Sanford C. Bernstein reissued their market perform rating on shares of Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM – Free Report) in a report published on Thursday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Sanford C. Bernstein currently has a $140.00 price target on the wireless technology company’s stock, down from their previous price target of $175.00.
Other research analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on shares of Qualcomm from $195.00 to $185.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Susquehanna downgraded Qualcomm from a “positive” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $140.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. TD Cowen reduced their price objective on Qualcomm from $190.00 to $150.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their target price on Qualcomm from $180.00 to $150.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Qualcomm in a research report on Monday, December 29th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Qualcomm presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $165.14.
View Our Latest Stock Report on Qualcomm
Qualcomm Stock Performance
Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The wireless technology company reported $3.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.38 by $0.12. Qualcomm had a return on equity of 44.09% and a net margin of 11.96%.The firm had revenue of $12.25 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.16 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $3.41 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 4.7% on a year-over-year basis. Qualcomm has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 2.450-2.650 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Qualcomm will post 9.39 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Qualcomm Dividend Announcement
The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 26th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 5th were paid a $0.89 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 5th. This represents a $3.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.8%. Qualcomm’s dividend payout ratio is 73.55%.
Qualcomm announced that its board has initiated a stock repurchase program on Tuesday, March 17th that allows the company to buyback $20.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization allows the wireless technology company to reacquire up to 14.5% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are usually a sign that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.
Insider Buying and Selling
In related news, EVP Akash J. Palkhiwala sold 3,333 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $137.65, for a total transaction of $458,787.45. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 35,599 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,900,202.35. This trade represents a 8.56% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Heather S. Ace sold 3,200 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $137.00, for a total transaction of $438,400.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 16,393 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,245,841. The trade was a 16.33% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders sold 9,866 shares of company stock worth $1,474,796. 0.05% of the stock is owned by insiders.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Qualcomm
A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Cornerstone Planning LLC bought a new stake in Qualcomm in the fourth quarter worth $3,145,000. World Investment Advisors grew its stake in shares of Qualcomm by 14.3% in the 4th quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 64,911 shares of the wireless technology company’s stock worth $11,103,000 after buying an additional 8,130 shares in the last quarter. Nalls Sherbakoff Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Qualcomm in the 4th quarter worth about $145,000. Meadowbrook Advisors Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Qualcomm during the 4th quarter valued at about $410,000. Finally, DUTCH ASSET Corp bought a new position in shares of Qualcomm in the 4th quarter valued at about $1,563,000. 74.35% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Key Stories Impacting Qualcomm
Here are the key news stories impacting Qualcomm this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Clarivate AI50 recognition highlights Qualcomm’s leadership in AI-related tech — a positive credibility signal for longer-term growth in AI chips and platform licensing. Qualcomm Weighs ParkerVision Patent Appeal Against Growing AI50 Recognition
- Positive Sentiment: Increased investor attention flagged by Zacks suggests higher trader interest and volume flows may follow, which can amplify short-term moves. QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM) is Attracting Investor Attention: Here is What You Should Know
- Positive Sentiment: Qualcomm recently reported a quarterly EPS beat and provided Q2 guidance — a fundamental support for the stock despite near-term headwinds.
- Neutral Sentiment: Aggregate analyst coverage shows mixed views (roughly equal buy/hold/sell split), which can limit a decisive directional consensus among institutional holders. Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) Receives Consensus Rating of “Hold” from Brokerages
- Neutral Sentiment: Analyst rating shifts tied to indices and Nasdaq composition changes have generated chatter but are more technical than company-specific catalysts. Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) Draws Mixed Ratings Amid Nasdaq Composite Shifts
- Negative Sentiment: Sanford C. Bernstein downgraded QCOM to Market Perform and cut the price target to $140 (from $175), citing memory-related headwinds and that expectations appear too high — a key near-term negative for sentiment and positioning. Bernstein Lowers Qualcomm (QCOM) PT, Says Expectations “Now Appear Much Too High”
- Negative Sentiment: Erste Group trimmed FY2026 and FY2027 EPS estimates modestly — an indicator of slightly softened near-term profit expectations from at least one sell?side shop. MarketBeat Qualcomm page (Erste estimate note)
- Negative Sentiment: A ParkerVision appeal could reopen aspects of long-running patent litigation — a legal overhang that introduces uncertainty and potential downside risk if trials or rulings shift. Qualcomm Weighs ParkerVision Patent Appeal Against Growing AI50 Recognition
About Qualcomm
Qualcomm Incorporated is a global semiconductor and telecommunications equipment company headquartered in San Diego, California. Founded in 1985, the company is known for its development of wireless technologies and for playing a central role in the evolution of digital cellular standards, including CDMA and subsequent generations of mobile standards. Qualcomm’s business combines the design and sale of semiconductor products with a patent licensing program for wireless technologies and related intellectual property.
The company’s product portfolio includes system-on-chip (SoC) platforms marketed under the Snapdragon brand, cellular modem and RF front-end components, connectivity solutions for Wi?Fi and Bluetooth, and processors and platforms aimed at automotive, IoT, networking and edge-computing applications.
Further Reading
Receive News & Ratings for Qualcomm Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Qualcomm and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
