Can IBM's New Defense Contract Win Boost Top-Line Growth?

International Business Machines Corporation IBM has secured a five-year contract worth up to $112 million from the Department of War's (DoW) Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) to upgrade pricing displays at military commissaries worldwide. This deal will help the company to enhance operational efficiency and improve the shopping experience for U.S. military personnel and their families.

Per the agreement, IBM will upgrade Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) systems at 177 U.S. commissaries and install new systems at 58 overseas locations in 12 countries, enabling real-time price updates and better product availability. The new system is also expected to reduce manual work and support the DoW’s broader digital transformation efforts.

IBM will also provide hardware maintenance, software licenses, security, vulnerability mitigation, training and ongoing support for the existing ESL infrastructure, including proprietary Pricer ESL solutions, along with third-party systems, such as Windows operating systems and DeCA’s integrated web-based ordering platform.

The company also introduced the IBM Defense Model, an AI system designed to support military and national-security missions, including planning and decision-making in secure environments. With the ongoing defense contract wins, IBM is positioning itself as a key provider of advanced digital and AI solutions for the defense sector.

How Are Other Competitors Performing in the Defense Sector?

IBM faces competition from Oracle Corporation ORCL and Microsoft Corporation MSFT. Oracle is expanding its presence in the defense sector by offering secure cloud, data analytics and AI services to military and government customers. The company is also investing in sovereign and classified cloud solutions to support mission-critical defense work. Oracle also won a deal to provide secure cloud and AI services to Singapore’s defense technology arm.

Microsoft strengthened its defense efforts through a partnership with Anduril Industries to support the U.S. Army’s IVAS program. The company is also expanding in the defense sector by offering secure Azure cloud, AI and cybersecurity solutions to military and government agencies. It also provides advanced tools for battlefield data, communications and mission planning.

IBM’s Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates

IBM shares have lost 6.2% over the past year against the industry’s growth of 105.1%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, IBM trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 3.11, below the industry average of 4.7.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Earnings estimates for 2026 have increased 1.06% to $12.37 over the past 60 days, while the same for 2027 have increased 1.8% to $13.30.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

IBM currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Just Released: Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2026

Hurry – you can still get in early on our 10 top tickers for 2026. Handpicked by Zacks Director of Research Sheraz Mian, this portfolio has been stunningly and consistently successful.

From inception in 2012 through November, 2025, the Zacks Top 10 Stocks gained +2,530.8%, more than QUADRUPLING the S&P 500’s +570.3%.

Sheraz has combed through 4,400 companies covered by the Zacks Rank and handpicked the best 10 to buy and hold in 2026. You can still be among the first to see these just-released stocks with enormous potential.

See New Top 10 Stocks >>

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

Microsoft Corporation (MSFT): Free Stock Analysis Report

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM): Free Stock Analysis Report

Oracle Corporation (ORCL): Free Stock Analysis Report

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research