td>719</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CRWD</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$400.00</td>
<td>$1.5 million</td>
<td>143</td>
<td>711</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These itemized elaborations have been created using the accompanying table. 
• For INTC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 7 day(s) on February 14, 2025. This event was a transfer of 4924 contract(s) at a $18.50 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 45 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $103.8K, with a price of $21.0 per contract. There were 6088 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 6388 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For PLTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, is expiring today. Parties traded 136 contract(s) at a $117.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 5 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $25.7K, with a price of $189.0 per contract. There were 107 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 5907 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For QCOM (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QCOM#NASDAQ">QCOM</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 14 day(s) on February 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 317 contract(s) at a $170.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $76.0K, with a price of $240.0 per contract. There were 15468 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 5797 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we observe a call option sweep with neutral sentiment. It expires in 679 day(s) on December 18, 2026. Parties traded 4 contract(s) at a $2.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $50.3K, with a price of $12578.0 per contract. There were 9284 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 4294 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For EVLV (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EVLV#NASDAQ">EVLV</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 14 day(s) on February 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 1051 contract(s) at a $4.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 74 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $31.5K, with a price of $30.0 per contract. There were 786 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1051 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding TSM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 28 day(s) on March 7, 2025. Parties traded 260 contract(s) at a $215.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 37 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $158.6K, with a price of $610.0 per contract. There were 905 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 912 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AVGO (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, is expiring today. Parties traded 33 contract(s) at a $210.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $51.6K, with a price of $1565.0 per contract. There were 2417 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 887 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For APP (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APP#NASDAQ">APP</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, is expiring today. Parties traded 200 contract(s) at a $380.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $30.0K, with a price of $150.0 per contract. There were 656 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 773 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding IBM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>), we observe a put option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 7 day(s) on February 14, 2025. Parties traded 200 contract(s) at a $247.50 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $31.2K, with a price of $156.0 per contract. There were 264 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 719 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For CRWD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRWD#NASDAQ">CRWD</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 69 day(s) on April 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 700 contract(s) at a $400.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $1.5 million, with a price of $2220.0 per contract. There were 143 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 711 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

AVGO

CRWD

EVLV

QCOM

10 Information Technology Stocks With Whale Alerts In Today's Session

Goldman Sachs analyst James Schneider expressed views on International Business Machines Corporation&#8216;s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) Investor <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ibm/analyst-ratings" rel="noreferrer noopener">Day, which took place on February 4</a>.
The analyst maintained a Buy rating and a $275 price forecast, considering the company remains underappreciated in the TMT sector and offers discovery value, especially for long-only investors.
The analyst notes that IBM projects over 5% total revenue growth from 2025 to 2027, including M&amp;A, with pre-tax margin and FCF growth <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/guidance" rel="noreferrer noopener">outpacing revenue growth</a>.
The analyst notes the stock should continue to rise, as IBM has outlined a credible strategy to sustain accelerated long-term Software revenue growth of around 10%, surpassing their previous expectation of high-single digits for 2025-2027.
Moreover, Schneider notes that IBM raised its medium-term Software revenue growth target to 10%, up from mid-single digits, with Red Hat seeing mid-teens growth.
The analyst sees a potential upside in IBM&#8217;s Software growth and margins, fueled by increasing demand for containerization, OpenShift, Ansible, and RHEL.
Additionally, IBM&#8217;s early leadership in GenAI, with ~$1 billion in Software GenAI bookings to date, presents further growth opportunities, adds the analyst.
Also, the analyst notes that IBM expects Consulting business to outperform the market through share gains, and Infrastructure business is forecasted to grow 1%-3%, on mainframe and storage growth.
Overall, the analyst notes the company is on track to achieve long-term growth driven by stronger software growth and market share gains in the consulting business.
Last month, IBM reported fourth-quarter earnings of&nbsp;$3.92&nbsp;per share, which beat the analyst consensus estimate of&nbsp;$3.75. Quarterly revenue came in at $17.55 billion,&nbsp;which beat the analyst <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43321676/ibm-reports-q4" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus estimate of&nbsp;$17.54 billion</a>.
Investors can gain exposure to the stock via First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TDIV#NASDAQ">TDIV</a>) and FT Vest Technology Dividend Target Income ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TDVI#BATS">TDVI</a>).
Price Action: IBM shares are down 0.80% at $262.33 at the last check Wednesday.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/02/43432805/workers-long-for-the-day-pensions-make-a-comeback-83-say-everyone-deserves-a-pension-not-just-public-employees" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Workers Long for The Day Pensions Make A Comeback — 83% Say Everyone Deserves A Pension, Not Just Public Employees</a></li>
</ul>
Photo via Shutterstock.

