Equity Research Report

Quantitative Scoring Engine v5.1 — 1 Ticker

Date: 28 May 2026Horizon: 1-2 yearsEngine: stock_researcher v5.1

Executive Summary

TickerPriceVerdictConvictionScoreBase TargetUpsideFortress
QCOM$230.22CAUTIOUS YES5/106.5$245+6%Good

QCOM QUALCOMM Incorporated Technology CAUTIOUS YES — 5/10
Conviction
5/10

Overall: ALL PASSED

GateDetail
✓ G1 Price Data$230.22
✓ G2 Market CapMarket Cap: $242.66B
✓ G3 Price History252 trading days (min: 100)
✓ G4 OptionsOptions available (16 expirations)
✓ G5 DelistingNo delisting signals
Fundamentals (40%)5.93/10
FactorWeightRaw ValueScore (0–10)Contribution
Revenue Growth25%-3.5% MEASURED2.20.542
Gross Margin15%54.8% [-1.8pp YoY] MEASURED6.60.995
Operating Margin15%22.1% [-4.9pp YoY] MEASURED6.40.962
Fcf Yield10%4.0% MEASURED6.00.595
Roic15%ROA=12.7% (ROIC fallback) MEASURED9.11.362
Debt Health10%ND/EBITDA=0.4x, ICR=20.6x, CR=2.37 MEASURED9.20.922
Earnings Trajectory10%EPS(T)=9.31, EPS(F)=10.64, Fwd=+14% MEASURED5.50.550
Technicals (15%)6.86/10
FactorWeightRaw ValueScore (0–10)Contribution
Trend Alignment25%above 50-DMA, above 200-DMA, golden cross, ADX=41 (strong trend) MEASURED10.02.500
Mean Reversion25%RSI=64 (warming up), %B=78 (above mid-band) MEASURED3.50.875
Momentum20%MACD above signal, histogram positive, ROC=53.5% (strong up) MEASURED8.21.640
Positioning Sentiment20%SI=5.3% (elevated), P/C=0.56 (bullish sentiment) MEASURED6.71.340
Volume Confirmation10%RVOL=0.5x MEASURED5.00.500
Fortress Fit (30%)7.85/10
FactorWeightRaw ValueScore (0–10)Contribution
Iv Richness35%82% MEASURED10.03.500
Iv Vs Hv10%IV/HV=0.89x MEASURED2.50.250
Beta Gap Risk10%1.49 MEASURED9.00.900
Gap History10%Worst day: -11.5%, >5% drops: 6 MEASURED4.00.400
Capital Outlay5%$23,022 per 100 shares MEASURED9.00.450
Entry Timing10%LEAPS available MEASURED5.50.550
Options Liquidity20%near-term OI 59,759 (deep), LEAPS OI 9,699 (~385d, good), spread 3% (tight) MEASURED9.01.800
Valuation (15%)5.05/10
FactorWeightRaw ValueScore (0–10)Contribution
Forward Pe30%21.6x MEASURED6.01.800
Peg Ratio20%1.06 MEASURED6.01.200
Ev Ebitda20%20.6x MEASURED5.01.000
Analyst Upside15%-22.8% to $178 MEASURED0.00.000
Ps Or Pb15%P/S=5.5x (asset-light) MEASURED7.01.050
Fundamentals 5.9 Technicals 6.9 Fortress Fit 7.8 Valuation 5.0 6.5Composite Score
PillarScoreWeightContribution
Fundamentals (40%)5.9340%2.372
Technicals (15%)6.8615%1.029
Fortress Fit (30%)7.8530%2.355
Valuation (15%)5.0515%0.757
Composite Score6.51
▶ Raw Data Fetched (click to expand)
FieldValueSource
Price230.22yfinance/IBKR
Market Cap$242.66Byfinance
IV (IBKR)81.8%IBKR live
IV (yfinance)80.9%yfinance options
HV 30d92.1%computed
Beta1.493yfinance
Revenue Growth-3.5%yfinance
Gross Margin54.8%yfinance
Operating Margin22.1%yfinance
FCF$9.59Byfinance
ROE (ref)36.1%yfinance
ROA (ref)12.7%yfinance
Total EquityN/Ayfinance
D/E Ratio55.98yfinance
Current Ratio2.37yfinance
EPS Trailing9.31yfinance
EPS Forward10.64yfinance
Earnings Growth173.0%yfinance
Fwd P/E21.65yfinance
PEG Ratio1.06yfinance
EV/EBITDA20.60yfinance
P/S Ratio5.45yfinance
P/B Ratio (ref)8.94yfinance
Analyst Target$177.8125yfinance
Near-term ATM OI59,759~45d chain
LEAPS ATM OI9,699~385d chain
Near-term Spread %3.0%~45d chain
Has LEAPSYesyfinance
Next Earnings2026-07-30yfinance
Worst 1-Day Drop-11.5%price history
>5% Drop Days6price history
RSI 1464.1computed
MACD20.20computed
ADX 1440.90computed
Relative Volume0.52computed
52W High$258.0yfinance
52W Low$121.99yfinance
1Y Return+58.5%yfinance
▲ MODERATELY STRETCHED UP
Entry timing is reasonable but not optimal given the moderately stretched positioning after a 58% annual rally.
90-Day Price
$124 $249
Price
$230.22
Market Cap
$242.7B
P/E (TTM)
24.73x
Fwd P/E
21.65x
Revenue
$44.49B
Rev Growth
-3.5%
Gross Margin
54.8%
EPS (TTM)
9.31
30d IV
81.8% (58th pctl)
IV Source
IBKR Live
HV (30d)
92.1%
Beta
1.49
Worst Day
-11.5%
52W Range
$121.99-$258.0
1Y Return
+58.5%
FCF
$9.59B
Next Earnings
2026-07-30

