Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) Shares Up 2.6% – Should You Buy?

Shares of Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) traded up 2.6% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $48.83 and last traded at $47.98. 71,610,548 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 36% from the average session volume of 112,752,398 shares. The stock had previously closed at $46.78.

Trending Headlines about Intel

Here are the key news stories impacting Intel this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Product roadmap and launches are supporting demand expectations — Intel’s recent Panther Lake/Core Ultra processor announcements and related refreshes (desktop Core Ultra 200S Plus / Arrow Lake refresh) have buoyed sentiment by reinforcing Intel’s competitiveness in CPUs and gaming performance, which helped lift the stock earlier in the week. Intel (INTC) Stock Climbs Following Panther Lake Announcement and Processor Launches
• Positive Sentiment: Foundry margin target could improve long-term profitability — Intel’s CFO reiterated a goal of driving the foundry business to break-even margins by 2027, a constructive sign for future EBITDA contribution if external customer traction and process improvements materialize. Intel Aims Break-Even Margins for Foundry Business by 2027
• Neutral Sentiment: Increased investor attention but no clear directional catalyst — Recent coverage notes heightened interest in INTC, which can amplify moves but does not change fundamentals by itself. Monitor volume and sentiment for short-term volatility. Intel Corporation (INTC) is Attracting Investor Attention
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst/sector snapshots remain mixed — Market pieces note the microchip sector is “neutral” amid macro and geopolitical noise; that backdrop can cap upside until clearer demand signals arrive. NVDA, INTC and AMD Forecasts – Microchips Stay Neutral Despite Outside Pressures
• Negative Sentiment: Shareholder lawsuit over reported 10% U.S. government stake creates governance and legal risk — Multiple reports say a shareholder has sued to unwind the arrangement, alleging the deal was made for political reasons and raising questions about disclosure, board decision-making and potential regulatory scrutiny; that story has driven volatility and could weigh on sentiment if it escalates. Intel shareholder sues over 10% stake deal with U.S. government – report

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on INTC shares. Wedbush reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $30.00 price target on shares of Intel in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Intel from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Sunday, March 8th. Melius Research raised shares of Intel from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $50.00 price target for the company in a research report on Monday, January 5th. TD Cowen increased their price objective on shares of Intel from $38.00 to $50.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, January 16th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Intel in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twenty-six have assigned a Hold rating and six have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Intel currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $45.74.

Intel Trading Up 1.1%

The company has a current ratio of 2.02, a quick ratio of 1.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. The business’s 50-day moving average is $46.35 and its two-hundred day moving average is $38.81. The firm has a market cap of $228.62 billion, a P/E ratio of -572.05, a P/E/G ratio of 17.78 and a beta of 1.37.

Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 22nd. The chip maker reported $0.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.08 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $13.67 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $13.37 billion. Intel had a negative net margin of 0.51% and a negative return on equity of 0.44%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down 4.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.13 earnings per share. Intel has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.000-0.000 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Intel Corporation will post -0.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Intel

In other news, EVP Boise April Miller sold 20,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.05, for a total value of $981,000.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 113,060 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,545,593. The trade was a 15.03% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP David Zinsner purchased 5,882 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, January 26th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $42.50 per share, for a total transaction of $249,985.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 247,392 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $10,514,160. This represents a 2.44% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. 0.04% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Intel

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Winch Advisory Services LLC raised its holdings in shares of Intel by 28.3% during the fourth quarter. Winch Advisory Services LLC now owns 966 shares of the chip maker’s stock valued at $36,000 after acquiring an additional 213 shares during the period. ROI Financial Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Intel by 1.7% during the fourth quarter. ROI Financial Advisors LLC now owns 12,967 shares of the chip maker’s stock worth $478,000 after acquiring an additional 217 shares in the last quarter. Focus Financial Network Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Intel by 2.1% during the 4th quarter. Focus Financial Network Inc. now owns 10,788 shares of the chip maker’s stock valued at $398,000 after buying an additional 223 shares during the last quarter. Successful Portfolios LLC lifted its stake in Intel by 2.6% in the fourth quarter. Successful Portfolios LLC now owns 8,715 shares of the chip maker’s stock valued at $322,000 after acquiring an additional 223 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Providence Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Intel by 1.7% in the fourth quarter. Providence Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 13,340 shares of the chip maker’s stock worth $527,000 after purchasing an additional 225 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 64.53% of the company’s stock.

Intel Company Profile

Intel Corporation, founded in 1968 by Robert Noyce and Gordon E. Moore and headquartered in Santa Clara, California, is a leading global designer and manufacturer of semiconductor products. The company is historically notable for introducing the first commercial microprocessor and for driving the x86 architecture that underpins many personal computers and servers. Intel’s core business spans the design, fabrication and marketing of processors, chipsets and related components for a wide range of computing applications.

Intel’s product portfolio includes client and mobile processors marketed under brands such as Intel Core and Pentium, as well as high-performance Xeon processors for data centers and cloud infrastructure.