Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) Shares Up 6.7% – Here’s Why

02 Jan 2026, 22:28 by Danessa Lincoln · The Markets Daily

Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC – Get Free Report) rose 6.7% on Friday . The stock traded as high as $39.86 and last traded at $39.38. Approximately 93,417,186 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 44% from the average daily volume of 64,691,912 shares. The stock had previously closed at $36.90.

Key Headlines Impacting Intel

Here are the key news stories impacting Intel this week:

Positive Sentiment: NVIDIA purchased a multibillion-dollar stake in Intel and media reports say the move is tied to a strategic relationship to secure packaging capacity — investors see this as validation of Intel’s role in the domestic chip ecosystem and a stable long-term buyer. Stock market today: Indexes choppy in first 2026 session; Intel soars after Nvidia deal (live coverage)
Positive Sentiment: Coverage framing the NVIDIA–Intel arrangement as a deal to secure packaging/assembly capacity and shore up U.S. semiconductor supply chains has been read as strategically positive for Intel’s foundry and packaging businesses. Sleeping With the Enemy: Inside the NVIDIA-Intel Deal
Positive Sentiment: Active-money buyers: a noted wealth‑manager (Kevin Simpson) publicly disclosed buying Intel on CNBC, signaling continued retail/manager interest and adding buying pressure. Trade Tracker: Kevin Simpson buys Intel and more Boeing
Neutral Sentiment: Multiple outlets and pundits are re‑pitching Intel as a contrarian AI/foundry play (stories highlight potential upside if Intel’s foundry and advanced nodes ramp), which supports longer‑term interest but is opinion-driven. The Smartest Category Stock to Buy With $1,000 Right Now
Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary (Zacks) warns that 2026 could be tougher — margin pressures, trade tensions and legacy-business hurdles may test momentum after an outsized 2025 gain, tempering some enthusiasm. Can Intel Stock Replicate Its Stellar 2025 Performance This Year?
Negative Sentiment: Reports that NVIDIA has “snubbed” Intel’s 18A process for its leading AI GPUs raise questions about Intel’s roadmap credibility and whether Intel can capture top-tier AI training/GPU work — a potential long‑term headwind for premium-margin wins. As Nvidia Reportedly Snubs the Intel 18A Process, How Should You Play INTC Stock for 2026?
Negative Sentiment: Critical analysis pieces (e.g., Seeking Alpha) argue Intel’s comeback may not be sustainable, pointing to execution risk and structural challenges — these narratives can cap upside if they gain traction with investors. Intel: The Comeback Isn’t Happening

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages recently commented on INTC. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Intel in a research report on Tuesday, November 18th. Bank of America reiterated an “underperform” rating and issued a $34.00 target price on shares of Intel in a report on Monday, October 13th. Tigress Financial lifted their price target on shares of Intel from $45.00 to $52.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 4th. Citigroup restated an “underperform” rating on shares of Intel in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Intel in a report on Monday. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twenty-four have assigned a Hold rating and eight have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $34.84.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Intel

Intel Stock Up 6.7%

The company has a current ratio of 1.60, a quick ratio of 1.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. The stock has a market capitalization of $188.12 billion, a PE ratio of 3,941.94 and a beta of 1.35. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $37.92 and its 200-day simple moving average is $30.30.

Intel (NASDAQ:INTC – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 23rd. The chip maker reported $0.23 earnings per share for the quarter. Intel had a net margin of 0.37% and a negative return on equity of 0.75%. The company had revenue of $13.65 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $13.10 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned ($0.46) earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. Intel has set its Q4 2025 guidance at 0.080-0.080 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Intel Corporation will post -0.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Intel

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of INTC. AIA Group Ltd increased its position in shares of Intel by 89.3% during the 3rd quarter. AIA Group Ltd now owns 382,641 shares of the chip maker’s stock valued at $12,838,000 after purchasing an additional 180,504 shares during the last quarter. CTC Alternative Strategies Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of Intel in the 3rd quarter worth about $282,000. Saranac Partners Ltd bought a new position in Intel during the third quarter valued at about $81,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL increased its holdings in Intel by 467.6% during the third quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 16,999 shares of the chip maker’s stock worth $570,000 after buying an additional 14,004 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Allworth Financial LP raised its position in Intel by 0.4% in the third quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 275,282 shares of the chip maker’s stock worth $9,236,000 after acquiring an additional 1,233 shares during the period. 64.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Intel

(Get Free Report)

Intel Corporation, founded in 1968 by Robert Noyce and Gordon E. Moore and headquartered in Santa Clara, California, is a leading global designer and manufacturer of semiconductor products. The company is historically notable for introducing the first commercial microprocessor and for driving the x86 architecture that underpins many personal computers and servers. Intel’s core business spans the design, fabrication and marketing of processors, chipsets and related components for a wide range of computing applications.