IBM closed above $200 for the first time yesterday, driven higher as technology companies seize leadership in the United States stock market as the Standard & Poor's 500 Index rally enters its fourth year. The world's largest computer-services provider posted a strong annual gain in 2011 as the S&P 500 stalled after surging 39% in 2009 and 2010. In January, IBM reported revenue and forecast for this year that exceeded analysts' estimates.

IBM reported revenue of $107 billion in 2011 and earnings of $13.06 a share. The company ended 2011 with $11.9 billion in cash helped by higher revenue and profit margins in the technology icon's lucrative software and services segments.

The security IBM fits in the line of a middle/long-term bullish trend. Furthermore, daily and weekly moving averages stay well oriented. Technically, the upward configuration should protect the stock from an important bearish movement. The objective will be fixed on the consensus evaluation at $215. A stop loss we be engaged at $196.2.