Qualcomm Surges Following Strong Earnings and Optimistic Forecast

The chipmaker's shares rose sharply after surpassing quarterly estimates and announcing a substantial stock buyback plan.

Qualcomm's fiscal fourth-quarter earnings exceeded expectations with adjusted earnings of $2.69 per share on $10.24 billion in revenue.
The company forecasted first-quarter sales between $10.5 billion and $11.3 billion, surpassing Wall Street estimates.
Qualcomm announced a $15 billion stock repurchase authorization, boosting investor confidence and stock price.
The company benefits from a recovering smartphone market, with significant contributions from new Chinese handset launches.
Concerns remain about future revenue from Apple, as Qualcomm seeks to diversify into laptops and AI data centers.