Qualcomm Stock

Corporate strategy and future

Qualcomm's activities are divided into three segments. Qualcomm CDMA Technologies (QCL) provides equipment and software used in various applications requiring wireless connectivity. Qualcomm Technology Licensing (QTL) sells licenses for the company's technology. Finally, Qualcomm Strategic Initiative (QSI) invests in new technologies and startup companies.

Qualcomm's technology is being used for an increasing number of applications. Several major trends are driving strong demand for the company's technology. An important development is taking place in the automotive industry, where cars are incorporating more and more features that require connectivity. This includes driver assistance features and software updates. Qualcomm expects that 70% of new vehicles in 2027 will be connected to the outside world.

The rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) is another important trend for the company. This involves connecting more devices to the internet, including consumer electronics like smartwatches and VR headsets, as well as industrial robots used in factories and offshore wind turbines.

The company anticipates rapid growth in the size of the market it can serve in the coming years.

History of Qualcomm

Qualcomm was founded in 1985 by a group of entrepreneurs led by Irwin Jacobs. Jacobs, who had been trained as an electrical engineer in the 1960s, worked as a university professor and started the consulting firm Linkabit. With the new company, the founders aimed to improve mobile communication technology. They initially named the company Quality Communications, which was later shortened to Qualcomm.

Initially, Qualcomm focused on the development of CDMA technology. This was based on a then-unproven idea that would allow for the transmission of much more data simultaneously over the mobile phone network. There was initially much doubt whether the technology could deliver on its promise, but CDMA became commercially available in 1995. The company provided equipment for the networks and sold licenses.

The CDMA technology became the basis for the 2G and 3G networks, enabling internet usage on mobile phones. The first generation of smartphones utilised 3G.

Qualcomm also played a significant role in the development of 4G, the technology for the next generation of smartphones. The same was true for 5G, which became commercially available in 2019. It is expected that 5G will enable revolutionary applications in fields such as medicine and agriculture.

Qualcomm's dividends

The company pays dividends on a quarterly basis and intends to continue doing so. However, Qualcomm makes the caveat that dividend payments must be in the best interest of shareholders and that it must have sufficient financial resources.