The US computer corporation IBM reported a one percent increase in revenue to $15 billion in the third quarter of 2024, slightly missing analysts' expectations, and announced a loss of $330 million compared to a profit of $1.7 billion in the previous year.

Especially noticeable was the inconsistent performance of the various business divisions. While IBM's software business recorded a solid increase of nearly ten percent to $6.5 billion, the consulting division stagnated at $5.2 billion compared to the previous year. The most significant decline was in the infrastructure sector, where revenues shrank by seven percent to $3 billion.

These mixed results reflect the ongoing challenges faced by IBM. For years, the company has been struggling to reposition itself from its traditional consulting and infrastructure business towards a stronger focus on software and services. Despite the positive developments in the software segment, IBM has so far been unable to fully compensate for weaknesses in other areas.

The disappointing quarterly results led to a significant drop in IBM's stock price. On Thursday, the stock price fell by 6.22 percent to $218.28 on the NYSE. Investors are concerned about the ongoing issues in the consulting and infrastructure business, which are weighing on the company's overall performance.

As part of its strategic realignment, IBM has already launched several initiatives to strengthen its position in the software and services sector. Nevertheless, the current figures show that the transformation is progressing more slowly than expected and challenges in the traditional business field still exist.