New York, Feb 14, 2026, 14:48 EST — The session wrapped up with the market closed.
IBM (IBM.N) climbed 1.1% to $262.38 on Friday, breaking a four-session slump as U.S. equities ended mostly flat. The stock saw 6.8 million shares change hands—well above the 50-day average. IBM finished ahead of both Microsoft and Alphabet for the day, though it’s still trading roughly 19% under its 52-week high.
The rebound arrives in a market still swinging between so-called “AI winners” and “AI losers,” with investors weighing which sectors might get sideswiped as newer tools hit the scene. A shortened week because of the holiday only muddles things further. Up ahead: Walmart’s earnings, plus key U.S. numbers—personal consumption expenditures price index (PCE), the Fed’s inflation favorite—are all on tap. Reuters
Friday’s session got a bit of breathing room thanks to inflation data. The consumer price index ticked up 0.2% in January, climbing 2.4% over the past year. Core CPI, which strips out food and energy, came in at a 0.3% monthly increase and 2.5% for the year—the slowest pace in nearly three years, according to a Reuters poll. “For the Fed, this probably doesn’t change much in the near term,” said James McCann, senior economist at Edward Jones. Reuters
IBM’s making a notable move on the hiring front. Chief Human Resources Officer Nickle LaMoreaux told Fortune the company is looking to triple its entry-level hiring in the U.S. in 2026. The plan: shift junior roles to work more closely with AI tools. “We are tripling our entry-level hiring,” LaMoreaux said. Fortune
IBM’s share price has shown volatility around this broader AI conversation. The company straddles software and consulting—two segments where investors are pushing to see actual revenue and margin gains from AI spending, not just swelling budgets. Back on Jan. 28, IBM posted quarterly numbers that cleared Wall Street’s revenue bar, announced its AI “book of business” had climbed to $12.5 billion, and pointed to increased deal flow aimed at expanding its software portfolio. Reuters
Tech stocks have been bouncing around all week, and the mood can shift in a hurry. Should hopes for rate cuts retreat, or if worries about AI hit corporate budgets, Friday’s IBM pop could vanish as quickly as it showed up.
U.S. equities take a break Monday in observance of Washington’s Birthday. Markets will get back to business on Tuesday.
The Federal Reserve is set to drop the minutes from its Jan. 27-28 policy meeting on Feb. 18, offering a fresh macro data point for Wednesday.
IBM’s board has signed off on a quarterly dividend of $1.68 a share, set for payment on March 10.
IBM has its eye on April 22 for its first-quarter earnings release, a date flagged as preliminary by the company. That event stands as the next major test for IBM shares.
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