Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) Trading Down 4.5% – Should You Sell?

Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC)’s share price dropped 4.5% during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as $45.96 and last traded at $46.47. Approximately 112,300,832 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 24% from the average daily volume of 147,083,266 shares. The stock had previously closed at $48.66.

Key Headlines Impacting Intel

Here are the key news stories impacting Intel this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Intel is doubling down on advanced manufacturing by making a big strategic bet on ASML’s next‑gen lithography systems — a move that supports its long‑term foundry competitiveness. Intel Just Made a Big Bet on ASML’s Next‑Gen Technology
• Positive Sentiment: Insider buying reported by an Intel executive (EVP purchase disclosed) is a near‑term supportive signal showing internal confidence. Intel EVP Acquires $249,985.00 in Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Some coverage highlights that supply constraints at TSMC and elevated data‑center demand could create opportunities for Intel’s foundry push — a tailwind for long‑term revenue if execution holds. Why TSMC’s Capacity Nightmare Is Intel’s Foundry Dream
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and commentators note Nvidia could be the real catalyst (or obstacle) for Intel’s 18A/14A roadmap — the potential upside depends entirely on whether large GPU customers commit to Intel’s nodes. Intel: The Real Catalyst Could Be Nvidia For 18A/14A
• Neutral Sentiment: Earlier reports that Nvidia was considering using Intel for packaging/manufacturing in 2028 create optionality — helpful background but not an immediate revenue driver. Nvidia’s Next‑Gen GPU Could be Coming to Intel Foundry
• Negative Sentiment: Newer reports say Nvidia raised doubts about using Intel’s 18A process — that uncertainty hit sentiment today because a major Nvidia commitment would materially validate Intel’s foundry story. Intel Stock Takes a Hit as Nvidia Doubts Emerge
• Negative Sentiment: Follow‑up reporting says Nvidia tested Intel’s 18A and chose not to use it — a high‑profile setback that deepens concerns over Intel’s ability to land marquee foundry clients. Nvidia Just Dealt a Devastating Blow To Intel
• Negative Sentiment: Investors remain sensitive to Intel’s recent disappointing Q1 guidance and post‑earnings selloff; several outlets highlight analyst caution (DZ Bank reiterating a sell, Sanford Bernstein neutral), keeping pressure on the stock until execution and orders improve. Intel “Sell” Rating Reiterated at DZ Bank Sanford C. Bernstein Reaffirms Neutral Rating for Intel

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Susquehanna upped their target price on shares of Intel from $40.00 to $45.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 20th. Truist Financial increased their price objective on shares of Intel from $21.00 to $39.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, October 24th. Bank of America reiterated an “underperform” rating and set a $34.00 target price on shares of Intel in a research report on Monday, October 13th. Rosenblatt Securities raised their price target on Intel from $25.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, Raymond James Financial initiated coverage on Intel in a report on Friday, November 21st. They issued a “market perform” rating for the company. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twenty-six have issued a Hold rating and six have issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Intel currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average target price of $45.65.

Intel Stock Down 4.5%

The company has a quick ratio of 1.65, a current ratio of 2.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. The company has a market capitalization of $232.12 billion, a P/E ratio of -580.80, a P/E/G ratio of 25.84 and a beta of 1.35. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $41.15 and a 200-day simple moving average of $33.57.

Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 22nd. The chip maker reported $0.15 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.08 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $13.67 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $13.37 billion. Intel had a negative net margin of 0.51% and a negative return on equity of 0.44%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down 4.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.13 EPS. Intel has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.000-0.000 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Intel Corporation will post -0.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Intel

In other news, EVP David Zinsner purchased 5,882 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, January 26th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $42.50 per share, with a total value of $249,985.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 247,392 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $10,514,160. The trade was a 2.44% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.04% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Intel

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Intel by 3.5% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 404,522,308 shares of the chip maker’s stock worth $14,926,873,000 after acquiring an additional 13,692,624 shares during the period. State Street Corp grew its position in Intel by 1.6% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 203,617,629 shares of the chip maker’s stock valued at $4,561,035,000 after acquiring an additional 3,168,824 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Intel by 1.8% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 97,563,079 shares of the chip maker’s stock valued at $2,174,854,000 after purchasing an additional 1,760,773 shares during the last quarter. Capital World Investors grew its stake in shares of Intel by 32.5% during the third quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 86,503,121 shares of the chip maker’s stock worth $2,902,180,000 after buying an additional 21,230,715 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Primecap Management Co. CA grew its position in Intel by 4.3% during the 2nd quarter. Primecap Management Co. CA now owns 80,298,180 shares of the chip maker’s stock worth $1,798,679,000 after acquiring an additional 3,313,890 shares during the last quarter. 64.53% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Intel

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.