Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) Releases Q1 2026 Earnings Guidance

Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) updated its first quarter 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 0.000-0.000 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 0.010. The company issued revenue guidance of $11.7 billion-$12.7 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $12.6 billion.

Intel Price Performance

Shares of Intel stock traded up $0.07 on Thursday, reaching $54.32. 162,148,791 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 136,034,672. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $39.67 and its 200-day moving average is $32.64. The firm has a market cap of $259.49 billion, a PE ratio of 5,437.44, a P/E/G ratio of 30.45 and a beta of 1.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a quick ratio of 1.25 and a current ratio of 1.60. Intel has a one year low of $17.67 and a one year high of $54.60.

Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 22nd. The chip maker reported $0.15 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.08 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $13.67 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $13.37 billion. Intel had a net margin of 0.37% and a negative return on equity of 0.75%. Intel has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.000-0.000 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Intel will post -0.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

INTC has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated a “sector perform” rating on shares of Intel in a research report on Wednesday. Roth Mkm lifted their price target on shares of Intel from $30.00 to $40.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, October 24th. Bank of America reiterated an “underperform” rating and set a $34.00 price objective on shares of Intel in a research report on Monday, October 13th. DZ Bank reaffirmed a “sell” rating on shares of Intel in a research note on Friday, October 24th. Finally, UBS Group increased their price target on Intel from $40.00 to $49.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twenty-five have given a Hold rating and six have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and an average target price of $41.55.

Key Headlines Impacting Intel

Here are the key news stories impacting Intel this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street is getting more bullish — HSBC sharply raised its price target and other firms have upgraded or raised targets on INTC, reflecting growing confidence in AI-driven server CPU demand. HSBC Doubles Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Product catalyst: analysts and commentators point to the new Panther Lake laptop CPU as a “crucial” growth driver if it scales broadly — positive for PC and AI-edge revenue potential. Panther Lake Preview
• Positive Sentiment: Momentum behind the rally — multiple outlets note INTC hit fresh 52?week highs and jumped double?digits as investors priced stronger data?center/server CPU demand and foundry optimism. Stock Rallies 11%
• Positive Sentiment: Options and positioning suggest traders expect upside into earnings — increased options activity and bullish positioning fueled the pre?earnings move. Options Traders Jump In
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings expectations: traders expect a sizable post?earnings move and analysts are focused on data?center revenue growth, margins and foundry commentary — much is already priced in. Traders’ Expected Move
• Neutral Sentiment: Macro backdrop is mixed but not directly dislodging the AI narrative — weekly jobless claims and economic data are being watched alongside earnings for broader risk appetite cues. Jobless Claims
• Negative Sentiment: Partnership risk — coverage notes a potential SambaNova deal has stalled, which could dent AI-partnership upside and investor sentiment if confirmed. SambaNova Deal Stalls
• Negative Sentiment: Execution and margin caution — some analysts (and pieces flagging structural constraints) warn that foundry execution, margin recovery and near?term guidance could disappoint vs. lofty expectations, raising the risk of a double?digit post?earnings swing. Brace for Volatility

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Intel

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of INTC. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Intel by 61.3% during the 3rd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 25,001,621 shares of the chip maker’s stock worth $838,804,000 after purchasing an additional 9,503,402 shares in the last quarter. Rafferty Asset Management LLC raised its stake in Intel by 66.4% during the 2nd quarter. Rafferty Asset Management LLC now owns 19,396,839 shares of the chip maker’s stock worth $434,489,000 after buying an additional 7,736,635 shares during the period. California State Teachers Retirement System raised its stake in Intel by 0.5% during the 3rd quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 6,949,743 shares of the chip maker’s stock worth $233,164,000 after buying an additional 32,717 shares during the period. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co boosted its holdings in Intel by 10.6% in the third quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 4,823,139 shares of the chip maker’s stock worth $166,209,000 after acquiring an additional 462,198 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ameriprise Financial Inc. grew its stake in Intel by 9.7% in the third quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 3,673,031 shares of the chip maker’s stock valued at $117,999,000 after acquiring an additional 324,207 shares during the period. 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.