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MXL
MaxLinear, Inc. · Technology - Broadband & Data Center Semiconductors
$88.76
-6.43% this month
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SWKS
Skyworks Solutions, Inc. · Technology - RF Semiconductor
$72.45
+2.99% this month
Scoreboard verdict
Across AI score, momentum, valuation, upside, operating margin
MXL
2
SWKS
2
Comparison scoreboard
MIXED SETUPAI Score
MXL ✓46.6
SWKS 35.3
1Y Return
MXL ✓+577.04%
SWKS +1.29%
Fwd P/E
MXL 47.33
SWKS ✓14.10
Target Up.
MXL -23.49%
SWKS ✓+0.11%
Op. Margin
MXL N/A
SWKS 7.70%
Metrics last refreshed: 6/22/2026
Quick take
MXL vs SWKS Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
MXL (MaxLinear) and SWKS (Skyworks Solutions) are both fabless connectivity semiconductor companies but in very different markets — MaxLinear serves broadband infrastructure (cable modems, DSL, data center optical interconnects) while Skyworks provides RF front-end modules predominantly for Apple iPhones and other wireless devices. MaxLinear has infrastructure/data center exposure; Skyworks has high Apple concentration with 5G smartphone RF content growth.
MXL vs SWKS is broadband infrastructure silicon (MaxLinear's cable modem, DSL, and data center optical interconnect chips tied to operator capex cycles) versus smartphone RF module dominance (Skyworks' iPhone supply chain concentration with 5G complexity driving higher content per device) — infrastructure capex cycles versus consumer device wireless chip market.
Live analysis · updated 6/22/2026
MXL and SWKS are closely matched — they split the tracked metrics evenly. MXL has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+577.04% vs +1.29%), though SWKS trades at the lower forward P/E (14.10x vs 47.33x). Analyst consensus implies meaningfully more upside for SWKS (+0.11%) than for MXL (-23.49%).
Normalized 1Y performance
MXL
SWKS
Recent returns
MXL
SWKS
Analyst price targets & sentiment
MXL · 11 analysts
STRONG BUYHOLDSTRONG SELL
Buy (1.8/5.0)
Price target range
analyst low$40.00
analyst high$125.00
analyst mean$67.91
current price$88.76
-23.5% upside to analyst mean
SWKS · 19 analysts
STRONG BUYHOLDSTRONG SELL
Hold (3.0/5.0)
Price target range
analyst low$52.00
analyst high$100.00
analyst mean$72.53
current price$72.45
+0.1% upside to analyst mean
Who should consider this stock?
MXL may suit investors who:
- →Want exposure to broadband infrastructure upgrades (DOCSIS 4.0 cable, G.fast DSL) and data center optical connectivity demand as hyperscalers build 400G/800G optical interconnects for AI workloads
- →Value MaxLinear's diversified connectivity portfolio across cable, DSL, and data center without the extreme single-customer concentration of Skyworks' Apple dependency
- →Accept smaller market cap and lower liquidity as a tradeoff for more focused broadband infrastructure semiconductor exposure
SWKS may suit investors who:
- →Want exposure to smartphone RF content growth as 5G adoption drives more frequency bands, more sophisticated front-end modules, and higher ASPs per device — with Apple as the primary volume driver
- →Value Skyworks' iPhone supply chain incumbency as generating large, recurring revenue from Apple's high-volume smartphone business, even with the concentration risk it implies
- →See automotive and IoT diversification as a multi-year path to reducing Apple dependency while maintaining near-term smartphone RF revenue strength
Performance & AI score
| Metric | MXL | SWKS |
|---|---|---|
| AI score | 46.6 | 35.3 |
| AI rank | #658 | #1607 |
| Latest close | $88.76 | $72.45 |
| 1M return | -6.43% | +2.99% |
| 6M return | +422.73% | +11.46% |
| 1Y return | +577.04% | +1.29% |
$10,000 invested — hypothetical growth (dividends reinvested)
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | MXL | SWKS |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $67.7K (+577.0%) started 2025-06-18 | $10.12K (+1.2%) started 2025-06-18 |
| 5Y ago | $22.89K (+128.9%) started 2021-06-18 | $5.1K (-49.0%) started 2021-06-21 |
| 10Y ago | $46.21K (+362.1%) started 2016-06-20 | $15.63K (+56.3%) started 2016-06-20 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
Valuation & upside potential
| Metric | MXL | SWKS |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $7.95B | $10.9B |
| Trailing P/E | N/A | 30.19 |
| Forward P/E | 47.33 | 14.10 |
| Price/Sales | 15.62 | 2.72 |
| EV/Revenue | 15.79 | 2.64 |
| Analyst target | $67.91 | $72.53 |
| Target upside | -23.49% | +0.11% |
Growth, profitability & risk
| Metric | MXL | SWKS |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | 43.00% | -1.00% |
| Earnings growth | N/A | -44.90% |
| EPS growth | N/A | -44.90% |
| FCF margin | +4.45% | +17.01% |
| Operating margin | N/A | 7.70% |
| Profit margin | -25.96% | 8.93% |
| ROIC proxy | -27.89% | 6.17% |
| Return on equity | -27.89% | 6.17% |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 3.92% |
| Beta | 4.00 | 1.48 |
| Debt/equity | 33.28 | 20.63 |
| Current ratio | 1.70 | 2.38 |
| Quick ratio | 0.69 | 1.34 |
Drawdown & downside risk
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
1Y risk snapshot
MXL max drawdown29.65%
SWKS max drawdown36.72%
MXL max wkly drop21.27%
