Perplexity Finance [...] Qualcomm closed modestly higher, edging up just 0.25% in a mixed session for tech and semiconductors, as investors continued weighing the company's $20 billion share buyback authorization and ~3.4% dividend hike against a challenging backdrop. The broader macro environment—dominated by US-Iran geopolitical tensions, elevated oil prices, and a "higher-for-longer" rate narrative—weighed on semiconductor peers, while Qualcomm-specific headwinds including a post-earnings stock decline (~12% since Q4 results) and Seaport Research's bearish $100 price target kept sentiment cautious.

Arm Holdings' announcement of its own AI data center chip added competitive noise to the sector, though analysts remain split on QCOM with a consensus "Hold" and $168 average price target, debating whether the stock's ~26x P/E and growing automotive and AI edge ambitions offer value at current depressed levels. [...] Qualcomm shares rose, buoyed by a major capital return announcement — the company's board approved a new $20 billion stock repurchase program and raised its quarterly cash dividend from $0.89 to $0.92 per share, lifting the annualized payout to $3.68. The…