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Further Reading from MarketBeat Qualcomm's Analysts Are Throwing in the Towel—Time to Be Brave?Submitted by Sam Quirke. Article Published: 2/18/2026. 
Key Points- Qualcomm has fallen from early-January levels above $180 to around $140, erasing two years of gains and returning to 2020 levels.
- A wave of downgrades and reduced price targets suggests confidence is cracking across Wall Street.
- But with the stock’s RSI flashing extremely oversold conditions and support forming near $135, contrarians are beginning to circle.
- Special Report: This makes me furious (From The Oxford Club)
Despite trading above $180 in the first week of January, shares of tech titanQualcomm Inc (NASDAQ: QCOM) now sit just above $140. The stock has effectively erased two years of gains and returned to roughly its 2020 price. For long-term holders, it's been a frustrating and bruising ride. Making things worse, the narrative has only weakened in recent weeks. Less-than-ideal Q1 guidance earlier this month added fuel to the fire, reinforcing concerns about the smartphone cycle and Qualcomm's ability to generate meaningful growth beyond it. Investors who have been burned by past false starts appear to have finally lost patience — and it's hard to blame them. What makes the situation more painful is that analysts who once largely ignored the name are now beginning to rate it poorly and urge caution. Still, as we've recently highlighted, this is also the kind of setup that can attract contrarians. A buy-the-dip opportunity could be taking shape. Let's take a closer look. The Bears Are Growing LouderThe shift in tone from the sell side has been noticeable. Daiwa Securities Group cut its rating on Qualcomm from Outperform to Neutral last week, while Morgan Stanley initiated coverage with an Underweight rating earlier this month. Wells Fargo has also taken a cautious stance, reinforcing the view that investors should be careful. Some of the reduced price targets now extend down to the low $130s, implying analysts see room for further downside from current levels. The bear case is straightforward: Qualcomm may look cheap on the surface, but inexpensive stocks can stay that way for extended periods if growth underwhelms. Cautious voices argue the stock is already priced for muted growth, with little expectation for meaningful expansion. If the smartphone cycle — to which Qualcomm remains exposed — stays subdued or earnings disappoint again, the stock could continue to be sold. That said, not all analysts have soured. A handful of firms continue to rate the stock a Buy or equivalent, underscoring how divided sentiment has become. Price Action Suggests a Low May Be FormingWhile analyst downgrades grab headlines, price action and technicals can offer a better pulse on the near-term story. Qualcomm's relative strength index (RSI) is currently flashing extremely oversold conditions, signaling selling pressure has reached rare levels. Historically, these readings have not persisted for long. Importantly, the stock has found support following the sharp post-earnings drop in early February. After weeks of extended sell-offs, the past week has seen more consistent green days. That's a subtle shift in tone and may signal the bears are beginning to run out of steam. The $135 area — which the bears have been unable to push the stock below — now looks like a key line in the sand. If that level continues to hold, the technical setup could flip from breakdown to consolidation. Given how oversold the shares are, it might not take much to trigger a recovery rally. The Contrarian Case Is Worth ExploringNot all analysts have thrown in the towel. DZ Bank upgraded the stock to a Strong Buy last week, Argus reiterated its Buy rating earlier this month, and Piper Sandler maintained its Overweight stance. Some of these bullish price targets reach as high as $200. From current levels, that implies potential upside of roughly 40%, which — when paired with oversold technicals and stabilizing price action — is hard to ignore. Contrarian investors don't need Qualcomm to become a market darling overnight; they just need the stock to stop falling. Looking at the chart over the past week, they're starting to get that. Weighing the OpportunityThere's no denying Qualcomm is likely to remain a frustrating stock for at least a little while. Cyclical headwinds and a chronic inability to sustain upward momentum have repeatedly undermined confidence. However, extreme negativity can create opportunity. If the stock holds above $135 and continues to stabilize through the coming days, a cautiously bullish stance begins to make sense. If that level fails, the bears may have another leg down.
Further Reading from MarketBeat Archer's Lawsuit Tests Vertical Aerospace's Cash Runway, Not Just Its DesignSubmitted by Jeffrey Neal Johnson. Article Published: 2/24/2026. 
Key Points- The eVTOL race is shifting from prototypes to manufacturing, liquidity, and litigation, where execution risk matters as much as engineering.
- Archer’s patent suit against Vertical adds a new front: intellectual property and launch-market positioning, especially in South Florida.
- Vertical’s near-term challenge is runway and financing, while Archer’s is defending a premium valuation amid short-seller pressure and a key earnings catalyst.
