IBM shares jump 7.5% after partnership deal with Anthropic

IBM shares jump 7.5% after partnership deal with Anthropic

IBM shares surged by 7.5% on September 12, 2025, following the announcement of a strategic partnership with Anthropic, a leading AI research and product company. The collaboration, which was revealed at a press conference in Palo Alto, California, focuses on leveraging IBM's advanced AI infrastructure and Anthropic's cutting-edge AI technologies to drive innovation in AI research and product development.

Under the terms of the agreement, IBM will provide Anthropic with access to its IBM Cloud platform, which is equipped with a large cluster of AMD Instinct™ MI300X GPUs. This collaboration is expected to deliver significant advancements in generative AI training capabilities, positioning IBM and Anthropic at the forefront of AI innovation .

The partnership announcement comes on the heels of IBM's Q2 2025 earnings report, where the company reported a strong performance. Revenue hit $16.98 billion, outpacing expectations, and adjusted EPS came in at $2.80, beating the forecast of $2.64. Free cash flow also generated $4.8 billion, prompting IBM to raise its full-year outlook beyond $13.5 billion .

IBM's stock has been performing exceptionally well, consistently outperforming the broader market. Over the past 52 weeks, IBM shares have climbed 29.5%, and year-to-date, they have jumped 31.2%. The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) managed 17.8% over the same period and 14.2% year-to-date, while the S&P 500 Technology Sector SPDR (XLK) soared 27.8% in the last 52 weeks and popped off 22.5% year-to-date .

Analyst sentiment remains positive, with a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" holding strong for the past three months. Among 22 analysts, seven are waving the "Strong Buy" flag, one sticks with "Moderate Buy," 12 advise to "Hold," and two caution with a "Strong Sell." IBM already trades above its mean price target of $282.20, and the Street-high target of $350 implies a 21.4% upside .

The partnership with Anthropic is a significant milestone for IBM, further cementing its leadership in the AI and quantum computing sectors. As IBM continues to expand its AI capabilities and explore new frontiers in technology, investors can expect the company to maintain its strong performance trajectory.