Valued at around $244 billion by market cap, Intel’s stock was dead in the water at the start of 2025 but roared back, surging roughly 147% over the past 52 weeks, far outpacing rivals like AMD (AMD) and even Nvidia. The turnaround was driven by the arrival of CEO Lip-Bu Tan, who rapidly cut costs and refocused efforts, and by high-profile deals (including a $5 billion Nvidia investment). By year-end, Intel’s market cap doubled off its lows. Early 2026 saw some giveback; INTC pulled back into the low $40s a ...

Core Viewpoint - Semiconductor stocks have historically rewarded early investors, but not all companies have benefited equally from the recent AI wave, with some legacy firms struggling against newer competitors [1] Group 1: Intel's Recent Developments - Intel's stock surged approximately 10% after analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested that Intel could supply Apple with M-series chips by 2027, which would be a significant contract for the company [2] - The potential Apple contract is seen as a validation of Intel's high-performance foundry offering, although initial volumes are expected to be minimal and not significantly impact Apple's main supplier, TSMC [2][3] - If Intel successfully returns as an Apple supplier, it could indicate that its foundry strategy is gaining traction and may lead to larger opportunities in the future [3] Group 2: Intel's Market Position and Performance - Intel, based in Santa Clara, is one of the largest semiconductor companies, known for its x86 processors and expanding into AI accelerators and foundry services under the CHIPS Act of 2022 [4] - The company's market capitalization is valued at $190 billion, and its stock has doubled year-to-date, driven by AI excitement and partnerships, currently trading near a 52-week high [5] - Despite the stock's recent rally, Intel's forward P/E ratio is high at around 70x based on expected EPS of $0.56 in 2026, indicating that the stock may be expensive compared to typical semiconductor valuations [6] - However, Intel's price-to-tangible-book ratio of approximately 2.4x is more in line with industry peers, suggesting that the stock is not excessively valued on a per-share asset basis [6]