TLDR
- Intel stock hit an all-time high of $95.73, up over 360% in the past year
- Q1 2026 earnings came in at $0.29 EPS, crushing the $0.01 consensus estimate
- Revenue of $13.58B beat expectations of $12.32B, up 7.4% year-over-year
- Multiple analysts raised price targets following the results; Freedom Broker upgraded to Buy
- Analyst consensus remains “Hold” with an average price target of $74.47, well below current trading levels
Intel (INTC) stock hit an all-time high of $95.73 on May 1, with the stock trading around $96.39 and the company’s market cap sitting near $479 billion. That’s a jump of over 360% in the past 12 months.
The move follows a strong Q1 2026 earnings report. Intel posted EPS of $0.29, blowing past the Wall Street consensus of just $0.01. Revenue came in at $13.58 billion, beating estimates of $12.32 billion and up 7.4% from the same quarter last year.
April was also Intel’s best month in its Nasdaq history, driven by a wave of bullish momentum following the earnings beat.
Analyst Reaction
Freedom Broker upgraded Intel from Hold to Buy, pointing to progress in AI and foundry operations. Benchmark raised its price target to $105, citing improved factory output and strong server CPU demand.
DA Davidson lifted its target from $45 to $77 while keeping a Neutral rating. TD Cowen moved its target from $60 to $75, also maintaining a Hold. The consensus target across all analysts sits at $74.47 — well below where the stock is currently trading.
Out of 41 analysts tracked, 11 rate it Buy, 25 Hold, and 4 Sell. One has it at Strong Buy.
The market is increasingly viewing Intel as an AI infrastructure play rather than just a legacy chip maker. Demand is outpacing supply across all business segments, according to the company.
Institutional Activity
Several institutional investors added to their positions in Q4. Nkcfo LLC boosted its stake by 180%, picking up an additional 45,000 shares. Institutional investors now hold 64.53% of the stock.
Danske Bank increased its Intel position by 11.5% during the quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp added 1.6% to its holdings. Sigma Planning Corp grew its stake by 19.7%.
On the insider side, EVP April Miller Boise sold 20,000 shares in February at $49.05, reducing her ownership by about 15%.
Intel also confirmed that CFO David Zinsner will take over the Chief Accounting Officer duties following the resignation of Scott Gawel.
For Q2 2026, Intel guided for EPS of $0.20. Analysts expect full-year EPS of $0.63.
Despite the record run, some caution is warranted. InvestingPro’s Fair Value assessment flags the stock as potentially overvalued at current levels. Options markets are pricing in a move of more than 23% by July, pointing to elevated uncertainty in either direction.
KGI Securities downgraded Intel from Outperform to Neutral on April 20, setting a $71 target — below where the stock was even then.
CEO Lip-Bu Tan recently joined the board of PsiQuantum, an NVIDIA-backed quantum computing firm, adding some strategic visibility but with limited near-term impact on revenue.
Intel’s 50-day moving average stands at $54.62 and its 200-day at $45.78, showing just how far the stock has moved above its recent trend lines.
🚨 Our April Stock Picks Are Live!
A new month means new opportunities. Our analysts have just released their top stock picks for April, highlighting companies with strong momentum that rank highly on our KO Score algorithm. We’re also now sharing trade ideas for both long-term and short-term investors, giving you more ways to spot potential opportunities in the market.
Sign up to Knockout Stocks today and get 50% off to unlock the full list and see which stocks made the cut.
Use coupon code Special50 for your exclusive discount!
Get 3 Free Stock Ebooks
Discover top-performing stocks in AI, Crypto, and Technology with expert analysis.
- Top 10 AI Stocks - Leading AI companies
- Top 10 Crypto Stocks - Blockchain leaders
- Top 10 Tech Stocks - Tech giants