Large Cap

TDIV

TDVI

IBM Story Is Underappreciated, Goldman Sachs Says Stock Can Re-Rate Higher

IBM CFO Says Aiming For Software Revenue Growth Of About 10% Under New Financial Model

Guidance

IBM CFO Says Aiming For Free Cash Flow Growing 2 To 3 Basis Points In Excess Of Revenue Growth

IBM CFO Says Aiming For 5% Revenue Growth On A Constant Currency Basis Under New Framework

Deep-pocketed investors have adopted a bullish approach towards IBM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>), and it's something market players shouldn't ignore. Our tracking of public options records at Benzinga unveiled this significant move today. The identity of these investors remains unknown, but such a substantial move in IBM usually suggests something big is about to happen.
We gleaned this information from our observations today when Benzinga's options scanner highlighted 26 extraordinary options activities for IBM. This level of activity is out of the ordinary.
The general mood among these heavyweight investors is divided, with 50% leaning bullish and 38% bearish. Among these notable options, 6 are puts, totaling $342,477, and 20 are calls, amounting to $1,773,467.
<h3>What's The Price Target?</h3>
Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $175.0 to $280.0 for IBM over the recent three months. 
<h3>Insights into Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
Assessing the volume and open interest is a strategic step in options trading. These metrics shed light on the liquidity and investor interest in IBM's options at specified strike prices. The forthcoming data visualizes the fluctuation in volume and open interest for both calls and puts, linked to IBM's substantial trades, within a strike price spectrum from $175.0 to $280.0 over the preceding 30 days.
<h3>IBM Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1738604725_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Noteworthy Options Activity:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th align="right">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$11.9</td>
<td>$11.85</td>
<td>$11.9</td>
<td>$250.00</td>
<td>$476.0K</td>
<td>7.7K</td>
<td align="right">503</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$10.05</td>
<td>$8.75</td>
<td>$10.05</td>
<td>$247.50</td>
<td>$161.8K</td>
<td>386</td>
<td align="right">462</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$26.25</td>
<td>$25.95</td>
<td>$26.25</td>
<td>$260.00</td>
<td>$131.2K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
<td align="right">65</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$11.9</td>
<td>$11.85</td>
<td>$11.9</td>
<td>$250.00</td>
<td>$119.0K</td>
<td>7.7K</td>
<td align="right">103</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$16.15</td>
<td>$15.65</td>
<td>$16.0</td>
<td>$260.00</td>
<td>$115.2K</td>
<td>1.7K</td>
<td align="right">5</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About IBM</h3>
IBM looks to be a part of every aspect of an enterprise's IT needs. The company primarily sells software, IT services, consulting, and hardware. IBM operates in 175 countries and employs approximately 300,000 people. The company has a robust roster of business partners to service its clients, which include 95% of all Fortune 500 companies. Primary products include its mainframes, Red Hat software, transaction processing software, and IT consulting.
Following our analysis of the options activities associated with IBM, we pivot to a closer look at the company's own performance.
<h3>Present Market Standing of IBM</h3>
<ul>
<li>Trading volume stands at 2,816,498, with IBM's price up by 0.77%, positioned at $257.68.</li>
<li>RSI indicators show the stock to be may be overbought.</li>
<li>Earnings announcement expected in 79 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Expert Opinions on IBM</h3>
A total of 5 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $236.6.
Turn $1000 into $1270 in just 20 days?
20-year pro options trader reveals his one-line chart technique that shows when to buy and sell. Copy his trades, which have had averaged a 27% profit every 20 days. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/options-moneyline-2/?t=Moop1arja3be22op14&amp;utm_source=benzinga-insights">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; An analyst from B of A Securities has decided to maintain their Buy rating on IBM, which currently sits at a price target of $270. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from JP Morgan continues to hold a Neutral rating for IBM, targeting a price of $244. 
&#x2A; Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from RBC Capital keeps a Outperform rating on IBM with a target price of $276. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from JP Morgan continues to hold a Neutral rating for IBM, targeting a price of $233. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from UBS continues to hold a Sell rating for IBM, targeting a price of $160. 
Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for IBM with <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> for real-time alerts.

