Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) Stock Price Up 5.2% – Here’s What Happened

Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM)’s share price was up 5.2% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $238.02 and last traded at $241.0050. Approximately 21,106,687 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 25% from the average daily volume of 28,101,830 shares. The stock had previously closed at $228.99.

Key Qualcomm News

Here are the key news stories impacting Qualcomm this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Qualcomm is highlighting its push into AI inference and data centers, with new messaging around its “Dragonfly” AI brand and the “year of agents” theme supporting the view that the company can expand beyond mobile handsets. Qualcomm says 2026 is the ‘year of agents,’ unveils Dragonfly AI data center brand
• Positive Sentiment: Market commentary suggests Qualcomm’s diversification into automotive, IoT, and AI is improving the long-term investment case and helping explain renewed bullishness around the stock. Qualcomm Says 2026 Is ‘Year Of The Agent’ — And ‘Dragonfly’ Is Its Answer
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary on Qualcomm’s long-term returns and speculation about whether the stock can reach $300 this year may be adding attention, but these pieces are mostly sentiment-driven rather than new business developments. Can Qualcomm Hit $300 This Year? Here’s The Answer
• Neutral Sentiment: A retrospective article on how much a long-term Qualcomm investment would be worth today is positive in tone, but it does not provide a fresh catalyst for the stock. What a $1K Investment in Qualcomm 15 Years Ago Is Worth Today (Hint: Its More Than You Think)
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst commentary warns that Qualcomm still faces margin pressure and weak smartphone demand, which could weigh on near-term earnings because mobile remains a major profit driver. Qualcomm Plagued by Margin Woes, Demand Softness: Time to Rethink?

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on the stock. Robert W. Baird set a $300.00 price target on shares of Qualcomm in a report on Friday, May 1st. UBS Group lowered shares of Qualcomm from a “neutral” rating to an “underperform” rating in a report on Friday, May 8th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Qualcomm from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, May 4th. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of Qualcomm from $140.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on Qualcomm from $140.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Fourteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, sixteen have given a Hold rating and four have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $181.79.

Qualcomm Trading Up 3.8%

The company has a quick ratio of 1.61, a current ratio of 2.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $172.67 and its two-hundred day moving average is $162.55. The firm has a market cap of $263.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.18, a PEG ratio of 29.83 and a beta of 1.59.

Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 29th. The wireless technology company reported $2.65 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.56 by $0.09. Qualcomm had a net margin of 22.31% and a return on equity of 42.11%. The business had revenue of $10.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.59 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.85 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down 3.5% on a year-over-year basis. Qualcomm has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 2.100-2.300 EPS. Analysts predict that Qualcomm Incorporated will post 7.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Qualcomm Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 25th. Investors of record on Thursday, June 4th will be paid a $0.92 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 4th. This is an increase from Qualcomm’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.89. This represents a $3.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.5%. Qualcomm’s payout ratio is currently 38.70%.

Qualcomm announced that its Board of Directors has approved a stock buyback program on Tuesday, March 17th that authorizes the company to repurchase $20.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the wireless technology company to repurchase up to 14.5% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are typically a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Transactions at Qualcomm

In other news, EVP Akash J. Palkhiwala sold 2,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $211.90, for a total value of $529,750.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 28,184 shares in the company, valued at $5,972,189.60. This trade represents a 8.15% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Heather S. Ace sold 3,200 shares of Qualcomm stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $177.82, for a total value of $569,024.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 39,735 shares in the company, valued at $7,065,677.70. This represents a 7.45% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 19,306 shares of company stock valued at $3,435,583. Insiders own 0.05% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Qualcomm

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in QCOM. CoreFirst Bank & Trust boosted its holdings in shares of Qualcomm by 17.3% during the 1st quarter. CoreFirst Bank & Trust now owns 712 shares of the wireless technology company’s stock valued at $92,000 after buying an additional 105 shares in the last quarter. First Nebraska Trust Co bought a new position in shares of Qualcomm in the 1st quarter worth about $17,774,000. Financial Solutions Advisory Group Inc. bought a new stake in Qualcomm in the first quarter worth $368,000. Krane Financial Solutions LLC bought a new stake in Qualcomm in the first quarter worth $529,000. Finally, Alpine Woods Capital Investors LLC grew its stake in shares of Qualcomm by 344.1% in the first quarter. Alpine Woods Capital Investors LLC now owns 33,243 shares of the wireless technology company’s stock worth $4,281,000 after acquiring an additional 25,757 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.35% of the company’s stock.

Qualcomm Company Profile

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.