Double-Digit Software and Consulting Growth Led by Hybrid Cloud Adoption; Strong Profit Generation: IBM

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IBM announced first-quarter 2022 earnings results.

“Demand for hybrid cloud and AI drove growth in both Software and Consulting in the first quarter. Today we’re a more focused business and our results reflect the execution of our strategy,” said Arvind Krishna, IBM chairman and chief executive officer. “We are off to a solid start for the year, and we now see revenue growth for 2022 at the high end of our model.”

First-Quarter Highlights

• Revenue
  – Revenue of $14.2 billion, up 8 percent, up 11 percent at constant currency (over 5 points from incremental sales to Kyndryl) 
  – Software revenue up 12 percent, up 15 percent at constant currency (over 8 points from incremental sales to Kyndryl)
  – Consulting revenue up 13 percent, up 17 percent at constant currency
  – Infrastructure revenue down 2 percent, flat at constant currency (over 8 points from incremental sales to Kyndryl)
  – Hybrid cloud revenue:
  — First Quarter: $5.0 billion, up 14 percent, up 17 percent at constant currency
  — Last 12 months: $20.8 billion, up 17 percent
• Free Cash Flow
  – On a consolidated basis, net cash from operating activities of $3.2 billion; free cash flow of $1.2 billion

“In the first quarter we continued to strengthen the fundamentals of our business, consistent with our medium-term model,” said James Kavanaugh, IBM senior vice president and chief financial officer. “We are a faster growing, more profitable company with a higher-value business mix, a significant recurring revenue base and strong cash generation.”

Segment Results for First Quarter

• Software (includes Hybrid Platform & Solutions, Transaction Processing)— revenues of $5.8 billion, up 12.3 percent, up 15.4 percent at constant currency (over 8 points from incremental sales to Kyndryl):
  – Hybrid Platform & Solutions up 7 percent, up 10 percent at constant currency (about  1.5 points from incremental sales to Kyndryl):
     — Red Hat up 18 percent, up 21 percent at constant currency
     — Automation up 3 percent, up 5 percent at constant currency
     — Data & AI up 2 percent, up 4 percent at constant currency
     — Security up 5 percent, up 8 percent at constant currency
  – Transaction Processing up 26 percent, up 31 percent at constant currency (about 28 points from incremental sales to Kyndryl)
  – Software segment hybrid cloud revenue up 22 percent, up 25 percent at constant currency
  
  
• Consulting (includes Business Transformation, Technology Consulting and Application Operations)—  revenues of $4.8 billion, up 13.3 percent, up 17.4 percent at constant currency:
  – Business Transformation up 15 percent, up 19 percent at constant currency
  – Technology Consulting up 14 percent, up 19 percent at constant currency
  – Application Operations up 10 percent, up 14 percent at constant currency
  – Consulting segment hybrid cloud revenue up 24 percent, up 29 percent at constant currency
  
  
• Infrastructure (includes Hybrid Infrastructure, Infrastructure Support)—  revenues of $3.2 billion, down 2.3 percent, up 0.3 percent at constant currency (over 8 points from incremental sales to Kyndryl):
  – Hybrid Infrastructure down 5 percent, down 2 percent at constant currency (over 8 points from incremental sales to Kyndryl)
     — IBM z Systems down 19 percent, down 18 percent at constant currency
     — Distributed Infrastructure up 5 percent, up 8 percent at constant currency
  – Infrastructure Support flat, up 4 percent at constant currency (over 8 points from incremental sales to Kyndryl)
  – Infrastructure segment hybrid cloud revenue down 20 percent, down 18 percent at constant currency
  
  
• Financing (includes client and commercial financing)— revenues of $0.2 billion, down 26.2 percent, down 24.5 percent at constant currency

Cash Flow and Balance Sheet
On a consolidated basis, in the first quarter, the company generated net cash from operating activities of $3.2 billion or $1.6 billion excluding IBM Financing receivables. IBM’s free cash flow was $1.2 billion, which includes cash impacts from the company’s structural actions initiated at the end of 2020.

IBM ended the first quarter with $10.8 billion of cash on hand (which includes marketable securities), up $3.2 billion from year-end 2021. Debt, including IBM Financing debt of $12.2 billion, totaled $54.2 billion, up $2.5 billion since the end of 2021. The company returned $1.5 billion to shareholders in dividends in the first quarter.

Full-Year 2022 Expectations

• Revenue growth: The company now expects constant currency revenue growth at the high end of the mid-single digit range. The company also expects an additional 3.5 point contribution from incremental sales to Kyndryl. At mid-April 2022 foreign exchange rates, currency is expected to be a three to four point headwind.
  
  
• Free Cash Flow: The company continues to expect $10 billion to $10.5 billion in consolidated free cash flow.

Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements
Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements contained in this release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on the company’s current assumptions regarding future business and financial performance. These statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to, the following: a downturn in economic environment and client spending budgets; a failure of the company’s innovation initiatives; damage to the company’s reputation; risks from investing in growth opportunities; failure of the company’s intellectual property portfolio to prevent competitive offerings and the failure of the company to obtain necessary licenses; the company’s ability to successfully manage acquisitions, alliances and dispositions, including integration challenges, failure to achieve objectives, the assumption of liabilities, and higher debt levels; fluctuations in financial results; impact of local legal, economic, political, health and other conditions; the company’s failure to meet growth and productivity objectives; ineffective internal controls; the company’s use of accounting estimates; impairment of the company’s goodwill or amortizable intangible assets; the company’s ability to attract and retain key employees and its reliance on critical skills; impacts of relationships with critical suppliers; product quality issues; impacts of business with government clients; reliance on third party distribution channels and ecosystems; cybersecurity and data privacy considerations; adverse effects related to climate change and environmental matters, tax matters; legal proceedings and investigatory risks; the company’s pension plans; currency fluctuations and customer financing risks; impact of changes in market liquidity conditions and customer credit risk on receivables; potential failure of the separation of Kyndryl Holdings, Inc. to qualify for tax-free treatment; risk factors related to IBM securities; and other risks, uncertainties and factors discussed in the company’s Form 10-Qs, Form 10-K and in the company’s other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or in materials incorporated therein by reference. Any forward-looking statement in this release speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Except as required by law, the company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.