IBM Options Trading: A Deep Dive into Market Sentiment

Pensions are making headlines again, but not because they're making a comeback—at least not yet. Turns out, most Americans are pretty nostalgic for those <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43201704/can-you-guess-what-it-takes-to-be-wealthy-in-retirement-hint-its-probably-less-than-your-goal">steady retirement payouts</a> that used to be standard.&nbsp;
A 2024 survey by the National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS) revealed that 83% of Americans think pensions shouldn't just be a public employee perk. Everyone should have access to them. And that's not just a talking point for one political party; support crosses party lines, with nearly equal backing from Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. Retirement security is apparently a bipartisan dream.
Don't Miss:
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<li>The average American couple has saved this much money for retirement —<a href="http://www.benzinga.com/money/smartasset"> How do you compare</a>?</li>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/gbr-savings-by-age">If You're Age 35, 50, or 60: Here&#8217;s How Much You Should Have Saved Vs. Invested By Now</a></li>
</ul>
But why are so many longing for the return of pensions? Well, retirement planning today feels like running a marathon on a treadmill that's speeding up every year. Wages? Stagnant. Costs of living? Rising.&nbsp;
The shift from pensions to 401(k)s put the responsibility for retirement squarely on workers, and not everyone is thrilled about it. The NIRS survey also found that 79% of Americans believe the country is in the middle of a retirement crisis, with more than half worried about whether they'll ever achieve financial security in their golden years.
Trending: The average 401(k) balance soars to a record-breaking high – <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/average-401k-balances-soars-to-record-high">Here's how to know if your nest egg is keeping pace.</a>
Pensions aren't just a financial safety net; they're a key ingredient to the American Dream, or so most Americans believe. Around 83% think pensions are essential to fostering independence and self-reliance in retirement. For many, it's a question of fairness, with some pointing out that government employees have access to guaranteed retirement income while others are left managing volatile 401(k) accounts and worrying about market downturns as they approach retirement.
Take Sara Schambers, for example. According to a March 2024 CNBC article, She's a fourth-generation Ford Motor (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/F#NYSE">F</a>) auto worker who watched her grandparents retire comfortably thanks to pensions. Today, despite her permanent position, those same benefits are a relic of the past. She's not alone. Millions of workers are staring down a future that's less "cozy retirement" and more "can I afford groceries this month?"
Trending: Can you guess how many Americans successfully retire with $1,000,000 saved?<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/1milsaved"> The percentage may shock you</a>.
It's not hard to see why pensions are appealing. They promise predictability, something 401(k)s can't guarantee. With pensions, the employer shoulders the investment risk, not the worker. That's a big deal when retirement savings depend on navigating a market that doesn't care whether you're trying to make ends meet or save for a vacation. And let's not forget, pensions also help employers. They're a proven way to attract and keep talent in critical industries, like teaching and public safety.
Still, the hurdles to bringing pensions back are no small feat. Employers aren't exactly chomping at the bit to revive defined benefit plans. Sure, IBM (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NASDAQ">IBM</a>) made headlines in 2023 by moving back to a defined benefit contribution system, but it's an outlier. Most companies have stuck to 401(k)s, arguing they're more portable for today's workforce, where job-hopping is the norm. Plus, funding pensions requires serious cash, and that's a commitment many employers don't want to make.
See Also: Many are using retirement income calculators to check if they&#8217;re on pace —<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-do-i-calculate-my-retirement-income-adv"> here&#8217;s a breakdown on what&#8217;s behind this formula.</a>
Some critics argue that 401(k)s aren't as bad as they seem. Americans now hold over $40 trillion in retirement assets—an inflation-adjusted increase of 330% over 35 years. But those numbers don't mean much to the nearly half of U.S. households that have no retirement savings at all. And then there's the looming Social Security problem. With its trust funds inching toward insolvency, even the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/01/42850946/planning-your-retirement-new-changes-to-social-security-in-2025-could-affect-you">meager safety net Social Security provides</a> might not be as reliable as it once was.&nbsp;
Schambers, however, isn't giving up. She and her union plan to push for pensions during their next round of contract negotiations in 2028. "We're ready to fight like hell for real retirement security," she said, capturing the frustration of workers who feel like their retirement dreams are slipping away.
So, will pensions ever make a widespread comeback? Maybe. Maybe not. But it's apparent Americans are done pretending that 401(k)s alone can <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/are-you-rich">solve the retirement puzzle</a>. For now, pensions remain more of a wish list item than a reality, but the conversation isn't going away anytime soon.
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/suze-orman-retirement-bucket">&#8216;Which Bucket Do I Draw From First?&#8217; Suze Orman Explains To 67-Year-Old The Best Order For Tapping Into Her Retirement Accounts</a></li>
</ul>

