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AMAT vs QCOM
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Applied Materials (AMAT) vs. Qualcomm (QCOM) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- AMAT has delivered superior year-to-date returns of approximately 70%, outpacing QCOM's 29% amid robust demand for semiconductor manufacturing equipment driven by AI infrastructure.
- QCOM exhibits stronger short-term momentum with over 67% gains in the past month, fueled by AI data center exposure and analyst upgrades.
- Both stocks benefit from AI trends, but AMAT focuses on wafer fabrication equipment, while QCOM emphasizes fabless chip design and licensing.
- Recent market activity shows elevated volatility in semiconductors, with AMAT trading near 52-week highs around $435 and QCOM at $219.
- Tickeron's AI robots trading semiconductor tickers including AMAT have posted annualized returns up to 96% with win rates over 63%.
Introduction
Applied Materials (AMAT) and Qualcomm (QCOM) represent key players in the semiconductor ecosystem, with AMAT supplying essential manufacturing equipment and QCOM designing chips and licensing wireless technologies. This stock comparison analyzes their relative performance, growth drivers, and market positioning in the current environment of surging AI demand and semiconductor capex. Traders seeking exposure to AI infrastructure and investors tracking sector rotation will find insights into momentum, risks, and AI-driven catalysts shaping their trajectories.
AMAT Overview and Recent Performance
Applied Materials (AMAT), headquartered in Santa Clara, California, leads in materials engineering solutions for semiconductor fabrication. Its core business involves providing equipment for deposition, etching, and metrology processes critical to producing advanced chips. The company operates through Semiconductor Systems (about 73% of revenue) and Applied Global Services (AGS, around 23%), offering recurring maintenance and upgrades alongside new tools.
In recent market activity, AMAT shares have surged approximately 70% year-to-date and over 180% in the past year, trading near $435 with a market cap exceeding $345 billion. This momentum stems from heightened demand for AI accelerators and high-bandwidth memory (HBM), prompting foundries to expand capacity. Analyst upgrades, including HSBC's $517 price target, underscore AMAT's pivotal role in AI chip production, boosting sentiment despite elevated valuations (PE ratio around 45).
QCOM Overview and Recent Performance
Qualcomm (QCOM), based in San Diego, California, develops foundational wireless technologies through its Qualcomm CDMA Technologies (QCT) segment for chips in mobile, automotive, and IoT devices, alongside Qualcomm Technology Licensing (QTL) for IP royalties. Its Snapdragon platforms power connectivity, on-device AI, and computing in smartphones, vehicles, and edge networks.
Recent weeks have seen QCOM shares rally sharply, up nearly 29% year-to-date, 55% over the past year, and over 67% in the last month to around $219, with a $231 billion market cap. Catalysts include expansions into AI data centers, automotive Snapdragon Digital Chassis (over $1 billion quarterly revenue), and analyst upgrades like Daiwa's to $225. Despite mixed earnings guidance, enthusiasm for non-handset growth in edge AI and hyperscaler partnerships has driven outperformance, with a more attractive PE ratio near 24.
Trending AI Robots
Tickeron’s Trending AI Robots page showcases over 25 top-performing AI trading bots curated from a total of 351 bots that trade thousands of tickers across stocks, ETFs, and crypto. These bots employ advanced AI for real-time signals in high-growth sectors like semiconductors, AI infrastructure, and industrials, featuring diverse styles such as trend-following, multi-agent strategies, and leveraged plays on 15-minute to daily timeframes. Standout performers include a semiconductor bot trading AMAT, LRCX, and others with 96% annualized returns, 64% win rates, and profit factors up to 3.3; space bots hitting 285% annualized; and overall ranges of 23-285% returns, 51-88% win rates, and profit factors to 11.7. Ideal for current volatile conditions, they adapt dynamically to outperform benchmarks. Explore Tickeron’s Trending AI Robots for suitable strategies.
Head-to-Head Comparison
AMAT and QCOM both capitalize on AI but diverge in models: AMAT's equipment sales tie to cyclical foundry capex (e.g., logic/HBM expansions), offering high margins via services but exposure to China geopolitics; QCOM's fabless design and QTL licensing provide diversification into automotive (15% YoY growth) and edge AI, with steadier IP royalties offsetting handset softness.
Growth drivers favor AMAT in AI wafer fab investments projecting 20%+ segment rises, versus QCOM's data center and PC pushes. Momentum tilts short-term to QCOM (67% monthly vs. 10%), but AMAT leads YTD and longer-term. Risks include supply chain volatility for both (high betas >1.3), with QCOM facing modem competition. Sentiment is bullish across AI exposure, though AMAT shows greater stability in capex cycles.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI currently favors AMAT over QCOM, based on stronger trend consistency, year-to-date outperformance, and entrenched positioning in AI foundry capex expansions. While QCOM's recent surge and diversification add upside potential, AMAT's catalysts in advanced nodes suggest a higher probability of sustained relative strength amid ongoing semiconductor investments.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer. Disclaimers and Limitations
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is AMAT is a Buy and QCOM is a Hold.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
AMAT’s FA Score shows that 4 FA rating(s) are green whileQCOM’s FA Score has 2 green FA rating(s).
- AMAT’s FA Score: 4 green, 1 red.
