The best indicator for IBM (IBM)
We backtested 366 indicators across daily, weekly and hourly charts on real IBM (IBM) history. Here's what actually worked — risk-adjusted, out-of-sample, with costs.
MACD
On the daily chart, this is the strongest risk-adjusted edge we found for IBM (IBM) over ~64.3 years — trailing buy-and-hold by 0.0% CAGR.
Best multi-indicator combo
Going long only when all 2 agree was the strongest confluence setup we found for IBM (IBM) — trailing buy-and-hold by 3.0% CAGR, out-of-sample. Fewer, higher-conviction trades than any single indicator.
The winner on each chart
Every indicator, ranked
Ranked by Sharpe (risk-adjusted return). Hypothetical, fees included.
| # | Indicator | TF | CAGR | Sharpe | Max DD | Win | Trades | vs B&H |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MACD ✓ | Daily | 8.6% | 0.57 | -51.1% | 43.8% | 585 | 0.0% |
| 2 | Hull MA 15/60 Cross ✓ | Daily | 8.2% | 0.56 | -47.1% | 45.5% | 490 | -0.4% |
| 3 | Percentage Price Osc. ✓ | Daily | 8.0% | 0.55 | -51.6% | 43.7% | 595 | -0.5% |
| 4 | MACD-V ✓ | Daily | 8.1% | 0.55 | -50.4% | 43.5% | 588 | -0.5% |
| 5 | PPO Cross ✓ | Daily | 8.0% | 0.55 | -51.6% | 43.7% | 595 | -0.5% |
| 6 | EMA 8/21 Cross ✓ | Daily | 8.0% | 0.54 | -47.5% | 40.9% | 347 | -0.6% |
| 7 | DEMA 10/30 Cross ✓ | Daily | 7.9% | 0.54 | -42.1% | 44.3% | 470 | -0.6% |
| 8 | Ichimoku TK Cross ✓ | Daily | 7.7% | 0.53 | -50.9% | 41.5% | 352 | -0.9% |
| 9 | McGinley 30 Trend ✓ | Weekly | 9.6% | 0.52 | -58.1% | 37.5% | 32 | 1.0% |
| 10 | DeMarker (14) ✓ | Daily | 7.3% | 0.51 | -46.9% | 43.5% | 767 | -1.2% |
| 11 | True Strength Index ✓ | Daily | 7.3% | 0.5 | -49.5% | 41.6% | 646 | -1.2% |
| 12 | McGinley Dynamic ✓ | Weekly | 8.1% | 0.5 | -52.7% | 45.2% | 146 | -0.4% |
| 13 | SMA 10/30 Cross ✓ | Daily | 7.0% | 0.49 | -47.9% | 41.1% | 314 | -1.5% |
| 14 | Linear Regression Slope ✓ | Daily | 6.8% | 0.48 | -37.7% | 44.2% | 400 | -1.8% |
✓ = held up out-of-sample. Hypothetical, costs included. See methodology.
For IBM (IBM), MACD on the daily timeframe gave the best balance of return and risk in our test. It still trailed buy-and-hold on raw return — but remember: this is a hypothetical backtest of a standard rule, not a recommendation. Markets change. See the methodology and disclaimer.
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