Personal Finance

Workers Long for The Day Pensions Make A Comeback — 83% Say Everyone Deserves A Pension, Not Just Public Employees

The White House said the National Security Council is reviewing the implications of&nbsp;DeepSeek, a Chinese AI firm.&nbsp;The review comes amid fears of intellectual property theft, a concern raised by&nbsp;David Sacks, the White <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43293506/chinas-deepseek-under-white-house-scrutiny-over-potential-national-security-risks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">House's AI and crypto czar</a>.
Meta Platforms Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) CEO&nbsp;Mark Zuckerberg&nbsp;is reportedly considering purchasing a property in Washington DC as part of his strategy to work <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43296858/mark-zuckerberg-reportedly-explores-buying-property-in-washington-dc-as-meta-ceo-looks-to-work-closely-with-trump" rel="noreferrer noopener">closely with President&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43296858/mark-zuckerberg-reportedly-explores-buying-property-in-washington-dc-as-meta-ceo-looks-to-work-closely-with-trump" rel="noreferrer noopener">Donald Trump</a>.
Earnings Results
Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>)&nbsp;reported second-quarter GAAP earnings of $3.23 per share, beating the $3.11 consensus estimate. Quarterly revenue clocked in at $69.6 billion, beating the $68.78 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43320124/microsoft-shares-slide-after-q2-results-cloud-revenue-misses-expectations-details" rel="noreferrer noopener">billion analyst consensus estimate</a>.
Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43327016/microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-accepts-deepseek-ai-has-some-real-innovations-but-wont-say-if-they-mark-a-turning-point-for-ai-cost-reduction" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella Accepts DeepSeek AI Has Some &#8216;Real Innovations&#8217; — But Won&#8217;t Say If They Mark A Turning Point For AI Cost Reduction</a>
International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) reported fourth-quarter earnings of&nbsp;$3.92&nbsp;per share, which beat the analyst consensus estimate of&nbsp;$3.75. Quarterly revenue came in at $17.55 billion,&nbsp;which beat the analyst <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43321676/ibm-reports-q4" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus estimate of&nbsp;$17.54 billion</a>.
Meta reported fourth-quarter revenue of $48.39 billion, beating&nbsp;analyst estimates of $47.03 billion. The company reported fourth-quarter earnings of $8.02 per share,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/25/01/43322201/meta-platforms-q4-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-daily-actives-up-5-continued-strong-revenue-growth-expected" rel="noreferrer noopener"> beating analyst estimates of $6.77 per share</a>.
Related:<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/01/43326499/mark-zuckerberg-says-chinas-deepseek-did-some-novel-things-were-still-digesting-but-meta-may-keep-pouring-billions-into-ai-infrastructure-anyway" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Mark Zuckerberg Says China&#8217;s DeepSeek Did Some Novel Things &#8216;We&#8217;re Still Digesting,&#8217; But Meta May Keep Pouring Billions Into AI Infrastructure Anyway</a>
Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>) reported fourth-quarter earnings of&nbsp;13&nbsp;per share, which beat the analyst consensus estimate of&nbsp;12&nbsp;cents. Quarterly revenue clocked in at $14.3 billion,&nbsp;which beat the analyst <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43354712/intel-stock-climbs-on-better-than-expected-q4-report-details" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus estimate of&nbsp;$13.81 billion</a>.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) reported fiscal first-quarter revenue of $124.3 billion, beating analyst&nbsp;estimates&nbsp;of $124.13 billion. The iPhone maker reported first-quarter adjusted earnings of $2.40 per share, beating <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43355688/apple-q1-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-iphone-sales-slip-installed-base-climbs-to-all-time-high-ou" rel="noreferrer noopener">analyst estimates of $2.36 per share</a>.
