The chipmaker’s rally follows $8.9 billion US government investment and launch of Intel 18A processors, with stock up 86% in 2025.
Intel shares surged nearly 11% today, reaching their highest level in about four years as investors responded to political support, major partnerships, and rising AI and data center demand. Intel was last trading near $53 as of Wednesday at 2 PM ET, the same level it last saw in mid-January 2022.
The stock is up over 86% in 2025 and more than 35% year to date. The company is scheduled to report its Q4 earnings tomorrow, a key test for its momentum.
In 2025, the federal government acquired a nearly 10% stake in the company through an $8.9 billion commitment under the CHIPS and Science Act to bolster domestic semiconductor manufacturing, sparking renewed interest in the stock.
Intel’s rebound has also been shaped by major strategic investments from industry heavyweights. Nvidia agreed to buy a $5 billion stake in Intel and forge a partnership to co-develop chips for data centers and personal computing platforms. SoftBank’s $2 billion investment further strengthened the company’s balance sheet.
At CES 2026, Intel showcased its Panther Lake and Core Ultra Series 3 processors built on the advanced 18A process, designed for AI workloads. Demand for Intel’s traditional server chips in data centers has climbed as cloud and infrastructure players expand capacity.
Analysts point to broader investor optimism around the company’s turnaround strategy under CEO Lip-Bu Tan and the reshaping of Intel’s operations and product roadmap. Multiple brokerages have raised price targets or upgraded ratings in response to these developments.
