Broadcom Inc. (AVGO)
Broadcom supplies networking, broadband, and custom silicon alongside a large enterprise-software portfolio anchored by VMware. The company is a key beneficiary of demand for AI-focused data-center connectivity.
Information Technology stock comparison
AVGO vs QCOM: which business are you actually underwriting?
Compare Broadcom Inc. with QUALCOMM Incorporated using their business models, SEC classifications, fiscal calendars, current primary filings, and the research questions that matter. This is a thesis framework—not a price target or automatic winner.
- Sector
- Information
- Industry
- Different SIC
- Shared themes
- 2
- Updated
- 2025-12-18
AVGO vs QCOM: quick comparison
| Company fact | AVGO | QCOM |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Broadcom Inc. | QUALCOMM Incorporated |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NASDAQ |
| Headquarters | Palo Alto, California | San Diego, California |
| Founded | 1961 | 1985 |
| SEC industry | Semiconductors & Related Devices | Radio & Tv Broadcasting & Communications Equipment |
| Fiscal year-end | November 1 | September 27 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K · 2025-12-18 | 10-K · 2025-11-05 |
AVGO vs QCOM: audited financials
AVGO reported about 1.4× the revenue of QCOM in the latest audited fiscal year. On profitability, QCOM converted a larger share of revenue into net income (12.5% versus 9.2%). Scale and margin are starting facts for the thesis, not the verdict.
| Metric | AVGO | QCOM |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $63.9B | $44.3B |
| Net income | $5.9B | $5.5B |
| Operating cash flow | $27.5B | $14.0B |
| Diluted EPS | $4.77 | $5.01 |
| Net margin | 9.2% | 12.5% |
AVGO: FY ending 2025-11-02 · QCOM: FY ending 2025-09-28. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.
How the businesses differ
Why this pair belongs in the comparison set
AVGO and QCOM have different SEC industry classifications, but both map to the maintained Artificial intelligence and Tariffs & trade research themes inside the Information Technology sector. A shared classification or theme makes the pair useful for a defined research question; it does not mean the companies have identical products, economics, or risks.
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.
The useful starting point is not which ticker has performed better. It is whether the two companies convert the same economic forces into revenue and cash flow in the same way. AVGO is classified by the SEC as Semiconductors & Related Devices, while QCOM is classified as Radio & Tv Broadcasting & Communications Equipment. The different industry codes are a warning against treating sector membership as proof of identical economics.
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The thesis, the numbers behind it, and what would break it. Full access is $15 a month.
Read the full researchWhich thesis does each company fit?
Use the distinction below to decide which filing deserves deeper work. It is a research routing rule, not a recommendation or prediction.
Study AVGO when…
- Custom AI accelerator (XPU) and Ethernet networking demand from hyperscalers
- Concentration among the top five end customers and major distributors
- VMware Cloud Foundation subscription transition
- Interest expense and debt paydown after the VMware acquisition
Study QCOM when…
- The AI capital-expenditure cycle
- Interest rates and the cost of long-duration growth
- Enterprise IT budgets and cloud migration
- Export controls and the US–China chip race
Shared research themes
Artificial intelligenceTariffs & trade
SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence
Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable.AVGO's fiscal year ends November 1, 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 87matched transaction rows for AVGOand 23 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.
AVGO 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.
AVGO vs QCOM FAQs
Are AVGO and QCOM direct competitors?
Broadcom Inc. and QUALCOMM Incorporated sit in the same Information Technology sector but have different SEC industry classifications. The comparison is most useful for portfolio role and sector exposure, not as a claim that every product competes directly.
Which is better, AVGO 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 AVGO 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 Broadcom 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 2026-09-25. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.
Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-09-25. Independent educational research; not investment advice.
A comparison is the setup. The thesis is the call.
AVGO vs QCOM shows how the businesses differ. Membership is the monthly sourced view of who could benefit, what could break, and what evidence matters next. $15/month or $150/year.
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