International Business Machines Corp Stock Price, News & Analysis

IBM has announced the expansion of its P-TECH education model to 28 countries, with China being the latest addition. This initiative focuses on improving educational equity and career opportunities in underserved communities. The program enables students to earn high school diplomas along with no-cost associate degrees, coupled with workplace experiences such as internships. Currently, over 240 P-TECH schools are operational, supported by almost 200 community colleges and more than 600 industry partners. The model aims to prepare students for high-demand 'new collar' jobs in sectors like cybersecurity and design.

The COVID-19 High Performance Computing (HPC) Consortium, launched in March 2020, is shifting its focus to expedite research on potential COVID-19 therapies. With new data availability, the Consortium aims to enhance patient outcomes within six months. Supported by IBM and other prominent institutions, the initiative has nearly doubled its computing capacity to 600 petaflops and has processed over 175 research proposals globally. Key areas of focus include modeling patient response and evaluating combination therapies.

On November 12, 2020, TEEX announced a partnership with IBM to integrate aspects of its security portfolio into national cybersecurity training initiatives. The TEEX Cyber Readiness Center will utilize IBM's X-Force Red services to enhance cybersecurity assessments and response training. Trusted by federal agencies, TEEX aims to bolster cybersecurity resilience across the U.S. amid rising cybercrime, especially since COVID-19. This collaboration will leverage IBM's threat intelligence to minimize revenue loss due to security incidents, positioning TEEX to improve preparedness for future cyber threats.

IBM has partnered with olive oil producers Conde de Benalua and Rolar de Cuyo to enhance traceability and product quality using IBM Food Trust on IBM Cloud. This initiative aims to address consumer demand for authenticity amidst rising concerns over olive oil counterfeits. A recent study indicates 73% of consumers are willing to pay more for transparency. The partnership allows consumers to trace olive oil from production to purchase using QR codes, bolstering consumer trust and supply chain efficiency. Notably, CHO's Terra Delyssa brand has seen a demand surge, now available in over 10,000 stores across the U.S. and Canada.

IBM announced significant updates to its hybrid cloud software portfolio, including enhancements to Cloud Pak for Data and Cloud Pak for Automation. These updates aim to assist organizations in their digital transformation efforts by providing integrated data and AI capabilities. Notably, new features include industry accelerators for various sectors, enhanced machine learning capabilities, and improved document processing tools. The updates respond to a trend where 59% of companies are accelerating digital transformation due to COVID-19 challenges.

IBM has been recognized as a leader in managed security services by multiple independent research firms. According to Forrester Research, IBM Security Services scored the highest in strategy and was highly rated for market presence and current offerings. The IDC MarketScape also highlighted IBM's global capabilities in addressing security challenges. With managed security services handling over 150 billion security events daily, IBM aims to reduce alert fatigue and enhance threat response through advanced AI and automation.