Piper Sandler Upgrades Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) to “Hold”

Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) was upgraded by analysts at Piper Sandler to a “hold” rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, Zacks reports.

Other equities analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Rosenblatt Securities reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $235.00 target price on shares of Qualcomm in a research report on Wednesday. Mizuho upped their price objective on Qualcomm from $170.00 to $210.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, June 29th. Monness Crespi & Hardt upgraded shares of Qualcomm to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, June 25th. Lake Street Capital downgraded shares of Qualcomm to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 25th. Finally, Susquehanna decreased their price target on shares of Qualcomm from $190.00 to $160.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating, twenty-two have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $204.10.

Qualcomm Stock Up 0.3%

Shares of NASDAQ:QCOM opened at $176.88 on Wednesday. The company has a fifty day moving average of $168.34 and a 200-day moving average of $170.75. The company has a market capitalization of $185.76 billion, a PE ratio of 20.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.68 and a beta of 1.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a quick ratio of 1.28 and a current ratio of 2.02. Qualcomm has a 52-week low of $121.99 and a 52-week high of $259.92.

Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The wireless technology company reported $2.21 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.23 by ($0.02). Qualcomm had a net margin of 21.01% and a return on equity of 38.36%. The firm had revenue of $9.95 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.69 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.77 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was down 4.0% on a year-over-year basis. Qualcomm has set its Q4 2026 guidance at 2.050-2.250 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Qualcomm will post 7.74 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Qualcomm

In other news, EVP Akash J. Palkhiwala sold 2,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $163.26, for a total value of $408,150.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 20,684 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,376,869.84. This represents a 10.78% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Heather S. Ace sold 3,200 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction 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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 36,535 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,372,106.40. This represents a 8.05% 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 9,033 shares of company stock valued at $1,467,844. 0.05% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Qualcomm

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of QCOM. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP bought a new stake in Qualcomm during the first quarter valued at $26,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd lifted its stake in shares of Qualcomm by 17,000.0% in the 4th 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 during the period. Birchwood Financial Partners Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Qualcomm in the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. Commonwealth Retirement Investments LLC acquired a new position in shares of Qualcomm in the 4th quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, ABS Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Qualcomm during the 2nd quarter valued at about $34,000. Institutional investors own 74.35% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Qualcomm

Here are the key news stories impacting Qualcomm this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Amazon deal strengthens Qualcomm’s data-center story. AWS will use Qualcomm custom data-center chips and optical networking technology, with warrants and potential purchases of up to $60 billion through 2036. The agreement provides tangible customer validation for Qualcomm’s push into AI infrastructure and diversifies revenue beyond mobile handsets. Qualcomm’s Data Center Bet Looks More Real After Amazon’s AI Deal
• Positive Sentiment: Management sees a sizable long-term opportunity. Qualcomm’s CFO highlighted a potential $5 billion data-center business and said its “port once” software and hardware approach could attract additional hyperscaler and AI-chip customers. Analysts and market commentators view the Amazon partnership as a meaningful change in the company’s investment thesis. Qualcomm up 3% on Amazon AI pact; CFO eyes $5B data center target
• Positive Sentiment: Rosenblatt reaffirmed a Buy rating with a $235 price target, implying substantial upside from the reference price. The target reflects optimism that AI infrastructure, data centers and other new markets can offset slower mobile-chip growth. Qualcomm analyst rating and price target
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors are comparing Qualcomm with ASML as both semiconductor companies pursue AI and advanced-chip opportunities, but the comparison does not provide a specific new earnings forecast or valuation change for QCOM. ASML vs. QCOM: Which Semiconductor Stock is the Better Buy Now?
• Negative Sentiment: Apple is gradually reducing its dependence on Qualcomm. The iPhone 18 Pro reportedly uses Apple’s C2 modem, although the Pro Max still appears to rely on Qualcomm technology in some markets. Further in-house modem adoption could pressure Qualcomm’s handset revenue and licensing relationship with Apple. iPhone 18 Pro Debuts C2 Modem As Apple Keeps Weaning Off Qualcomm
• Neutral Sentiment: Reported short-interest data appears unreliable: the update lists zero shares on both dates and a zero-day cover ratio, while also showing an undefined percentage change. It therefore offers no meaningful indication of changing bearish positioning.

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.