New York--Jan. 17--International Business Machines Corp. (US;IBM) said after the closing bell that its fourth-quarter earnings rose 28%, beating Wall Street forecasts by two cents. The leading computer maker posted earnings for the period of $2.7 billion, or $1.48 per share, up from $2.1 billion, or $1.12, a year ago. Analysts polled by First Call/Thomson Financial had been expecting $1.46 per share.