Intel has emerged as a major beneficiary of the recent AI boom, with shares rising sharply this year. Year-to-date the stock is up about 45%, and it has climbed roughly 146% since January 2026.
The company trades under ticker INTC and reports fourth-quarter results on Thursday. Investors want evidence that AI-driven data center demand will align with Intel’s manufacturing progress.
In February 2025 INTC fell to about $19.05 before the rebound. New CEO Lip-Bu Tan has promoted a strategic reset that helped refocus investor attention.
Early shareholders have seen significant gains; a $1,000 January stake would be worth about $2,450 now. (Ed. note: That represents roughly a 145% return at press time.)
Analysts project Q4 2025 revenue near $13.4 billion with adjusted EPS around $0.08. Data center revenue is forecast to rise more than 30% to about $4.43 billion for the quarter.
PC unit sales are expected around $8.21 billion, supporting overall growth. Analysts allow for an 8% swing either way, with an upside case pushing INTC toward $59.
At press time INTC was up about 11% on Wednesday during regular trading.
