Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT)
Applied Materials makes the manufacturing equipment that chipmakers use to fabricate semiconductors. As the largest supplier in its field, its orders serve as a leading indicator of industry capital spending.
AMAT vs QCOM: how the two businesses compare
- Bigger business: QCOM, with $44.3B of yearly revenue, about 1.6× AMAT's $28.4B.
- More profitable: AMAT keeps 25 cents of each sales dollar as profit, against 13 cents at QCOM.
- More cash from each sale: QCOM turns 32 cents of each sales dollar into operating cash flow, against 28 cents at AMAT.
From each company's latest annual SEC filing. Fiscal years can end on different dates.
QUALCOMM (QCOM) is the larger business by reported revenue: $44.3B in its fiscal year ended Sep 2025, about 1.6× AMAT's $28.4B (fiscal year ended Oct 2025). AMAT's net margin was 24.7% and QCOM's 12.5%. The SEC places them in related industries (Semiconductors & Related Devices; Radio & Tv Broadcasting & Communications Equipment), and both map to the Artificial intelligence and Tariffs & trade research themes.
Figures come from each company's own SEC filings. This page compares the businesses; it is not a price target or a verdict.
- Information Technology
- Different
- Separate classifications
- Different
- AMAT October 26 · QCOM September 27
- Nov 4, 2026
AMAT vs QCOM: quick comparison
| Company fact | AMAT | QCOM |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Applied Materials, Inc. | QUALCOMM Incorporated |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NASDAQ |
| Headquarters | Santa Clara, California | San Diego, California |
| Founded | 1967 | 1985 |
| SEC industry | Semiconductors & Related Devices | Radio & Tv Broadcasting & Communications Equipment |
| Fiscal year-end | October 26 | September 27 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K · 2025-12-12 | 10-K · 2026-11-04 |
AMAT vs QCOM: audited financials
- Scale: QCOM's $44.3B of revenue is about 1.6× AMAT's $28.4B.
- Net margin: AMAT kept 24.7% of revenue as net income versus 12.5% at QCOM.
- Cash conversion: operating cash flow equalled AMAT 28.1% of revenue, or 1.14× net income; QCOM 31.6% of revenue, or 2.53× net income. A ratio well above 1× usually reflects non-cash charges or working-capital release; well below 1× can reflect working-capital build or non-cash gains.
- Periods: the fiscal years end about 1 month apart (2025-10-26 for AMAT, 2025-09-28 for QCOM), so each figure reflects somewhat different demand and cost conditions.
| Metric | AMAT | QCOM |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $28.4B2024-10-28 to 2025-10-26 · SEC filing | $44.3B2024-09-30 to 2025-09-28 · SEC filing |
| Net income | $7.0B2024-10-28 to 2025-10-26 · SEC filing | $5.5B2024-09-30 to 2025-09-28 · SEC filing |
| Operating cash flow | $8.0B2024-10-28 to 2025-10-26 · SEC filing | $14.0B2024-09-30 to 2025-09-28 · SEC filing |
| Diluted EPS | $8.662024-10-28 to 2025-10-26 · SEC filing | $5.012024-09-30 to 2025-09-28 · SEC filing |
| Net margin | 24.7%2024-10-28 to 2025-10-26 · SEC filing | 12.5%2024-09-30 to 2025-09-28 · SEC filing |
AMAT: FY ending 2025-10-26 · QCOM: FY ending 2025-09-28. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.
Where AMAT and QCOM overlap, and where they don't
Overlap
- Related SEC industries: both sit in SIC major group 36.
- Shared research themes: Artificial intelligence and Tariffs & trade.
Differences
- Different four-digit SIC codes: AMAT is 3674 (Semiconductors & Related Devices); QCOM is 3663 (Radio & Tv Broadcasting & Communications Equipment).
- Offset fiscal calendars: AMAT's year ends October 26 and QCOM's September 27, about 1 month apart.
- Scale: QCOM reported about 1.6× the annual revenue of AMAT.
- Profitability: net margin of 24.7% for AMAT versus 12.5% for QCOM.
Overlap is drawn from SEC classifications and Yield Theory research themes. It is not evidence that the companies sell to the same customers or compete product for product.
QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM)
Qualcomm designs the mobile chipsets and wireless-modem technology that power much of the smartphone industry, and it licenses a deep patent portfolio. It is broadening into automotive, PCs, and on-device AI.
What moves each company
Company-specific drivers maintained by Yield Theory. Use them to decide which filing deserves deeper work; they are not predictions.
What moves AMAT
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for AMAT. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2025-12-12.
What moves QCOM
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for QCOM. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-11-04.
The investment question
You now know QCOM reports about 1.6× AMAT's revenue, and AMAT keeps more of each dollar as net income. Those are the facts. The investment question is what each share price already assumes about their exposure to artificial intelligence and tariffs & trade, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.
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Read the full researchSEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence
Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. AMAT's fiscal year ends October 26, while QCOM's ends September 27. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.
The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 30 matched transaction rows for AMAT and 23 matched transaction rows for QCOM. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.
AMAT primary filings
QCOM primary filings
What this comparison cannot tell you
This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.
A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.
AMAT vs QCOM FAQs
Are AMAT and QCOM direct competitors?
Not necessarily. Applied Materials files as Semiconductors & Related Devices and QUALCOMM as Radio & Tv Broadcasting & Communications Equipment. The pair is compared because both map to the Artificial intelligence and Tariffs & trade research themes, not because the filings show head-to-head competition.
Is AMAT or QCOM the bigger company by revenue?
QUALCOMM (QCOM) is the larger business by reported revenue: $44.3B in its fiscal year ended Sep 2025, about 1.6× AMAT's $28.4B (fiscal year ended Oct 2025). AMAT's net margin was 24.7% and QCOM's 12.5%. The SEC places them in related industries (Semiconductors & Related Devices; Radio & Tv Broadcasting & Communications Equipment), and both map to the Artificial intelligence and Tariffs & trade research themes. Each figure is the annual amount tagged in the company's own SEC XBRL filing; market value depends on live prices, which this page does not publish.
Which is better, AMAT or QCOM?
There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.
Does this AMAT vs QCOM comparison include live prices?
No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers Applied Materials, Inc. and QUALCOMM Incorporated tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.
Where does the company information come from?
Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-11-09. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.
Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-11-09. Independent educational research; not investment advice.
Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?
AMAT vs QCOM compares reported results. The reports below show how we connect operating evidence to an investment thesis, its assumptions, catalysts, and risks. $39/month or $249/year.
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