QCOM vs. PANW
QCOM (QUALCOMM Incorporated) and PANW (Palo Alto Networks, Inc.) are both stocks. Both are in the Technology sector — QCOM in Semiconductors, PANW in Software - Infrastructure. Over the past 10 years, QCOM returned 18.10%/yr vs 29.12%/yr for PANW. At a 0.36 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
QCOM vs. PANW - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, QCOM achieves a 25.03% return, which is significantly lower than PANW's 51.80% return. Over the past 10 years, QCOM has underperformed PANW with an annualized return of 18.10%, while PANW has yielded a comparatively higher 29.12% annualized return.
QCOM
- 1D
- 4.32%
- 1M
- 5.47%
- YTD
- 25.03%
- 6M
- 19.95%
- 1Y
- 39.72%
- 3Y*
- 22.00%
- 5Y*
- 11.87%
- 10Y*
- 18.10%
PANW
- 1D
- 0.03%
- 1M
- 15.15%
- YTD
- 51.80%
- 6M
- 45.87%
- 1Y
- 42.47%
- 3Y*
- 33.77%
- 5Y*
- 35.61%
- 10Y*
- 29.12%
QCOM vs. PANW - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
QCOM QUALCOMM Incorporated | 25.03% | 13.84% | 8.31% | 35.07% | -38.58% | 22.25% | 77.08% | 60.76% | -7.59% | 2.05% |
PANW Palo Alto Networks, Inc. | 51.80% | 1.23% | 23.41% | 111.32% | -24.81% | 56.66% | 53.68% | 22.78% | 29.95% | 15.91% |
Correlation
The correlation between QCOM and PANW is 0.25, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.25 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.29 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 20, 2012 | 0.36 |
The correlation between QCOM and PANW shifts across timeframes, from 0.25 (1 year) to 0.37 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
QCOM:
$226.96B
PANW:
$208.04B
QCOM:
$9.11
PANW:
$1.17
QCOM:
23.23
PANW:
238.46
QCOM:
5.18
PANW:
18.95
QCOM:
8.32
PANW:
7.52
QCOM:
$44.49B
PANW:
$10.61B
QCOM:
$24.38B
PANW:
$7.63B
QCOM:
$12.92B
PANW:
$1.33B
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Return for Risk
QCOM vs. PANW — Risk / Return Rank
QCOM
PANW
QCOM vs. PANW - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM) and Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (PANW). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| QCOM | PANW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.32 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.21 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.21 | -0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.10 | 1.16 | -0.06 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.44 | 2.62 | -0.18 |
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Drawdowns
QCOM vs. PANW - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum QCOM drawdown since its inception was -86.75%, which is greater than PANW's maximum drawdown of -47.98%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for QCOM and PANW.
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Drawdown Indicators
| QCOM | PANW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -86.75% | -47.98% | -38.77% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -33.13% | -36.01% | +2.88% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -44.23% | -36.01% | -8.22% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -44.29% | -36.01% | -8.28% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -44.29% | -47.98% | +3.69% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -15.34% | -6.94% | -8.40% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -32.87% | -14.68% | -18.19% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 14.89% | 15.87% | -0.98% |
Volatility
QCOM vs. PANW - Volatility Comparison
QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM) has a higher volatility of 27.32% compared to Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (PANW) at 16.97%. This indicates that QCOM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PANW based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| QCOM | PANW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 27.32% | 16.97% | +10.35% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 42.18% | 32.33% | +9.85% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 48.52% | 38.96% | +9.56% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 41.17% | 41.72% | -0.55% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 39.28% | 38.62% | +0.66% |
Dividends
QCOM vs. PANW - Dividend Comparison
QCOM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.70%, while PANW has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PANW Palo Alto Networks, Inc. | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
QCOM QUALCOMM Incorporated | 1.70% | 2.06% | 2.18% | 2.18% | 2.67% | 1.47% | 1.69% | 2.81% | 4.27% | 3.50% | 3.17% | 3.72% |
Financials
QCOM vs. PANW - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between QUALCOMM Incorporated and Palo Alto Networks, Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
QCOM vs. PANW - Profitability Comparison
QCOM - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, QUALCOMM Incorporated reported a gross profit of 5.70B and revenue of 10.60B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 53.8%.
PANW - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Palo Alto Networks, Inc. reported a gross profit of 2.03B and revenue of 3.00B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 67.6%.
QCOM - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, QUALCOMM Incorporated reported an operating income of 2.31B and revenue of 10.60B, resulting in an operating margin of 21.8%.
PANW - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Palo Alto Networks, Inc. reported an operating income of -186.00M and revenue of 3.00B, resulting in an operating margin of -6.2%.
QCOM - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, QUALCOMM Incorporated reported a net income of 7.37B and revenue of 10.60B, resulting in a net margin of 69.5%.
PANW - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Palo Alto Networks, Inc. reported a net income of -177.00M and revenue of 3.00B, resulting in a net margin of -5.9%.
Frequently Asked Questions
QCOM and PANW have a correlation of 0.25, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
QCOM has higher volatility (27.32%) compared to PANW (16.97%). In terms of maximum drawdown, QCOM dropped -86.75% vs PANW's -47.98%.
PANW currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.07 vs 0.75), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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