Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) Updates Q2 2026 Earnings Guidance

Key Points

• Intel updated Q2 2026 guidance with EPS of $0.20 (vs. $0.06 consensus) and revenue guidance of $13.8–$14.8 billion (vs. $13.0 billion consensus), signaling a materially stronger outlook than analysts expected.
• Shares jumped to $66.78 on heavy volume, trading near their 52‑week high as investors reacted to the upbeat guidance and elevated short‑term momentum.
• Telsa’s choice of Intel’s 14A process for its Terafab AI chips, plus multiple analyst upgrades (HSBC raising its rating and target), have supported a re‑rating narrative around Intel’s foundry progress and AI server demand.

Intel (NASDAQ:INTC - Get Free Report) issued an update on its second quarter 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 0.200-0.200 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 0.060. The company issued revenue guidance of $13.8 billion-$14.8 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $13.0 billion.

Intel Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:INTC traded up $1.51 during trading on Thursday, hitting $66.78. 122,341,450 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 108,653,219. The company has a market cap of $333.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -834.65, a PEG ratio of 15.77 and a beta of 1.35. The business's 50-day simple moving average is $49.99 and its 200 day simple moving average is $43.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a current ratio of 2.02 and a quick ratio of 1.65. Intel has a 52-week low of $18.97 and a 52-week high of $70.32.

Intel (NASDAQ:INTC - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 22nd. The chip maker reported $0.15 earnings per share 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 analysts' expectations of $13.37 billion. Intel had a negative return on equity of 0.44% and a negative net margin of 0.51%.The firm's revenue for the quarter was down 4.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.13 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Intel will post 0.08 EPS for the current year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

INTC has been the subject of several analyst reports. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Intel in a research note on Tuesday. HSBC raised Intel from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and raised their price target for the stock from $50.00 to $95.00 in a research note on Tuesday. Wall Street Zen raised Intel from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Sunday, March 8th. Needham & Company LLC reissued a "hold" rating on shares of Intel in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, KGI Securities lowered Intel from an "outperform" rating to a "neutral" rating and set a $71.00 price target for the company. in a research note on Monday. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twenty-four have given a Hold rating and five have issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Intel presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $54.86.

Insider Activity

In other Intel news, EVP Boise April Miller sold 20,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.05, for a total transaction of $981,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 113,060 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,545,593. The trade was a 15.03% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP David Zinsner acquired 5,882 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Monday, January 26th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $42.50 per share, with a total value of $249,985.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the executive vice president owned 247,392 shares in the company, valued at $10,514,160. This represents a 2.44% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. 0.05% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Key Headlines Impacting Intel

Here are the key news stories impacting Intel this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Tesla confirmed it will use Intel’s 14A process for chips at its Terafab project, giving Intel a high‑profile foundry customer and validating Intel’s process roadmap. Tesla Picks Intel (INTC) to Build Its AI Chips — What It Means for Investors
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple brokerages have moved to upgrade Intel or raise targets (HSBC, BNP Paribas, Stifel coverage noted), supporting the re‑rating thesis tied to server CPU demand and foundry progress. Why Intel Stock (INTC) Is Rising Today – and Why a Top Analyst Upgrades it to ‘Buy’
• Positive Sentiment: Commentators including Jim Cramer are calling Intel a comeback story and highlighting CPUs as a growing tailwind from the AI cycle, which supports momentum buying. Move Over, Nvidia: Why Jim Cramer Says the AI Boom Is Finally Hitting Intel
• Neutral Sentiment: Options traders and volatility models expect a sizable post‑earnings swing (roughly a ~10% implied move), pointing to amplified short‑term risk/reward around the Q1 print. Intel Will Report Q1 Earnings Tomorrow. Options Traders Expect a 9.87% Move in INTC Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Wall Street and the financial press are focused on tomorrow’s Q1 release — the print and, crucially, management guidance — which will likely determine whether the rally is sustainable. Intel to Report Earnings. The Focus Is on What Comes Next.
• Negative Sentiment: Several commentators and technical analysts warn the rally may be overstretched and vulnerable to a corrective “sell‑the‑news” reaction if earnings/guidance don’t materially beat elevated expectations. Bull v. Bear: Why INTC Might Need to "Promise the World" in Guidance
• Negative Sentiment: Questions remain about foundry profitability and Intel’s ability to attract and scale external foundry customers beyond marquee wins — a structural risk if margins and cash flow from the foundry business lag expectations. 1 Big Reason Analysts are Divided on Intel

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Intel

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Sunbelt Securities Inc. grew its position in shares of Intel by 15.8% in the fourth quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 5,373 shares of the chip maker's stock valued at $198,000 after purchasing an additional 732 shares in the last quarter. Compound Planning Inc. lifted its holdings in Intel by 258.3% in the fourth quarter. Compound Planning Inc. now owns 127,906 shares of the chip maker's stock valued at $4,720,000 after acquiring an additional 92,206 shares during the last quarter. TMB Capital Partners LLC acquired a new position in Intel in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $217,000. Axxcess Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in Intel by 4.8% in the fourth quarter. Axxcess Wealth Management LLC now owns 86,715 shares of the chip maker's stock valued at $3,200,000 after acquiring an additional 3,995 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Birchwood Financial Partners Inc. acquired a new position in Intel in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $71,000. 64.53% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other 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.

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