Analyst's Disclosure - The analyst has no current stock, option, or derivative positions in the mentioned companies but may initiate a beneficial Long position in INTC through stock purchase or call options within the next 72 hours [1] - The article reflects the analyst's personal opinions and is not influenced by compensation or business relationships with the mentioned companies [1] Seeking Alpha's Disclosure - Past performance does not guarantee future results, and no specific investment recommendations are provided [2] - The views expressed may not represent Seeking Alpha as a whole, and the platform is not a licensed securities dealer, broker, or investment adviser [2] - Analysts on Seeking Alpha include both professional and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any regulatory body [2]

Industry and Company Focus - The financial researcher focuses on innovation, disruption, growth buy-outs, and value stocks, with a particular interest in high-tech and early-growth companies [1] - The researcher provides insights into current industry events and news, aiming to offer readers well-researched investment opportunities [1] Analyst's Position - The analyst holds a beneficial long position in INTC through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives [2] - The article reflects the analyst's personal opinions and is not influenced by compensation or business relationships with mentioned companies [2]

Investment Analyst Profile - Oliver Rodzianko specializes in the technology sector, focusing on AI, semiconductors, software, and renewable energy [1] - His expertise lies in identifying companies with resilient management and lasting competitive advantages [1] - Rodzianko's insights are frequently highlighted as 'Must Reads' on Seeking Alpha and syndicated to Forbes via GuruFocus [1] Investment Strategy - Rodzianko specializes in value trading at inflection points without leverage and without short interest [1] - He typically holds investments for one to two years, selling them at fair value [1] - He employs advanced risk-mitigation strategies to protect against and capitalize on recessions and market crashes [1] Portfolio Management - Rodzianko models a wealth-preservation portfolio [1] - For value trading, he anticipates an annual return of 30% or above for Strong Buy-rated investments [1] - For long-term investments, he expects an annual return of 20% or above for Strong Buy-rated investments [1] Investment Ratings - Buy-rated investments are expected to yield an annual return of 25% or above for value trading and 15% or above for long-term investments [1] - Hold-rated investments are expected to yield an annual return of 15% or above for value trading and 10% or above for long-term investments [1] - Sell-rated investments are expected to yield an annual return of at least 0%, but generally well below 10% [1] - Strong Sell-rated investments are expected to yield zero or negative annual returns [1]

Stock Performance - Intel shares surged 9.3% in the last trading session to close at $21.49, significantly higher than the 3.2% gain over the past four weeks [1] - The stock's movement was supported by solid trading volume, with far more shares changing hands than in a normal session [1] AI and Product Development - Intel is focusing on gaining a strong foothold in the AI sector by introducing Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) processors, which are designed to redefine mobile computing for gaming, content creation, and IT applications [2] - The company plans to prioritize AI integration across its processors and platforms by 2025, aiming to lead the growing market of AI PCs [2] Strategic Collaborations - Intel expanded its collaboration with Microsoft to launch Intel Core Ultra 200V series Copilot+ PCs for commercial customers in the coming months [3] - The collaboration leverages complementary capabilities to enhance product offerings [3] Financial Expectations - Intel is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.12 per share, representing a year-over-year decline of 77.8% [4] - Revenues are projected to be $13.77 billion, down 10.6% from the same quarter last year [4] - The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days [5] Industry Comparison - STMicroelectronics (STM), another company in the Zacks Semiconductor - General industry, closed the last trading session 2.8% higher at $25.37 [5] - STMicroelectronics' consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming report is $0.35, unchanged over the past month but down 69.3% year-over-year [6] - STMicroelectronics currently holds a Zacks Rank of 5 (Strong Sell) [6]

Market Overview - Major US equities indexes ended the week higher, with the S&P 500 advancing 1%, the Nasdaq gaining 1.5%, and the Dow rising 0.8% [1] - Optimism about potential Federal Reserve interest rate cuts in 2025 contributed to the market strength, supported by signs of easing inflation [1] Technology Sector - Intel shares surged 9.3%, marking the best performance in the S&P 500, amid reports of potential acquisition interest [2] - The company announced plans to transition its venture fund into a stand-alone entity, aiming to boost efficiency and maximize asset value [2] Energy Sector - SLB reported better-than-expected Q4 profits, increased its dividend, and accelerated share repurchases [3] - Despite cautious 2025 revenue growth outlook due to high oil supply levels, SLB shares jumped 6.1% following the strong earnings report [3] Financial Sector - Truist Financial shares gained 5.9% after exceeding quarterly sales and profit estimates [4] - Higher net interest income, non-interest income, and increased average deposit balances drove the strong results, despite a decline in average loan balances [4] Transportation Sector - J.B. Hunt Transport Services shares tumbled 7.4%, the steepest drop among S&P 500 stocks, after missing Q4 sales and profit expectations [5] - Revenue declines across all segments and slumping volumes weighed on performance, with the company focusing on margin repair amid industry challenges [5] Healthcare Sector - Eli Lilly shares fell 4.2% after cutting sales guidance and facing potential Medicare scrutiny for its weight-loss and diabetes treatments [6] - Novo Nordisk's US-listed ADRs sank 5.3% after its products were selected for potential Medicare price negotiations [6] Technology Sector (Software) - Fair Isaac Corp shares declined 3.5% despite earlier gains from a price target boost by Jefferies [7] - While business-to-business volume expectations increased, slower mortgage originations in the high interest rate environment remained a concern [7]

