Santa Clara, California-based Intel Corporation (INTC) designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells computing and related products and services worldwide. Valued at $205.7 billion by market cap, the company’s major products include microprocessors, chipsets, embedded processors and microcontrollers, flash memory, graphic, network and communication, systems management software, conferencing, and digital imaging products. The leading chipmaker is expected to announce its fiscal first-quarter earnings for 2026 after the market closes on Thursday, Apr. 23.
Ahead of the event, analysts expect INTC to report a loss of $0.11 per share on a diluted basis, down 450% from $0.02 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company beat the consensus estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing the forecast on another occasion.
For the full year, analysts expect INTC to report EPS of $0.06, up 150% from loss per share of $0.12 in fiscal 2025. Meanwhile, its EPS is expected to rise 750% year over year to $0.51 in fiscal 2027.
INTC stock has significantly outperformed the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 17% gains over the past 52 weeks, with shares up 94.3% during this period. Similarly, it considerably outperformed the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF’s (XLK) 28.8% returns over the same time frame.
INTC's outperformance is driven by strong demand for AI-enabled PCs, servers, and networking solutions. The company's DCAI business is set for strong growth, with rising server capacity demand. Intel's X86 architecture and Core Ultra Series 3 position it well for AI-driven growth, with a large installed base and faster PC refresh cycles expected.
On Jan. 22, INTC reported its Q4 results, and its shares crashed 22.8% in the following two trading sessions. Its adjusted EPS of $0.15 exceeded Wall Street expectations of $0.08. The company’s revenue was $13.7 billion, beating Wall Street forecasts of $13.4 billion. For Q1 2026, INTC expects revenue in the range of $11.7 billion to $12.7 billion.
Analysts’ consensus opinion on INTC stock is cautious, with a “Hold” rating overall. Out of 45 analysts covering the stock, five advise a “Strong Buy” rating, one suggests a “Moderate Buy,” 34 give a “Hold,” one recommends a “Moderate Sell,” and four advocate a “Strong Sell.” INTC’s average analyst price target is $45.26, indicating a potential upside of 2.6% from the current levels.
On the date of publication, Neha Panjwani did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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