QUALCOMM (NASDAQ:QCOM) Cut to “Strong Sell” at Zacks Research

Zacks Research downgraded shares of QUALCOMM (NASDAQ:QCOM) from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research note published on Tuesday morning,Zacks.com reports.

QCOM has been the subject of a number of other reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on QUALCOMM from $200.00 to $210.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 4th. Piper Sandler upped their price objective on QUALCOMM from $175.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 6th. Mizuho decreased their target price on QUALCOMM from $175.00 to $160.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Monday. Royal Bank Of Canada assumed coverage on QUALCOMM in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. They set a “sector perform” rating and a $180.00 target price on the stock. Finally, UBS Group cut their price target on shares of QUALCOMM from $185.00 to $160.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Monday. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, QUALCOMM currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $189.06.

QUALCOMM Stock Performance

Shares of QCOM stock opened at $152.22 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70, a current ratio of 2.82 and a quick ratio of 2.10. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $169.46 and a 200-day moving average of $165.30. QUALCOMM has a one year low of $120.80 and a one year high of $205.95. The company has a market cap of $162.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.13, a P/E/G ratio of 3.40 and a beta of 1.21.

QUALCOMM (NASDAQ:QCOM) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 5th. The wireless technology company reported $3.00 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.87 by $0.13. QUALCOMM had a net margin of 12.51% and a return on equity of 43.22%. The business had revenue of $11.27 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.74 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.69 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 10.0% compared to the same quarter last year. QUALCOMM has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 3.300-3.500 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that QUALCOMM will post 9.39 EPS for the current fiscal year.

QUALCOMM Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 26th. Investors of record on Thursday, March 5th will be issued a $0.89 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 5th. This represents a $3.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.3%. QUALCOMM’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 72.80%.

Insider Buying and Selling at QUALCOMM

In other news, CAO Patricia Y. Grech sold 203 shares of QUALCOMM stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $170.00, for a total value of $34,510.00. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Akash J. Palkhiwala sold 3,333 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $173.30, for a total transaction of $577,608.90. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 38,932 shares in the company, valued at $6,746,915.60. The trade was a 7.89% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 44,820 shares of company stock valued at $7,883,482. Insiders own 0.05% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On QUALCOMM

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. waypoint wealth counsel boosted its stake in QUALCOMM by 2.2% in the 3rd quarter. waypoint wealth counsel now owns 2,863 shares of the wireless technology company’s stock worth $476,000 after purchasing an additional 61 shares during the period. Greykasell Wealth Strategies Inc. increased its position in shares of QUALCOMM by 1.5% during the third quarter. Greykasell Wealth Strategies Inc. now owns 4,126 shares of the wireless technology company’s stock valued at $686,000 after buying an additional 61 shares during the period. Baron Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of QUALCOMM by 4.5% in the third quarter. Baron Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,431 shares of the wireless technology company’s stock worth $238,000 after buying an additional 62 shares in the last quarter. Certified Advisory Corp lifted its holdings in shares of QUALCOMM by 0.6% in the third quarter. Certified Advisory Corp now owns 10,085 shares of the wireless technology company’s stock worth $1,678,000 after buying an additional 62 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Avion Wealth boosted its position in shares of QUALCOMM by 16.7% in the second quarter. Avion Wealth now owns 441 shares of the wireless technology company’s stock valued at $70,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares during the period. 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: Macro/valuation bulls point to QCOM as a “safe” tech income play given strong cash generation, high dividend yield and attractive valuation metrics — this supports the case for income-oriented investors. Is Qualcomm The Ultimate “Safe” Tech Buy?
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage highlights Qualcomm’s push into on‑device AI, which is a strategic growth narrative that could support longer-term revenue diversification beyond smartphones. This narrative can attract investors focused on AI exposure in semiconductors. Qualcomm Taps On Device AI As Shares Trade Below Analyst Targets
• Positive Sentiment: Technical-watchers note a historical RSI setup that preceded a strong rally previously, which some traders interpret as a potential short-term rebound signal. Use cautiously and combine with fundamentals. The last time Qualcomm’s RSI did this, the stock rallied 70%
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent analyst coverage roundup summarizes current ratings and estimates — useful for tracking consensus price targets and revisions ahead of the Feb. 4 results but not a single decisive driver on its own. Qualcomm Stock: Analyst Estimates & Ratings
• Neutral Sentiment: UBS reaffirmed a hold rating — keeps institutional view mixed rather than bullish, reinforcing the “wait for earnings/visibility” stance. UBS Keeps Their Hold Rating on Qualcomm (QCOM)
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional filing shows large portfolio moves: some managers materially added QCOM shares (e.g., Loring Wolcott added ~392,870 shares in the reported quarter) while others trimmed — signals mixed but confirms continued institutional interest. Fund Update: 392,870 QUALCOMM (QCOM) shares added…
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks issued a notable downgrade to “strong sell” — a clear near-term negative that can put downward pressure on the share price by influencing retail and quant-driven flows. Zacks.com
• Negative Sentiment: Earnings previews from some outlets expect a Q1 EPS decline, increasing the risk that the Feb. 4 print or guidance could disappoint and weigh on the stock. Earnings Preview: Qualcomm (QCOM) Q1 Earnings Expected to Decline
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling activity is notable (multiple executive sales reported), which investors often view as a mild negative signal on near-term insider conviction. Fund Update / Insider Activity

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.