NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA)
NVIDIA makes the graphics processors and data-center accelerators that train and run most modern AI models. Its chips have become the default hardware of the AI boom, making it a bellwether for the entire sector.
Information Technology stock comparison
NVDA vs QCOM: which business are you actually underwriting?
Compare NVIDIA Corporation 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
- 3
- Updated
- 2026-02-25
NVDA vs QCOM: quick comparison
| Company fact | NVDA | QCOM |
|---|---|---|
| Company | NVIDIA Corporation | QUALCOMM Incorporated |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NASDAQ |
| Headquarters | Santa Clara, California | San Diego, California |
| Founded | 1993 | 1985 |
| SEC industry | Semiconductors & Related Devices | Radio & Tv Broadcasting & Communications Equipment |
| Fiscal year-end | January 31 | September 27 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K · 2026-02-25 | 10-K · 2025-11-05 |
How the businesses differ
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. NVDA 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.
Which 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 NVDA 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
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 intelligenceUS marketsTariffs & trade
SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence
Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable.NVDA's fiscal year ends January 31, while QCOM's ends September 27. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.
The current verified House Clerk snapshot contains 3matched transaction rows for NVDAand 0 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.
NVDA 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.
NVDA vs QCOM FAQs
Are NVDA and QCOM direct competitors?
NVIDIA Corporation 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, NVDA 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 NVDA vs QCOM comparison include live prices?
No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices, then use the primary filings here to test the business thesis.
Where does the company information come from?
Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-08-10. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.
Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-08-10. Independent educational research; not investment advice.
Go beyond NVDA vs QCOM.
Yield Theory connects filings, capital flows, catalysts, and risks into an investable research process.
$15/mo or $150/yr · cancel future renewals anytime · sources included