IB

International Business Machines Corporation stock research

Sep 30, 2023

FY2023 Q3

International Business Machines (IBM) Gross Margin — Quarter Ended Sep 30, 2023

Revenue and gross profit decreased from the prior quarter but increased from a year ago, while cost of revenue declined sequentially and was unchanged year over year. Gross margin weakened compared to the immediately preceding quarter but improved relative to the same quarter one year earlier.

Gross margin takeaway

Quarter ended Sep 30, 2023 · FY2023 Q3

Revenue and gross profit decreased from the prior quarter but increased from a year ago, while cost of revenue declined sequentially and was unchanged year over year. Gross margin weakened compared to the immediately preceding quarter but improved relative to the same quarter one year earlier.

  • The most apparent margin driver is the year-over-year rise in revenue accompanied by stable cost of revenue, which directly lifted gross margin.
  • Compared to the prior quarter, revenue, gross profit, and gross margin were lower, and cost of revenue was also lower. Compared to the same quarter a year earlier, revenue and gross profit were higher, cost of revenue was unchanged, and gross margin was higher. Management stated that disclosure controls and procedures were effective and there was no material change in internal control over financial reporting during the quarter.

Gross margin snapshot

The selected quarter's reported revenue, gross profit, direct costs, and margin comparisons.

Gross margin

54.4%

Gross profit

$8.0B

Revenue

$14.8B

Cost of revenue

$6.7B

Quarter-over-quarter change

-0.5 pts

Year-over-year change

+1.7 pts

Quarterly gross margin trend

A four-quarter view of the revenue and direct-cost bridge behind gross margin.

PeriodRevenueGross profitCost of revenueGross margin
Mar 31, 2023$14.3B$7.5B$6.7B52.7%
Jun 30, 2023$15.5B$8.5B$7.0B54.9%
Sep 30, 2023$14.8B$8.0B$6.7B54.4%

Quarterly comparisons

Compare the selected margin with the preceding quarter and the same fiscal quarter one year earlier.

Previous-quarter change

Jun 30, 2023

-0.5 pts

Year-over-year change

Sep 30, 2022

+1.7 pts

What the margin says

Filing-constrained interpretation of margin direction, comparisons, and what to monitor next.

The most apparent margin driver is the year-over-year rise in revenue accompanied by stable cost of revenue, which directly lifted gross margin.

Compared to the prior quarter, revenue, gross profit, and gross margin were lower, and cost of revenue was also lower. Compared to the same quarter a year earlier, revenue and gross profit were higher, cost of revenue was unchanged, and gross margin was higher. Management stated that disclosure controls and procedures were effective and there was no material change in internal control over financial reporting during the quarter.

Monitor the trajectory of cost of revenue, as its stability has been a key factor in gross margin changes.

IBM Gross Margin — Quarter Ended Sep 30, 2023