Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) Shares Down 5.7% – Time to Sell?

Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) traded down 5.7% during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $45.17 and last traded at $45.25. 84,073,521 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 25% from the average session volume of 112,148,477 shares. The stock had previously closed at $47.98.

Key Stories Impacting Intel

Here are the key news stories impacting Intel this week:

• Positive Sentiment: New product launches and refreshed desktop/mobile CPUs that Intel rolled out (Panther Lake / Core Ultra / Arrow Lake Refresh) are supporting near-term revenue and competitive positioning in client and gaming segments. Intel (INTC) Stock Climbs 2.57% Following Panther Lake Announcement and Processor Launches
• Positive Sentiment: Intel’s Arrow Lake Refresh / Core Ultra lineup rollout (desktop and mobile) continues to be cited by analysts and media as improving performance and competitiveness versus AMD, helping product momentum. “Arrow Lake Refresh” Goes Live, Intel Stock (NASDAQ:INTC) Surges
• Positive Sentiment: Management reiterated long-term foundry targets — aiming for break-even margins by 2027 — which, if achieved, would validate the foundry investment thesis and add a durable revenue stream from external customers. Intel (INTC) Aims Break-Even Margins for Foundry Business by 2027
• Neutral Sentiment: Strong AI demand across the industry is lifting hyperscaler spending (benefiting Nvidia, Broadcom, AMD and cloud players); this is a favorable backdrop for Intel’s data‑center and foundry ambitions but also highlights intense competition. Better Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock: Broadcom vs. AMD
• Neutral Sentiment: Oracle and other enterprise IT results emphasize AI infrastructure spending — a macro tailwind for chipmakers but not a direct Intel-specific catalyst. Oracle Just Delivered Incredible News for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Investors
• Negative Sentiment: Major headline alleging Intel agreed to let the U.S. government buy nearly 10% of its stock to avoid negative social‑media exposure sparked sharp investor concern about governance, national-security entanglement and dilution — driving heavy selling pressure. “Extortionary Threats by the Government”: Intel Stock (NASDAQ:INTC) Plunges on New Allegations
• Negative Sentiment: A shareholder lawsuit was reported over the alleged 10% stake deal with the U.S. government, increasing legal risk and uncertainty that traders see as downside for the stock until the situation is resolved. Intel shareholder sues over 10% stake deal with US government – report

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Intel in a report on Monday, December 29th. Roth Mkm upped their price target on shares of Intel from $40.00 to $50.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, January 23rd. UBS Group set a $51.00 price objective on shares of Intel in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Rosenblatt Securities boosted their target price on Intel from $25.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Intel in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twenty-six have assigned a Hold rating and six have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $45.74.

Intel Stock Down 5.8%

The company’s 50 day moving average is $46.06 and its 200 day moving average is $38.61. The company has a market cap of $225.82 billion, a PE ratio of -565.05, a P/E/G ratio of 17.34 and a beta of 1.37. The company has a current ratio of 2.02, a quick ratio of 1.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35.

Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 22nd. The chip maker reported $0.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.08 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $13.67 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $13.37 billion. Intel had a negative net margin of 0.51% and a negative return on equity of 0.44%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 4.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.13 EPS. Intel has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.000-0.000 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Intel Corporation will post -0.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP David Zinsner purchased 5,882 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 26th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $42.50 per share, for a total transaction of $249,985.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the executive vice president owned 247,392 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $10,514,160. This trade represents a 2.44% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Boise April Miller sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.05, for a total value of $981,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 113,060 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,545,593. This trade represents a 15.03% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.04% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Intel

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Financially Speaking Inc raised its holdings in shares of Intel by 69.2% in the 4th quarter. Financially Speaking Inc now owns 682 shares of the chip maker’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 279 shares in the last quarter. Legacy Bridge LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Intel in the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Investors Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych Spolka Akcyjna bought a new position in shares of Intel during the second quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Corundum Trust Company INC bought a new position in shares of Intel during the third quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Finally, Raleigh Capital Management Inc. purchased a new position in Intel during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 64.53% of the company’s stock.

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.