Stock Performance and Market Sentiment - Intel Corp INTC stock gained 8 47% to $21 35 on Friday following reports of a potential acquisition [1][7] - The stock has plunged 54% in the last 12 months [1] - Shares of Intel have an average 1-year price target of $22 9, representing an expected upside of 7 56% [6] - Analysts have mixed recommendations, with 3 bearish and 1 bullish ratings The street high price target is $28 0, while the street low is $17 0 [7] Strategic Moves and Restructuring - Intel is spinning off its Altera chip division to make it a publicly traded company [4] - The company continues to own Mobileye Global Inc MBLY, an Israel-based autonomous driving firm [4] - Intel is transforming its foundry business into an independent unit in 2024 [4] - Intel Capital will be spun off into a standalone fund with a new name by late 2025, with Intel as an anchor investor [4] - Under former CEO Pat Gelsinger, Intel restructured smaller divisions and reduced its workforce in 2024 [3] Challenges and Competitive Landscape - Intel has failed to capitalize on the AI technology boom, unlike competitors Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co TSM and Nvidia Corp NVDA [3] - The company's AI accelerator business, including the Gaudi chip, lost out to competitors like Nvidia [3] - Intel also lost market share in the PC gaming segment to Advanced Micro Devices, Inc AMD [3] Leadership and Operational Changes - CFO Dave Zinsner and Michelle Johnston Holthaus became interim co-CEOs after Pat Gelsinger was fired due to unsuccessful turnaround efforts [2] - Zinsner acknowledged the possibility of selling Intel's factory and product development divisions [2] Innovations and Partnerships - Intel showcased an electric vehicle platform with AI and cloud tools at CES 2025, securing clients such as Stellantis STLA, Stellantis Motorsports, and Karma Automotive [5] Investment Opportunities - Investors can gain exposure to Intel through ETFs like Vanguard S&P 500 ETF VOO and iShares Core S&P 500 ETF IVV [5]

Intel Stock Performance - Intel shares are up more than 5% in January, outperforming the S&P 500 [2] - The stock has risen 7.5% in midday trading on Friday [7] - Despite recent gains, Intel shares are still down more than 50% over the past 12 months [2] Leadership and Strategic Changes - CEO Pat Gelsinger retired late last year, signaling potential changes in the company [3] - Intel plans to make its venture fund a stand-alone entity, with the company remaining an investor [3] - Interim co-CEO David Zinser stated this move supports the broader strategy to maximize asset value and drive efficiency [3] Market Speculation and Analyst Sentiment - Reports suggest Intel might be a takeover target, with a current valuation of around $84 billion [4] - Wall Street analysts are in a wait-and-see mode, with no "buy" ratings tracked by Visible Alpha [6] - Deutsche Bank analysts reiterated a "hold" rating, expecting shares to remain rangebound due to the company's transitional position [6] Upcoming Financial Results - Intel is set to report its latest quarterly financial results later this month [5] - Investors are closely watching the announcement and subsequent conference call for management's plans [5]

About this content About Angela Harmantas Angela Harmantas is an Editor at Proactive. She has over 15 years of experience covering the equity markets in North America, with a particular focus on junior resource stocks. Angela has reported from numerous countries around the world, including Canada, the US, Australia, Brazil, Ghana, and South Africa for leading trade publications. Previously, she worked in investor relations and led the foreign direct investment program in Canada for the Swedish government ...

Company Overview - Quad 7 Capital is a team of 7 analysts with nearly 12 years of experience in sharing investment opportunities [1] - The team is best known for their February 2020 call to sell everything and go short, and has been on average 95% long and 5% short since May 2020 [1] - The company has expertise in business, policy, economics, mathematics, game theory, and the sciences [1] - They focus on short- and medium-term investments, income generation, special-situations, and momentum trades [1] - The company provides in-depth, high-quality research with clear entry and exit targets, aiming to save investors time [1] Investment Strategy - Quad 7 Capital shares both long and short trades and invests personally in equities discussed within their investing group, BAD BEAT Investing [1] - The company focuses on teaching investors to become proficient traders through their playbook, rather than just providing trades [1] - BAD BEAT Investing offers a proven track record of success [1] Benefits of BAD BEAT Investing - Investors can learn how to understand the pinball nature of markets [2] - The service provides well-researched written trade ideas each week [2] - Access to 4 chat rooms for interaction and discussion [2] - Daily complimentary key analyst upgrade/downgrade summaries are provided [2] - Investors can learn basic options trading and gain access to extensive trading tools [2]

The server CPU market has long been dominated by Intel (INTC 2.71%) and AMD (AMD 3.33%). Both companies make chips based on the x86 architecture. While there are other types of CPUs used for specialized purposes -- think IBM mainframes -- x86 reigns supreme in the data center. Software is compiled and optimized for x86 chips, which creates significant switching costs.Qualcomm (QCOM 3.06%) has already tried and failed once to bring chips based on the Arm architecture, which dominates the smartphone market, t ...