Intel stock opened 2026 sharply higher on major U.S. markets, rising about 28% year-to-date. The shares are up roughly 147% since January 13, 2025, prompting forecast revisions (Ed. note: This surge has opened the door for many analyst price-target upgrades).
KeyBanc upgraded Intel from Sector Weight to “overweight” and set a $60 price target. The firm cited expected “outsized” hyperscaler demand as a significant tailwind for data-center AI sales.
Analyst John Vinh said Big Tech demand is lifting sales of Intel‘s data-center CPUs and servers. His supply-chain checks show “almost sold out for the year” and suggest Intel may raise chip prices.
The analyst also noted “significant progress” in Intel‘s manufacturing business. Some firms remain cautious, with Rosenblatt at Sell and Loop Capital at Hold.
Both set a $25 price target reflecting more tempered expectations. Intel reported revenue growth of about 15% in its latest quarter, beating expectations.
The company launched the Panther Lake laptop chip at CES as its first high-volume 18A product. A social-media post by President Donald Trump praising CEO Lip-Bu Tan also helped sentiment this month.
Intel‘s partnership with Nvidia and the CES launch strengthened its AI positioning for 2026. As shares approach $50, more analyst price-target revisions are likely on Wall Street.
