NEW YORK, Jan 12, 2026, 10:38 AM EST — Regular session
- Intel shares dropped roughly 1% as traders took profits following last week’s rally.
- Susquehanna raised its price target but kept a Neutral rating, flagging concerns about PC and data-center demand.
- Investors are shifting focus to Intel’s Jan. 22 earnings, looking for clues on demand and how well manufacturing is holding up.
Intel shares dropped 1.1% to $45.06 in early Monday trading, retreating slightly after a strong rally that thrust the chipmaker back into the spotlight on momentum screens.
This pullback is significant because Intel’s recent rally has been driven more by sentiment—Washington politics, product news, and hopes of regaining ground in PCs and manufacturing—than by solid data.
As earnings approach, traders are zeroing in on tougher questions: Is PC demand staying steady? Are data-center sales leveling off? And can Intel’s foundry effort — its contract chipmaking division — shift from lofty goals to consistent revenue?
Susquehanna analyst Christopher Rolland bumped his price target to $40 from $35 on Monday but stuck with a Neutral rating, citing ongoing challenges in PCs and data centers. “We view this multiple as appropriate given PC and DC headwinds, historical valuation metrics, and large-cap peer valuations,” Rolland said, referring to the enterprise value-to-sales ratio. 1
Intel surged 10.8% in the previous session, powering a wider rally across chipmakers amid a risk-on push. The jump came after U.S. President Donald Trump posted about a meeting with Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan. 2
Trump posted on Truth Social about a “great meeting” with Tan, adding that the U.S. government is “proud” to be an Intel shareholder after acquiring about a 10% stake last year, according to Investopedia’s summary of the post. 3
Intel’s pitch around new “AI PC” chips has fueled hopes of reviving a slow laptop upgrade cycle. Yet at CES in Las Vegas, doubts persisted about whether buyers will actually shell out for the concept. “I think the general consumer is still not aware of what an AI PC really means or what it can do for them that they can’t do today,” said Ben Bajarin, CEO of Creative Strategies and a tech consultant, in an interview with Reuters. 4
Chip stocks showed mixed results Monday. Advanced Micro Devices climbed nearly 2.6%, Broadcom added around 1%, and Nvidia held steady.
The risk hasn’t disappeared. Intel is working to regain trust in PCs and data centers, pouring money into manufacturing expansion. Yet investors remain cautious, seeking firmer proof that external customers will actually fill those factories on a significant scale.
Intel will release its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results on Jan. 22, after the market close, the company announced this month. The earnings call is set for 2 p.m. Pacific time that day. 5
