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What's Going On With Intel Stock Tuesday?

Benzinga·05/26/2026 12:49:49
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Intel Corp.'s (NASDAQ:INTC) turnaround efforts gained momentum as the chipmaker attracted backing from the White House and reportedly advanced talks with major customers, including Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA), and SpaceX.

White House Investment Delivers Massive Gain

The U.S. government's 9.9% stake in Intel, purchased at $20.47 per share last August, has generated an estimated $43 billion in gains as Intel's stock has rallied sharply.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick actively supported potential commercial partnerships between Intel and large technology customers as part of broader efforts to strengthen U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.

Trump Says U.S. Should Have Asked for Bigger Intel Stake

In an interview with Fortune, President Donald Trump said he regretted requesting only a 10% ownership stake in Intel as part of broader U.S. efforts to strengthen domestic chip manufacturing.

Trump recalled proposing that the government receive the stake for free and joked that he "should have asked for more" after Intel agreed.

He framed the idea as part of a larger economic strategy that combines tariffs, trade deals, and strategic investments to attract capital and manufacturing back to the U.S.

Intel Remains Central To US Chip Strategy

Trump also pointed to the nation's $38 trillion debt as justification for unconventional government involvement in corporate and industrial policy.

The comments added to ongoing investor focus on Intel's role in U.S. semiconductor production and Washington's broader push to reduce reliance on foreign chip manufacturing.

Apple Reportedly Explores Intel Foundry Partnership

Reports indicated Apple could shift some chip manufacturing work to Intel's foundry business under a preliminary agreement, though the exact products remain unclear.

Recently, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple had already started moving some low-end or legacy iPhone, iPad, and Mac chip production to Intel.

Apple previously relied on Intel chips for Macs before transitioning to internally designed "Apple Silicon" processors manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (NYSE:TSM) in 2020.

Analysts See Potential Upside

Bernstein analyst Stacy Rasgon said Intel could attract substantial customer demand if the company successfully manufactures advanced chips at scale.

Rasgon added that political pressure and supply-chain concerns may prompt companies to test Intel's foundry services sooner than they otherwise would.

Still, Kuo said TSMC would likely retain more than 90% of Apple's supply share even if Intel secures some production work.

Earnings & Analyst Outlook

Looking further out, the next major catalyst for the stock arrives with the July 23, 2026 (estimated) earnings report.

  • EPS Estimate: 19 cents (Up from Loss of 10 cents YoY)
  • Revenue Estimate: $14.40 Billion (Up from $12.86 Billion YoY)

Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions: The stock carries a Hold rating with an average price forecast of $77.65. Recent analyst moves include:

  • Citigroup: Buy (Raises forecast to $130.00) (May 18)
  • Benchmark: Buy (Raises forecast to $140.00) (May 18)
  • Mizuho: Neutral (Raises forecast to $124.00) (May 12)

Intel Price Action

INTC Stock Price Activity: Intel shares were up 1.30% at $121.40 during premarket trading on Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

Photo via Shutterstock