IBM is a multinational technology corporation specializing in computer hardware, middleware and software. The company, headquartered in Armonk, New York, has a presence in over 175 countries and provides hosting and consulting services in various areas, from mainframe computers to nanotechnology. With 297,900 employees worldwide, IBM is consistently ranked among the world's largest employers and is one of 30 companies in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
IBM's rich history dates back to 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR). Initially, the company was a holding company of manufacturers of record-keeping and measuring systems manufacturers. CTR soon became the leading manufacturer of punch-card systems, and in 1924, CTR changed its name to IBM.
During the 1960s and 1970s, the IBM mainframe, powered by the System/360, was the preferred computing platform. During that early decade of computing, IBM produced 80% of computers in the U.S. and 70% worldwide. The company has held the record for the most annual U.S. patents generated by a business for 29 consecutive years, from 1993 to 2021.
IBM has 19 research facilities across dozens of countries, making it the world's most significant industrial research organization. The company has been responsible for several technological innovations, including the dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), the automated teller machine (ATM), the hard disk drive, the floppy disk, the magnetic stripe card, the SQL programming language, the relational database and the UPC barcode. IBM employees continue to win recognition for their scientific achievements, including six Nobel Prizes and six Turing Awards.
In the 1980s, IBM pioneered the multipurpose microcomputer, which set the standard for personal computers. However, the company began losing market dominance to emerging competitors, leading to downsizing operations and divestments.
IBM operates in four distinct segments designed to provide comprehensive technological solutions to its clients. The first segment, software, offers innovative hybrid cloud platforms and software solutions that enable clients to automate, secure and modernize their data-driven environments efficiently.
The consulting segment focuses on business transformation and technology implementation and offers a wide range of capabilities to help clients adapt to the fast-changing digital world. The infrastructure segment provides cutting-edge solutions for the hybrid cloud and is the foundation for the hybrid cloud stack, ensuring seamless integration and exceptional performance.
Finally, the financing segment offers flexible financing solutions to clients who want to acquire information technology systems, software and services, making it easier and more affordable for them to access the latest and most advanced technological solutions.
IBM is the seventh-largest technology company by revenue and the 49th-largest overall.