IBM fell over 10% today mainly because a new AI tool from Anthropic is seen as a direct threat to IBM’s lucrative COBOL modernization and consulting business, triggering worries that key legacy‑modernization revenue will be automated away.
What drove the drop
Anthropic announced an AI product (built on Claude/Claude Code) that can analyze and modernize COBOL applications, automating tasks IBM and peers typically perform with large consulting teams.
The tool promises to map dependencies across thousands of lines of COBOL, document workflows, and flag risks far faster and cheaper than traditional consulting projects, which directly challenges IBM’s core mainframe and COBOL‑modernization practice.
Investors fear that this kind of automation will compress IBM’s services revenue and margins over time, so they sold the stock aggressively, pushing it down around 10–11% intraday, its sharpest single‑day decline in several years.
Other pressures on the stock
The broader tech market is under pressure, with rising macro concerns and tariff headlines adding to volatility, which amplified selling in already weak consulting and legacy‑IT names.
IBM shares had recently slid on worries that AI, rather than being a pure growth driver, could also disrupt parts of IBM’s traditional services franchise, so today’s Anthropic news reinforced an existing negative narrative
Tickeron AI Perspective
Sergey Savastiouk, Ph.D. has a degree in Applied Mathematics from Moscow University and has extensive experience as an entrepreneur, investor, manager, and mathematician. His professional expertise is in applied mathematics, mathematical modeling, system and pattern analysis, and software and hardware system integration. He has served as the CEO of several hi-tech start-up companies and nonprofit organizations, which has given him proven capabilities in business strategy for high-tech start-up companies, market assessment, company formation, team building, product development, marketing, and sales. He has published numerous articles in journals and magazines on related fields. As a retail investor, he spent 15 years developing his proprietary trading and quantitative algorithms (now Tickeron’s A.I.), which brought him significant returns in trading the stock market. His current work and goal in founding Tickeron is to bring professional, sophisticated stock market analysis capabilities to retail investors via an easy-to-use interface.
IBM saw its Momentum Indicator move below the 0 level on September 18, 2026. This is an indication that the stock could be shifting in to a new downward move. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 78 similar instances where the indicator turned negative. In 48 of the 78 cases, the stock moved further down in the following days. The odds of a decline are at 62%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence Histogram (MACD) for IBM turned negative on September 18, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to turn lower in the coming weeks. Traders may want to sell the stock or buy put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 37 similar instances when the indicator turned negative. In 22 of the 37 cases the stock turned lower in the days that followed. This puts the odds of success at 59%.
IBM moved below its 50-day moving average on September 24, 2026 date and that indicates a change from an upward trend to a downward trend.
The 10-day moving average for IBM crossed bearishly below the 50-day moving average on September 29, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted lower and could be considered a sell signal. In 8 of 14 past instances when the 10-day crossed below the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 57%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where IBM declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 55%.
IBM broke above its upper Bollinger Band on September 11, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
The Stochastic Oscillator shows that the ticker has stayed in the oversold zone for 11 days. The price of this ticker is presumed to bounce back soon, since the longer the ticker stays in the oversold zone, the more promptly an upward trend is expected.
Following a +6.44% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where IBM advanced for three days, in 248 of 377 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 66%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 167 of 264 cases where IBM Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 63%.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 9 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is seriously undervalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (6.035) is normal, around the industry mean (7.462). P/E Ratio (19.598) is within average values for comparable stocks, (67.645). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (2.087) is also within normal values, averaging (2.284). IBM has a moderately high Dividend Yield (0.031) as compared to the industry average of (0.010). P/S Ratio (3.271) is also within normal values, averaging (141.758).
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 29 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating very strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 50 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating well-balanced risk and returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 93, placing this stock slightly better than average.
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 50 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 62 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating fairly steady price growth. IBM’s price grows at a lower rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 94 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to worse than average earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The average fundamental analysis ratings, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, are as follows
a manufacturer of various computer products through the use of advanced information technology
Industry InformationTechnologyServices