Qualcomm Faces Challenges, Struggles to Outperform S&P 500
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 21 2026
0mins
Should l Buy QCOM?
Source: NASDAQ.COM
- Underperformance: Qualcomm turned a $1,000 investment into $2,500 over the past decade, while the same investment in the S&P 500 would have grown to $3,200, highlighting Qualcomm's competitive disadvantages in the market.
- Smartphone Market Dependence: Qualcomm's heavy reliance on the smartphone market exposes it to fierce competition from MediaTek and a failure to pivot towards data center AI chips, resulting in sluggish sales growth.
- Customer Loss Risk: By the end of 2027, Apple is expected to fully replace Qualcomm's 5G modems with its own, potentially reducing Qualcomm's annual revenue by up to $8 billion, which is 18% of its projected revenue for fiscal 2026.
- Earnings Outlook Improvement: Analysts expect Qualcomm's EPS to grow at a 28% CAGR from fiscal 2025 to 2028, primarily due to a low comparison base from a 44% decline in fiscal 2025, alongside a newly approved $20 billion buyback plan.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy QCOM?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on QCOM
Wall Street analysts forecast QCOM stock price to rise
16 Analyst Rating
10 Buy
5 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 127.280
Low
165.00
Averages
197.14
High
225.00
Current: 127.280
Low
165.00
Averages
197.14
High
225.00
About QCOM
Qualcomm Incorporated is engaged in the development and commercialization of foundational technologies for the wireless industry, including third generation (3G), fourth generation (4G) and fifth generation (5G) wireless connectivity, and high-performance and low-power computing, including on-device artificial intelligence. Its segments include Qualcomm CDMA Technologies (QCT), Qualcomm Technology Licensing (QTL) and Qualcomm Strategic Initiatives. QCT develops and supplies integrated circuits and system software based on 3G/4G/5G and other technologies, including radio frequency front-end, digital cockpit and advanced driver assistance and automated driving, Internet of things including consumer electronic devices, industrial devices and edge networking products. QTL grants licenses or otherwise provides rights to use portions of its intellectual property portfolio that includes certain patent rights essential to and/or useful in the manufacture and sale of certain wireless products.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Apple Faces Challenges and Opportunities in the AI Era
- AI Strategy Shift: Apple has struck a multi-year deal with Google to utilize Gemini AI for a revamped Siri, which could impact user data privacy as Apple pays around $20 billion annually to maintain Google's default search engine status, necessitating careful management to avoid negative implications for its core business.
- Mixed Market Response: Apple's slow progress in AI updates has raised consumer skepticism, despite plans to launch Apple Intelligence in 2024 with features like image generation and text rewriting, potentially affecting its competitive edge in the market.
- Capital Expenditure Control: Unlike rivals such as Amazon and Microsoft, which are committing hundreds of billions annually to AI infrastructure, Apple has kept its capital expenditures in check, a strategy that reduces short-term risks but places it at a disadvantage in generative AI.
- Privacy and Technology Balance: CEO Tim Cook has emphasized that privacy is a
See More
Stock Markets Start Weak, Presenting Buying Opportunities
- Weak Market Performance: Afternoon stock prices from April 1, 2026, indicate that stock markets are starting the year on a weak note, leading investors to feel cautious about future market trends, which could impact short-term investment decisions.
- Emerging Investment Opportunities: Despite the market weakness, this situation creates attractive buying opportunities for investors, particularly value investors who may seek undervalued stocks for long-term gains in a sluggish market environment.
- Market Sentiment Analysis: Current market sentiment reflects concerns over economic recovery, prompting investors to potentially reassess their portfolios in the coming weeks to navigate potential market volatility and uncertainty.
- Need for Strategic Adjustments: In this market environment, investors must consider adjusting their investment strategies to quickly capitalize on opportunities when the stock market rebounds, ensuring maximum returns during future recoveries.
See More
Stock Market Dip Creates Buying Opportunity for Investors
- Market Dip Opportunity: The stock market's sluggish start in 2026 presents an attractive buying opportunity for investors, particularly in the tech sector, which may draw increased capital inflows.
- AI and Trillionaires: A recent report suggests that AI could create the world's first trillionaire, indicating significant future potential and investment value in the tech industry, especially for companies linked to Nvidia and Intel.
- Investment Recommendations: The Motley Fool's analyst team has identified 10 top stocks for investors, notably excluding Microsoft, which reflects a shift in market preference towards other tech stocks that could impact Microsoft's investment appeal.
- Historical Returns Comparison: Stock Advisor boasts an average return of 926%, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's 185%, indicating that its recommended stocks have substantial long-term excess return potential.
