Focused on building reliable datasets, financial models, and research tools for value-minded investors. Committed to turning complex data into practical guidance for value-investing and long-term wealth.
Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.
QualcommQCOM -3.20%91 Debt-to-Equity is 0.56 as of Mar. 2026, which is 36% below its 10-year median of 0.88. GuruFocus rates QCOM with a GF Score™ of 91/100 and a GF Value™ of $174.81 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 3 warning signs investors should review. Among 901 Semiconductors companies, Qualcomm ranks worse than 69.48% on this metric.
A high debt to equity ratio generally means that a company has been aggressive in financing its growth with debt. This can result in volatile earnings as a result of the additional interest expense.
The historical rank and industry rank for Qualcomm's Debt-to-Equity or its related term are showing as below:
QCOM'
s Debt-to-Equity Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.37 Med: 0.88 Max: 20.29
Current: 0.56
During the past 13 years, the highest Debt-to-Equity Ratio of Qualcomm was 20.29. The lowest was 0.37. And the median was 0.88.
QCOM's Debt-to-Equity is ranked worse than 69.48% of 901
companies
in the Semiconductors industry
Industry Median: 0.25
vs QCOM: 0.56
Because a company can increase its ROE % by having more financial leverage, it is important to watch the leverage ratio when investing in high ROE % companies.
Qualcomm Debt-to-Equity Related Terms
Qualcomm Debt-to-Equity Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Qualcomm's Debt-to-Equity can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
For the Semiconductors subindustry, Qualcomm's Debt-to-Equity, along with its competitors' market caps and Debt-to-Equity data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Qualcomm Debt-to-Equity vs Semiconductors Industry
For the Semiconductors industry and Technology sector, Qualcomm's Debt-to-Equity distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Qualcomm's Debt-to-Equity falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Qualcomm (QCOM) has a Debt-to-Equity of 0.56 as of Mar. 2026. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on Qualcomm and its competitors. This is 36% below median its historical median of 0.88. Over the past decade, Qualcomm's Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 0.37 to 20.29. According to the industry distribution chart, Qualcomm ranks #626 out of 901 companies in the Semiconductors industry, placing it in the top 69.5%.
Is Qualcomm's Debt-to-Equity too high?
Qualcomm's current Debt-to-Equity of 0.56 is 36% below median its 10-year median of 0.88. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.37 to a high of 20.29. The Semiconductors industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.25. Qualcomm's value of 0.56 is 124% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Qualcomm ranks #626 out of 901 companies in the Semiconductors industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Qualcomm has a GF Score™ of 91/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Qualcomm's Debt-to-Equity compare to ADI and MRVL?
According to the Semiconductors industry distribution chart, Qualcomm ranks #626 out of 901 companies for Debt-to-Equity. This places Qualcomm in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.25. Qualcomm's value of 0.56 is 124% above this benchmark. Historically, Qualcomm's own Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 0.37 to 20.29 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 0.88 vs. the industry median of 0.25, Qualcomm has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Debt-to-Equity for a Semiconductors company?
The median Debt-to-Equity among Semiconductors companies is 0.25, based on 901 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Debt-to-Equity significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Debt-to-Equity should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Qualcomm's current Debt-to-Equity of 0.56 is 124% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Debt-to-Equity mean?
A high Debt-to-Equity can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on Qualcomm and its competitors. For the Semiconductors industry, the median Debt-to-Equity is 0.25 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Qualcomm's current Debt-to-Equity is 0.56, which is 36% below median its own 10-year median of 0.88. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Qualcomm stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Qualcomm (QCOM) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $174.81, compared to a current price of $178.10 — trading 1.9% above its estimated fair value. The current Debt-to-Equity is 0.56, which is 36% below median its 10-year median of 0.88 and 124% above the Semiconductors industry median of 0.25. Qualcomm's overall GF Score™ is 91/100 with 3 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Debt-to-Equity calculated?
Debt-to-Equity is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Qualcomm (QCOM), the current Debt-to-Equity is 0.56 as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Qualcomm (QCOM) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Qualcomm stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $178.10 is trading 1.9% above its estimated GF Value™ of $174.81.
GuruFocus considers Qualcomm to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for QCOM:
Debt-to-Equity: 0.56 (36% below median its 10-year median of 0.88)
GF Value™: $174.81 vs. price of $178.10 (1.9% above fair value)
Industry Position: 124% above the Semiconductors median (#626 of 901)
No single metric tells the full story. See the QCOM stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Qualcomm develops and licenses wireless technology and designs chips for smartphones. The company's key patents revolve around CDMA and OFDMA technologies, which are standards in wireless communications that are the backbone of all 3G, 4G, and 5G networks. Qualcomm's IP is licensed by virtually all wireless device makers. The firm is also the world's largest wireless chip vendor, supplying nearly every premier handset maker with leading-edge processors. Qualcomm also sells RF-front end modules into smartphones, as well as chips into automotive and Internet of Things markets.
91GF Score
Get the complete analysis for QCOM
Debt-to-Equity is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
QCOM has been successfully added to your 
