Semiconductors are materials that conduct electricity and are found in many different electronic products. They are an important part of the telecommunications industry—a sector that allows for communication through phones, tablets, and the internet. Companies in this space are responsible for designing, manufacturing, and supplying other companies with software, technology, and infrastructure to make this all possible.
One of these companies is Qualcomm, a multinational corporation. Read on to find out more about Qualcomm including its main business units, financials, and its main competitors.
Key Takeaways
- Qualcomm is a multinational corporation known for designing and manufacturing semiconductors and wireless telecommunications products.
- Qualcomm has three main business units—Qualcomm CDMA Technologies (QCT), Qualcomm Technology Licensing (QTL), and Qualcomm Strategic Initiatives (QSI).
- The company competes with Huawei, HTC, Nokia, and Samsung in mobile phone technology and MediaTek and Samsung in the semiconductor market.
- Qualcomm’s main competitors in its strategic investment segment include IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Google, Broadcom, Texas Instruments, and Nokia.
Qualcomm: An Overview
Qualcomm (QCOM) is known for designing and manufacturing wireless telecommunications products. The company was founded in 1985 by seven people. Headquartered in San Diego, it has approximately 45,000 employees in 170 offices in more than 30 different countries.
The company is headed by Cristiano Amon—the company’s chief executive officer (CEO) since 2021. He also serves on the company’s board of directors. Before assuming the role of CEO, Amon served as the company’s president and oversaw Qualcomm’s 5G initiatives.
Qualcomm came in the 107th spot on Fortune’s list of top 500 companies in 2022—seventeen spots higher from the previous year. The company falls between Dollar General and Capital One Financial.
The company reported revenue of $33.6 billion at the end of the 2021 fiscal year with non-GAAP earning per share (EPS) of $8.54.
Business Segments
Qualcomm competes in three main revenue segments:
- Qualcomm CDMA Technologies (QCT) which sells the company’s products and services
- Qualcomm Technology Licensing (QTL) which is the company’s patent licensing side of the business
- Qualcomm Strategic Initiatives (QSI)—the side of the company that makes strategic investments
Qualcomm has one other revenue segment—referred to as its other segment. This division consists of the odds and ends that don’t fit neatly into its other business units.
Competitors: Products & Services
Qualcomm’s QCT business segment designs and provides software and other technologies that are used in smartphones and other devices including tablets, gaming devices, laptops, routers, data cards as well as consumer electronics and vehicle entertainment systems.
This segment competes directly with major names including Apple, Huawei, HTC, Nokia, and Samsung in mobile phone technology. It also competes with the likes of MediaTek and Samsung in the semiconductor market. Since Qualcomm is involved in making chipsets for electronic devices and peripherals, it is also directly competing against AMD, Intel, and Nvidia.
Competitors: Strategic Investments
Through its QSI segment, Qualcomm invests in a series of early-stage companies in a range of different industries including—but not limited to automotive, internet of things (IoT), mobile, data center, and healthcare.
Qualcomm competes fiercely with traditional personal computer and hardware designers and manufacturers such as IBM, Hewlett-Packard, and Dell. The company also faces competition from internet conglomerates like Google. Other important competitors in this space include Broadcom, Texas Instruments, and Nokia.
Who Is the Largest Holder of QCOM Shares?
The largest owner of QCOM shares, as of Q2 0222, is The Vanguard Group, with more than 105.5 million shares (or nearly 9.5% of the company), worth more than $15.5 billion, allocated across its various mutual funds and ETFs.
Who Is Qualcomm’s Biggest Competitor?
Broadcom is probably the biggest direct competitor of Qualcomm. Others include AMD, Nvidia, and Intel.
Is Qualcomm an American Company?
Yes, Qualcomm is headquartered in San Diego, California and incorporated in Delaware. Its shares (under the ticker QCOM) trade on U.S. stock exchanges.