Related: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/01/43373775/tim-cook-praises-chinas-deepseek-for-driving-efficiency-stresses-apples-prudent-and-deliberate-approach-toward-capital-expenditure" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tim Cook Praises China&#8217;s DeepSeek For Driving Efficiency, Stresses Apple&#8217;s &#8216;Prudent And Deliberate&#8217; Approach Toward Capital Expenditure</a>
Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Corporation&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) stock took a hit as China&#8217;s&nbsp;DeepSeek unveiled an AI model that reportedly offers cutting-edge performance at a fraction of the cost. This development has sparked doubts about the need <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43220297/nvidia-stock-slide-as-chinas-deepseek-ai-sparks-doubts-over-gpu-spending-frenzy-what-tech-experts-are-saying" rel="noreferrer noopener">for&nbsp;massive GPU investments</a>.
The race among large language models has intensified with DeepSeek R1 emerging&nbsp;as a formidable competitor&nbsp;to established players like OpenAI's o1 and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/25/01/43243584/deepseek-r1-vs-openai-what-consumers-need-to-know-about-ais-latest-challenger" rel="noreferrer noopener">Meta Platforms Inc.</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/25/01/43243584/deepseek-r1-vs-openai-what-consumers-need-to-know-about-ais-latest-challenger" rel="noreferrer noopener">‘s Llama 3.2</a>.
DeepSeek was targeted by significant cyberattacks, coinciding with its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43257133/chinese-ai-startup-deepseek-hit-by-cyberattacks-after-toppling-us-giants-like-nvidia-with-new-ai-model-dubbed-as-chatgpt-killer" rel="noreferrer noopener">growing prominence in the AI sector</a>.
Veteran investor&nbsp;Ross Gerber voiced his apprehensions <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43258810/ross-gerber-slams-deepseeks-privacy-policy-as-the-chinese-ai-models-rise-triggers-market-chaos-i-dont-trust-a-thing-china-does" rel="noreferrer noopener">regarding&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43258810/ross-gerber-slams-deepseeks-privacy-policy-as-the-chinese-ai-models-rise-triggers-market-chaos-i-dont-trust-a-thing-china-does" rel="noreferrer noopener">DeepSeek's</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43258810/ross-gerber-slams-deepseeks-privacy-policy-as-the-chinese-ai-models-rise-triggers-market-chaos-i-dont-trust-a-thing-china-does" rel="noreferrer noopener"> privacy policy on&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43258810/ross-gerber-slams-deepseeks-privacy-policy-as-the-chinese-ai-models-rise-triggers-market-chaos-i-dont-trust-a-thing-china-does" rel="noreferrer noopener">X</a>.
OpenAI&nbsp;CEO&nbsp;Sam Altman has addressed the capabilities of&nbsp;DeepSeek's R1 model, acknowledging its impressive <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43259545/deepseeks-r1-is-impressive-but-openai-ceo-sam-altman-says-they-will-crush-it-with-much-better-models-looking-forward-to-bringing-you-all-agi-and-beyond" rel="noreferrer noopener">performance and cost-</a>effectiveness.
Palmer Luckey, founder of&nbsp;Oculus&nbsp;and&nbsp;Anduril Industries, has voiced strong criticism against the reaction to&nbsp;DeepSeek,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43294552/palmer-luckey-blasts-hysteria-over-deepseek-oculus-founder-says-chinese-hedge-funds-psyops-targeted-us-ai-giants-like-nvidia" rel="noreferrer noopener"> labeling it as an overreaction</a>.
SoftBank Group (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFBQF#OTC">SFBQF</a>)&nbsp;is reportedly negotiating a potential investment of $15 billion to $25 billion in&nbsp;OpenAI. This move could make SoftBank the largest investor in the&nbsp;ChatGPT&nbsp;creator, surpassing&nbsp;Microsoft, which <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43327823/softbank-eyes-historic-25-billion-investment-in-openai-poised-to-dethrone-microsoft-as-chatgpt-parents-biggest-investor" rel="noreferrer noopener">has&nbsp;invested nearly $14 billion</a>.
Technology &amp; Telecom
Meta said it has agreed to a $25 million settlement with President&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp;over his suspension from&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;and&nbsp;Instagram&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/01/43325503/mark-zuckerbergs-meta-pays-trump-25-million-to-settle-lawsuit-over-facebook-instagram-ban-after-jan-6-riot-a-big-year-for-redefining-our-relationships-with-governments" rel="noreferrer noopener">following&nbsp;the Jan. 6 Capitol riot</a>.