See More
Stock Markets Pressured by Soaring Oil Prices
- Oil Price Surge Pressures Markets: Stock indexes are under pressure as crude oil prices soar over 8% following President Trump's aggressive stance on Iran, leading to a 0.06% drop in the S&P 500, a 0.23% decline in the Dow, and a 0.20% fall in the Nasdaq 100, indicating heightened inflation concerns among investors.
- Unexpected Jobless Claims Drop: Despite market pressures, initial jobless claims fell by 9,000 to 202,000, indicating a stronger labor market than anticipated, which may provide some support for stocks and alleviate investor fears of an economic slowdown.
- Divergent Energy Sector Performance: Energy producers like Diamondback Energy rose over 2% due to soaring WTI prices, while airline stocks such as American Airlines and Carnival fell more than 4% as rising fuel costs cut into profits, highlighting a clear divergence across sectors.
- Tech Stocks Decline: Chipmakers and AI infrastructure stocks retreated, with ARM Holdings leading the Nasdaq 100 down over 5%, reflecting waning confidence in tech stocks and potentially impacting future investment decisions.
See More
Analysts Upgrade Rocket Lab and Sandisk Amid Market Changes
- Rocket Lab Upgrade: Analyst David B. McMillan upgraded Rocket Lab from Sell to Hold, noting that a 40% stock decline has created a more favorable risk-reward profile, supported by a backlog exceeding $2 billion and high-margin HASTE contracts, although long-term valuation remains contingent on the success of the Neutron rocket.
- Sandisk Strong Performance: Analyst Gary Alexander upgraded Sandisk from Sell to Neutral, reporting a 61% year-over-year revenue increase to $3.03 billion in 2026, significantly surpassing Wall Street's expectations of $2.69 billion, reflecting robust demand for storage chips that has elevated gross margins to over 60%.
- Qualcomm Downgrade: Analyst JR Research downgraded Qualcomm, citing weak smartphone demand and memory constraints leading to a sharp stock decline, with recovery unlikely before FY2027 as smartphone chipset revenue constitutes over 62% of the company's base.
- BJ’s Wholesale Club Cautious Outlook: Redfox Capital downgraded BJ from Buy to Hold, indicating a shift in FY2026 focus towards SG&A investments over earnings growth, which will slow adjusted EPS growth to low-to-mid-single digits despite strong membership quality, reflecting market caution in BJ's near-term valuation adjustments.
See More
Volkswagen Partners with Xpeng to Accelerate Tech Transformation
- Intensified Market Competition: Volkswagen's profits in China fell approximately 45% in 2025, from $2 billion to $1.1 billion, highlighting fierce competition from local firms that forces a reassessment of market strategies to maintain share.
- Deepened Technological Collaboration: The partnership with Xpeng enables Volkswagen to rapidly build hardware and software architecture in China, particularly the CEA architecture completed in 18 months, significantly shortening new vehicle development cycles and enhancing market responsiveness.
- Product Innovation Speed: The jointly developed ID.UNYX 08 vehicle was produced in 24 months, a speed deemed 'unheard of' in the Western automotive industry, reflecting the high efficiency of Chinese manufacturing capabilities.
- Global Expansion Strategy: Xpeng's launch of new models in Mexico indicates its intent to compete globally, potentially posing a greater threat to Volkswagen and other non-Chinese automakers, especially in the competition for high-value technology components.
See More
Apple Faces Challenges and Opportunities in the AI Era
- AI Strategy Shift: Apple has struck a multi-year deal with Google to utilize Gemini AI for a revamped Siri, which could impact user data privacy as Apple pays around $20 billion annually to maintain Google's default search engine status, necessitating careful management to avoid negative implications for its core business.
- Mixed Market Response: Apple's slow progress in AI updates has raised consumer skepticism, despite plans to launch Apple Intelligence in 2024 with features like image generation and text rewriting, potentially affecting its competitive edge in the market.
- Capital Expenditure Control: Unlike rivals such as Amazon and Microsoft, which are committing hundreds of billions annually to AI infrastructure, Apple has kept its capital expenditures in check, a strategy that reduces short-term risks but places it at a disadvantage in generative AI.
- Privacy and Technology Balance: CEO Tim Cook has emphasized that privacy is a
See More
Stock Markets Start Weak, Presenting Buying Opportunities
- Weak Market Performance: Afternoon stock prices from April 1, 2026, indicate that stock markets are starting the year on a weak note, leading investors to feel cautious about future market trends, which could impact short-term investment decisions.
- Emerging Investment Opportunities: Despite the market weakness, this situation creates attractive buying opportunities for investors, particularly value investors who may seek undervalued stocks for long-term gains in a sluggish market environment.
