IBM Shares Leap 10.3% on Barclays Overweight and 15% Trump-Video Rally
IBM•IBM jumped 10.3% premarket to $328.47 after Barclays initiated overweight with a $350 target, citing nearly half its revenue from software and quantum-computing catalysts; shares gained 17.3% last week and are up 15.1% year-over-year. A viral video of Trump praising CEO Arvind Krishna drew 700,000 views and drove a 15% share surge.
1. Barclays Overweight Rating and Catalyst
Barclays initiated coverage of IBM with an overweight rating and set a $350 price target, emphasizing the company’s software division—which accounts for nearly half of revenue—and recent quantum computing breakthroughs as key growth drivers.
2. Recent Performance Metrics
IBM recorded its largest weekly advance since April 2001 with a 17.3% gain, is up 15.1% year-over-year, and currently trades with a 14-day RSI of 86.8, reflecting overbought conditions after rebounding from May lows near $212.
3. Viral Trump Video Sparks Retail Buying
A resurfaced video of Donald Trump praising CEO Arvind Krishna attracted over 700,000 views online and prompted a separate 15% premarket surge, reigniting retail interest in IBM shares following a similar rally in other tech names.
4. Options Activity and Analyst Consensus
Call option volume on IBM has surged, with a 10-day call/put ratio of 5.48 (98th percentile) and a 50-day ratio in the 100th percentile, while 12 of 21 analysts rate the stock as buy or strong buy; IBM also holds an 88/100 score on the volatility scorecard.
