INTC
Another haircut, same turnaround story
Intel is back in layoff mode, this time trimming workers in its Data Center and AI Group just days before it reports second-quarter earnings on July 23rd. That unit is a big deal because it covers server chips, custom AI silicon, and the kind of infrastructure Intel needs if it wants to be more than the company your uncle remembers from the PC era.
The weird part? Business is improving
Here’s the twist: these cuts come while Intel’s data center business is actually growing. The division posted $5.05 billion in Q1 revenue, up 22% from a year ago, so this isn’t a desperate fire sale. It’s more like a corporate closet purge—if the closet also houses some of the company’s most strategic tech.
Tan is still swinging the axe
CEO Lip-Bu Tan is pressing ahead with a restructuring that aims to shrink Intel’s global workforce by about 15%. More than 5,000 U.S. employees have already been shown the door in 2025, and now the company is leaning even harder into the "fewer people, tighter focus" playbook.
For investors, the big question is whether this turns Intel into a faster, leaner competitor—or just a company that keeps resizing itself while trying to rediscover its edge. Big picture: Intel’s stock has ripped higher, but the next earnings call will tell you whether this turnaround is actually building something durable or just cutting fat with a fancy PowerPoint.