As McKinsey highlights a significant shift in how artificial intelligence will be used in the future,&nbsp;Verizon Communications Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>) launched&nbsp;AI Connect&nbsp;during its fourth quarter conference call, to meet the growing demand for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/01/43222744/verizon-launches-ai-connect-as-mckinsey-predicts-that-60-70-of-ai-workload-will-shift-from-training-to-inferencing-by-2030" rel="noreferrer noopener">network capacity and computational power</a>.
Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43223228/satya-nadella-said-we-should-take-development-out-of-china-very-very-seriously-now-deepseeks-r1-has-emerged-as-chatgpt-killer-outperforming-openai-with-50x-cheaper-prices-heres-more" rel="noreferrer noopener">Satya Nadella Said &#8216;We Should Take Development Out Of China Very, Very Seriously.&#8217; Now, DeepSeek&#8217;s R1 Has Emerged As A ChatGPT Killer, Outperforming OpenAI With 50x Lower Costs: Here&#8217;s More</a>
Google Maps, owned by&nbsp;Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>), said that it will rename the "Gulf of Mexico" to "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43256798/google-maps-to-rename-gulf-of-mexico-to-gulf-of-america-for-us-users-in-aftermath-of-trump-executive-order" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gulf of America" for U.S. users</a>.&nbsp;
Google&nbsp;has reportedly reclassified the U.S. as a "sensitive country.", which is typically reserved for nations with strict governments or border <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/01/43295150/google-reclassifies-us-as-sensitive-country-just-like-china-and-russia-after-trumps-gulf-of-america-move" rel="noreferrer noopener">disputes like China, Russia, and Iraq</a>.
Social Media
Jeff Bezos-backed&nbsp;Perplexity AI has reportedly submitted a&nbsp;revised proposal&nbsp;to merge with&nbsp;TikTok&#8217;s U.S. business, offering the U.S. government a 50% stake in the new entity.
A group of U.S. investors, with backing from&nbsp;YouTube&nbsp;star&nbsp;Jimmy Donaldson, also known as&nbsp;MrBeast, has amassed over <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43325891/backed-by-youtube-king-mrbeast-group-of-american-investors-including-roblox-ceo-lock-in-over-20-billion-for-tiktok-takeover-but-they-have-not-heard-back-directly-from-bytedance" rel="noreferrer noopener">$20 billion to bid for&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43325891/backed-by-youtube-king-mrbeast-group-of-american-investors-including-roblox-ceo-lock-in-over-20-billion-for-tiktok-takeover-but-they-have-not-heard-back-directly-from-bytedance" rel="noreferrer noopener">TikTok</a>.
Smartphones
Apple reportedly plans to release the&nbsp;iOS 18.4&nbsp;update in April, following the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43221500/ios-18-4-preview-updates-to-siri-more-languages-for-apple-intelligence-and-robot-vacuum-support-everything-we-know-so-far" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">public rollout of&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43221500/ios-18-4-preview-updates-to-siri-more-languages-for-apple-intelligence-and-robot-vacuum-support-everything-we-know-so-far" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">iOS 18.3</a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43221500/ios-18-4-preview-updates-to-siri-more-languages-for-apple-intelligence-and-robot-vacuum-support-everything-we-know-so-far" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;this week</a>.&nbsp;Apple has released&nbsp;iOS 18.3, addressing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43257851/ios-183-released-with-urgent-security-fixes-heres-why-every-iphone-user-should-update-immediately" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">29 security vulnerabilities</a>.
Apple joined forces with Elon Musk&#8217;s SpaceX and T-Mobile US Inc. to bring Starlink <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43294364/apple-surprises-iphone-users-by-teaming-up-with-spacex-and-t-mobile-to-bring-starlink-satellite-texting-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-feature" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">satellite texting capabilities to </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43294364/apple-surprises-iphone-users-by-teaming-up-with-spacex-and-t-mobile-to-bring-starlink-satellite-texting-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-feature" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">iPhones</a>.
Image: Shutterstock

