IBM vs. AAPL
IBM (International Business Machines Corporation) and AAPL (Apple Inc) are both stocks. Both are in the Technology sector — IBM in Information Technology Services, AAPL in Consumer Electronics. Over the past 10 years, IBM returned 7.90%/yr vs 30.39%/yr for AAPL. Their 0.37 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship.
Performance
IBM vs. AAPL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IBM achieves a -26.03% return, which is significantly lower than AAPL's 24.16% return. Over the past 10 years, IBM has underperformed AAPL with an annualized return of 7.90%, while AAPL has yielded a comparatively higher 30.39% annualized return.
IBM
- 1D
- 0.98%
- 1M
- -20.38%
- 6M
- -26.06%
- YTD
- -26.03%
- 1Y
- -14.60%
- 3Y*
- 18.43%
- 5Y*
- 14.18%
- 10Y*
- 7.90%
- ALL TIME*
- 7.02%
AAPL
- 1D
- 1.17%
- 1M
- 18.72%
- 6M
- 32.15%
- YTD
- 24.16%
- 1Y
- 58.15%
- 3Y*
- 20.38%
- 5Y*
- 18.98%
- 10Y*
- 30.39%
- ALL TIME*
- 19.53%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
AAPL Apple Inc | $16.27B | $16.05B | $16.70B |
| $4.34B | $3.19B | $2.81B |
IBM vs. AAPL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IBM International Business Machines Corporation | -26.03% | 38.23% | 39.27% | 21.85% | 10.64% | 16.65% | -1.16% | 23.58% | -22.56% | -3.99% |
AAPL Apple Inc | 24.16% | 9.05% | 30.71% | 49.01% | -26.40% | 34.65% | 82.31% | 88.96% | -5.39% | 48.46% |
Correlation
The correlation between IBM and AAPL is 0.23, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.23 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.24 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.31 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.33 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 12, 1980 | 0.37 |
The correlation between IBM and AAPL shifts across timeframes, from 0.23 (1 year) to 0.37 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
IBM:
$203.76B
AAPL:
$4.95T
IBM:
$11.27
AAPL:
$8.25
IBM:
19.19
AAPL:
40.85
IBM:
0.23
AAPL:
5.37
IBM:
2.98
AAPL:
11.09
IBM:
5.98
AAPL:
46.72
IBM:
$69.10B
AAPL:
$451.44B
IBM:
$40.57B
AAPL:
$216.07B
IBM:
$14.95B
AAPL:
$153.63B
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Return for Risk
IBM vs. AAPL — Risk / Return Rank
IBM
AAPL
IBM vs. AAPL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) and Apple Inc (AAPL). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| IBM | AAPL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.66 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -3.30 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.98 | 1.42 | -0.43 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.39 | 4.24 | -4.63 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.94 | 10.07 | -11.01 |
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Drawdowns
IBM vs. AAPL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IBM drawdown since its inception was -69.40%, smaller than the maximum AAPL drawdown of -81.80%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IBM and AAPL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IBM | AAPL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -69.40% | -81.80% | +12.40% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -37.50% | -13.80% | -23.70% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -37.50% | -33.36% | -4.14% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -37.50% | -33.36% | -4.14% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -40.59% | -38.52% | -2.07% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -34.31% | 0.00% | -34.31% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -20.13% | -29.53% | +9.40% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 15.60% | 5.79% | +9.81% |
Volatility
IBM vs. AAPL - Volatility Comparison
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) has a higher volatility of 31.52% compared to Apple Inc (AAPL) at 8.36%. This indicates that IBM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than AAPL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IBM | AAPL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 31.52% | 8.36% | +23.16% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 46.19% | 19.31% | +26.88% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 47.97% | 24.83% | +23.14% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 29.92% | 27.82% | +2.10% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 28.01% | 29.03% | -1.02% |
Dividends
IBM vs. AAPL - Dividend Comparison
IBM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.11%, more than AAPL's 0.31% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AAPL Apple Inc | 0.31% | 0.38% | 0.40% | 0.49% | 0.70% | 0.49% | 0.61% | 1.04% | 1.79% | 1.45% | 1.93% | 1.93% |
IBM International Business Machines Corporation | 3.11% | 2.27% | 3.03% | 4.05% | 4.68% | 4.74% | 5.17% | 4.80% | 5.46% | 3.85% | 3.31% | 3.63% |
Financials
IBM vs. AAPL - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between International Business Machines Corporation and Apple Inc. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
IBM vs. AAPL - Profitability Comparison
IBM - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, International Business Machines Corporation reported a gross profit of 9.91B and revenue of 17.16B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 57.7%.
AAPL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Apple Inc reported a gross profit of 54.78B and revenue of 111.18B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 49.3%.
IBM - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, International Business Machines Corporation reported an operating income of 1.16B and revenue of 17.16B, resulting in an operating margin of 6.8%.
AAPL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Apple Inc reported an operating income of 35.89B and revenue of 111.18B, resulting in an operating margin of 32.3%.
IBM - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, International Business Machines Corporation reported a net income of 2.17B and revenue of 17.16B, resulting in a net margin of 12.6%.
AAPL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Apple Inc reported a net income of 29.58B and revenue of 111.18B, resulting in a net margin of 26.6%.
Frequently Asked Questions
IBM and AAPL have a correlation of 0.23, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IBM has higher volatility (31.52%) compared to AAPL (8.36%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IBM dropped -69.40% vs AAPL's -81.80%.
AAPL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.36 vs -0.31), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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