Analysis of Profitability Ratios
Profitability ratios measure the company’s ability to generate profitable sales from its resources (assets).
Profitability Ratios (Summary)
International Business Machines Corp., profitability ratios
Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2021-02-23), 10-K (filing date: 2020-02-25), 10-K (filing date: 2019-02-26), 10-K (filing date: 2018-02-27), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-28).
| Profitability ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| Gross profit margin | Gross profit margin indicates the percentage of revenue available to cover operating and other expenditures. | International Business Machines Corp.’s gross profit margin ratio improved from 2018 to 2019 and from 2019 to 2020. |
| Operating profit margin | A profitability ratio calculated as operating income divided by revenue. | International Business Machines Corp.’s operating profit margin ratio deteriorated from 2018 to 2019 and from 2019 to 2020. |
| Net profit margin | An indicator of profitability, calculated as net income divided by revenue. | International Business Machines Corp.’s net profit margin ratio improved from 2018 to 2019 but then deteriorated significantly from 2019 to 2020. |
| Profitability ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| ROE | A profitability ratio calculated as net income divided by shareholders’ equity. | International Business Machines Corp.’s ROE deteriorated from 2018 to 2019 and from 2019 to 2020. |
| ROA | A profitability ratio calculated as net income divided by total assets. | International Business Machines Corp.’s ROA deteriorated from 2018 to 2019 and from 2019 to 2020. |
Gross Profit Margin
International Business Machines Corp., gross profit margin calculation, comparison to benchmarks
| Dec 31, 2020 | Dec 31, 2019 | Dec 31, 2018 | Dec 31, 2017 | Dec 31, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | ||||||
| Gross profit | 35,575 | 36,488 | 36,936 | 36,227 | 38,294 | |
| Revenue | 73,620 | 77,147 | 79,591 | 79,139 | 79,919 | |
| Profitability Ratio | ||||||
| Gross profit margin1 | 48.32% | 47.30% | 46.41% | 45.78% | 47.92% | |
| Benchmarks | ||||||
| Gross Profit Margin, Competitors2 | ||||||
| Adobe Inc. | 86.62% | 85.03% | 86.77% | 86.16% | 86.00% | |
| Alphabet Inc. | 53.58% | 55.58% | 56.48% | 58.88% | 61.08% | |
| Autodesk Inc. | 90.08% | 88.87% | 85.25% | 83.17% | 85.20% | |
| Facebook Inc. | 80.58% | 81.94% | 83.25% | 86.58% | 86.29% | |
| Intuit Inc. | 82.05% | 82.80% | 83.62% | 84.37% | 83.98% | |
| Microsoft Corp. | 67.78% | 65.90% | 65.25% | 61.91% | 61.58% | |
| Oracle Corp. | 79.68% | 79.76% | 79.71% | 80.20% | 79.81% | |
| salesforce.com inc. | 75.23% | 74.02% | 73.54% | 73.38% | 75.18% | |
| ServiceNow Inc. | 78.16% | 76.98% | 76.13% | 74.15% | 71.33% | |
Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2021-02-23), 10-K (filing date: 2020-02-25), 10-K (filing date: 2019-02-26), 10-K (filing date: 2018-02-27), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-28).
1 2020 Calculation
Gross profit margin = 100 × Gross profit ÷ Revenue
= 100 × 35,575 ÷ 73,620 = 48.32%
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
| Profitability ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| Gross profit margin | Gross profit margin indicates the percentage of revenue available to cover operating and other expenditures. | International Business Machines Corp.’s gross profit margin ratio improved from 2018 to 2019 and from 2019 to 2020. |
Operating Profit Margin
International Business Machines Corp., operating profit margin calculation, comparison to benchmarks
| Dec 31, 2020 | Dec 31, 2019 | Dec 31, 2018 | Dec 31, 2017 | Dec 31, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | ||||||
| Operating income | 6,786 | 10,543 | 13,217 | 11,799 | 13,105 | |
| Revenue | 73,620 | 77,147 | 79,591 | 79,139 | 79,919 | |
| Profitability Ratio | ||||||
| Operating profit margin1 | 9.22% | 13.67% | 16.61% | 14.91% | 16.40% | |
| Benchmarks | ||||||
| Operating Profit Margin, Competitors2 | ||||||
| Adobe Inc. | 32.93% | 29.25% | 31.45% | 29.69% | 25.51% | |
| Alphabet Inc. | 22.59% | 21.15% | 19.24% | 23.59% | 26.27% | |
| Autodesk Inc. | 10.48% | -0.97% | -24.75% | -24.60% | 0.05% | |
| Facebook Inc. | 38.01% | 33.93% | 44.62% | 49.70% | 44.96% | |
| Intuit Inc. | 28.34% | 27.33% | 25.10% | 26.95% | 26.46% | |
| Microsoft Corp. | 37.03% | 34.14% | 31.77% | 24.82% | 23.65% | |
| Oracle Corp. | 35.57% | 34.26% | 34.34% | 33.69% | 34.02% | |
| salesforce.com inc. | 1.74% | 4.03% | 2.25% | 0.77% | 1.72% | |
| ServiceNow Inc. | 4.40% | 1.22% | -1.63% | -5.25% | -30.41% | |
| Operating Profit Margin, Sector | ||||||
| Software & Computer Services | 27.17% | 25.56% | 25.90% | 25.11% | 24.75% | |
| Operating Profit Margin, Industry | ||||||
| Technology | 26.20% | 25.96% | 27.06% | 25.45% | 24.51% | |
Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2021-02-23), 10-K (filing date: 2020-02-25), 10-K (filing date: 2019-02-26), 10-K (filing date: 2018-02-27), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-28).
