Intel, the legendary chipmaker headquartered in Santa Clara, California, is making headlines again—this time for a return to its gaming roots and a surprising resurgence in the stock market. On January 6, 2026, Daniel Rogers, an Intel executive, confirmed that the company is working on a new processor dedicated to gaming, alongside a brand-new gaming platform. This announcement, as reported by JHVEPhoto and Seeking Alpha, sent ripples through the tech world, signaling that Intel is doubling down on its heritage as a pioneer in high-performance computing.
But that’s not the only news stirring investor excitement. According to Simply Wall St, Intel’s stock price hovered around US$40.04 as of January 7, 2026, capping off a one-year total shareholder return of 101.41%. That’s quite a turnaround for a company that, over the past five years, had seen a 22.23% decline in total shareholder return. In just the past week, the stock jumped 8.51%, and it delivered a one-day return of 1.70%. The numbers suggest that Intel, once seen as a sleeping giant, may finally be waking up.
Still, investors are asking: Is the recent rebound sustainable, or is the market getting ahead of itself? The consensus among analysts is mixed. The average analyst price target stands at US$38.31, with a consensus price target of $22.061 based on future earnings growth and profit margin expectations. Price targets range dramatically—from a bearish $14.0 to a bullish $28.0—highlighting the uncertainty surrounding Intel’s future. The most popular narrative, as Simply Wall St reports, pegs Intel’s fair value at $38.14 per share, meaning the stock is about 5% overvalued at its current price. This view leans heavily on cleaner execution in Intel’s foundry buildout and faster adoption of AI, both of which are areas where hiccups could quickly challenge rosy projections.
Yet, some metrics suggest the market may be underestimating Intel’s potential. The company’s price-to-sales ratio is just 3.7x, well below the US semiconductor industry average of 5.7x and peer averages of 13.8x. Whether that discount is justified by execution risk or represents a buying opportunity is a matter of ongoing debate among analysts and investors alike.
Meanwhile, institutional investors have been busy adjusting their positions. Securian Asset Management Inc., for example, reduced its stake in Intel by 7.3% during the third quarter, selling 16,674 shares and leaving it with 211,384 shares worth $7,092,000 as of its most recent filing. Other institutional players have either added to or trimmed their holdings, including GoalVest Advisory LLC, HFM Investment Advisors LLC, Global Wealth Strategies & Associates, Investors Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych Spolka Akcyjna, and West Branch Capital LLC. As of the latest figures, institutional investors own 64.53% of Intel’s stock—a sign of continued confidence from the professional investment community, even amid volatility.
One of the biggest catalysts for Intel’s recent momentum has been the unveiling of its Core Ultra Series 3 "Panther Lake" processors at CES 2026. These are the first products built on Intel’s advanced 18A node, a milestone that bolsters the company’s manufacturing credibility and roadmap. According to MarketBeat, this move is widely seen as reducing execution risk and supporting Intel’s foundry and fabrication reputation. OEMs and partners wasted no time jumping on board: Acer, Advantech, and others announced new laptops, gaming, and edge-AI systems featuring the new Core Ultra Series 3 chips, pointing to near-term design wins and a potential ramp-up in revenue.
Analysts have responded to these developments with cautious optimism. Melius Research recently upgraded Intel to a "Buy" rating with a $50 price target, providing a shot in the arm for investor sentiment and supporting the ongoing rally. Other firms have weighed in as well: Benchmark raised its target price from $43.00 to $50.00 and maintained a "buy" rating, while Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped its target from $30.00 to $35.00 and gave a "hold" rating. Erste Group Bank upgraded Intel from "sell" to "hold," and Tigress Financial increased its target from $45.00 to $52.00, also with a "buy" rating. Still, Bank of America reaffirmed an "underperform" rating with a $34.00 target, and the overall consensus, according to MarketBeat, is "Reduce," with a consensus price target of $35.88. In total, four analysts rate Intel a "Buy," twenty-four say "Hold," and eight recommend "Sell."
Technical indicators have also turned positive for Intel. The stock recently broke above its 20- and 50-day moving averages—a short-term bullish signal likely to attract momentum and quant-driven investors. As of January 7, 2026, Intel stock opened at $40.05, with a market cap of $191.32 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4009.01 (reflecting recent earnings volatility), a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 25.05, and a beta of 1.35. The 50-day moving average sits at $37.91, while the 200-day average is $30.82. The stock’s one-year range stretches from a low of $17.67 to a high of $44.02, underlining the dramatic swings investors have endured.
Financially, Intel’s most recent earnings report, released on October 23, 2025, showed earnings per share of $0.23 for the quarter and revenue of $13.65 billion—up 3.0% year-over-year and beating analyst expectations of $13.10 billion. The company has set its Q4 2025 guidance at 0.080 EPS, and analysts as a group expect Intel to post -0.11 earnings per share for the current year. These numbers reflect both the progress Intel has made and the challenges it still faces as it seeks to rebuild profit margins and revenue growth.
Of course, not everything is rosy. Intel continues to face stiff competition from rivals like AMD, which has gained ground in the gaming and PC markets. Positive investor coverage for AMD has raised concerns about Intel’s ability to recover lost market share in these critical segments. Some coverage has also noted that initial CES-driven pops in Intel’s stock price have sometimes faded intraday, and that headline-driven moves can reverse quickly. As Zacks and other outlets point out, investors should focus on order wins, production ramps, and margin trajectory—not just the excitement from major trade shows.
Founded in 1968 by Robert Noyce and Gordon E. Moore, Intel’s legacy as an innovator is undisputed. The company introduced the first commercial microprocessor and drove the x86 architecture that powers countless personal computers and servers worldwide. Its product portfolio spans client and mobile processors under the Intel Core and Pentium brands, as well as high-performance Xeon chips for data centers and cloud infrastructure. Now, with the launch of its Core Ultra Series 3 and a renewed push into gaming, Intel is betting big on its ability to execute—and to win back both gamers and investors.
As the dust settles from CES 2026 and the market digests Intel’s latest moves, all eyes are on whether the company can deliver on its ambitious roadmap. With new products, shifting analyst sentiment, and a fiercely competitive landscape, Intel’s next chapter promises to be anything but boring.