AAPL

SFBQF

Consumer Tech News (Jan 27-Jan 31): China's DeepSeek Launch Gets Mixed Reaction From Experts, Tech Biggies Reported Earnings & More

These ten large-cap stocks were the best performers in the last week. Are they in your portfolio?
<ol>
<li>Atlassian Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TEAM#NASDAQ">TEAM</a>) shares escalated 15.85% after the company reported better-than-expected financial results for the fiscal second quarter and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43391113" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysts changed their price forecast</a>.</li>
<li>Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RCL#NYSE">RCL</a>) stock upped 14.86% after announcing upbeat fourth-quarter results <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43312480" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">and analysts raised the price forecast.</a></li>
<li>International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) shares increased 13.75% after the company reported an upbeat fourth-quarter results and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43341886" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysts revised the price forecast</a>.</li>
<li>GitLab Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GTLB#NASDAQ">GTLB</a>) stock grew 12.30% amid a rebound in the broader space.</li>
<li>Check Point Software Ltd (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CHKP#NASDAQ">CHKP</a>) shares gained 12.10% last week following <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43347093" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Q4 earnings</a>. Several analysts raised their <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/CHKP/analyst-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">price forecasts</a> on the stock.</li>
<li>RBC Bearings Incorporated (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RBC#NYSE">RBC</a>) shares jumped 10.99% after the company reported better-than-expected third-quarter results and issued fourth-quarter <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43382549" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">net sales guidance above estimates</a>.</li>
<li>Alibaba Group (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) shares escalated 10.88% as the company&#8217;s latest artificial intelligence <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43351350" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">model, Qwen 2.5, gained traction</a>.</li>
<li>Duolingo, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DUOL#NASDAQ">DUOL</a>) stock gained 10.77% last week after several analysts raised their <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/DUOL/analyst-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">price forecasts</a>.</li>
<li>Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BEN#NYSE">BEN</a>) stock upped 10.70% after the company reported better-than-expected Q1 financial results.</li>
<li>Cloudflare, Inc.&#8217;s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NET#NYSE">NET</a>) stock rose 10.61% amid a rebound in the broader market, which sold off amid concerns about AI competition<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/net/analyst-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> from China</a>.</li>
</ol>
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Alibaba, IBM And Duolingo Are Among Top 0Large Cap Gainers Last Week (Jan 27-Jan 31): Are The Others In Your Portfolio?

