SMTC vs TSEM Stock Comparison
SMTC currently leads TSEM in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 36 vs 34. The clearest difference is quality, while TSEM has the stronger risk resilience profile.
What is the main difference between SMTC and TSEM?
SMTC leads the current stock comparison as Semtech Corporation, with the clearest separation coming from quality and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Semtech Corporation vs Tower Semiconductor Ltd.
SMTC leads
SMTC leads by 2 AIQ points, primarily on Quality and Momentum, having only recently taken the lead back from TSEM. Wall Street currently favors TSEM on target upside.
Fragile: 2 of 6 evidence groups support SMTC, the lead recently changed hands, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Semtech Corporation
Tower Semiconductor Ltd.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors SMTC over TSEM, 36 versus 34 as of Oct 21, 2026. SMTC's advantage is driven primarily by stronger quality and momentum, while TSEM holds the stronger risk resilience profile. SMTC also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors TSEM. 2 of 6 covered evidence groups favor SMTC today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 2 points. SMTC lead: Reversed — TSEM led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; SMTC now leads by 2.
Compare Semtech Corporation and Tower Semiconductor Ltd. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Price return from daily closes; distributions are not included.
Price return comparison
Growth of $10,000, price only
Split-adjusted closes only. Distributions are excluded, which understates the return of any fund or stock that pays them.
Compare SMTC and TSEM against another ticker
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AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Risk Resilience27 vs 57TSEM +30
- Quality68 vs 51SMTC +17
- Momentum15 vs 11SMTC +4
- Value26 vs 25Even
2 of 6 evidence groups favor SMTC. SMTC’s edge is concentrated in quality and momentum; TSEM keeps a meaningful risk resilience edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-20, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-19.
Largest factor move: Momentum -1, not enough on its own to move the overall score.
New signals
- RSI Oversold - Potential Bounce — bullish, momentum, short horizon
Largest factor move: Momentum -3
New signals
- BB Lower Band Breach — bullish, volatility, short horizon
- Keltner Channel Breakdown — bearish, volatility, short horizon
SMTC's lead widened by 1 AIQ point in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — SMTC and TSEM both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
SMTC (Semtech Corporation): the stronger current systematic profile, led by quality and momentum.
TSEM (Tower Semiconductor Ltd.): the counter-case, on risk resilience, analyst expectations.
The AIQ Score and Wall Street therefore point in different directions on this pair.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
SMTCSMTC on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
TSEMTSEM on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
EvenThe two are level on Value.
Momentum
SMTCSMTC on the Momentum factor, by 4 points.
Lower downside
TSEMTSEM on Risk Resilience, by 30 points.
Analyst upside
TSEMTSEM on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors SMTC, analyst targets favor TSEM. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | SMTC | TSEM | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +42.1% | +59.3% | TSEM has more room |
| Target dispersion | +74.5% | +19.9% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 17 | 5 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
The two are measuring different things. The AIQ Score reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; analyst targets price forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something already priced in — it is worth resolving before acting on either.
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
2 of 6 covered evidence groups favor SMTC. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | Even | 36 vs 34 |
| Fundamentals | SMTCon balance | revenue growth 17.5% vs 11.2%; EPS growth 4.9% vs 40.4%; TTM ROE 25.3% vs 9.8%; gross margin 52% vs 26.9%; operating margin 12.7% vs 16.2% — SMTC takes 3 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | Even | Value 26 vs 25 |
| Technicals | SMTC | Price vs 50-day -9.8% vs -15.2%; vs 200-day 11.2% vs -3% |
| Risk Resilience | TSEM | Risk Resilience 27 vs 57 |
| Analyst expectations | TSEM | Target upside 42.1% vs 59.3% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of SMTC and TSEM and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is narrow at 2 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Only 2 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Analyst targets on the leader are widely dispersed. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on SMTC.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 21 – Oct 20SMTC lead: Reversed — TSEM led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; SMTC now leads by 2.
