There are no safe havens in the stock market. Every stock carries risk. But some less than others. This column features stocks that have shown one or more of the following characteristics: less volatility, better earnings, larger market caps, safe and increasing dividends. In these times of turmoil, our goal is to show readers better opportunities for investing with fewer risks.

November 25, 2011 - International Business Machines Corporation (IBM-NYSE)) provides information technology (IT) products and services worldwide. Its Global Technology Services segment provides IT infrastructure and business process services, including strategic outsourcing, process, integrated technology, and maintenance services, as well as technology-based support services.

The Global Business Services segment offers consulting and systems integration, and application management services. Its Software division offers middleware and operating systems software, such as WebSphere software to integrate and manage business processes; information management software for database and enterprise content management, information integration, data warehousing, business analytics and intelligence, performance management, and predictive analytics; Tivoli software for identity management, data security, storage management, and datacenter automation; Lotus software for collaboration, messaging, and social networking; rational software to support software development for IT and embedded systems; business intelligence software, which provides querying and forecasting tools; SPSS predictive analytics software to predict outcomes and act on that insight; and operating systems software.

Its Systems and Technology group provides computing and storage solutions, including servers, disk and tape storage systems and software, point-of-sale retail systems, and microelectronics.

The Global Financing segment provides lease and loan financing to end users and internal clients; commercial financing to dealers and remarketers of IT products; and remanufacturing and remarketing services.

It serves financial services, public, industrial, distribution, communications, and general business sectors. The company was formerly known as Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co. and changed its name to International Business Machines Corporation in 1924. IBM was founded in 1910 and is based in Armonk, New York.

Latest News:
Warrent Buffett buys $10 billion worth of IBM stock, more than 5% of the company. First technology stock in the famous investor's portfolio.

Expectations:
Fourth quarter earnings: $4.62
2011 earnings: $13.38
First quarter of 2012 earnings: $2.68 (vs $2.41 this year)
2012 earnings: $14.85

Important Numbers:
- Trailing P/E: 14.1
- Forward P/E: 12
- Price to sales ratio: 1.97
- Price to book: 9.41
- Operating margin: 20.21%
- Profit margin: 14.68%
- Return on equity: 69.84%
- Return on assets: 12.38%
- Revenues for last 12 months: $106.54 billion
- Total cash: $11.33 billion
- Cash per share: $9.61
- Total debt: $30.16 billion
- Total debt to equity: 134.78%
- Current ratio: 1.26
- Book value per share: $18.91
- Beta: .49
- 52 week change: 23.66%
- Total shares Outstanding: 1.18 billion
- Held by insiders: .07%
- Held by institutions: 61%
- Annual dividend: $3.00
- Yield: 1.7%

Company Web site: www.ibm.com

Ted Allrich