U.S. stock futures climbed on Friday, pointing to a third straight week of gains fueled by strong corporate earnings. Futures were higher for all four major indices.
The dollar index strengthened after Donald Trump announced Thursday that the U.S. will implement a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, effective Saturday, Feb. 1. He also threatened the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/01/43377987/after-imposing-tariffs-on-canada-donald-trump-threatens-100-levy-on-brics-for-move-against-dollar-how-will-us-manage-production-from-slippers-to-ships-asks-expert">BRICS nations</a> to impose 100% tariffs if they issue BRICS reserve currency.
Investors await the Personal Consumption Expenditure data for December, which will be released before the market opens.
The 10-year Treasury yield is currently at 4.53%, and the two-year yield is at 4.21%. The CME Group&#8217;s FedWatch <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.htm">tool </a>indicates an 82% probability that the Federal Open Market Committee will maintain current interest rates in March 2025.
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Futures</td>
<td>Change (+/-)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>0.78%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>0.45%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>0.34%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>0.01%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
In premarket trading on Friday, both the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) were higher. SPY was up 0.42% at $607.59, and QQQ gained 0.80% to reach $527.22, based on <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.
Cues From The Last Session
Stocks rallied Thursday following mixed reactions to a wave of earnings reports and economic data.
This followed Wednesday&#8217;s down session after the Fed held rates steady. Investor sentiment fluctuated due to DeepSeek&#8217;s low-cost AI model launch and Big Tech earnings, this week.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) shares fell 0.74% despite beating first-quarter revenue and earnings estimates as iPhone sales slipped in Q1 to $69.14 billion, versus $69.7 billion last year. Revenue reached $124.3 billion as compared to $124.13 billion expected by Benzinga Pro, and adjusted earnings per share was $2.40 as compared to the expectation of $2.36 per share.
IBM Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) surged nearly 13% on artificial intelligence growth, Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) gained 1.6% on strong results, while Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) fell 6.2% despite exceeding expectations due to weaker cloud revenue.
On the economic front, Q4 GDP growth and jobless claims were slightly below forecasts, but overall economic indicators remain strong, with the Fed, on Wednesday, citing a robust labor market and &#8220;somewhat elevated&#8221; inflation.
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Index</td>
<td>Performance (+/-)</td>
<td>Value</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq Composite</td>
<td>0.25%</td>
<td>19,681.75</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>0.53%</td>
<td>6,071.17</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>0.38%</td>
<td>44,882.13</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>1.07%</td>
<td>2,307.45</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
Insights From Analysts
According to the analysts at BlackRock, strong corporate earnings have set the tone for the fourth-quarter season in swing.
&#8220;Even with higher-for-longer interest rates, we think U.S. stocks can keep outperforming this year. We stay overweight. Resilient economic growth is helping sectors beyond tech. That's partly driven by artificial intelligence (AI) spurring earnings beyond the initial winners during an economic transformation and policy change, we think. Yet we eye risks to risk appetite changing this year depending on earnings and policy.&#8221;
With interest rates in focus Ed Yardeni and Eric Wallerstein of Yradeni Research, said in their QuickTakes note that Fed Chair Jerome Powell&#8217;s basic message during his press conference was that the Fed is in no hurry to lower interest rates, but the Fed still intends to lower them over time.
Hence, they described it as a &#8220;dovish pause&#8221;.
Approaching the week from a technical perspective Jeff Buchbinder, the chief equity strategist at LPL Financial said that the S&amp;P 500 remains near record-high territory amid improving market breadth and momentum. &#8220;Technical damage within the heavy-weight tech sector has been minimal as buyers stepped up near support from the mid-January lows.&#8221;
Despite Monday's pullback, sector breadth is also holding up relatively well, with the majority of tech stocks trading above their 200-day moving average, Buchbinder added.
&#8220;However, technical damage has been more pronounced on a relative basis, as the tech sector vs. S&amp;P 500 ratio chart recently dropped to multi-month lows,&#8221; he said.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-trade-futures">How to Trade Futures</a>
Upcoming Economic Data
Here&#8217;s what investors will keep an eye on Friday:
<ul>
<li>Fed Governor Michelle Bowman will be speaking at 8:30 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Employment cost index data for Q4 will be released at 8:30 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Also, the core and headline personal consumption expenditure, along with personal income and spending data will be announced at 8:30 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The Chicago Business Barometer (PMI) for January will be out by 9:45 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>
Stocks In Focus:
<ul>
<li>Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) was up 3.46% in the premarket on Friday after beating the first-quarter expectations on Tuesday, despite a slip in iPhone sales.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Colgate-Palmolive Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CL#NYSE">CL</a>) was up 0.03% as Wall Street expects it to report earnings of 89 cents per share on revenue of $4.99 billion, before the opening bell.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Phillips 66 (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PSX#NYSE">PSX</a>) fell 0.86% ahead of its earnings to be released before the opening bell. Analysts expect it to report quarterly earnings of 23 cents per share on revenue of $32.24 billion.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Chevron Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVX#NYSE">CVX</a>) was down 0.17% as Wall Street expects it to report earnings of $2.11 per share on revenue of $48.41 billion, before the opening bell.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Other companies that are slated to report earnings today included Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XOM#NYSE">XOM</a>) up 0.6%, Novartis AG (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVS#NYSE">NVS</a>) up 1.49%, Charter Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CHTR#NASDAQ">CHTR</a>) up 2.09%, AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ABBV#NYSE">ABBV</a>) up 0.99%, WW Grainger Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GWW#NYSE">GWW</a>) up 1.05% and Charter Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CHTR#NASDAQ">CHTR</a>) up 2.09%.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Nauticus Robotics Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KITT#NASDAQ">KITT</a>) was up 46.15% after announcing a partnership to advance subsea autonomy solutions.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Cipher Mining Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CIFR#NASDAQ">CIFR</a>) was up 19.57% after the company announced a $50 million investment from Softbank.</li>
</ul>
Commodities, Gold And Global Equity Markets:
Crude oil futures were trading lower in the early New York session by 0.08% to hover around $72.67 per barrel.
The gold spot index was down by 0.08% to $2,791.94 per ounce. The Dollar Index was up 0.42% at 108.246 level.
Asian markets were higher on Friday except South Korea's Kospi index. Australia's ASX 200, Japan's Nikkei 225, South Korea's Kospi, Hong Kong's Hang Seng, and India's S&amp;P BSE Sensex rose. European markets were also higher in trade.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43376448/elon-musks-x-money-to-see-about-600-million-active-monthly-users-via-visa-direct-integration">Elon Musk&#8217;s &#8216;X Money&#8217; To See About 600 Million Active Monthly Users Via Visa Direct Integration: &#8216;Excited To Partner,&#8217; Says CEO</a></li>
</ul>
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