Intel Faces Crucial Turning Point in Chip Manufacturing
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1h ago
0mins
Source: Fool
- Market Share Decline: Between 2018 and 2025, Intel's share of the desktop x86 CPU market plummeted from 87% to 66.4%, while AMD's surged from 13% to 33.6%, indicating a significant loss of competitive edge that has forced Intel to reassess its strategies.
- Strategic Investment Shift: Intel's new CEO, Lip Bu-Tan, took office in March 2025 and committed to reclaiming its manufacturing lead by investing in ASML's high-NA extreme ultraviolet (EUV) systems, although this transformation requires substantial capital outlay.
- Future Profit Expectations: Analysts predict Intel's net loss will widen to $400 million in 2026, marking its third consecutive year of losses, but expect a turnaround in 2027 with a net profit of $2.3 billion, surging to $4.1 billion in 2028, reflecting optimism about its technology investments.
- Critical Year Outlook: 2026 is seen as a pivotal year for Intel, as it must stabilize its high-NA EUV process to prepare for risk production of 14A chips in 2027; successfully launching these chips could allow it to surpass TSMC in the process race, although high manufacturing costs may hinder its market performance.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy INTC?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on INTC
Wall Street analysts forecast INTC stock price to fall over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for INTC is 39.30 USD with a low forecast of 20.00 USD and a high forecast of 52.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
29 Analyst Rating
5 Buy
19 Hold
5 Sell
Hold
Current: 48.780
Low
20.00
Averages
39.30
High
52.00
Current: 48.780
Low
20.00
Averages
39.30
High
52.00
About INTC
Intel Corporation is a global designer and manufacturer of semiconductor products. The Company operates through three segments: Intel Products, Intel Foundry, and All Other. Its Intel Products segment includes Client Computing Group (CCG), Data Center and AI (DCAI), Network and Edge (NEX). The CCG is bringing together the operating system, system architecture, hardware, and software application integration to enable PC experiences. DCAI delivers workload-optimized solutions to cloud service providers and enterprises, along with silicon devices for communications service providers, network and edge, and HPC customers. NEX helps networks and edge compute systems from fixed-function hardware to general-purpose compute, acceleration, and networking devices running cloud native software on programmable hardware. The Intel Foundry segment comprises technology development, manufacturing and foundry services. All Other segments include Altera, Mobileye, Other.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Intel Shares Drop After Weak Earnings Guidance
- Weak Earnings Report: Intel's Q4 revenue fell 4% year-over-year from $14.3 billion to $13.7 billion, indicating ongoing struggles with revenue growth and gross margins, which may impact investor confidence.
- Divergent Product Revenue: Client Computing Group (CCG) product revenue dropped 7% to $8.2 billion, while Data Center and AI (DCAI) product revenue rose 9% to $4.7 billion, reflecting performance disparities across different business lines.
- Margin Pressure: The company's gross margin decreased from 39.2% to 36.1%, with adjusted gross margins falling to 37.9%, highlighting challenges in cost control that could affect future profitability.
- Cautious Outlook: Intel projects Q1 revenue between $11.7 billion and $12.7 billion with breakeven adjusted EPS, falling short of analyst expectations, indicating supply constraints and competitive pressures in the market.
Continue Reading
Intel's Q4 Results Exceed Expectations but Guidance Falls Short
- Strong Performance: Intel reported non-GAAP adjusted earnings of $0.15 per share and sales of $13.7 billion in Q4, surpassing market expectations of $0.08 earnings and $13.4 billion sales, demonstrating resilience in a competitive landscape.
- Guidance Falls Short: Despite a strong Q4, Intel's Q1 sales guidance of $11.7 to $12.7 billion, with a midpoint below the $12.51 billion analyst estimate, reflects challenges in production transitions that may impact future performance.
- AI and Data Center Growth: Intel's data center and AI segment saw an 8.9% year-over-year sales increase to $4.7 billion, exceeding the $4.43 billion analyst forecast, indicating potential in emerging markets, although supply issues limited higher sales.
- Severe Foundry Losses: Intel's foundry business posted a $10.3 billion operating loss last year, and while Q1 revenue is expected to rise sequentially, low adoption rates among third-party customers suggest a lack of market confidence in this segment.
Continue Reading