- Special Report: This makes me furious (From The Oxford Club)
The advanced air mobility sector has passed a critical threshold, shifting decisively from prototype concepts into the capital-intensive reality of commercial manufacturing. As electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) manufacturers race toward targeted 2026 deployments, the battleground has expanded. Competition no longer hinges solely on engineering breakthroughs. Today, market leadership requires navigating federal courtrooms, defending intellectual property, and managing tightly constrained liquidity runways. For aerospace investors, evaluating these equities means focusing on balance-sheet survival, global supply-chain execution, and the ability to counter targeted short-seller narratives. Intellectual Property as a Competitive WeaponThe most visible sign of the sector's maturation is a high-stakes legal dispute between two prominent manufacturers. In late February 2026, Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR) filed a formal patent-infringement complaint against U.K.-based Vertical Aerospace (NYSE: EVTL) in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. The suit alleges Vertical abandoned its earlier VX4 design and introduced a new commercial aircraft, the Valo, that improperly uses elements protected by Archer's flagship Midnight aircraft. The complaint breaks the allegations into two primary categories: - Design patents: Archer asserts the Valo infringes at least two design patents (U.S. Patent Nos. D1,062,878 and D1,067,164), which protect the Midnight's visual identity — including its V-tail, aerodynamic fuselage and wing configurations.
- Utility patents: The filing also targets internal functional mechanisms, alleging infringement of a utility patent (U.S. Patent No. 11,945,597) that covers flight-control systems and specific control-allocation methods used to manage electric propulsion units in a tilting-rotor architecture.
Strategic Timing in South FloridaThe timing of the lawsuit is notable. Archer filed its complaint as Vertical staged a free public showcase of a full-scale Valo mock-up at the Bass Museum in Miami, Florida. Vertical used the event to outline future inter-city routes connecting Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach. Because Archer also views South Florida as a critical launch market for its early air-taxi networks, the lawsuit functions as a direct challenge for infrastructure and route dominance in a key geographic market. Rebuttals and Market DistractionsVertical Aerospace responded to the litigation with a forceful denial, calling the suit a competitive tactic intended to disrupt market progress rather than a substantive legal threat. In an official statement, a Vertical spokesperson said: "Archer's recent claims are without merit, and Vertical intends to defend those claims vigorously. Archer's claims are merely an attempt to distract from Archer's challenges competing in the marketplace. Vertical has developed a robust aircraft design with a clear path to certification, underpinned by Vertical's proprietary and market-leading technology and international IP portfolio." The Liquidity Runway ChallengeBeyond the courtroom, both companies present compelling bullish cases, but they face very different fundamental hurdles. Vertical Aerospace is navigating an acute liquidity crunch. That financial strain prompted Raymond James to downgrade the stock to an Underperform rating, forecasting that without additional capital Vertical's cash reserves might only sustain normal flight-test operations through mid-June 2026. The compressed runway has taken a toll on Vertical's stock price, pushing market capitalization down to roughly $403 million. Short sellers have targeted the equity aggressively, with short interest climbing to about 23% of the public float. How Vertical Plans to Survive and ThriveVertical has deployed several measures to bridge the funding gap. Its financial runway is bolstered by majority shareholder Mudrick Capital, which committed up to $50 million in new funding and agreed to convert $130 million of debt into equity — a move that substantially deleverages the balance sheet. Insider confidence appears supported by purchases from 16 board members and senior executives, who collectively increased their holdings by about 50% through open-market buys. Operationally, Vertical continues to secure global commercial validation. In February 2026 it signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the AHQ Group and the Saudi National Industrial Development Centre (NIDC) to explore a localized electric-aviation manufacturing ecosystem in Saudi Arabia, signaling that global demand for Valo may remain intact despite near-term capital pressures. Defending a Multi-Billion Dollar Market CapBy contrast, Archer Aviation is operating from a position of relatively deep capitalization. The company carries a market value near $4.5 billion, with shares trading around $6.96. That premium valuation brings heightened expectations. The stock has pulled back roughly 20% from its January highs, driven in part by short-seller reports that claimed flight logs showed a pause in Midnight testing and predicted regulatory certification delays until 2028. Short interest has risen to about 17% of the float. The March 2 Earnings CatalystArcher is counting on institutional backing and corporate maneuvers to counter market concerns. BlackRock recently increased its stake to 8.1%, reducing the supply of available shares. That tight supply combined with elevated short interest creates a technically compressed setup — if management successfully rebuts short-seller claims, forced covering could spark rapid upside. Investors are watching the fourth-quarter earnings report on March 2, 2026 for definitive evidence. Analysts will look for verifiable flight logs and a clear reaffirmation of the 2026 commercial launch timeline. Archer is also defending its position legally: in late January it filed a motion to dismiss a separate trade-secrets suit brought by competitor Joby Aviation (NYSE: JOBY). And Archer's mass-production partnership with auto giant Stellantis (NYSE: STLA) is intended to be capital-efficient and help protect the company's liquidity reserves. Grounding the Noise: Execution Over InnovationThe current dynamics underscore a rapidly maturing sector where volatility creates distinct entry points. Manufacturers that execute funding strategies, secure international supply chains and vigorously defend their technology are in the best position to build long-term commercial advantage. Upcoming earnings reports and legal rulings will help determine which companies move from theoretical innovators to sustainable, revenue-generating airline operators.
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