TLDR
- Intel (INTC) fell 1.3% to $46.18 Tuesday on low volume, about 52% below its average session volume.
- The Nvidia-Meta partnership is raising concerns about Intel losing ground in the data center space.
- Q4 results showed an EPS beat of $0.15 vs $0.08 expected, but revenue dropped 4.2% year-over-year.
- Analyst consensus sits at “Reduce” with an average price target of $45.74, though the average target across recent coverage is $48.21.
- Institutional investors including Vanguard and State Street added to positions in Q4, while one EVP sold $981,000 worth of shares in February.
Intel (INTC) stock slipped 1.3% to $46.18 Tuesday as a new Nvidia-Meta partnership added to a growing list of concerns for the chipmaker.
Volume was thin — just 63.2 million shares traded, roughly 52% below Intel’s average session volume of 130.7 million. The stock hit an intraday low of $45.46 before recovering slightly.
The drop came as investors digested reports that Nvidia is deepening its relationship with Meta Platforms, with Meta set to launch what’s being described as the first large-scale Nvidia Grace-only CPU deployment in a data center. The data center market is one Intel has historically led.
Nvidia’s pitch is straightforward: better performance per watt. With power availability becoming a real constraint for data centers, that’s a compelling case — and apparently a convincing one for Meta.
Intel’s Q4 earnings, reported January 22, were a mixed bag. The company posted EPS of $0.15, beating the $0.08 consensus by $0.07. Revenue came in at $13.67 billion, slightly above the $13.37 billion estimate — but still down 4.2% year-over-year.
Q1 2026 guidance was conservative, with EPS guided to a range of $0.00–$0.00. Full-year analyst estimates call for -$0.11 EPS, keeping pressure on the stock.
Analyst Sentiment Cautious
Wall Street’s stance on Intel is skeptical at best. The current consensus rating is “Reduce,” based on five Buys, 26 Holds, and six Sells. The average price target sits at $45.74 — actually below where the stock is trading.
A broader pool of recent coverage puts the average target at $48.21, implying about 6% upside. DA Davidson initiated coverage with a Neutral rating and flagged a “show-me” reset, warning that Intel needs to prove repeatable execution before the current valuation holds up. Bernstein also reiterated Neutral, with analysts waiting on clearer milestones.
Morgan Stanley raised its target from $38 to $41 with an equal weight rating. Evercore lifted its target to $45 with an in-line rating. Rosenblatt kept a Sell with a $30 target.
Insiders and Institutions
On the insider front, EVP April Miller sold 20,000 shares on February 2 at $49.05, bringing in $981,000 and cutting her position by 15%. On the other side, EVP David Zinsner bought 5,882 shares on January 26 at $42.50.
Institutional investors added to positions in Q4. Vanguard raised its stake by 3.5% to over 404 million shares. Capital World Investors lifted its position by 20.3%. State Street added 2.8%. Institutions collectively own 64.53% of the stock.
Intel’s 50-day moving average is $43.42 and its 200-day is $36.12. The stock’s market cap sits at $230.67 billion. Its P/E ratio is -577.18, reflecting ongoing losses.
Intel has been pushing an AI-first PC strategy, targeting a scenario where one in two PCs become AI-driven. The company also continues to invest in its foundry business, though analysts say execution milestones will be key to any sustained recovery.
The average INTC price target of $48.21 implies about 6% upside from current levels.
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