- QCOM’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
AMAT’s TA Score shows that 2 TA indicator(s) are bullish while QCOM’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- AMAT’s TA Score: 2 bullish, 4 bearish.
- QCOM’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 7 bearish.
Price Growth
AMAT (@Electronic Production Equipment) experienced а -6.16% price change this week, while QCOM (@Semiconductors) price change was -7.57% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Electronic Production Equipment industry was -5.88%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -0.04%, and the average quarterly price growth was +111.24%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Semiconductors industry was -4.00%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -14.11%, and the average quarterly price growth was +78.05%.
Reported Earning Dates
AMAT is expected to report earnings on Aug 13, 2026.
QCOM is expected to report earnings on Aug 05, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Electronic Production Equipment (-5.88% weekly)The electronic production equipment industry makes equipment used to produce semiconductors. Such equipment includes wafer fabrication, plasma etching and photo-resist processing equipment. The industry also makes chemical vapor deposition processing systems and photomasks, which are high-purity quartz plates that contain patterns to define integrated circuits layouts. Applied Materials, Inc., Lam Research Corporation, and KLA-Tencor Corporation are examples of electronic production equipment manufacturing companies.
@Semiconductors (-4.00% weekly)The semiconductor industry manufacturers all chip-related products, including research and development. These chips are used in innumerable electronic devices, including computers, cell phones, smartphones, and GPSs. Intel Corporation, NVIDIA Corp., and Broadcomm are some of the prominent players in this industry. Semiconductor companies usually tend to do well during periods of healthy economic growth, thereby inducing further research and development in the industry – which in turn augurs well for productivity and growth in the economy. In the near future, demand for semiconductor products (and possibly innovation within the segment) should only expand further, with the proliferation of 5G, autonomous vehicles, IoT, and various AI-driven electronics set to herald a new, advanced chapter in the technology-driven world as we know it. With burgeoning prospects comes great competition. In 2015, SIA estimated that U.S. semiconductor industry ranks as the second most competitive U.S. industry out of 2882 U.S. industries designated manufacturers by the U.S. Census Bureau.
| AMAT | QCOM | AMAT / QCOM | |
| Capitalization | 479B | 186B | 258% |
| EBITDA | 11.1B | 14B | 79% |
| Gain YTD | 144.524 | 11.844 | 1,220% |
| P/E Ratio | 60.22 | 23.86 | 252% |
| Revenue | 29B | 44.5B | 65% |
| Total Cash | 8.24B | 9.8B | 84% |
| Total Debt | 7.27B | 15.3B | 48% |
AMAT | QCOM | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 38 | 81 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 78 Overvalued | 51 Fair valued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 6 | 60 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 24 | 27 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 2 | 47 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 5 | 18 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 85 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
QCOM's Valuation (51) in the Telecommunications Equipment industry is in the same range as AMAT (78) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry. This means that QCOM’s stock grew similarly to AMAT’s over the last 12 months.
AMAT's Profit vs Risk Rating (6) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is somewhat better than the same rating for QCOM (60) in the Telecommunications Equipment industry. This means that AMAT’s stock grew somewhat faster than QCOM’s over the last 12 months.
AMAT's SMR Rating (24) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is in the same range as QCOM (27) in the Telecommunications Equipment industry. This means that AMAT’s stock grew similarly to QCOM’s over the last 12 months.
AMAT's Price Growth Rating (2) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is somewhat better than the same rating for QCOM (47) in the Telecommunications Equipment industry. This means that AMAT’s stock grew somewhat faster than QCOM’s over the last 12 months.
AMAT's P/E Growth Rating (5) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is in the same range as QCOM (18) in the Telecommunications Equipment industry. This means that AMAT’s stock grew similarly to QCOM’s over the last 12 months.
| AMAT | QCOM | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 60% | 2 days ago 85% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 66% | 2 days ago 70% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | N/A | 2 days ago 74% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 78% | 2 days ago 70% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 64% | 2 days ago 69% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 77% | 2 days ago 70% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 9 days ago 77% | 19 days ago 65% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | N/A | 10 days ago 72% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 60% | 2 days ago 68% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 75% | 2 days ago 66% |
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| 1 Day | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| MFs / NAME | Price $ | Chg $ | Chg % |
| ARVIX | 16.70 | 0.34 | +2.08% |
| ARGA International Value Institutional | |||
| DILRX | 21.17 | 0.22 | +1.05% |
| DFA International Large Cap Growth | |||
| PVETX | 16.87 | N/A | N/A |
| PACE Small/Medium Co Val Eq P2 | |||
| POICX | 10.13 | -0.02 | -0.20% |
| Virtus Tactical Allocation C | |||
| CMTFX | 136.67 | -3.99 | -2.84% |
| Columbia Global Technology Growth Inst | |||
AMAT and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, AMAT has been closely correlated with LRCX. These tickers have moved in lockstep 88% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if AMAT jumps, then LRCX could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To AMAT | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMAT | 100% | N/A | ||
| LRCX - AMAT | 88% Closely correlated | N/A | ||
| KLAC - AMAT | 85% Closely correlated | N/A | ||
| ASML - AMAT | 78% Closely correlated | N/A | ||
| NVMI - AMAT | 78% Closely correlated | N/A | ||
| ONTO - AMAT | 77% Closely correlated | -12.46% | ||
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