1 2020 Calculation
Operating profit margin = 100 × Operating income ÷ Revenue
= 100 × 6,786 ÷ 73,620 = 9.22%
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
| Profitability ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| Operating profit margin | A profitability ratio calculated as operating income divided by revenue. | International Business Machines Corp.’s operating profit margin ratio deteriorated from 2018 to 2019 and from 2019 to 2020. |
Net Profit Margin
International Business Machines Corp., net profit margin calculation, comparison to benchmarks
| Dec 31, 2020 | Dec 31, 2019 | Dec 31, 2018 | Dec 31, 2017 | Dec 31, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | ||||||
| Net income attributable to IBM | 5,590 | 9,431 | 8,728 | 5,753 | 11,872 | |
| Revenue | 73,620 | 77,147 | 79,591 | 79,139 | 79,919 | |
| Profitability Ratio | ||||||
| Net profit margin1 | 7.59% | 12.22% | 10.97% | 7.27% | 14.86% | |
| Benchmarks | ||||||
| Net Profit Margin, Competitors2 | ||||||
| Adobe Inc. | 40.88% | 26.42% | 28.69% | 23.20% | 19.96% | |
| Alphabet Inc. | 22.06% | 21.22% | 22.46% | 11.42% | 21.58% | |
| Autodesk Inc. | 6.55% | -3.14% | -27.56% | -28.66% | -13.20% | |
| Facebook Inc. | 33.90% | 26.15% | 39.60% | 39.20% | 36.97% | |
| Intuit Inc. | 23.78% | 22.95% | 20.31% | 18.76% | 20.86% | |
| Microsoft Corp. | 30.96% | 31.18% | 15.02% | 23.57% | 19.69% | |
| Oracle Corp. | 25.94% | 28.05% | 9.60% | 24.74% | 24.03% | |
| salesforce.com inc. | 0.74% | 8.36% | 1.22% | 2.14% | -0.71% | |
| ServiceNow Inc. | 2.62% | 18.11% | -1.02% | -7.71% | -32.49% | |
| Net Profit Margin, Sector | ||||||
| Software & Computer Services | 24.04% | 23.18% | 18.85% | 17.49% | 20.09% | |
| Net Profit Margin, Industry | ||||||
| Technology | 23.04% | 22.90% | 20.81% | 18.50% | 19.30% | |
Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2021-02-23), 10-K (filing date: 2020-02-25), 10-K (filing date: 2019-02-26), 10-K (filing date: 2018-02-27), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-28).
