Qualcomm vs Intel

This page compares Qualcomm Incorporated and Intel Corporation, examining their business models, financial performance, and market context in a neutral, accessible way for a broad audience. Educational content, not financial advice.

This page compares Qualcomm Incorporated and Intel Corporation, examining their business models, financial performance, and market context in a neutral, accessible way for a broad audience. Educationa...

Comparison Snapshot

Key Financial Metrics

QCOM

Metric

INTC

$165.03B

Market Cap

$212.24B

21.18%

Potential Profit

-14.97%

Buy

Analyst Rating

Hold

Why It's Moving

QCOM Stock Climbs 1.9% on Stellar Earnings Beat Fueling AI Optimism.

Earnings topped forecasts by $0.13 on EPS and $530 million on revenue, highlighting sustained momentum in semiconductor sales.
Q1 2026 guidance set at $3.30-$3.50 EPS signals continued growth potential in key markets like AI and automotive.
Analysts maintain a 'Moderate Buy' consensus with an average price target of $192.94, reflecting positive sector tailwinds.

Sentiment:

🐃Bullish

Intel's shares surge 27% in 2026 on AI-fueled PC and server momentum.

Panther Lake CPUs on 18A node deliver 120 TOPS AI performance and 25+ hour battery life, reigniting Intel's edge in the exploding AI PC market.
Server CPU demand is outstripping supply even after capacity shifts, with sell-outs expected in H1 2026 to fuel data center profits.
18A foundry advances position Intel to snag external customers in the AI rush, bolstering its IDM 2.0 reinvention.

Sentiment:

🐃Bullish

QCOM Stock Climbs 1.9% on Stellar Earnings Beat Fueling AI Optimism.

Earnings topped forecasts by $0.13 on EPS and $530 million on revenue, highlighting sustained momentum in semiconductor sales.
Q1 2026 guidance set at $3.30-$3.50 EPS signals continued growth potential in key markets like AI and automotive.
Analysts maintain a 'Moderate Buy' consensus with an average price target of $192.94, reflecting positive sector tailwinds.

Sentiment:

🐃Bullish

Intel's shares surge 27% in 2026 on AI-fueled PC and server momentum.

Panther Lake CPUs on 18A node deliver 120 TOPS AI performance and 25+ hour battery life, reigniting Intel's edge in the exploding AI PC market.
Server CPU demand is outstripping supply even after capacity shifts, with sell-outs expected in H1 2026 to fuel data center profits.
18A foundry advances position Intel to snag external customers in the AI rush, bolstering its IDM 2.0 reinvention.

Sentiment:

🐃Bullish

Investment Analysis

Qualcomm

QCOM

Pros

Qualcomm reported strong Q4 2025 results, with revenue of $11.3 billion surpassing guidance and achieving 13% year-over-year growth in fiscal 2025 revenue.
The company posted record free cash flow of $12.8 billion in fiscal 2025, reflecting strong profitability and cash generation.
Qualcomm is growing in strategic areas like EDGE networking and 5G, supported by new product launches such as the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 platform.

Considerations

Qualcomm's stock valuation is relatively high, trading at a forward price/sales ratio of 3.93, which may limit upside potential compared to peers.
EPS estimates for Qualcomm have been trending downward over the past 60 days, indicating some analyst caution on near-term earnings.
Despite growth, Qualcomm’s stock has declined about 24.4% over the past year, reflecting market concerns or competitive pressures.

Intel

INTC

Pros

Intel's shares trade at a significantly lower forward price/sales ratio of 1.97, indicating a more attractive valuation relative to Qualcomm.
Long-term earnings growth expectations for Intel are positive at 8.2%, suggesting potential recovery beyond near-term challenges.
Intel benefits from its scale as a global leader in computing solutions and its significant efforts to realign and invest in emerging technologies.

Considerations

Intel expects a 4.3% decline in revenue for 2025, projecting near-term top-line headwinds compared to Qualcomm's expected growth.
Over the past year, Intel’s stock price has declined approximately 32%, underperforming the semiconductor industry significantly.
Intel currently holds a weaker analyst sentiment ranking (Zacks Rank #4), indicating higher perceived risk or execution concerns.

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