Qualcomm stock gained 3.97 percent on September 25 after Apple license renewal

Published on 09/28/2026 at 11:31 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Qualcomm stock drew support from Apple's renewed patent license agreement, effective April 1, 2027. Fiscal Q3 revenue reached USD 9.95 billion while non-GAAP EPS was USD 2.21.

Fotorealistischer Nahaufnahme eines generischen ungebrandeten mobilen System-on-Chip-Prozessors auf einer Leiterplatte mit sichtbaren Kupferleiterbahnen und Lötstellen — Qualcomm US7475251036 zeigt fotorealistischen mobilen Prozessor auf dunkler moderner Leiterplatte mit Kupferleiterbahnen, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Qualcomm stock (ISIN US7475251036) was last at USD 201.97 on Nasdaq on September 25, 2026, up 3.97 percent from the prior close. The move followed Qualcomm's renewal of its global patent license agreement with Apple, which takes effect on April 1, 2027, according to PR Newswire on September 24, 2026.

Apple licensing steadies the outlook

The agreement protects Qualcomm's global patent licensing relationship with Apple beyond the current chip supply cycle. Reuters reported on September 24, 2026, that the existing agreement was due to end on March 31, 2027, making the renewal relevant for Qualcomm's licensing revenue outlook.

The license renewal does not remove the separate handset risk. Qualcomm's fiscal Q3 2026 revenue fell 4.03 percent year over year to USD 9.95 billion, while non-GAAP EPS came in at USD 2.21 and missed the cited USD 2.22 consensus, according to Seeking Alpha in its September 8, 2026 filing summary.

Amazon adds an AI counterweight

Qualcomm is also presenting data-center AI as a diversification path. RBC Capital raised its price target to USD 180 from USD 160 while retaining a Sector Perform rating after Qualcomm's Amazon agreement, according to Investing.com on September 9, 2026. RBC said the arrangement could strengthen Qualcomm's position in data-center AI, while volume ramps remain the key execution test.

That debate is visible in the valuation spread. Qualcomm's September 25 price of USD 201.97 stood above RBC's USD 180 target, while the broader average target was USD 204.10 and the consensus rating was Hold, according to MarketBeat on September 16, 2026.

Stock remains below its yearly high

Qualcomm's USD 201.97 reference price was 22.30 percent below its 52-week high of USD 259.92 and 65.56 percent above its 52-week low of USD 121.99. Market capitalization was USD 212.1 billion and volume was 17,817,795 shares on September 25, 2026.

The next scheduled Q4 2026 results date is November 11, 2026, as listed by The Wall Street Journal. For investors, the central comparison is clear: Apple licensing supports the royalty business, while fiscal Q3 revenue and the still-developing Amazon relationship show why Qualcomm's handset transition remains material.