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IBM shares plunge 25% after earnings miss, worst drop in decades
International Business Machines (IBM) reported preliminary second‑quarter 2026 results that fell short of analyst expectations. Revenue came in at $17.2 billion, below the $17.86 billion forecast, and non‑GAAP earnings were $2.93 per share versus the $3.01 expected. CEO Arvind Krishna said the shortfall stemmed from a rapid shift in client capital‑expenditure toward AI‑related infrastructure – servers, storage and memory – which left IBM’s traditional software and mainframe businesses under‑served.
The news triggered a historic market reaction. IBM’s shares dropped about 25% in a single session, the steepest one‑day decline since the 1987 “Black Monday” crash, wiping roughly $68 billion from the company’s market value. Analysts responded with downgrades and sell or hold ratings, and the plunge dragged down other technology names and broader AI‑stock sentiment. Despite the sell‑off, software‑focused ETFs such as iShares’ IGV held steady because IBM is classified as an IT‑services firm rather than a pure software issuer.
The episode coincided with a modest easing of U.S. consumer‑price inflation, which helped U.S. indices edge higher, but the IBM shock underscored how quickly AI‑driven capex realignment can impact established tech giants.