Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) Trading Down 2.4% - Should You Sell?

Key Points

• Intel shares fell 2.4% in Friday trading, with the stock hitting an intraday low of $107.45 before last trading at $109.84. Volume was also lighter than usual, running about 42% below the average daily level.
• Analysts remain divided on Intel: Stifel raised its price target to $120, HSBC stayed constructive on the turnaround story, and the consensus rating is still Hold with an average target of $97.88.
• Fundamentals are improving but concerns remain, as Intel’s first-quarter non-GAAP operating margin rose to 12.3% and earnings beat estimates, yet the stock is still facing sector weakness, profit-taking, and skepticism over its competitive position versus AMD.

Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC - Get Free Report) shares dropped 2.4% during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as $107.45 and last traded at $109.84. Approximately 70,188,995 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 42% from the average daily volume of 121,274,234 shares. The stock had previously closed at $112.54.

Intel News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Intel this week:

• Positive Sentiment: HSBC’s Frank Lee reiterated a constructive view on Intel, with coverage highlighting the company’s foundry/turnaround potential and helping reinforce the “too cheap to ignore” bull case. HSBC applause article
• Positive Sentiment: Stifel raised its price target on Intel to $120 from $75 and kept a Hold rating, signaling that Wall Street still sees upside from current levels despite the recent pullback. Stifel price target note
• Positive Sentiment: Several reports pointed to improving fundamentals: Intel’s first-quarter non-GAAP operating margin rose to 12.3% from 5.4% a year earlier, suggesting the turnaround is gaining traction. Margins improving article
• Neutral Sentiment: Intel remains a focal point of debate heading into earnings, with analysts split between optimism on the turnaround and caution that the stock may be nearing a cycle top after a huge run this year. Wall Street analysts article
• Negative Sentiment: Intel was hit by a semiconductor sector pullback and profit-taking, with traders reducing exposure to AI/chip names after recent gains. Why Intel Shares Are Down Today article
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish commentary from JPMorgan—calling Intel a high-conviction short idea—added to skepticism that the rally may be getting overextended. JPMorgan short idea article
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage comparing Intel with AMD underscored competitive concerns in data centers, noting AMD’s faster growth and stronger profitability versus Intel’s ongoing restructuring burden. AMD vs Intel data center article

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts recently weighed in on INTC shares. BNP Paribas Exane upgraded shares of Intel from an "underperform" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $60.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 21st. Arete Research lifted their price target on shares of Intel from $20.40 to $99.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 10th. Northland Securities cut shares of Intel from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating in a report on Tuesday, May 26th. Citigroup raised shares of Intel from a "buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, June 11th. Finally, Oppenheimer began coverage on shares of Intel in a report on Thursday, June 11th. They issued an "outperform" rating on the stock. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Buy rating, twenty-eight have assigned a Hold rating and four have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $97.88.

Intel Stock Performance

The firm has a 50 day moving average of $118.37 and a two-hundred day moving average of $73.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a current ratio of 2.31 and a quick ratio of 1.85. The stock has a market cap of $552.06 billion, a PE ratio of -177.16 and a beta of 2.18.

Intel (NASDAQ:INTC - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The chip maker reported $0.29 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.01 by $0.28. The company had revenue of $13.58 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.32 billion. Intel had a negative net margin of 5.90% and a positive return on equity of 0.39%. The firm's revenue was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.13 earnings per share. Intel has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 0.200-0.200 EPS. Research analysts predict that Intel Corporation will post 0.63 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Boise April Miller sold 40,256 shares of Intel stock in a transaction on Friday, May 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $99.53, for a total transaction of $4,006,679.68. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 105,077 shares in the company, valued at $10,458,313.81. This trade represents a 27.70% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.05% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Intel

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in INTC. iA Global Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Intel by 17.0% during the fourth quarter. iA Global Asset Management Inc. now owns 593,043 shares of the chip maker's stock worth $21,883,000 after buying an additional 86,189 shares in the last quarter. Whalerock Point Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Intel during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $205,000. Heritage Investment Group Inc. acquired a new stake in Intel during the fourth quarter worth approximately $219,000. Dixon Mitchell Investment Counsel Inc. acquired a new stake in Intel during the fourth quarter worth approximately $185,000. Finally, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. boosted its position in Intel by 5.7% during the fourth quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 255,261 shares of the chip maker's stock worth $9,419,000 after acquiring an additional 13,858 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 64.53% of the company's stock.

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.

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