Dear Intel Shareholders, Save the Date: January 22

Intel’s Remarkable Comeback: A New Era for the Chipmaker

Intel Corporation, once considered to be losing ground in the semiconductor industry, has staged an extraordinary recovery over the past year. The company’s resurgence in 2025, marked by triple-digit stock gains, has transformed Intel from an industry underdog into a headline-grabbing success story. This turnaround is largely credited to the bold leadership of new CEO Lip-Bu Tan, who has implemented sweeping organizational changes, and to the strong support from the Trump administration, which has been highly publicized.

President Donald Trump recently declared, “The United States Government Is Proud to Be a Shareholder of Intel,” a statement that has brought renewed attention to the company’s pivotal role in the global semiconductor sector. Beyond government backing, Intel also attracted a significant investment from Nvidia in late 2025. This partnership not only provided fresh capital but also added credibility, given Nvidia’s status as the world’s most valuable technology company.

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These high-profile investments could be crucial for Intel, especially after years of costly manufacturing expansions and strategic missteps that strained its finances. Meanwhile, Intel’s renewed emphasis on delivering high-performance processors with improved battery life is helping the company reclaim market share from competitors like AMD, further boosting investor confidence and strengthening its case on Wall Street.

With this powerful combination of visionary leadership, government support, strategic partnerships, and product innovation, the spotlight is now on Intel as it prepares to announce its fourth-quarter earnings for fiscal 2025 on January 22.

Intel Stock Overview

Established in 1968 by Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore, Intel—short for “Integrated Electronics”—quickly became a trailblazer in Silicon Valley. Based in Santa Clara, California, the company continues to lead in semiconductor innovation. Today, Intel’s portfolio includes advanced microprocessors, chipsets, AI accelerators, and networking solutions, powering billions of devices and enabling a smarter, more connected world.

Showcasing Innovation at CES 2026

At the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Intel took center stage to unveil its latest advancements, including the next-generation Core Ultra Series 3 processors. The company highlighted its renewed commitment to performance, energy efficiency, and AI-driven computing. The Core Ultra Series 3 represents one of Intel’s most significant chip launches in recent memory.

This new platform is the first to utilize Intel 18A, the most sophisticated semiconductor process ever developed and manufactured in the U.S. After losing ground to AMD due to previous execution challenges, Intel is now relying on this new generation of processors to restore trust among consumers and businesses by delivering both high performance and extended battery life.

Intel’s Market Performance

With a market capitalization near $224.3 billion, Intel’s shares soared in 2025, fueled by robust U.S. government support. After hitting a 52-week low of $17.67 early in the year, the stock rebounded dramatically, climbing 165.8% from its lowest point. For the year, Intel’s stock skyrocketed by 138.7%, far outpacing the S&P 500 Index’s 16.9% gain over the same period.

The momentum has carried into 2026, with Intel’s stock rising another 31% in just the first few trading days—vastly outperforming the broader market’s modest 1.02% year-to-date increase and signaling continued investor enthusiasm.

Q3 2025 Earnings Highlights

In October, Intel reported impressive third-quarter results for fiscal 2025, surpassing Wall Street’s expectations for both revenue and earnings. This marked a significant turnaround, indicating renewed demand for Intel’s core x86 PC processors.

• Revenue: $13.65 billion, a 3% increase year-over-year, beating analyst forecasts of $13.14 billion.
• GAAP Earnings: $0.90 per share, a dramatic improvement from a loss of $3.88 per share the previous year, and far exceeding the anticipated $0.21 loss.
• Gross Margin: Rose to 38.2% from 15% a year earlier.
• Operating Margin: Turned positive at 5%, compared to a negative 68.2% last year.

These results reflect Intel’s successful cost management and operational improvements. The Client Computing Group, which includes PC and laptop chips, generated $8.5 billion in revenue—a 5% year-over-year increase—signaling stabilization in the PC market. Data center CPU sales reached $4.1 billion, down just 1% from the previous year, but Intel is optimistic that its collaboration with Nvidia will help reignite growth in this segment.

CEO Lip-Bu Tan expressed confidence, noting that the company’s progress and improved execution are driving results. He emphasized that the growing demand for AI is creating new opportunities across Intel’s product lines, all supported by its U.S.-based manufacturing and research operations.

Looking ahead, Intel is set to report its fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 earnings after the market closes on January 22. Management projects revenue between $12.8 billion and $13.8 billion, a non-GAAP gross margin of 36.5%, and adjusted earnings per share of $0.08.

Analyst Perspectives on Intel

On January 13, Intel’s stock jumped more than 7% after KeyBanc upgraded its rating to “Overweight,” citing robust demand for Intel’s chips in AI data centers and notable progress in manufacturing. With major technology companies racing to build AI servers, Intel’s CPUs are in high demand—so much so that KeyBanc reports the company is nearly sold out of data center chips for the year and may even increase prices.

Adding to the optimism, rumors suggest Apple may adopt Intel’s next-generation 18A-P technology for future Mac and iPad chips, a move one analyst described as Intel’s “first big whale” win. Continued support from the government and Nvidia, improving chip yields, and growing interest from cloud providers in Intel’s packaging technology are all contributing to renewed confidence in Intel’s competitive position.

Despite the recent surge, analysts remain cautious overall. The consensus rating for Intel is currently “Hold,” reflecting a wait-and-see attitude. Of the 43 analysts covering the stock, only four rate it a “Strong Buy” and one a “Moderate Buy,” while 33 recommend holding. On the bearish side, one analyst suggests a “Moderate Sell” and four rate it as a “Strong Sell.”

Interestingly, Intel’s share price has already surpassed the average analyst target of $39.62. However, the most bullish analyst sees potential for further gains, with a price target of $60—suggesting an additional 27.8% upside if the rally continues.