SWKS max wkly drop12.86%
5Y risk snapshot
MXL max drawdown88.13%
SWKS max drawdown72.55%
MXL max wkly drop46.59%
SWKS max wkly drop26.62%
10Y risk snapshot
MXL max drawdown88.13%
SWKS max drawdown72.88%
MXL max wkly drop46.59%
SWKS max wkly drop26.62%
Performance metrics by period
| Period | Metric | MXL | SWKS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | +577.04% | +1.16% |
| CAGR | +577.93% | +1.16% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 2.18 | 0.14 | |
| Max drawdown | 29.65% | 36.72% | |
| Max daily drop | 14.37% | 10.46% | |
| Max wkly drop | 21.27% | 12.86% | |
| 5Y | Growth | +128.94% | -53.66% |
| CAGR | +18.02% | -14.28% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.53 | -0.28 | |
| Max drawdown | 88.13% | 72.55% | |
| Max daily drop | 37.10% | 24.67% | |
| Max wkly drop | 46.59% | 26.62% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +362.05% | +30.12% |
| CAGR | +16.55% | +2.67% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.49 | 0.16 | |
| Max drawdown | 88.13% | 72.88% | |
| Max daily drop | 37.10% | 24.67% | |
| Max wkly drop | 46.59% | 26.62% |
Business comparison
| Category | MXL | SWKS |
|---|---|---|
| Company | MaxLinear, Inc. | Skyworks Solutions, Inc. |
| Sector | Technology - Broadband & Data Center Semiconductors | Technology |
| Industry | N/A | Semiconductors |
| Core business | MaxLinear is a fabless semiconductor company providing broadband access chips (cable modems, xDSL, G.fast), optical interconnect components for data center transceivers, high-speed Ethernet chips, and wireless backhaul semiconductor solutions. MaxLinear serves cable operators, telecom carriers, cloud data centers, and enterprise network equipment manufacturers. | Skyworks Solutions is a fabless RF (radio frequency) semiconductor company providing front-end modules (combining power amplifiers, filters, switches) for smartphones, IoT devices, 5G infrastructure, automotive connectivity, and industrial wireless applications. Skyworks' chips handle the wireless signal transmission and reception in mobile devices. |
| Investor focus | Investors track MaxLinear's broadband infrastructure revenue tied to cable and DSL upgrade cycles, data center connectivity IC growth (optical transceivers for hyperscaler data centers), and the Silicon Motion acquisition attempt dynamics. | Investors track Skyworks' Apple revenue dependency (Apple has historically represented 50%+ of Skyworks revenue as the primary iPhone RF supplier), broad market diversification efforts (automotive, IoT, infrastructure), margin trajectory, and the risk of Apple bringing RF technology in-house or diversifying its supplier base. |
MXL strengths
- →Cable broadband silicon leadership — MaxLinear's DOCSIS cable modem chips power a significant share of the world's cable broadband modems; as cable operators upgrade to DOCSIS 3.1 and DOCSIS 4.0, MaxLinear's more capable chips command higher ASPs
- →Data center optical interconnect expansion — MaxLinear's coherent DSP and PAM4 chips for data center optical transceivers benefit from cloud hyperscalers' insatiable bandwidth demand between servers and between facilities
- →Broadband infrastructure diversification across cable, DSL, and wireless backhaul reduces single-technology concentration risk
SWKS strengths
- →iPhone RF module incumbency — Skyworks has been a primary Apple supplier for cellular front-end modules across multiple iPhone generations, creating substantial recurring revenue from Apple's massive iPhone shipment volumes
- →5G complexity increases RF content per device — 5G phones require more frequency bands, more complex antenna tuning, and more sophisticated front-end modules than 4G LTE, supporting higher average selling prices for Skyworks' content per smartphone
- →Broad market diversification into automotive connectivity (vehicle telematics, V2X communications) and IoT reduces Apple dependency over time
Risks to watch — MXL
- →Small market cap and lower liquidity versus larger semiconductor peers — MaxLinear can experience amplified volatility during industry downturns or sentiment shifts
- →Cable broadband capex is cyclical — cable operators periodically pause or reduce upgrade spending, creating lumpy MaxLinear revenue patterns tied to operator upgrade timing
- →Competition from Broadcom in cable access silicon — Broadcom has significantly greater resources and customer relationships in cable infrastructure that constrains MaxLinear's ability to fully dominate this niche
Risks to watch — SWKS
- →Apple customer concentration risk is significant — Apple representing 50%+ of revenue creates substantial risk if Apple brings RF in-house (Apple has been developing its own modem and RF chips), diversifies to Qorvo or Qualcomm for RF, or if iPhone shipments decline
- →RF semiconductor market is competitive — Qorvo, Broadcom, and Murata compete directly for smartphone RF content; Skyworks must continue winning design slots to maintain revenue
- →Smartphone market maturity — global smartphone unit volumes are roughly flat; without unit growth, Skyworks' mobile revenue depends on 5G upgrade cycles and content increases per device
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