Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

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Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Market Information and Dividends

Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market (NASDAQ) under the symbol “QCOM.” At November 5, 2018, there were 6,887 holders of record of our common stock.

We intend to continue to pay quarterly dividends, subject to capital availability and our view that cash dividends are in the best interests of our stockholders. Future dividends may be affected by, among other items, our views on potential future capital requirements, including those relating to research and development, creation and expansion of sales and distribution channels, investments and acquisitions, legal risks, withholding of payments by one or more of our significant licensees and/or customers, fines by government agencies and/or adverse rulings by a court or arbitrator in a legal matter, stock repurchase programs, debt issuances, changes in federal and state income tax law and changes to our business model.

Share-Based Compensation

We primarily issue restricted stock units under our equity compensation plans, which are part of a broad-based, long-term retention program that is intended to attract and retain talented employees and directors and align stockholder and employee interests.

Our 2016 Long-Term Incentive Plan (2016 Plan) provides for the grant of both incentive and nonstatutory stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, unrestricted stock, restricted stock units, performance units, performance shares, deferred compensation awards and other stock-based awards. Restricted stock units generally vest over periods of three years from the date of grant. Stock options vest over periods not exceeding five years and are exercisable for up to ten years from the grant date. The Board of Directors may amend or terminate the 2016 Plan at any time, with certain amendments also requiring stockholder approval.

Additional information regarding our share-based compensation plans and plan activity for fiscal 2018, 2017 and 2016 is provided in this Annual Report in “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, Note 5. Employee Benefit Plans.”

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Issuer purchases of equity securities during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 were:



	Total Number of Shares Purchased	Average Price Paid Per Share (1)		Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs	Approximate Dollar Value of Shares that May Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs (2)
	(In thousands)			(In thousands)	(In millions)
June 25, 2018 to July 22, 2018	—	$	—	—	$	9,000
July 23, 2018 to August 26, 2018	—	—		—	30,000
August 27, 2018 to September 30, 2018
Accelerated share repurchases (3)	178,397			178,397	14,000
Other repurchases (4)	76,205	67.50		76,205	8,856
Total	254,602			254,602


(1)	Average Price Paid Per Share excludes cash paid for commissions.


(2)	On July 26, 2018, we announced a repurchase program authorizing us to repurchase up to $30 billion of our common stock replacing the existing $10 billion stock repurchase authorization. At September 30, 2018, $8.9 billion remained authorized for repurchase. The stock repurchase program has no expiration date. Since September 30, 2018, we repurchased and retired 8.5 million shares of common stock for $542 million.

(2)

On July 26, 2018, we announced a repurchase program authorizing us to repurchase up to $30 billion of our common stock replacing the existing $10 billion stock repurchase authorization. At September 30, 2018, $8.9 billion remained authorized for repurchase. The stock repurchase program has no expiration date. Since September 30, 2018, we repurchased and retired 8.5 million shares of common stock for $542 million.


(3)	In September 2018, we entered into three accelerated share repurchase agreements (ASR Agreements) to repurchase an aggregate of $16.0 billion of our common stock. During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018, 178.4 million shares were initially delivered to us under the ASR Agreements and were retired. Pursuant to the terms of the ASR Agreements, the final number of shares and the average

purchase price will be determined at the end of the applicable purchase periods, which are scheduled to occur in August 2019 but may occur earlier in certain circumstances.


(4)	Other repurchases result from the completion of a “modified Dutch auction” tender offer in August 2018.

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