Swing Trading Plan
Holding Period
2-8 trading days
Expected figures are probability-weighted from our historical pattern database; Trade R:R is measured from the entry, target and stop levels.
Current Setup
QCOM has formed an inverse head-and-shoulders pattern with intermediate structure and volume metrics. At $180.15, the stock trades near the neckline with key support at $155.38 and chart resistance at $149.99. The pattern scores moderately: structure 11/15, volume 11/12, breakout 10/13 (combined 32/40). The measured move target of $189.78 implies ~5.4% upside from current levels. Volume ratio of 1.2x average and positive MACD histogram (2.10) show building momentum. RSI at 64.31 indicates room before overbought conditions, though beta of 1.63 reflects elevated volatility.
Stock Context
Qualcomm faces losing Apple's modem business but a $60 billion Amazon partnership positions it for future data-center revenue growth, targeting $15 billion by fiscal 2029. QCOM bottomed near $122 in April and popped again in early September after naming Amazon as a customer for custom AI data center silicon. Q3 fiscal 2026 reported July 29 showed revenue of $9.9 billion (down 4% YoY) and non-GAAP EPS of $2.21, which missed Wall Street forecast. RBC Capital raised its price target to $180 from $160 on September 9. The post-earnings recovery and Amazon catalyst have ignited the technical pattern as the market reprices Qualcomm's AI data-center pivot.
What to Expect
A successful inverse head-and-shoulders breakout above the neckline ($149.99) would target the conservative measure of $189.78, representing a 5.4% measured move from breakout levels. The win_probability of 61.3% suggests better-than-coin-flip odds historically. Volume confirmation will be critical—sustained above the 1.2x baseline provides validation. The pattern invalidates below key support at $155.38; a close below that level would signal pattern failure and potential reversal toward lower support zones.
Risk Factors
Qualcomm's largest revenue source remains smartphone chips—a mature and cyclical market—with risk that Apple designs Qualcomm out with in-house modems. The 3-month loss of -14.45% reflects prior weakness despite recent gains. Beta of 1.63 and 20-day volatility of 27.4% signal elevated risk during broader tech downturns. Market regime is bearish (-0.23 score), which contradicts the bullish pattern setup. RSI at 64.31 nears resistance, and a sharp pullback to $149.99 would test pattern validity. No upcoming earnings catalyst visible in the near term; dividend ex-date already passed September 3.
How We Find and Score This Setup
We scan more than 6,000 NYSE and NASDAQ stocks every trading day and compare each detected pattern against a database of 370,000+ historical detections. Every setup is scored across three dimensions: Structure, Volume, and Breakout Readiness. Win probability is a calibrated estimate of how similar historical setups performed over the following 10 trading days. This is a swing trading tool built for multi-day holds. It is not built or tested for day trading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is QCOM a good swing trade?
QCOM scored 65 out of 98 on our inverse head and shoulders scan, with a 61% historical win probability over a 2-8 trading days hold. Moderate setup based on our systematic scoring.
What is the entry, target, and stop loss for this setup?
The setup's reference price is $180.15, with a conservative target of $189.78 and a stop loss at $160.47.
What would invalidate this inverse head and shoulders setup?
A close below the stop loss at $160.47 would invalidate the setup and suggest the pattern has failed.
How is the win probability calculated?
Win probability is a calibrated estimate of how similar historical inverse head and shoulders setups performed over the following 10 trading days, drawn from a database of 370,000+ historical pattern detections across 6,000+ NYSE and NASDAQ stocks.