Operating Expenses
Stock-based compensation expense
International Business Machines Stock-based compensation expense increased by 17.7% to $506.00M in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric grew by 26.2%, from $401.00M to $506.00M. Over 4 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Stock-based compensation expense shows an upward trend with a 16.9% CAGR. This is a positive signal — lower values indicate better performance for this metric.
Analysis
StatementIncome Statement
SectionOperating Expenses
CategoryEfficiency
SignalLower is better
VolatilityStable
First reportedQ1 2013
Last reportedQ1 2026Apr 23, 2026
How to read this metric
Higher levels indicate significant use of equity for compensation, which can lead to shareholder dilution over time.
Detailed definition
This represents the expense recognized for equity-based awards granted to employees, such as stock options or restricted...
Peer comparison
Standard operating expense for most public companies, particularly in competitive talent markets.
Metric ID:
ms_stock_based_compensationHistorical Data
20 periods
| Q2 '21 | Q3 '21 | Q4 '21 | Q1 '22 | Q2 '22 | Q3 '22 | Q4 '22 | Q1 '23 | Q2 '23 | Q3 '23 | Q4 '23 | Q1 '24 | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | Q1 '26 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $225.00M | $242.00M | $254.00M | $234.00M | $254.00M | $251.00M | $248.00M | $268.00M | $288.00M | $286.00M | $290.00M | $320.00M | $316.00M | $330.00M | $345.00M | $401.00M | $441.00M | $444.00M | $430.00M | $506.00M |
| QoQ Change | — | +7.6% | +5.0% | -7.9% | +8.5% | -1.2% | -1.2% | +8.1% | +7.5% | -0.7% | +1.4% | +10.3% | -1.3% | +4.4% | +4.5% | +16.2% | +10.0% | +0.7% | -3.2% | +17.7% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | +12.9% | +3.7% | -2.4% | +14.5% | +13.4% | +13.9% | +16.9% | +19.4% | +9.7% | +15.4% | +19.0% | +25.3% | +39.6% | +34.5% | +24.6% | +26.2% |
Range$225.00M – $506.00M
CAGR+18.6%
Avg YoY Growth+17.9%
Median YoY Growth+16.2%
Stock-based compensation expense at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is International Business Machines's stock-based compensation expense?
- International Business Machines (IBM) reported stock-based compensation expense of $506.00M in Q1 2026.
- How has International Business Machines's stock-based compensation expense changed year-over-year?
- International Business Machines's stock-based compensation expense increased by 26.2% year-over-year, from $401.00M to $506.00M.
- What is the long-term trend for International Business Machines's stock-based compensation expense?
- Over 4 years (2021 to 2025), International Business Machines's stock-based compensation expense has grown at a 16.9% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $919.00M to $1.72B.
- What does stock-based compensation expense mean?
- The cost of paying employees with company stock instead of cash.