- Today
- SMTC +2
- 36 vs 34
- 7 sessions ago
- TSEM +3
- 36 vs 39
- 30 sessions ago
- TSEM +1
- 50 vs 51
- 90 sessions ago
- TSEM +7
- 47 vs 54
The lead changed hands 4 times in this window, most recently on Oct 19 when SMTC moved ahead of TSEM.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
2 bullish / 2 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
Only SMTC
- RSI Oversold - Potential Bounce — bullish, momentum, short horizon
2 bullish / 2 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
Only TSEM
- BB Lower Band Breach — bullish, volatility, short horizon
Both carry 4 more signals that do not separate them: Golden Cross Active, ATR Expansion - Breakout Mode, Keltner Channel Breakdown, MACD Bearish Crossover.
SMTC leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +3.99%, AIQ 0 points).
Price is up while the AIQ Score moved down 1 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price +3.14%, AIQ -1 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1TSEM closes the Quality gap — currently 17 points behind, the largest single contributor to SMTC's edge.
- 2TSEM's Keltner Channel Breakdown resolves — a bearish volatility rule currently active against it.
- 3SMTC's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 2 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
SMTC leads on balance| Metric | SMTC | TSEM |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 17.5% | 11.2% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 4.9% | 40.4% |
| Gross margin | 52% | 26.9% |
| Operating margin | 12.7% | 16.2% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 25.3% | 9.8% |
| Debt to equity | 0.7 | 0.05 |
Performance
SMTC leads 4 of 6 windows| Metric | SMTC | TSEM |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | -21.2% | -17.3% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -21.9% | -22.3% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -0.5% | -26.3% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 31.6% | -11.3% |
| Year to date | 84.8% | 56.5% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 98% | 157.5% |
Technicals
SMTC has the stronger structure| Metric | SMTC | TSEM |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 29.8 | 33 |
| ADX (14) | 22.6 | 18.3 |
| Price vs 50-day | -9.8% | -15.2% |
| Price vs 200-day | 11.2% | -3% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 75.1% | 73.4% |
Risk
TSEM is the more resilient| Metric | SMTC | TSEM |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 3.11 | 3.15 |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.24 | 1.47 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.98 | 2.49 |
| Max drawdown | -40.7% | -42% |
| Current drawdown | -30.9% | -42% |
| Annualized volatility | 78.1% | 82.3% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -8% | -8.1% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, SMTC or TSEM?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, SMTC is the stronger of the two as of Oct 21, 2026, scoring 36 against TSEM's 34. The edge comes from quality and momentum. TSEM is not without a case — it holds the better risk resilience profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is SMTC or TSEM the better buy right now?
SMTC carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 21, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 2 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the AIQ gap is narrow at 2 points. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor SMTC over TSEM?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. TSEM leads Risk Resilience by 30 points; SMTC leads Quality by 17 points; SMTC leads Momentum by 4 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, SMTC or TSEM?
Analyst price targets imply +42.1% upside for SMTC and +59.3% for TSEM, so the Street currently favors TSEM. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors SMTC. The two are measuring different things: the model reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; the Street is pricing forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something the analysts have already priced — it is the single most useful row on this page to investigate. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, SMTC or TSEM?
Neither name separates on the peer-relative Value factor. The two are level on Value. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, SMTC or TSEM?
TSEM on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, SMTC or TSEM?
SMTC on the Momentum factor, by 4 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, SMTC or TSEM?
TSEM is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. TSEM on Risk Resilience, by 30 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is SMTC more profitable than TSEM?
The profitability evidence is mixed: gross margin 52% vs 26.9%; operating margin 12.7% vs 16.2%; ttm roe 25.3% vs 9.8%. SMTC leads on two measures and TSEM on one measure, and there is no single profitability composite that resolves the split — which of the two reads as "more profitable" depends on whether you weight pricing power or operating leverage.
Is SMTC's lead over TSEM getting stronger or weaker?
SMTC lead: Reversed — TSEM led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; SMTC now leads by 2. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-21 and 2026-10-20. The lead has changed hands 4 times in that window, most recently on 2026-10-19, when SMTC moved ahead of TSEM.
What would change the SMTC vs TSEM verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: TSEM closes the Quality gap — currently 17 points behind, the largest single contributor to SMTC's edge; TSEM's Keltner Channel Breakdown resolves — a bearish volatility rule currently active against it; SMTC's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 2 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about SMTC and TSEM?
SMTC: 2 bullish / 2 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. TSEM: 2 bullish / 2 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on SMTC is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On TSEM it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare SMTC and TSEM with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.