IBM RAISED its full year outlook after it posted a 15 per cent rise in first quarter earnings on strong demand for its software services and growth in emerging markets.

The company said last night that revenue was flat at $24.7 billion compared with the previous year and net earnings were up 7 per cent at $3.1 billion in the first three months of the year.

International Business Machines, which has been shifting its focus from hardware to higher-margin services and software over the past decade, said earnings per share, excluding exceptional items, was $2.78 - beating average analysts' earnings per share estimates of $2.65 and in line with revenue expectations of $24.78 billion.

IBM raised its full year target to at least $15 adjusted earnings per share from the previous estimate of at least $14.85.

The company competes with business software makers Oracle Corporation and SAP AG, as well as outsourcing company Accenture and computing giant Hewlett Packard.

The firm employs 3,000 staff in Ireland at a number of operations around the country. - (Reuters)