<p>IBM has reaped the benefits of investing in growth markets and reported an increase in profitsof 5% despite a 2% fall in sales in its 2012 results.</p><p>IBM's wide portfolio of products and services, as well as its huge market reach, made itsperformance a good measure of the investment businesses are making in IT worldwide.</p><p>Total sales were worth $104.5bn in its fiscal year 2012, compared with $106.9bn in 2011, whileprofits increased 5% to $16.6bn.</p><p>IBM said technologies such as business analytics software and cloud computing saw 13% and 80%increases in sales respectively. IBM's Smarter Planet portfolio of smarttechnologies made 25% more sales than last year. IBM said sales rose in regions of the world whereeconomic growth is taking place, such as the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India andChina.</p><p><a href="http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240176483/IBM-2012-profits-rise-8-in-face-of-falling-sales">Keep reading...</a></p><p>Read also:</p><p><a href="http://247wallst.com/2013/01/23/ibm-and-google-earnings-show-strength-of-broad-economy/">IBM and Google Earnings Show Strength of Broad Economy</a> (24/7 Wall St.)</p><p><a href="http://www.webpronews.com/ibm-earnings-ibm-posts-29-3-billion-in-revenue-2013-01">IBM Earnings: IBM Posts $ 29.3 Billion In Revenue</a> (WebProNews)</p><p><a href="http://www.crn.in/News-023Jan013-IBM-Wraps-Up-2012-With-Flat-Sales-Higher-Profits.aspx">IBM Wraps Up 2012 With Flat Sales, Higher Profits</a> (CRN.in)</p><p>Explore: <a href="http://news.google.com/news/more?ncl=dcX0e0t2sN_-FfMqpIIBACZk2gx5M&ned=us">497 additional articles.</a></p>