UTSI vs IDCC vs CSCO vs QCOM

For growth investors, QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM) is the stronger pick with 13.

7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -30. 9% for UTStarcom Holdings Corp. (UTSI). InterDigital, Inc. (IDCC) offers the better valuation at 23. 6x trailing P/E (38. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate InterDigital, Inc. (IDCC) a "Buy" — based on 16 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, InterDigital, Inc.

(IDCC) is the cheapest at 23. 6x versus QUALCOMM Incorporated at 40. 4x. On forward P/E, QUALCOMM Incorporated is actually cheaper at 18. 8x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: InterDigital, Inc. wins at 0. 74x versus QUALCOMM Incorporated's 9. 06x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, InterDigital, Inc.

(IDCC) delivered a total return of +303. 1%, compared to -50. 4% for UTStarcom Holdings Corp. (UTSI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: IDCC returned +436. 7% versus UTSI's -69. 5%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), UTStarcom Holdings Corp.

(UTSI) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 20β versus QUALCOMM Incorporated's 1. 55β — meaning QCOM is approximately 695% more volatile than UTSI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, UTStarcom Holdings Corp. (UTSI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 4% versus 77% for QUALCOMM Incorporated — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM) is pulling ahead at 13.

7% versus -30. 9% for UTStarcom Holdings Corp. (UTSI). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Cisco Systems, Inc. grew EPS 0. 4% year-over-year, compared to -44. 2% for QUALCOMM Incorporated. Over a 3-year CAGR, IDCC leads at 22. 1% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

InterDigital, Inc.

(IDCC) is the more profitable company, earning 48. 8% net margin versus -40. 2% for UTStarcom Holdings Corp. — meaning it keeps 48. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: IDCC leads at 55. 3% versus -67. 4% for UTSI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — IDCC leads at 80. 3%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, InterDigital, Inc. (IDCC) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 74x versus QUALCOMM Incorporated's 9. 06x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM) trades at 18. 8x forward P/E versus 38. 8x for InterDigital, Inc. — 20. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for IDCC: 52. 5% to $425. 00.

In this comparison, CSCO (1.

7% yield), QCOM (1. 7% yield), IDCC (0. 6% yield) pay a dividend. UTSI does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Cisco Systems, Inc.

(CSCO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 92), 1. 7% yield, +301. 7% 10Y return). QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM) carries a higher beta of 1. 55 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (CSCO: +301. 7%, QCOM: +350. 2%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

IDCC, CSCO, QCOM pay a dividend while UTSI does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.