IBM’s Q2 revenue drops 5.4%

IBM reported Q2 revenue of $18.1 billion, down 5.4 percent (down 1.9 percent adjusting for divested businesses and currency). GAAP EPS from continuing operations was $1.52.

“Our clients see the value of IBM’s hybrid cloud platform, based on open technologies, at a time of unprecedented business disruption,” said Arvind Krishna, IBM chief executive officer. “We are committed to building, with a growing ecosystem of partners, an enduring hybrid cloud platform that will serve as a powerful catalyst for innovation for our clients and the world.”

“Our prudent financial management in these turbulent times enabled us to expand our gross profit margin, generate strong free cash flow and improve our liquidity position,” said James Kavanaugh, IBM senior vice president and chief financial officer. “We have the financial flexibility to continue to invest in our business and return value to our shareholders through our dividend policy.”

Some highlights:

• Cloud & Cognitive Software (includes Cloud & Data Platforms which includes Red Hat, Cognitive Applications and Transaction Processing Platforms) — revenues of $5.7 billion, up 3 percent (up 5 percent adjusting for currency), with growth in Cloud & Data Platforms, up 29 percent (up 30 percent adjusting for currency) led by Red Hat. Cognitive Applications and Transaction Processing Platforms declined. Cloud revenue more than doubled.
• Global Business Services (includes Consulting, Application Management and Global Process Services) — revenues of $3.9 billion, down 7 percent (down 6 percent adjusting for currency), driven by declines in Application Management and Consulting. Cloud revenue up 12 percent (up 13 percent adjusting for currency). Gross profit margin up 240 basis points.
• Global Technology Services (includes Infrastructure & Cloud Services and Technology Support Services) — revenues of $6.3 billion, down 8 percent (down 5 percent adjusting for currency). Cloud revenue up 18 percent (up 20 percent adjusting for currency).
• Systems (includes Systems Hardware and Operating Systems Software) — revenues of $1.9 billion, up 6 percent, led by IBM Z, up 69 percent (up 68 percent adjusting for currency). Storage Systems revenue up 2 percent (up 3 percent adjusting for currency); Power declined. Cloud revenue up 22 percent. Gross profit margin up 430 basis points.
• Global Financing (includes financing and used equipment sales) — revenues of $265 million, down 25 percent (down 23 percent adjusting for currency), reflecting the wind-down of OEM commercial financing. Gross profit margin up 360 basis points.