Investment Thesis

QCOM presents a measured opportunity with our scoring engine delivering a CAUTIOUS YES verdict on a 6.5/10 composite score. The modest conviction level (5/10) reflects mixed fundamentals (5.9/10) dragged down by revenue contraction (-3.5%) and margin compression, though the company maintains exceptional balance sheet health (9.2/10 debt score) and solid profitability metrics. The technical picture (6.9/10) shows strong trend alignment with price above both moving averages in a golden cross formation, supported by robust momentum indicators and a 53.5% rate of change, though positioning appears moderately stretched after the stock's 58.5% annual run. The standout element is QCOM's excellent Fortress Fit (7.8/10), driven by rich implied volatility at 82 percentile and deep options liquidity supporting income generation strategies. However, valuation concerns (5.0/10) persist with the stock trading at 21.6x forward earnings while analysts see 23% downside to their 178 target, creating a risk-reward dynamic that justifies the cautious stance despite the company's quality characteristics.

Technicals

Current Price$230.22
50 DMA160.96 (above)
200 DMA160.33 (above)
RSI (14)64.1 (neutral)
Stochastic RSI39
MACD20.196 (signal: 18.452)
ADX (14)41 (trending)
Bollinger (20,2)157.24 / 203.83 / 250.43
BB %B78.3%
Relative Volume0.52x
% From 52W High-10.8%
Support Levels
$191.02
$170.44
$166.33
Resistance Levels
$247.90

QCOM exhibits strong technical momentum with ADX at 41 signaling a robust trending environment, while MACD remains constructively above its signal line with positive histogram readings. The golden cross formation and position above key moving averages support the bullish structure, though RSI at 64 suggests the stock is warming up toward overbought territory. Key support levels sit at 191 and 170, while immediate resistance emerges near 248. The moderately stretched positioning (score=3) indicates some near-term consolidation risk after the substantial rally, though the underlying trend remains intact. Volume confirmation is neutral at 0.5x relative volume, suggesting neither strong accumulation nor distribution at current levels.

ScenarioPrice TargetTimelineRationale
Bear$1806-12Semiconductor cyclical downturn deepens with smartphone demand remaining weak and China tensions escalating, compressing margins further while multiple contracts toward analyst consensus.
Base$24512-18AI infrastructure demand accelerates 5G adoption while automotive design wins materialize, supporting modest earnings growth and sustaining current valuation multiples.
Bull$28018-24AI smartphone upgrade cycle drives licensing revenue surge while automotive and IoT segments hit inflection points, expanding margins and justifying premium valuations.

Key Risks

The primary concern centers on QCOM's exposure to smartphone cyclicality amid weakening consumer demand, particularly in China which represents a significant revenue source. Geopolitical tensions could impact both licensing arrangements and supply chain access, while the company faces ongoing regulatory scrutiny over its licensing practices. The current valuation appears demanding given near-term growth headwinds, with analysts forecasting material downside that could pressure the equity despite strong technical momentum. Additionally, the semiconductor sector faces inventory normalization pressures and potential margin compression as competitive dynamics intensify in key end markets. QCOM's high beta of 1.49 amplifies both upside and downside moves, creating elevated portfolio volatility during uncertain market conditions.

Fortress Suitability: Good

QCOM scores exceptionally well for Fortress strategies with a 7.8/10 Fortress Fit driven by several key advantages. The 82 percentile implied volatility ranking provides rich premium collection opportunities, while deep options liquidity (59,759 near-term open interest, 9,699 LEAPS open interest) ensures efficient execution. The reasonable capital outlay of $23,022 per 100 shares makes position sizing manageable, and tight 3% bid-ask spreads minimize transaction costs. The high beta profile creates attractive volatility for income generation, though gap risk exists with six instances of 5%+ single-day drops historically.


Disclaimer: This report is auto-generated for informational purposes only. Verdicts and conviction scores are computed by a deterministic quantitative scoring engine (4-pillar model with hard gates). Narrative sections are generated by Anthropic Claude and may contain errors. Fundamental data from Yahoo Finance. IV data from IBKR (where available) or Yahoo Finance options. All data subject to delays. Options trading involves substantial risk. Always do your own due diligence.