IBM vs. SO
IBM (International Business Machines Corporation) and SO (The Southern Company) are both stocks. IBM operates in Information Technology Services (Technology), while SO operates in Utilities - Regulated Electric (Utilities). Over the past 10 years, IBM returned 7.64%/yr vs 10.22%/yr for SO. At a 0.22 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
IBM vs. SO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IBM achieves a -27.15% return, which is significantly lower than SO's 11.22% return. Over the past 10 years, IBM has underperformed SO with an annualized return of 7.64%, while SO has yielded a comparatively higher 10.22% annualized return.
IBM
- 1D
- 0.16%
- 1M
- -14.49%
- 6M
- -29.40%
- YTD
- -27.15%
- 1Y
- -23.58%
- 3Y*
- 19.09%
- 5Y*
- 13.91%
- 10Y*
- 7.64%
- ALL TIME*
- 7.00%
SO
- 1D
- -0.88%
- 1M
- 2.08%
- 6M
- 9.10%
- YTD
- 11.22%
- 1Y
- 4.74%
- 3Y*
- 13.23%
- 5Y*
- 12.81%
- 10Y*
- 10.22%
- ALL TIME*
- 12.54%
IBM vs. SO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IBM International Business Machines Corporation | -27.15% | 38.23% | 39.27% | 21.85% | 10.64% | 16.65% | -1.16% | 23.58% | -22.56% | -3.99% |
SO The Southern Company | 11.22% | 9.47% | 21.72% | 2.21% | 8.24% | 16.34% | 0.63% | 51.65% | -3.75% | 2.42% |
Correlation
The correlation between IBM and SO is 0.04, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.04 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.11 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.21 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 31, 1981 | 0.22 |
The correlation between IBM and SO shifts across timeframes, from 0.04 (1 year) to 0.22 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
IBM:
$200.20B
SO:
$106.48B
IBM:
$11.31
SO:
$3.91
IBM:
18.84
SO:
24.15
IBM:
0.23
SO:
1.50
IBM:
2.94
SO:
3.49
IBM:
6.15
SO:
2.87
IBM:
$68.91B
SO:
$30.17B
IBM:
$40.64B
SO:
$13.01B
IBM:
$15.71B
SO:
$14.44B
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Return for Risk
IBM vs. SO — Risk / Return Rank
IBM
SO
IBM vs. SO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) and The Southern Company (SO). 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 | SO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.77 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.91 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.94 | 1.06 | -0.12 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.66 | 0.32 | -0.98 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.53 | 0.74 | -2.27 |
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Drawdowns
IBM vs. SO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IBM drawdown since its inception was -69.40%, which is greater than SO's maximum drawdown of -38.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IBM and SO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IBM | SO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -69.40% | -38.43% | -30.97% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -35.85% | -14.99% | -20.86% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -35.85% | -14.99% | -20.86% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -35.85% | -23.28% | -12.57% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -40.59% | -38.43% | -2.16% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -35.30% | -3.33% | -31.97% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -20.12% | -6.86% | -13.26% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 15.44% | 6.44% | +9.00% |
Volatility
IBM vs. SO - Volatility Comparison
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) has a higher volatility of 32.02% compared to The Southern Company (SO) at 5.66%. This indicates that IBM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IBM | SO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 32.02% | 5.66% | +26.36% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 46.34% | 13.67% | +32.67% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 48.36% | 16.86% | +31.50% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 29.86% | 18.71% | +11.15% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 27.97% | 22.00% | +5.97% |
Dividends
IBM vs. SO - Dividend Comparison
IBM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.16%, less than SO's 4.19% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IBM International Business Machines Corporation | 3.16% | 2.27% | 3.03% | 4.05% | 4.68% | 4.74% | 5.17% | 4.80% | 5.46% | 3.85% | 3.31% | 3.63% |
SO The Southern Company | 4.19% | 3.37% | 3.47% | 3.96% | 3.78% | 3.82% | 4.13% | 3.86% | 5.42% | 4.78% | 4.52% | 4.60% |
Financials
IBM vs. SO - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between International Business Machines Corporation and The Southern Company. 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. SO - 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 8.95B and revenue of 15.92B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 56.2%.
SO - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, The Southern Company reported a gross profit of 3.90B and revenue of 8.40B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 46.5%.
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 1.22B and revenue of 15.92B, resulting in an operating margin of 7.6%.
SO - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, The Southern Company reported an operating income of 2.02B and revenue of 8.40B, resulting in an operating margin of 24.0%.
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 1.22B and revenue of 15.92B, resulting in a net margin of 7.6%.
SO - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, The Southern Company reported a net income of 1.36B and revenue of 8.40B, resulting in a net margin of 16.2%.
Frequently Asked Questions
IBM and SO have a correlation of 0.04, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IBM has higher volatility (32.02%) compared to SO (5.66%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IBM dropped -69.40% vs SO's -38.43%.
SO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.28 vs -0.49), 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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