Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) Stock Price Up 3.3% - Time to Buy?

Key Points

• Qualcomm shares rose 3.3% to $178.40, while trading volume remained below the stock’s average. Analysts’ overall rating is “Hold,” with an average price target of $204.10.
• Recent developments support Qualcomm’s long-term strategy: its Apple licensing agreement was renewed, and a legal victory against Arm reinforced its ability to develop custom CPUs for PC, automotive and data-center markets.
• Execution risks remain: the latest quarter saw revenue decline 4% year over year and EPS narrowly miss estimates, while slower handset demand and growing competition in AI data-center chips could challenge its diversification plans.

Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM - Get Free Report) shares rose 3.3% on Thursday. The stock traded as high as $179.21 and last traded at $178.40. 11,739,130 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 23% from the average daily volume of 15,283,536 shares. The stock had previously closed at $172.62.

Qualcomm News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Qualcomm this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Apple license renewed: Qualcomm renewed its licensing agreement with Apple, supporting the durability of its high-margin technology-licensing revenue and removing a potential source of investor uncertainty. Qualcomm renews Apple license as investors reassess Qualcomm stock
• Positive Sentiment: Important Arm legal victory: A Delaware jury found that Arm Holdings breached its licensing agreement with Qualcomm and confirmed Qualcomm’s ability to continue developing custom CPUs, including its Oryon architecture. Although damages were nominal, the verdict strengthens Qualcomm’s strategic flexibility in PCs, automotive and data-center markets. How Qualcomm’s Legal Win Over Arm Could Reshape the Long-Term Thesis for QCOM Investors
• Positive Sentiment: AI and diversification potential: Analysts continue to focus on Qualcomm’s effort to expand beyond handsets into AI, automotive and data-center chips. The company’s wireless leadership and strong free cash flow provide resources to fund that transition. Intel vs. Qualcomm: Which Tech Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor debate remains centered on execution: Qualcomm’s AI repositioning has attracted interest, but investors are waiting for evidence that newer businesses can offset slower smartphone demand and generate meaningful growth. Qualcomm: Navigating The Shift From Handsets To AI
• Negative Sentiment: Growing custom-chip competition: A reported potential ByteDance partnership with MediaTek highlights intensifying competition for AI data-center chip opportunities, potentially limiting Qualcomm’s ability to establish a foothold in the market. QCOM, AVGO, NVDA Stocks In Focus As ByteDance Reportedly Closes In On A MediaTek Pact For AI Data Center Chips
• Negative Sentiment: Handset weakness is still a concern: Critics argue Qualcomm is caught between a declining or slower-growing smartphone business and an AI strategy that has yet to prove its scale, making upcoming quarterly results especially important. Qualcomm at $175: The Narrative Shift Sending Capital Out The Door

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on QCOM shares. KeyCorp reissued a "sector weight" rating on shares of Qualcomm in a report on Wednesday, September 9th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on Qualcomm from $265.00 to $170.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Freedom Capital raised Qualcomm from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Friday, August 7th. Zacks Research lowered Qualcomm from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 15th. Finally, Oppenheimer set a $200.00 price objective on shares of Qualcomm in a research note on Monday, July 27th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating, twenty-one have assigned a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $204.10.

Qualcomm Stock Up 3.3%

The company has a market cap of $190.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.65, a PEG ratio of 3.98 and a beta of 1.65. The company has a current ratio of 2.02, a quick ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46. The business has a fifty day moving average of $174.58 and a two-hundred day moving average of $179.02.

Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data 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). Qualcomm had a net margin of 21.01% and a return on equity of 38.36%. The business had revenue of $9.95 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.69 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.77 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was down 4.0% on a year-over-year basis. Qualcomm has set its Q4 2026 guidance at 2.050-2.250 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Qualcomm Incorporated will post 7.74 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Heather S. Ace sold 3,200 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $147.04, for a total value of $470,528.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 36,535 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $5,372,106.40. The trade was a 8.05% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CAO Patricia Y. Grech sold 625 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Friday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $162.85, for a total transaction of $101,781.25. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 208 shares of the company's stock, valued at $33,872.80. This represents a 75.03% decrease in their ownership of the stock. 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 90 days, insiders sold 29,131 shares of company stock valued at $5,441,226. Corporate insiders own 0.05% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Qualcomm

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Moody National Bank Trust Division grew its stake in shares of Qualcomm by 20.0% during the 3rd quarter. Moody National Bank Trust Division now owns 14,441 shares of the wireless technology company's stock valued at $2,658,000 after buying an additional 2,405 shares during the period. Greenwich Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Qualcomm during the second quarter valued at about $242,000. QRG Capital Management Inc. grew its position in Qualcomm by 12.7% during the second quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 204,726 shares of the wireless technology company's stock valued at $37,831,000 after acquiring an additional 23,009 shares during the period. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Qualcomm by 8.4% in the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 48,184 shares of the wireless technology company's stock worth $8,904,000 after purchasing an additional 3,746 shares during the period. Finally, State Street Corp lifted its stake in shares of Qualcomm by 1.3% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 52,763,263 shares of the wireless technology company's stock valued at $9,750,123,000 after purchasing an additional 671,537 shares in the last quarter. 74.35% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Qualcomm

Qualcomm Incorporated NASDAQ: QCOM is a technology company headquartered in San Diego, California, that develops wireless communications technologies, semiconductors and related software. Its products support mobile devices, connected computing, automotive systems, industrial equipment and consumer electronics.

Qualcomm's semiconductor business operates primarily through its Qualcomm CDMA Technologies segment. Its offerings include Snapdragon platforms and systems-on-chip, cellular modems, radio-frequency components, connectivity products, and processors for smartphones, personal computers, extended-reality devices, vehicles and the Internet of Things.

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