1 2020 Calculation
Net profit margin = 100 × Net income attributable to IBM ÷ Revenue
= 100 × 5,590 ÷ 73,620 = 7.59%
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
| Profitability ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| Net profit margin | An indicator of profitability, calculated as net income divided by revenue. | International Business Machines Corp.’s net profit margin ratio improved from 2018 to 2019 but then deteriorated significantly from 2019 to 2020. |
Return on Equity (ROE)
International Business Machines Corp., ROE calculation, comparison to benchmarks
| Dec 31, 2020 | Dec 31, 2019 | Dec 31, 2018 | Dec 31, 2017 | Dec 31, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | ||||||
| Net income attributable to IBM | 5,590 | 9,431 | 8,728 | 5,753 | 11,872 | |
| Total IBM stockholders’ equity | 20,597 | 20,841 | 16,796 | 17,594 | 18,246 | |
| Profitability Ratio | ||||||
| ROE1 | 27.14% | 45.25% | 51.96% | 32.70% | 65.07% | |
| Benchmarks | ||||||
| ROE, Competitors2 | ||||||
| Adobe Inc. | 39.66% | 28.03% | 27.67% | 20.02% | 15.74% | |
| Alphabet Inc. | 18.09% | 17.05% | 17.30% | 8.30% | 14.01% | |
| Autodesk Inc. | — | — | — | -79.35% | -20.41% | |
| Facebook Inc. | 22.72% | 18.29% | 26.28% | 21.43% | 17.26% | |
| Intuit Inc. | 35.76% | 41.53% | 51.44% | 71.71% | 84.32% | |
| Microsoft Corp. | 37.43% | 38.35% | 20.03% | 29.29% | 23.33% | |
| Oracle Corp. | 83.94% | 50.87% | 8.37% | 17.33% | 18.82% | |
| salesforce.com inc. | 0.37% | 7.11% | 1.36% | 2.40% | -0.95% | |
| ServiceNow Inc. | 4.18% | 29.45% | -2.40% | -25.53% | -116.76% | |
| ROE, Sector | ||||||
| Software & Computer Services | 24.60% | 24.78% | 19.89% | 17.21% | 19.52% | |
| ROE, Industry | ||||||
| Technology | 29.52% | 29.77% | 26.95% | 20.11% | 20.72% | |
Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2021-02-23), 10-K (filing date: 2020-02-25), 10-K (filing date: 2019-02-26), 10-K (filing date: 2018-02-27), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-28).
1 2020 Calculation
ROE = 100 × Net income attributable to IBM ÷ Total IBM stockholders’ equity
= 100 × 5,590 ÷ 20,597 = 27.14%
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
| Profitability ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| ROE | A profitability ratio calculated as net income divided by shareholders’ equity. | International Business Machines Corp.’s ROE deteriorated from 2018 to 2019 and from 2019 to 2020. |
Return on Assets (ROA)
International Business Machines Corp., ROA calculation, comparison to benchmarks
| Dec 31, 2020 | Dec 31, 2019 | Dec 31, 2018 | Dec 31, 2017 | Dec 31, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | ||||||
| Net income attributable to IBM | 5,590 | 9,431 | 8,728 | 5,753 | 11,872 | |
| Total assets | 155,971 | 152,186 | 123,382 | 125,356 | 117,470 | |
| Profitability Ratio | ||||||
| ROA1 | 3.58% | 6.20% | 7.07% | 4.59% | 10.11% | |
| Benchmarks | ||||||
| ROA, Competitors2 | ||||||
| Adobe Inc. | 21.66% | 14.22% | 13.80% | 11.65% | 9.20% | |
| Alphabet Inc. | 12.60% | 12.45% | 13.20% | 6.42% | 11.63% | |
| Autodesk Inc. | 3.47% | -1.71% | -13.78% | -12.13% | -5.99% | |
| Facebook Inc. | 18.29% | 13.86% | 22.72% | 18.85% | 15.73% | |
| Intuit Inc. | 16.70% | 24.78% | 23.39% | 23.87% | 23.04% | |
| Microsoft Corp. | 14.70% | 13.69% | 6.40% | 8.80% | 8.67% | |
| Oracle Corp. | 8.78% | 10.20% | 2.79% | 6.92% | 7.93% | |
| salesforce.com inc. | 0.23% | 3.61% | 0.61% | 1.02% | -0.37% | |
| ServiceNow Inc. | 1.36% | 10.41% | -0.69% | -4.39% | -22.22% | |
| ROA, Sector | ||||||
| Software & Computer Services | 11.84% | 11.58% | 9.45% | 8.10% | 9.90% | |
| ROA, Industry | ||||||
| Technology | 12.78% | 12.84% | 11.88% | 9.15% | 10.14% | |
Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2021-02-23), 10-K (filing date: 2020-02-25), 10-K (filing date: 2019-02-26), 10-K (filing date: 2018-02-27), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-28).
1 2020 Calculation
ROA = 100 × Net income attributable to IBM ÷ Total assets
= 100 × 5,590 ÷ 155,971 = 3.58%
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
| Profitability ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| ROA | A profitability ratio calculated as net income divided by total assets. | International Business Machines Corp.’s ROA deteriorated from 2018 to 2019 and from 2019 to 2020. |