Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) Receives Average Rating of "Hold" from Brokerages

Key Points

• Qualcomm has a consensus “Hold” rating from 38 brokerages, with 21 holds, 12 buys, two strong buys and three sells. The average 12-month price target is approximately $204.10.
• Qualcomm’s shares opened at $188.71 after rising 2.1%, while the company reported quarterly revenue of $9.95 billion—above estimates—but EPS of $2.21 slightly missed expectations and revenue declined 4% year over year.
• Investors are weighing AI growth potential against business risks: expansion into data centers, automotive and other markets could lift valuation, but weaker handset demand, margin pressure and expected declines in Apple-related revenue remain concerns. Qualcomm also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.92, representing a 2.0% yield.

Shares of Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM - Get Free Report) have been given a consensus rating of "Hold" by the thirty-eight brokerages that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twenty-one have assigned a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $204.1034.

Several brokerages have recently issued reports on QCOM. HSBC reissued a "hold" rating on shares of Qualcomm in a report on Wednesday, July 15th. Guggenheim set a $200.00 target price on Qualcomm in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Craig Hallum cut Qualcomm from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, June 25th. Piper Sandler initiated coverage on Qualcomm in a report on Wednesday, September 9th. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $190.00 price target for the company. Finally, Oppenheimer set a $200.00 price target on Qualcomm in a report on Monday, July 27th.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Qualcomm news, EVP Heather Ace sold 3,200 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $147.04, for a total transaction of $470,528.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 36,535 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,372,106.40. This trade represents a 8.05% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Akash Palkhiwala sold 2,500 shares of Qualcomm stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $182.85, for a total transaction of $457,125.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 18,184 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,324,944.40. The trade was a 12.09% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last three months, insiders sold 11,533 shares of company stock valued at $1,924,969. 0.05% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Qualcomm

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd lifted its holdings in shares of Qualcomm by 17,000.0% in the fourth quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 171 shares of the wireless technology company's stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 170 shares in the last quarter. ABS Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Qualcomm during the second quarter worth about $34,000. ABS Direct Equity Fund LLC bought a new position in shares of Qualcomm during the second quarter worth about $34,000. Commonwealth Retirement Investments LLC acquired a new stake in Qualcomm in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Finally, Your Advocates Ltd. LLP acquired a new stake in Qualcomm in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $26,000. 74.35% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Qualcomm

Here are the key news stories impacting Qualcomm this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Qualcomm outpaced the broader stock market in the latest session, reflecting continued buying interest in the chipmaker after an extended rally. Qualcomm Outpaces Stock Market Gains
• Positive Sentiment: Qualcomm’s shares have gained roughly 18% over the past month, as investors reassess the company’s potential in AI data-center infrastructure, automotive technology and other markets beyond smartphones. Qualcomm Rally and Investment Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: The company’s relatively low valuation could expand if its AI strategy produces meaningful data-center growth, potentially reducing the valuation discount associated with its smartphone exposure. Qualcomm AI Valuation Opportunity
• Neutral Sentiment: Market coverage notes that Qualcomm gained but lagged some industry peers, suggesting the move was positive without matching the strongest performance across chip stocks. Qualcomm Performance Versus Competitors
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary describes the stock as fairly valued after a substantial run, while investors also weigh Qualcomm’s cash-return appeal against Apple’s transition toward internally developed modem technology. Qualcomm Valuation After Its Rally
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research downgraded Qualcomm from “hold” to “strong sell,” adding a negative signal after the recent rally. Zacks Research
• Negative Sentiment: Rising semiconductor costs, weaker handset demand, unfavorable product mix and expected declines in Apple-related revenue could pressure margins and earnings. Qualcomm Margin Pressure
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts question whether Qualcomm’s AI pivot can generate sufficient scale quickly enough to offset smartphone and Apple headwinds. Qualcomm AI Pivot Risks

Qualcomm Stock Up 2.1%

Qualcomm stock opened at $188.71 on Friday. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $168.34 and its 200 day simple moving average is $172.19. Qualcomm has a fifty-two week low of $121.99 and a fifty-two week high of $259.92. The firm has a market capitalization of $198.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.84, a PEG ratio of 3.85 and a beta of 1.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 2.02 and a quick ratio of 1.28.

Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The wireless technology company reported $2.21 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.23 by ($0.02). The firm had revenue of $9.95 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.69 billion. Qualcomm had a net margin of 21.01% and a return on equity of 38.36%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was down 4.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.77 EPS. Qualcomm has set its Q4 2026 guidance at 2.050-2.250 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Qualcomm will post 7.74 EPS for the current year.

Qualcomm Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 24th. Investors of record on Thursday, September 3rd will be given a $0.92 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 3rd. This represents a $3.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.0%. Qualcomm's payout ratio is currently 42.59%.

Qualcomm Company Profile

Qualcomm Incorporated NASDAQ: QCOM is a technology company that develops wireless communications technologies, semiconductors and related intellectual property. Headquartered in San Diego, California, the company serves customers and partners worldwide across the mobile, automotive, consumer electronics and industrial markets.

Through its Qualcomm CDMA Technologies (QCT) business, Qualcomm designs and supplies integrated circuits, system software and hardware platforms. Its products include Snapdragon mobile platforms, 5G and other wireless modems, radio-frequency components, connectivity solutions, processors and artificial intelligence technologies.

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