Qualcomm (QCOM) Stock: Poised to Soar on 5G/AI, or Falling Behind? Analysts Weigh In

Qualcomm Stock Today (QCOM): AI Expansion, Alphawave Deal and Market Sentiment on November 19, 2025

Qualcomm stock is trading quietly higher today, but under the surface November 19, 2025 is packed with fresh headlines about AI expansion, data‑center strategy and ongoing takeover activity around Alphawave Semi. Together, they’re shaping how investors are thinking about QCOM stock for the rest of 2025 and into 2026.


Qualcomm stock price today: modest bounce after a sharp pullback

As of U.S. afternoon trading on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM) is changing hands a little above $166 per share, up slightly (under 1%) versus yesterday’s close around $165. [1]

That small move comes after a choppy stretch:

  • Over the past week, QCOM is down about 6.6%.
  • Over the past month, it’s off roughly 1–1.5%.
  • Year to date, shares are still up about 7.4%, and about 9.4% over the last 12 months. [2]
  • The stock has recently traded near a four‑week low around $165.9, towards the lower end of a wide up‑trend. [3]
  • Its 52‑week range runs from roughly $120.80 to $205.95. [4]

In other words: fundamentals and guidance look strong, but the share price has cooled, and a lot of today’s news flow revolves around whether that pullback is a buying opportunity or a warning sign.


Today’s major Qualcomm news (November 19, 2025)

Here’s a quick overview of the key Qualcomm‑related headlines dated November 19, 2025 that matter for QCOM stock:

  1. New AI engineering center in Riyadh with Humain – deepening Middle East AI footprint. [5]
  2. Qualcomm considering Intel Foundry for data‑center ASICs – potential shift in manufacturing strategy. [6]
  3. Fresh AI and edge‑computing partnerships – congatec collaboration for embedded edge AI and Linux GPU enablement for Snapdragon X2 Elite. [7]
  4. Multiple valuation pieces calling QCOM undervalued after its pullback – Simply Wall St, AInvest, Yahoo/others. [8]
  5. Short‑interest update: modest but rising – more investors betting against QCOM, though still below peers. [9]
  6. Institutional activity and UK takeover‑panel filings – Wellington, Vanguard, FIL, Invesco and Barclays disclose positions related to Qualcomm’s Alphawave Semi acquisition vehicle. [10]
  7. Comparisons vs. Intel and broader sentiment pieces – Zacks/TradingView argue Intel edges out Qualcomm right now; MarketBeat/Investing.com warn that “Qualcomm’s bulls are running out of room to be wrong.” [11]

Let’s unpack what each of these means for the stock.


AI expansion: Riyadh engineering hub and Humain partnership

One of today’s biggest corporate headlines is Qualcomm’s AI push in the Middle East:

  • Qualcomm Technologies is launching an AI engineering center in Riyadh, in partnership with Humain, a Saudi‑backed AI firm.
  • The center was announced at the U.S.–Saudi AI investment forum in Washington and is expected to open next month. [12]
  • Humain aims to deploy 200 megawatts of data‑center capacity by 2026, using Qualcomm’s AI200 and AI250rack‑scale solutions. [13]

Regional press also reports that Adobe and Qualcomm are partnering with Humain to power generative‑AI services—like video generation—aimed at the Middle Eastern market, with Qualcomm chips handling the heavy lifting of model inference. [14]

Why it matters for QCOM stock

  • It reinforces Qualcomm’s strategy to move beyond smartphones into AI data‑center infrastructure, a theme introduced at Snapdragon Summit 2025 and in recent earnings remarks. [15]
  • The Riyadh hub positions Qualcomm as a key silicon and systems provider in a fast‑growing AI region, potentially leading to recurring hardware and services revenue if Humain’s build‑out hits its targets. [16]

Investors are likely to see this as strategically positive but long‑dated, with more impact on sentiment and narrative today than on near‑term earnings.


Data‑center strategy: Intel Foundry, Alphawave Semi and the takeover code filings

1. Looking at Intel Foundry for AI/data‑center ASICs

Several pieces today focus on how Qualcomm might manufacture its next wave of data‑center chips:

  • GuruFocus and Seeking Alpha relay Citi Research’s view that Qualcomm appears to be exploring Intel Foundryfor its data‑center ASIC business, based on job postings referencing Intel’s EMIB (Embedded Multi‑Die Interconnect Bridge) packaging technology. [17]
  • Citi is skeptical that any deal would materially move Intel’s revenue, and maintains a Neutral rating on Qualcomm and a Sell on Intel. [18]

For Qualcomm shareholders, this is more about supply‑chain and technology optionality than a sudden profit driver:

  • Working with Intel Foundry could diversify away from single‑foundry dependence (largely TSMC today).
  • EMIB and advanced packaging are increasingly crucial as Qualcomm pushes into high‑performance, multi‑die AI accelerators.

