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FICO vs. IBM: Fair Isaac vs. IBM Stock Comparison

How do Fair Isaac (FICO) and IBM (IBM) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Fair Isaac (FICO) and IBM (IBM) both fall under the Software & Services industry group, but FICO is classified in Software while IBM is classified in IT Services.

Company profile comparison for Fair Isaac (FICO) and IBM (IBM)
Profile ItemFICOIBM
NameFair Isaac Corp.International Business Machines Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupSoftware & ServicesSoftware & Services
GICS IndustrySoftwareIT Services
GICS Sub-IndustryApplication SoftwareIT Consulting & Other Services
Market Capitalization15.22 billion USD231.55 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJuly 22, 1987January 2, 1962
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

FICO
IBM
GSPC
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Fair Isaac (FICO) vs. IBM (IBM), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Fair Isaac (FICO) and IBM (IBM). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Fair Isaac (FICO) and IBM (IBM). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Fair Isaac (FICO) and IBM (IBM)
MetricFICOIBM
Total Return (1Y)-58.54%-16.98%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-9.17%22.40%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)12.31%19.64%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

FICO
IBM
GSPC
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Fair Isaac (FICO) vs. IBM (IBM), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Fair Isaac (FICO) and IBM (IBM). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Fair Isaac (FICO) and IBM (IBM)
MetricFICOIBM
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)63.29%48.48%
Beta (5Y)1.330.79
Max Drawdown (5Y)-75.13%-37.50%
Avg. Volume (3M)759.34K5.30M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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FICO and IBM are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Fair Isaac (FICO) and IBM (IBM)
MetricFICOIBM
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.99-0.44
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-1.20-0.56

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: IBM (IBM) earns 34.77% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Fair Isaac (FICO) has no ROE this period.

FICO

Software & Services industry group

--

Max
53.85%
Q3
17.90%
Median
6.59%
Q1
-9.59%
Min
-50.52%
FICO
--

IBM

Software & Services industry group

34.77%

Max
53.85%
IBM
34.77%
Q3
17.90%
Median
6.59%
Q1
-9.59%
Min
-50.52%
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Fair Isaac (FICO) vs. IBM (IBM): FICO does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; IBM is benchmarked against the Software & Services industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Fair Isaac (FICO) at 32.94% and IBM (IBM) at 15.99% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

FICO

Software & Services industry group

32.94%

Max
41.17%
FICO
32.94%
Q3
15.28%
Median
4.63%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%

IBM

Software & Services industry group

15.99%

Max
41.17%
IBM
15.99%
Q3
15.28%
Median
4.63%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%
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Fair Isaac (FICO) vs. IBM (IBM): A comparison of their net margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Fair Isaac (FICO) at 44.72% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of IBM (IBM) at 16.97%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

FICO

Software & Services industry group

44.72%

Max
46.89%
FICO
44.72%
Q3
17.64%
Median
8.73%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%

IBM

Software & Services industry group

16.97%

Max
46.89%
Q3
17.64%
IBM
16.97%
Median
8.73%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%
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Fair Isaac (FICO) vs. IBM (IBM): A comparison of their operating margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Fair Isaac (FICO) and IBM (IBM)
MetricFICOIBM
ROE (TTM)--34.77%
ROA (TTM)40.99%5.33%
Net Margin (TTM)32.94%15.99%
Operating Margin (TTM)44.72%16.97%
Gross Margin (TTM)86.13%57.97%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Fair Isaac (FICO) at 27.33% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while IBM (IBM) at 7.62% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for FICO.

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Fair Isaac (FICO) vs. IBM (IBM): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

IBM (IBM) at 73.72% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Fair Isaac (FICO) at 36.85% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for IBM.

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Fair Isaac (FICO) vs. IBM (IBM): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Fair Isaac (FICO) and IBM (IBM)
MetricFICOIBM
Revenue Growth (YoY)27.33%7.62%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)18.76%3.72%
EPS Growth (YoY)36.85%73.72%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)28.97%83.76%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Fair Isaac (FICO) at 0.99 and IBM (IBM) at 0.86 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

FICO

Software & Services industry group

0.99

Max
5.11
Q3
2.77
Median
1.67
Q1
1.01
FICO
0.99
Min
0.03

IBM

Software & Services industry group

0.86

Max
5.11
Q3
2.77
Median
1.67
Q1
1.01
IBM
0.86
Min
0.03
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Fair Isaac (FICO) vs. IBM (IBM): A comparison of their current ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Only one side’s leverage can be read here: IBM (IBM) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 1.85 against its industry range, while Fair Isaac (FICO) reports no figure this period.

FICO

Software & Services industry group

--

Max
2.52
Q3
1.13
Median
0.40
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00
FICO
--

IBM

Software & Services industry group

1.85

Max
2.52
IBM
1.85
Q3
1.13
Median
0.40
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00
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Fair Isaac (FICO) vs. IBM (IBM): FICO does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; IBM is benchmarked against the Software & Services industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Fair Isaac (FICO) and IBM (IBM)
MetricFICOIBM
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.990.86
Debt / Equity (MRQ)--1.85
Net Debt / EBITDA3.863.37

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Fair Isaac (FICO) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile IBM (IBM) reports a yield of 2.73%, ranking against industry peers normally.

FICO

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

FICO
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

IBM

Software & Services industry group

2.73%

IBM
2.73%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Fair Isaac (FICO) vs. IBM (IBM): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Fair Isaac (FICO) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile IBM (IBM) reports a payout of 57.51%, ranking against industry peers normally.

FICO

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

FICO
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

IBM

Software & Services industry group

57.51%

IBM
57.51%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Fair Isaac (FICO) vs. IBM (IBM): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Fair Isaac (FICO) and IBM (IBM)
MetricFICOIBM
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%2.73%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%57.51%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Fair Isaac (FICO) at 19.40 and IBM (IBM) at 20.90 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

FICO

Software & Services industry group

19.40

Max
112.94
Q3
60.32
Median
32.91
FICO
19.40
Q1
18.77
Min
6.69

IBM

Software & Services industry group

20.90

Max
112.94
Q3
60.32
Median
32.91
IBM
20.90
Q1
18.77
Min
6.69
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Fair Isaac (FICO) vs. IBM (IBM): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Fair Isaac (FICO) at 6.00 and IBM (IBM) at 3.31 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

FICO

Software & Services industry group

6.00

Max
17.91
Q3
8.78
FICO
6.00
Median
4.25
Q1
2.23
Min
0.02

IBM

Software & Services industry group

3.31

Max
17.91
Q3
8.78
Median
4.25
IBM
3.31
Q1
2.23
Min
0.02
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Fair Isaac (FICO) vs. IBM (IBM): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Fair Isaac (FICO) reports a negative P/B ratio of -3.90, meaning negative book equity — the multiple itself is not meaningful for valuation. Meanwhile IBM (IBM) reports 6.52, ranking against industry peers normally.

FICO

Software & Services industry group

-3.90

Max
16.63
Q3
8.50
Median
4.30
Q1
1.92
FICO
-3.90
Min
-3.90

IBM

Software & Services industry group

6.52

Max
16.63
Q3
8.50
IBM
6.52
Median
4.30
Q1
1.92
Min
-3.90
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Fair Isaac (FICO) vs. IBM (IBM): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Fair Isaac (FICO) and IBM (IBM)
MetricFICOIBM
P/E Ratio (TTM)19.4020.90
P/S Ratio (TTM)6.003.31
P/B Ratio (MRQ)-3.906.52
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)6.54%5.34%