INTC
The comeback tour continues
Intel is getting another round of applause from the analyst crowd, and the pitch is pretty simple: x86 still matters, enterprise AI is creating fresh demand, and Intel’s Data Center & AI business just posted 59% growth thanks to Xeon 6 CPUs. That’s a lot of momentum for a company that’s spent years getting dunked on by the market.
Why bulls are leaning in
The argument here is less “Intel magically fixed everything” and more “the old engine still has gas.” If x86 demand keeps rising and enterprise buyers keep leaning into AI workloads, Intel can keep squeezing value out of its core franchises while it rebuilds the manufacturing side.
A few things are doing the heavy lifting:
- stronger demand for x86 CPUs
- enterprise AI adoption
- strategic partnerships, including Alphabet and possibly Apple
- continued investment in 14A and 18A process tech through 2028
The catch, because there’s always a catch
The long-term setup looks better, but Intel is still in that awkward phase where the glow-up costs money. Those big capital investments should help build the next chapter, but they also mean near-term cash outflows — aka the part of the movie where the hero is still training and hasn’t beaten the final boss yet.
Big picture: this is another reminder that Intel’s story is no longer just about survival. It’s about whether the company can turn a real product and manufacturing reset into a lasting re-rating.