Intel is back in investors’ crosshairs — and Wall Street is taking notice. What happened - Intel (INTC) has ripped higher over the past year, climbing more than 130%, and is already up roughly 35% year-to-date. That momentum sets the stage for another potential leg up when the company reports Q4 2025 results on Thursday, Jan. 22. - Ahead of the call, several brokerages have revised their views upward as new product rolls and a landmark NVIDIA tie-up reshape Intel’s narrative. Why analysts are bullish - Seaport Research upgraded INTC to Buy and set a $65 price target (about 31% above current levels). Seaport points to Panther Lake — Intel’s new laptop chip launched at CES — as the first high-volume product built on Intel’s 18A process, and expects it to drive near-term product improvements and share gains in both enterprise and consumer segments. - HSBC moved to Hold from Reduce and lifted its price target to $50 (from $26). The bank now expects Intel’s traditional server business (DCAI) to return to growth, fueled by rising demand for server CPUs from agentic AI applications. - Other firms have also nudged targets higher: Jefferies to $45 (from $40) with a Hold rating, UBS to $49 (from $40) with Neutral, and RBC initiated coverage with a Sector Perform rating and a $50 target. Common themes: stronger server and PC demand expected by 2026, tempered by supply constraints. The NVIDIA factor - Intel’s partnership with NVIDIA is a headline driver. The two companies agreed to link architectures via NVIDIA NVLink, combining NVIDIA’s accelerated computing with Intel’s CPUs and x86 ecosystem. NVIDIA concurrently bought about $5 billion of Intel stock — roughly a 4% stake — part of broader outside investment into Intel totaling about $16 billion. That collaboration has helped recast Intel as a serious AI competitor alongside NVDA and AMD. What to watch on the earnings call - Guidance and outlook for DCAI/server demand tied to AI workloads. - Panther Lake production ramp and supply commentary around Intel’s 18A process. - Details about the NVLink integration, timing for joint solutions, and how the NVIDIA stake might influence partnerships or capitalization. - Any discussion of foundry execution and customer pipeline, areas that previously drew investor caution. Bottom line Intel’s recent product momentum and a high-profile NVIDIA tie-up have prompted optimism across Wall Street. With Q4 results and forward guidance due Jan. 22, traders will be watching closely for signs that Panther Lake and AI-driven server demand can turn improving sentiment into sustained growth. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

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