2. Alphawave Semi acquisition and a flurry of Form 8.x filings

At the same time, UK Takeover Code filings are piling up:

  • Qualcomm, via its indirect subsidiary Aqua Acquisition Sub LLC, has a recommended ~$2.4 billion acquisition of Alphawave Semi (Alphawave IP Group) pending, aimed at accelerating Qualcomm’s data‑center connectivity and SerDes capabilities. [19]
  • Today, Wellington Management, The Vanguard Group, FIL/FMR, Invesco and Barclays, among others, filed various Form 8.3 and 8.5 disclosures showing positions in Qualcomm or Aqua Acquisition Sub and Alphawave, as required once an offer is live under the UK Takeover Code. [20]

These filings don’t change Qualcomm’s fundamentals by themselves; they confirm heavy institutional involvementaround the deal and underscore how important Alphawave is to Qualcomm’s data‑center roadmap.


Edge AI and PC ecosystem: congatec collaboration and Linux GPU drivers

Several more technical news items today underline Qualcomm’s efforts to build a broader ecosystem around its chips.

congatec collaboration for embedded Edge AI

  • Industrial‑computing specialist congatec announced a new technology collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies.
  • The goal: speed up commercial deployment of high‑performance embedded Edge AI systems using Qualcomm Dragonwing IQ‑X Series processors on congatec’s COM‑HPC Mini computer‑on‑modules (almost credit‑card sized boards). [21]
  • Target markets include security and surveillance, retail/point‑of‑sale systems, robotics, medical devices and industrial automation, where power efficiency and small form factor are critical. [22]

For investors, this supports Qualcomm’s push into industrial and IoT revenue streams, which management has flagged as an important growth driver toward its long‑term goal of ~$22 billion in auto+IoT revenue by 2029. [23]

Linux support for Snapdragon X2 Elite GPUs

  • Tech site Phoronix reports that Qualcomm engineers are upstreaming initial GPU and display support for the Snapdragon X2 Elite SoC into the Linux 6.19 kernel. [24]
  • The work adds support for the Adreno X2‑85 GPU used in Snapdragon X2 Elite laptops and for the Adreno 840GPU in the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, with most OpenGL tests already passing and desktop UIs and games running reliably on open‑source drivers. [25]

This matters because:

  • Qualcomm is trying to establish itself as a serious PC and “Copilot+” player, challenging x86 incumbents like Intel and AMD. [26]
  • Strong Linux support helps Qualcomm appeal to developers, workstation users and some enterprise buyers, reinforcing the story that Snapdragon‑based PCs and devices can be first‑class citizens across operating systems.

Valuation: several fresh takes say Qualcomm looks undervalued

After QCOM’s recent slide, multiple research and data platforms published valuation updates today.

Simply Wall St: DCF suggests ~18.5% upside

Simply Wall St’s November 19 note highlights: [27]

  • QCOM is down 6.6% over the last week and 1.2% over the past month, but still up 7.4% YTD and 9.4% over 12 months.
  • Their discounted cash‑flow (DCF) model estimates fair value around $202.48 per share, roughly 18.5% above the recent price, leading them to classify the stock as undervalued on that basis.
  • On a valuation check‑list, Qualcomm scores 4/6, and its current P/E around 31.8x is below both the broader semiconductor industry average and the average of its high‑growth peers.

AInvest: fair value around $187.71 (+~12%)

AInvest’s report today broadly agrees that QCOM looks inexpensive relative to its growth profile: [28]

  • The stock is described as undervalued by ~12.1%, with a fair value estimate of $187.71 versus a recent close near $165.
  • The piece points to strong design‑win momentum in automotive and industrial IoT and a robust multi‑year pipeline as key growth drivers.

