Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) Hits New 52-Week High – What’s Next?

Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC)’s stock price reached a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $44.57 and last traded at $43.7210, with a volume of 74428197 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $40.04.

Intel News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Intel this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Unusually large call buying — Traders purchased roughly 792,840 call options on INTC today (≈32% above average), signaling speculative bullish positioning and short-term optimism among options traders.
• Positive Sentiment: CES product debut: Intel unveiled Core Ultra Series 3 / Panther Lake chips (first products on the 18A process) and multiple OEMs are shipping systems using them, supporting revenue and credibility for Intel’s foundry/manufacturing story. CES 2026: Intel Core Ultra Series 3 Debuts
• Positive Sentiment: OEM and partner wins — Major PC makers (Acer, ASUS, Advantech and others) announced new laptops and edge/industrial products using Intel’s Series 3 chips, which supports near-term design wins and shipment ramp prospects. Acer Introduces Aspire AI Copilot+ PCs
• Positive Sentiment: Nvidia tie-up and capital move — Coverage notes Nvidia completed a large purchase of Intel shares late December and strategic cooperation headlines continue to support the thesis that Nvidia’s stake and partnership de‑risk Intel’s AI roadmap and foundry credibility. Nvidia’s Investment in Intel
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades / bullish coverage — Firms (including Melius) have upgraded Intel or raised price targets after CES and 18A progress, which can drive buying from funds and momentum traders. Melius Upgrades Intel to Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader AI stock narratives — Multiple roundup pieces name Intel among AI plays to watch in 2026; useful for longer-term interest but not an immediate cash-flow catalyst. 3 Must-Own Artificial Intelligence Stocks for 2026
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive pressure and execution risk remain — Coverage highlights intensified rivalry (AMD, Micron and others) in gaming, AI and memory, meaning Intel must sustain execution on 18A and foundry growth to justify higher valuations; failure to keep momentum could trigger a pullback. Intel Enters Handheld Gaming Wars

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on INTC shares. Tigress Financial increased their target price on Intel from $45.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 4th. Erste Group Bank upgraded shares of Intel from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, September 22nd. Roth Capital lifted their price target on shares of Intel from $30.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, October 24th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Intel in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on Intel from $30.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, October 24th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twenty-four have issued a Hold rating and eight have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Reduce” and an average price target of $35.88.

Intel Stock Up 6.5%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a current ratio of 1.60 and a quick ratio of 1.25. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $37.91 and its 200-day moving average price is $30.82. The company has a market cap of $203.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4,263.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 25.05 and a beta of 1.35.

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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Intel

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Advisors Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Intel by 124.3% during the 1st quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. now owns 50,247 shares of the chip maker’s stock worth $1,141,000 after acquiring an additional 27,842 shares during the period. Signature Estate & Investment Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Intel in the first quarter worth $217,000. Great Lakes Advisors LLC increased its stake in Intel by 5.0% in the first quarter. Great Lakes Advisors LLC now owns 420,815 shares of the chip maker’s stock valued at $9,557,000 after purchasing an additional 20,193 shares in the last quarter. Arete Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Intel during the first quarter worth approximately $218,000. Finally, Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of Intel by 5.0% in the 1st quarter. Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. now owns 63,863 shares of the chip maker’s stock worth $1,450,000 after acquiring an additional 3,055 shares during the last quarter. 64.53% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Intel Company Profile

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.

Intel’s product portfolio includes client and mobile processors marketed under brands such as Intel Core and Pentium, as well as high-performance Xeon processors for data centers and cloud infrastructure.