Analyst Explains Why He’s Buying Qualcomm (QCOM) Despite Fading Hopes of Cellphone ‘Super Cycle’

Jim Lebenthal from CNBC Investment Committee explained in a recent program why he’s buying Qualcomm Inc (NASDAQ:QCOM) despite not having much hope for the cellphone market:

“Qualcomm, it’s a little bit different in that the earnings revisions are very slightly upwards, but there I’m being anticipatory and I think those earnings revisions are going to start marching higher, not on the back of cell phones, which we all know waiting for this much heralded super upcycle is not happening. But where Qualcomm’s going to really get the earnings revisions upward is in automotive and internet of things, the latter of which also does play into the data center buildout.”

Analyst Explains Why He’s Buying Qualcomm (QCOM) Despite Facing Hopes of Cellphone ‘Super Cycle’

A technician testing the latest 5G device, demonstrating the company’s commitment to innovation.

Mairs & Power Balanced Fund stated the following regarding QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) in its Q1 2025 investor letter:

“The Information Technology sector underweight had the largest relative impact on returns during the quarter. Only one of the Fund’s technology holdings posted a positive quarterly return – QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) – making this a somewhat hollow outperformance. Qualcomm is a “value tech” company which has enviable cash flows but we believe has been consistently underappreciated in the market for its technology licensing business, which has frequently been targeted for legal action by some of its major customers. However, we believe it continues to prove its best-in-class technology and, despite companies attempting to circumvent Qualcomm, we continue to see a long-term position in the wireless technology space for the company.”

While we acknowledge the potential of QCOM as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.