GuruFocus and other data providers: mixed signals but generally positive

GuruFocus’ Intel‑foundry article also digs into fundamentals: it notes: [29]

  • Revenue around $44.3 billion with operating margins near 28% and strong Altman Z‑Score (6.4), signalling financial strength.
  • Valuation ratios such as P/E ~33–34x and P/B ~8.4x are elevated versus Qualcomm’s own history, raising questions about how much AI optimism is already priced in.
  • Consensus target price around $190.9 and a recommendation score consistent with a “Moderate Buy” stance.

Other aggregators give similar 12‑month targets:

  • StockAnalysis: average analyst price target $187.85, implying about 13% upside, with a consolidated “Buy”rating across 20 analysts. [30]
  • MarketBeat data show a consensus target around $190–190.4 and a “Moderate Buy” rating from more than 20 covering analysts. [31]
  • Public.com data pegs a 2025 price projection near $186.9 with a Buy consensus from 17 analysts. [32]

Put together, most fundamental/quant models see mid‑teens upside from current levels, with some long‑term DCF views arguing for even more.


Market sentiment: short interest, “frustrated bulls” and the Intel comparison

Short interest: rising, but still below peers

Benzinga’s automated short‑interest update today shows: [33]

  • Around 24.44 million Qualcomm shares are sold short, equal to 2.55% of the free float.
  • That’s up 3.66% versus the previous report.
  • Based on average trading volume, it would take about 1.66 days for short sellers to cover.
  • The peer‑group average short interest is ~4.61%, meaning Qualcomm is actually less shorted than many comparable chip names.

So, short sellers are getting incrementally more active, but this is not a heavily shorted battleground stock yet. It’s more a sign of growing skepticism after a big run than outright bearish consensus.

“Bulls are running out of room to be wrong”

An opinion piece syndicated via MarketBeat and republished on Investing.com argues that Qualcomm remains “a stock defined by frustration”: the fundamentals and analyst support are strong, but price action keeps underperforming expectations. [34]

The article’s core message:

  • As QCOM slides back toward support in the mid‑$160s, bulls need the stock to hold this zone to keep the technical up‑trend intact.
  • If it breaks decisively lower, momentum traders may give up, even if the long‑term AI and data‑center story stays compelling.

Qualcomm vs. Intel: who’s the better chip stock right now?

A fresh comparison piece from Zacks (also surfaced on Yahoo Finance and TradingView) puts Qualcomm head‑to‑head with Intel (INTC): [35]

  • Both are expected to see earnings improve in 2025, but the article concludes that, on today’s numbers, Intel has a slight edge in terms of valuation and recent price performance.
  • Qualcomm is portrayed as a high‑quality but somewhat more expensive play, with investors already paying up for its AI and handset leadership.

That doesn’t mean Qualcomm is a sell; it just means that among megacap chip stocks, some analysts see better immediate risk/reward elsewhere, which may be one reason QCOM’s recent rallies have faded.


Don’t forget the backdrop: strong earnings and ambitious AI roadmap

All of today’s micro‑moves sit on top of a very recent earnings and product story:

  • On November 5, 2025, Qualcomm reported Q4 FY2025 EPS of $3.00 vs. $2.87 expected, and revenue of $11.27 billion vs. about $10.8 billion expected, beating on both lines. [36]
  • Management guided Q1 FY2026 revenue to $11.8–12.6 billion and non‑GAAP EPS to $3.30–3.50, both ahead of Wall Street estimates, citing a rebound in premium smartphone demand and growing AI workloads. [37]
  • At Snapdragon Summit 2025, Qualcomm laid out an AI‑first roadmap: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and Snapdragon X2 platforms bring on‑device generative AI to smartphones and PCs, while new data‑center chips target AI inference and edge‑to‑cloud “hybrid AI” deployments. [38]

There are risks too:

  • Qualcomm expects to have a smaller share in Samsung’s future Galaxy S26 models versus Galaxy S25, pressuring part of its handset business. [39]
  • Apple’s move to its own modems remains a medium‑term overhang. [40]
  • Competition in AI chips—from Nvidia, AMD, Intel, and dedicated startups—is fierce. [41]

But earnings, guidance and product news together explain why fundamental and sell‑side models are mostly constructive on Qualcomm, even while the stock stalls.


