Dow Today: International Business Machines (IBM) Leads The Day Higher, Chevron (CVX) Lags

Mar 22, 2012 5:30 PM EDT

The Dow Jones Industrial Average ( ^DJI) closed down 78.0 points (-0.6%) at 13,046. During the day, 660.8 million shares of the 30 Dow components have changed hands vs. an average daily trading volume of 818.6 million. The NYSE advances/declines ratio closed at 740 issues advancing vs. 2,242 declining with 113 unchanged.

The Dow component that led the way higher today was International Business Machines (NYSE: IBM), which sported an 80-cent gain (+0.4%) bringing the stock to $205.49. Volume for International Business Machines ended the day at 3.3 million shares traded vs. an average daily trading volume of 5.1 million shares.

International Business Machines has a market cap of $226.21 billion and is part of the technology sector and computer hardware industry. Shares are up 11.1% year to date as of Wednesday's close. The stock's dividend yield sits at 1.5%.

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) provides information technology (IT) products and services worldwide. The company operates in five segments: Global Technology Services, Global Business Services, Software, Systems and Technology, and Global Financing. The company has a P/E ratio of 15.8, above the average computer hardware industry P/E ratio of 14.7 and below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7.

TheStreet Ratings rates International Business Machines as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, notable return on equity, expanding profit margins, good cash flow from operations and solid stock price performance. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had generally poor debt management on most measures that we evaluated.

You can view the full International Business Machines Ratings Report.

Holding the Dow back today was Chevron (NYSE: CVX), which lagged the broader Dow index with a $2.52 decline (-2.3%) bringing the stock to $105.39. This single loss lowered the Dow Jones Industrial Average by 19.07 points or roughly accounting for 24.4% of the Dow's overall loss. Volume for Chevron ended the day at 7.7 million shares traded vs. an average daily trading volume of 8.8 million shares.

See our dividend calendar or top-yielding stocks list.

Chevron has a market cap of $212.53 billion and is part of the basic materials sector and energy industry. Shares are up 2.5% year to date as of Wednesday's close. The stock's dividend yield sits at 3%.

Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in petroleum, chemicals, mining, power generation, and energy operations worldwide. It operates in two segments, Upstream and Downstream. The company has a P/E ratio of 8.2, above the average energy industry P/E ratio of 7.9 and below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7.

TheStreet Ratings rates Chevron as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, attractive valuation levels, good cash flow from operations and notable return on equity. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had sub par growth in net income.