ASX vs. IBM: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ASX 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 ASX’s 22.53 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
With betas of 0.92 for ASX and 0.65 for IBM, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
ASX trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors a convenient way to access its foreign-listed shares. In contrast, IBM is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | ASX | IBM |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | ASE Technology Holding Co., Ltd. | International Business Machines Corporation |
| Country | TW | US |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Semiconductors | Information Technology Services |
| CEO | Hung-Pen Chang | Arvind Krishna |
| Price | 10.37 USD | 291.97 USD |
| Market Cap | 22.53 billion USD | 271.36 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.92 | 0.65 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| IPO Date | October 2, 2000 | September 24, 1915 |
| ADR | Yes | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ASX 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
ASX
11.03%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 41.84%
- Q3
- 15.81%
- Median
- 6.31%
- Q1
- -5.54%
- Min
- -30.12%
ASX’s Return on Equity of 11.03% 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
ASX
5.98%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 30.91%
- Q3
- 11.34%
- Median
- 4.08%
- Q1
- -2.17%
- Min
- -19.59%
ASX’s Return on Invested Capital of 5.98% is in line with the norm for the Semiconductors industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
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
ASX
5.61%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 51.69%
- Q3
- 19.67%
- Median
- 8.56%
- Q1
- -5.44%
- Min
- -38.60%
ASX’s Net Profit Margin of 5.61% 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
ASX
7.01%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 58.03%
- Q3
- 22.12%
- Median
- 8.40%
- Q1
- -3.73%
- Min
- -36.14%
ASX’s Operating Profit Margin of 7.01% is around the midpoint for the Semiconductors industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
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 | ASX | IBM |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 11.03% | 21.32% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 4.43% | 3.76% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 5.98% | 8.48% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 5.61% | 8.71% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 7.01% | 16.36% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 16.32% | 57.04% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
ASX
1.04
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 9.10
- Q3
- 5.23
- Median
- 3.09
- Q1
- 2.49
- Min
- 1.02
ASX’s Current Ratio of 1.04 falls into the lower quartile for the Semiconductors industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
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
ASX
0.72
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 0.97
- Q3
- 0.46
- Median
- 0.21
- Q1
- 0.05
- Min
- 0.00
ASX’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Semiconductors industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.72. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
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
ASX
7.79
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 36.25
- Q3
- 29.12
- Median
- 7.01
- Q1
- -1.22
- Min
- -18.18
ASX’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.79 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Semiconductors industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
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 | ASX | IBM |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 1.04 | 1.01 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.82 | 0.97 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.72 | 2.49 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.29 | 0.46 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 1.32 | 4.53 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 7.79 | 5.92 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ASX 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
ASX
3.60%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 6.48%
- Q3
- 0.93%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 3.60%, ASX offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Semiconductors industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
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
ASX
65.52%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 204.29%
- Q3
- 31.85%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ASX’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 65.52% is in the upper quartile for the Semiconductors industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
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 | ASX | IBM |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 3.60% | 2.29% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 65.52% | 112.81% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
ASX
18.57
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 86.15
- Q3
- 47.38
- Median
- 27.87
- Q1
- 18.89
- Min
- 4.73
In the lower quartile for the Semiconductors industry, ASX’s P/E Ratio of 18.57 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
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
ASX
0.73
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
ASX
1.05
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 21.96
- Q3
- 10.21
- Median
- 4.45
- Q1
- 2.32
- Min
- 0.48
In the lower quartile for the Semiconductors industry, ASX’s P/S Ratio of 1.05 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
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
ASX
2.04
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 13.12
- Q3
- 6.49
- Median
- 3.31
- Q1
- 1.74
- Min
- 0.23
ASX’s P/B Ratio of 2.04 is within the conventional range for the Semiconductors industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
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 | ASX | IBM |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 18.57 | 49.51 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 0.73 | 9.51 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 1.05 | 4.32 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 2.04 | 10.08 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -63.40 | 22.73 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 7.08 | 26.54 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 1.29 | 5.21 |