What all this means for Qualcomm stock on November 19, 2025

Putting today’s data points together, the picture for QCOM looks like this:

Positives

  • Steady fundamentals: Strong recent earnings beat, positive revenue and EPS guidance into FY2026, and solid balance sheet metrics. [42]
  • AI optionality: Riyadh AI engineering center with Humain, Adobe partnership, and continued progress in data‑center AI chips and software ecosystem. [43]
  • Diversification beyond handsets: Growing automotive, industrial IoT and PC (Snapdragon X2 Elite) businesses with expanding partner ecosystems. [44]
  • Valuation support: Several independent models call the stock undervalued by low‑double‑digit to high‑teens percentages, with Street targets clustered around $187–$190+. [45]
  • Institutional interest: High institutional ownership, incremental purchases from funds like Seizert and Inspire Advisors, and intense institutional trading around the Alphawave deal. [46]

Caution flags

  • Technical momentum is fading: After a strong run earlier this year, the stock has pulled back ~6–7% in a week and is retesting support in the mid‑$160s, frustrating bulls who were hoping for a breakout. [47]
  • Short interest is ticking up, even if it remains modest in absolute terms, signaling more investors are willing to bet against the AI narrative at current prices. [48]
  • Valuation isn’t “cheap‑cheap”: Some metrics (like price‑to‑book or GuruFocus’ view) argue that Qualcomm is near the high end of its historical valuation bands, implying the market is already paying for a good chunk of the AI upside. [49]
  • Competitive and customer‑concentration risks remain material: smaller expected share in Samsung’s Galaxy S26 lineup and ongoing uncertainty around Apple’s modem roadmap leave Qualcomm exposed if alternative AI or connectivity providers gain share. [50]

Key things for investors to watch after today

If you’re following Qualcomm stock closely around November 19, 2025, the next catalysts to monitor include:

  1. How QCOM trades around the $160–$165 support band in the coming days and weeks. A decisive break lower could change the tone of the technical story, while a bounce would reinforce the “pullback in an up‑trend” thesis. [51]
  2. Further details on the Riyadh AI center and Humain deployments, including concrete customer wins and revenue disclosures. [52]
  3. Any official announcements about Intel Foundry engagements and additional data‑center ASIC customers beyond Humain, which would validate Qualcomm’s AI‑infrastructure ambitions. [53]
  4. Progress and regulatory milestones in the Alphawave Semi acquisition, along with continued Form 8.x filings that can hint at how big institutions are positioning. [54]
  5. Updates on automotive, PC and industrial design wins, especially as Snapdragon X2 Elite laptops and Dragonwing‑based edge systems roll out in 2026. [55]

Important note

This article is for information and news purposes only. It summarizes publicly available data and commentary as of November 19, 2025 and is not investment advice. Qualcomm stock can be volatile, and any decision to buy or sell QCOM should be based on your own research, risk tolerance and, ideally, consultation with a qualified financial adviser.

Qualcomm Takes on Nvidia with new AI Chips

References

1. stockanalysis.com, 2. simplywall.st, 3. tradingeconomics.com, 4. www.marketbeat.com, 5. www.gurufocus.com, 6. www.gurufocus.com, 7. www.electronicspecifier.com, 8. simplywall.st, 9. www.benzinga.com, 10. www.sharesmagazine.co.uk, 11. www.zacks.com, 12. www.gurufocus.com, 13. www.gurufocus.com, 14. english.alarabiya.net, 15. www.abiresearch.com, 16. www.gurufocus.com, 17. www.gurufocus.com, 18. www.gurufocus.com, 19. www.qualcomm.com, 20. www.sharesmagazine.co.uk, 21. www.electronicspecifier.com, 22. www.electronicspecifier.com, 23. ca.investing.com, 24. www.phoronix.com, 25. www.phoronix.com, 26. indianexpress.com, 27. simplywall.st, 28. www.ainvest.com, 29. www.gurufocus.com, 30. stockanalysis.com, 31. www.marketbeat.com, 32. public.com, 33. www.benzinga.com, 34. www.investing.com, 35. www.nasdaq.com, 36. ca.investing.com, 37. ca.investing.com, 38. www.abiresearch.com, 39. www.reuters.com, 40. www.reuters.com, 41. www.abiresearch.com, 42. ca.investing.com, 43. www.gurufocus.com, 44. indianexpress.com, 45. simplywall.st, 46. www.marketbeat.com, 47. simplywall.st, 48. www.benzinga.com, 49. www.gurufocus.com, 50. www.reuters.com, 51. stockinvest.us, 52. www.gurufocus.com, 53. www.gurufocus.com, 54. www.qualcomm.com, 55. indianexpress.com

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