New York, Feb 16, 2026, 14:20 EST — Market closed.
- Qualcomm ended the last session up 1.6% at $140.70.
- U.S. markets are shut for Presidents Day; trading resumes Tuesday.
- Investors are weighing fresh signals that higher memory costs could pinch phone makers and suppliers.
Qualcomm shares head into a long weekend pause with traders focused on a widening memory-chip squeeze that is starting to show up in consumer electronics supply chains.
That matters for Qualcomm now because the company has already flagged tighter memory availability as a constraint in the handset market, where it sells processors and modems into premium Android phones and other devices.
U.S. stock and bond markets are closed on Monday for Presidents Day and reopen on Tuesday, leaving chip names without a new price check until the start of the holiday-shortened week. (https://apnews.com/article/4f4955a83d4b04a3e49078ebc0b95b50)
In the last regular session on Friday, Qualcomm rose 1.6% to $140.70, based on the latest available trade data.
Earlier this month, Qualcomm forecast current-quarter revenue and adjusted profit below Wall Street estimates, pointing to memory supply constraints that were dampening demand conditions in parts of the smartphone chain. (https://www.reuters.com/world/china/qualcomm-forecasts-quarterly-results-below-estimates-memory-shortage-dampens-2026-02-04/)
On the company’s earnings call, Chief Executive Cristiano Amon said strength in “flagship handsets” helped lift results, even as management warned about the broader supply pinch. (https://s204.q4cdn.com/645488518/files/doc_events/2026/Feb/04/Q1FY26-Earnings-Call-Transcript_2-5-26_Final.pdf)
The issue has not been limited to one company. Reuters reported this month that Qualcomm and Arm were among the firms feeling the effects of the memory crunch as smartphone chip sales disappointed. (https://www.reuters.com/business/qualcomm-arm-bear-brunt-memory-shortage-smartphone-chip-sales-disappoint-2026-02-05/)
A fresh report late Sunday highlighted how sharp the move has been: one type of DRAM — dynamic random access memory, a staple component in most phones and PCs — jumped 75% from December to January, adding to cost pressure across devices. (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-15/rampant-ai-demand-for-memory-is-fueling-a-growing-chip-crisis)
But the setup cuts both ways. If memory supply loosens faster than expected, or phone makers dial back builds into a price-sensitive market, some of the urgency could fade — and chip suppliers can still get hit by slower orders even when parts constraints ease.
For the next session, traders will be watching whether Qualcomm moves with memory-exposed names and handset suppliers as markets reopen, and whether the latest headlines force analysts to revisit near-term shipment assumptions.
Macro also sits in the background. The Fed is due to publish minutes on Wednesday, Feb. 18, an event that can sway rate expectations and tech valuations. (https://www.scotiabank.com/ca/en/about/economics/economics-publications/post.other-publications.calendar-of-economic-release-dates.calendar-of-economic-release-dates–february-2026-.html)
Beyond that, the next hard date on the calendar for the mobile supply chain is Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on March 2–5, where device makers and component suppliers often set the tone for spring launches. (https://www.mwcbarcelona.com/)
