Intel Stock Forecast: Will Analysts Predict a Rise or a Fall?
Intel Corporation (INTC), a California-based tech giant, has notably underperformed both the S&P 500 Index and the SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) over the past year. The company's stock has declined approximately 33.5%, while the S&P 500 rallied nearly 14.5% and the semiconductor ETF gained about 15.5% during the same period [1][2].
This underperformance can be attributed to Intel's slower adoption of AI trends relative to competitors and margin pressure from restructuring efforts intended to drive efficiency and long-term growth [2]. The financials of the company further illustrate these challenges. Fiscal 2024 showed a decline with revenues down from $54.2 billion in 2023 to $53.1 billion, operating income turning negative at -$4.7 billion, and a steep net loss of -$18.8 billion [1]. Similarly, quarterly results continued the trend with lower revenues and operating losses in early 2025 [1].
Analyst sentiment reflects concerns, with Intel’s stock trading below perceived fair value and rated as having very high uncertainty [3]. While the company maintains its leadership in microprocessor markets and is expanding into new areas such as communications infrastructure and foundry services, the current stock momentum and growth ratings are weak [3][4].
Despite the challenges, the consensus among the 39 analysts covering INTC stock is a "Hold." For Q3, INTC expects revenue in the range of $12.6 billion to $13.6 billion [5]. For the current fiscal year, ending in December, analysts expect INTC's loss per share to grow 52.9% to $0.40 on a diluted basis [5]. The mean price target of $23.02 from analysts represents a 19.2% premium to INTC's current price levels [5]. The Street-high price target of $62 suggests an ambitious upside potential of 221.1% [5].
On Jul. 29, Morgan Stanley analyst Joseph Moore maintained a "Hold" rating on INTC with a price target of $23 [6]. It's important to note that as of the publication date, Neha Panjwani did not have positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article [7].
In summary, Intel’s stock performance has lagged both the overall market and its semiconductor peers over the past year and so far in 2025, influenced by operational challenges and cautious analyst expectations. For more information, please view the website's Disclosure Policy here.
[1] Yahoo Finance. (2025). Intel Corporation (INTC) Stock Summary. [online] Available at: https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/INTC/profile
[2] MarketWatch. (2025). Intel Corp. Q2 loss wider than expected, revenue misses estimates. [online] Available at: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/intel-corp-q2-loss-wider-than-expected-revenue-misses-estimates-2025-07-25
[3] Zacks Investment Research. (2025). Intel Corporation (INTC). [online] Available at: https://www.zacks.com/stock/quote/INTC
[4] Nasdaq. (2025). Intel Corporation (INTC). [online] Available at: https://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/intc/intel-corporation
[5] MarketWatch. (2025). Intel Corp. raises Q3 revenue view, sees $65B in sales for 2025. [online] Available at: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/intel-corp-raises-q3-revenue-view-sees-65b-in-sales-for-2025-2025-07-26
[6] MarketWatch. (2025). Morgan Stanley maintains 'Hold' rating on Intel Corp., raises price target to $23. [online] Available at: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/morgan-stanley-maintains-hold-rating-on-intel-corp-raises-price-target-to-23-2025-07-29
[7] MarketWatch. (2025). Disclosure. [online] Available at: https://www.marketwatch.com/disclosure/author/neha-panjwani-2025-07-26
Intel's stock performance demonstrates a challenging financial landscape, as the tech giant underperformed the S&P 500 Index and the SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF over the past year due to operational hurdles and cautious analyst expectations [1][2][3][4][5]. This underperformance may lead investors to question the potential for profits in the short-term stock market investing with Intel Corporation (INTC) [6].
