Due to uncertainties such as the Iran conflict, IBM remains cautious about its performance guidance.

```htmlIBM's first-quarter revenue and profits both exceeded analyst expectations, but due to macroeconomic uncertainties, the company maintained its previous annual guidance unchanged. "As inflation rises, could there be issues in the oil sector? Might this lead to reduced consumer spending? Even if reduced spending doesn't directly impact me, many consumer companies like Walmart are my clients. If people shop less at Walmart, companies will try to control costs, which will in turn reduce their purchases from us," he said. Krishna pointed out that despite the eruption of the Iran conflict, IBM's business performance in the Middle East remains strong.```