- Market Sentiment Analysis: Current market sentiment reflects concerns over economic recovery, prompting investors to potentially reassess their portfolios in the coming weeks to navigate potential market volatility and uncertainty.
- Need for Strategic Adjustments: In this market environment, investors must consider adjusting their investment strategies to quickly capitalize on opportunities when the stock market rebounds, ensuring maximum returns during future recoveries.
See More
Stock Market Dip Creates Buying Opportunity for Investors
- Market Dip Opportunity: The stock market's sluggish start in 2026 presents an attractive buying opportunity for investors, particularly in the tech sector, which may draw increased capital inflows.
- AI and Trillionaires: A recent report suggests that AI could create the world's first trillionaire, indicating significant future potential and investment value in the tech industry, especially for companies linked to Nvidia and Intel.
- Investment Recommendations: The Motley Fool's analyst team has identified 10 top stocks for investors, notably excluding Microsoft, which reflects a shift in market preference towards other tech stocks that could impact Microsoft's investment appeal.
- Historical Returns Comparison: Stock Advisor boasts an average return of 926%, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's 185%, indicating that its recommended stocks have substantial long-term excess return potential.
See More
Stock Markets Pressured by Soaring Oil Prices
- Oil Price Surge Pressures Markets: Stock indexes are under pressure as crude oil prices soar over 8% following President Trump's aggressive stance on Iran, leading to a 0.06% drop in the S&P 500, a 0.23% decline in the Dow, and a 0.20% fall in the Nasdaq 100, indicating heightened inflation concerns among investors.
- Unexpected Jobless Claims Drop: Despite market pressures, initial jobless claims fell by 9,000 to 202,000, indicating a stronger labor market than anticipated, which may provide some support for stocks and alleviate investor fears of an economic slowdown.
- Divergent Energy Sector Performance: Energy producers like Diamondback Energy rose over 2% due to soaring WTI prices, while airline stocks such as American Airlines and Carnival fell more than 4% as rising fuel costs cut into profits, highlighting a clear divergence across sectors.
- Tech Stocks Decline: Chipmakers and AI infrastructure stocks retreated, with ARM Holdings leading the Nasdaq 100 down over 5%, reflecting waning confidence in tech stocks and potentially impacting future investment decisions.
See More
Analysts Upgrade Rocket Lab and Sandisk Amid Market Changes
- Rocket Lab Upgrade: Analyst David B. McMillan upgraded Rocket Lab from Sell to Hold, noting that a 40% stock decline has created a more favorable risk-reward profile, supported by a backlog exceeding $2 billion and high-margin HASTE contracts, although long-term valuation remains contingent on the success of the Neutron rocket.
- Sandisk Strong Performance: Analyst Gary Alexander upgraded Sandisk from Sell to Neutral, reporting a 61% year-over-year revenue increase to $3.03 billion in 2026, significantly surpassing Wall Street's expectations of $2.69 billion, reflecting robust demand for storage chips that has elevated gross margins to over 60%.
- Qualcomm Downgrade: Analyst JR Research downgraded Qualcomm, citing weak smartphone demand and memory constraints leading to a sharp stock decline, with recovery unlikely before FY2027 as smartphone chipset revenue constitutes over 62% of the company's base.
- BJ’s Wholesale Club Cautious Outlook: Redfox Capital downgraded BJ from Buy to Hold, indicating a shift in FY2026 focus towards SG&A investments over earnings growth, which will slow adjusted EPS growth to low-to-mid-single digits despite strong membership quality, reflecting market caution in BJ's near-term valuation adjustments.
See More
Volkswagen Partners with Xpeng to Accelerate Tech Transformation
- Intensified Market Competition: Volkswagen's profits in China fell approximately 45% in 2025, from $2 billion to $1.1 billion, highlighting fierce competition from local firms that forces a reassessment of market strategies to maintain share.
- Deepened Technological Collaboration: The partnership with Xpeng enables Volkswagen to rapidly build hardware and software architecture in China, particularly the CEA architecture completed in 18 months, significantly shortening new vehicle development cycles and enhancing market responsiveness.
- Product Innovation Speed: The jointly developed ID.UNYX 08 vehicle was produced in 24 months, a speed deemed 'unheard of' in the Western automotive industry, reflecting the high efficiency of Chinese manufacturing capabilities.
- Global Expansion Strategy: Xpeng's launch of new models in Mexico indicates its intent to compete globally, potentially posing a greater threat to Volkswagen and other non-Chinese automakers, especially in the competition for high-value technology components.
See More
