ALAB vs. IBM: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ALAB and IBM, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
IBM’s market capitalization of 271.36 billion USD is significantly greater than ALAB’s 14.97 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
ALAB’s beta of 1.40 points to significantly higher volatility compared to IBM (beta: 0.65), suggesting ALAB has greater potential for both gains and losses relative to market movements.
| Symbol | ALAB | IBM |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Astera Labs, Inc. Common Stock | International Business Machines Corporation |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Semiconductors | Information Technology Services |
| CEO | Jitendra Mohan | Arvind Krishna |
| Price | 90.8 USD | 291.97 USD |
| Market Cap | 14.97 billion USD | 271.36 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.40 | 0.65 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | March 20, 2024 | September 24, 1915 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ALAB and IBM by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
ALAB
4.43%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 41.84%
- Q3
- 15.81%
- Median
- 6.31%
- Q1
- -5.54%
- Min
- -30.12%
ALAB’s Return on Equity of 4.43% is on par with the norm for the Semiconductors industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
IBM
21.32%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 47.24%
- Q3
- 23.27%
- Median
- 12.85%
- Q1
- 2.22%
- Min
- -26.63%
IBM’s Return on Equity of 21.32% is on par with the norm for the Information Technology Services industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Return on Invested Capital
ALAB
-4.25%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 30.91%
- Q3
- 11.34%
- Median
- 4.08%
- Q1
- -2.17%
- Min
- -19.59%
ALAB has a negative Return on Invested Capital of -4.25%. This indicates that its operations are failing to generate a profit on the total capital invested, signaling significant inefficiency or value destruction.
IBM
8.48%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 28.29%
- Q3
- 13.19%
- Median
- 7.24%
- Q1
- 0.23%
- Min
- -18.82%
IBM’s Return on Invested Capital of 8.48% is in line with the norm for the Information Technology Services industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
Net Profit Margin
ALAB
8.44%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 51.69%
- Q3
- 19.67%
- Median
- 8.56%
- Q1
- -5.44%
- Min
- -38.60%
ALAB’s Net Profit Margin of 8.44% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Semiconductors industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
IBM
8.71%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 20.47%
- Q3
- 11.62%
- Median
- 5.97%
- Q1
- 1.89%
- Min
- -4.62%
IBM’s Net Profit Margin of 8.71% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Information Technology Services industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin
ALAB
-4.45%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 58.03%
- Q3
- 22.12%
- Median
- 8.40%
- Q1
- -3.73%
- Min
- -36.14%
ALAB has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -4.45%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
IBM
16.36%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 29.42%
- Q3
- 14.75%
- Median
- 8.92%
- Q1
- 2.62%
- Min
- -11.92%
An Operating Profit Margin of 16.36% places IBM in the upper quartile for the Information Technology Services industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ALAB | IBM |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 4.43% | 21.32% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 3.69% | 3.76% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -4.25% | 8.48% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 8.44% | 8.71% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -4.45% | 16.36% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 75.76% | 57.04% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
ALAB
13.92
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 9.10
- Q3
- 5.23
- Median
- 3.09
- Q1
- 2.49
- Min
- 1.02
ALAB’s Current Ratio of 13.92 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Semiconductors industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.
IBM
1.01
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 3.41
- Q3
- 2.37
- Median
- 1.58
- Q1
- 1.20
- Min
- 0.00
IBM’s Current Ratio of 1.01 falls into the lower quartile for the Information Technology Services industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
ALAB
--
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 0.97
- Q3
- 0.46
- Median
- 0.21
- Q1
- 0.05
- Min
- 0.00
Debt-to-Equity Ratio data for ALAB is currently unavailable.
IBM
2.49
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 2.63
- Q3
- 1.16
- Median
- 0.48
- Q1
- 0.09
- Min
- 0.01
IBM’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Information Technology Services industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.49. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
Interest Coverage Ratio
ALAB
--
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 36.25
- Q3
- 29.12
- Median
- 7.01
- Q1
- -1.22
- Min
- -18.18
Interest Coverage Ratio data for ALAB is currently unavailable.
IBM
5.92
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 17.52
- Q3
- 10.04
- Median
- 4.66
- Q1
- 0.80
- Min
- -10.50
IBM’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 5.92 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Information Technology Services industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ALAB | IBM |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 13.92 | 1.01 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 13.26 | 0.97 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | -- | 2.49 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | -- | 0.46 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 4.76 | 4.53 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -- | 5.92 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ALAB and IBM. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
ALAB
0.00%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 6.48%
- Q3
- 0.93%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ALAB currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
IBM
2.29%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 16.57%
- Q3
- 1.39%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 2.29%, IBM offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Information Technology Services industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
Dividend Payout Ratio
ALAB
0.00%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 204.29%
- Q3
- 31.85%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ALAB has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
IBM
112.81%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 112.81%
- Q3
- 20.98%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
IBM’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 112.81% is above 100%. This means the company is paying out more in dividends than it earned, a practice that is often unsustainable and could indicate a risk to future dividend stability.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ALAB | IBM |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 2.29% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 112.81% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
ALAB
357.98
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 86.15
- Q3
- 47.38
- Median
- 27.87
- Q1
- 18.89
- Min
- 4.73
At 357.98, ALAB’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Semiconductors industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
IBM
49.51
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 49.12
- Q3
- 36.91
- Median
- 24.84
- Q1
- 15.88
- Min
- 1.55
At 49.51, IBM’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Information Technology Services industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
ALAB
10.80
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 4.73
- Q3
- 2.80
- Median
- 1.11
- Q1
- 0.68
- Min
- 0.01
The Forward PEG Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric in the Semiconductors industry.
IBM
9.51
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 5.35
- Q3
- 3.79
- Median
- 2.23
- Q1
- 1.19
- Min
- 0.03
IBM’s Forward PEG Ratio of 9.51 is exceptionally high for the Information Technology Services industry. This suggests its stock price is very high relative to its expected earnings growth, signaling significant overvaluation risk.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
ALAB
30.53
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 21.96
- Q3
- 10.21
- Median
- 4.45
- Q1
- 2.32
- Min
- 0.48
With a P/S Ratio of 30.53, ALAB trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Semiconductors industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
IBM
4.32
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 8.15
- Q3
- 4.17
- Median
- 2.14
- Q1
- 1.00
- Min
- 0.10
IBM’s P/S Ratio of 4.32 is in the upper echelon for the Information Technology Services industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio
ALAB
14.23
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 13.12
- Q3
- 6.49
- Median
- 3.31
- Q1
- 1.74
- Min
- 0.23
At 14.23, ALAB’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Semiconductors industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
IBM
10.08
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 11.78
- Q3
- 6.14
- Median
- 3.23
- Q1
- 1.97
- Min
- 0.42
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Information Technology Services industry.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ALAB | IBM |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 357.98 | 49.51 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 10.80 | 9.51 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 30.53 | 4.32 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 14.23 | 10.08 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 138.44 | 22.73 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | -820.32 | 26.54 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 30.35 | 5.21 |