Qualcomm Stock Forecast: Analysts Split As Trends Shift
(QCOM) stock has fallen 5.6% over the past week, 17.9% over the past month, and 17.1% over the past year, reflecting growing investor caution. Wall Street’s analysts are moderately bullish overall, with a consensus 12‑month price target of $168.11, implying meaningful upside from the last close at $138.93.
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Yet not all voices are optimistic, and one new note stands out for its caution. Joseph Moore of Morgan Stanley initiated coverage on Qualcomm with a Sell rating and a $132 price target, signaling slight downside from current levels and an expectation that the stock may modestly underperform its semiconductor peers.
Moore argues that Qualcomm has already maximized its earnings power for now, facing a combination of weaker smartphone demand and competitive pressures. He highlights expected share loss at Apple, pressure within the broader Android ecosystem, and strong investment needs in data center initiatives as reasons the stock may remain under pressure.
The report also points to a severe memory shortage as a key headwind for handset volumes, especially in the Android market and in China, where some customers are already pushing out shipments. While royalties are expected to remain largely intact, Moore warns that customer pushback on royalty levels could become an additional risk factor over time.
On the positive side, Qualcomm’s diversification into automotive is described as very strong, offering longer‑term potential even as compute and data center bets take time and capital to gain traction. Moore ultimately sees the stock in a holding pattern, with modest downward pressure until these diversification efforts have more visible impact on earnings. Never miss a stock rating. Find all the latest ratings on TipRanks’ Top Wall Street Analysts page.
