IBM Announced 10% revenue growth in the 4th quarter of 20007. 6% of the growth came from currency fluctuations (as the value of overseas income rose in dollar terms due to the dollar's decline). In other words, 4% is a better measure of business growth.
Software revenues grew 12% in dollar terms in the 4th quarter; 6% in constant currency terms. The interesting news is in the software segments:
- Websphere (application platform and portal) grew 23% in dollar terms
- Information Management (Database, the biggest segment by far) -- 11%
- Tivoli (Systems Management) -- 19%
- Lotus (Collaboration) -- 7%
Lotus significantly lagged the other IBM software businesses, and after accounting for currency fluctuations, showed no growth in the fourth quarter of 2007.
It's only one quarter. It's possible these results reflect customers postponing purchases until the new Eclipse-based Notes/Domino 8 (which launched in August last year) is proven out.
<updated with supplemental segment information from IBM>
Cliff, impressive prescience with that last sentence!
Posted by: Ed Brill | 17 April 2008 at 11:58 AM
Lotus software increased 17 percent, so probably close to 8% in real terms (overall, about 55% of IBM's revenue growth came from the rise in foreign currencies against the dollar).
Not spectacular, but better than expected.
Posted by: cliffreeves | 17 April 2008 at 12:45 PM