Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) is in the spotlight Wednesday ahead of fourth-quarter earnings on Thursday after the market closes.
Earnings Preview, Analyst Updates
Intel is expected to report earnings per share of 8 cents, and revenue of $13.38 billion, according to Benzinga Pro data.
For the prior quarter, Intel reported revenue of $13.65 billion, beating the consensus estimate of $13.14 billion. In addition, the company reported earnings per share of 23 cents, beating the consensus estimate of 1 cent.
Analyst Changes: Ahead of the earnings report, multiple analysts issued price target adjustments. Bernstein on Wednesday maintained a market perform and lifted its target to $36. Here’s a look at other recent analyst updates.
- HSBC analyst Frank Lee upgraded Intel from a Reduce rating to a Hold rating and raised the price target from $26 to $50.
- Seaport Global analyst Jay Goldberg upgraded Intel from a Neutral rating to a Buy rating and announced a $65 price target.
- Wedbush analyst Matt Bryson reiterated a Neutral rating on Intel and maintained a $30 price target.
- Susquehanna analyst Christopher Rolland maintained a Neutral rating on Intel and raised the price target from $40 to $45.
Technicals Point To Continued Momentum
Intel is currently trading 28.4% above its 20-day simple moving average (SMA) and 47% above its 100-day SMA, indicating strong short-term and longer-term momentum. The stock has experienced significant growth, with shares up 143.19% over the past year and positioned closer to its 52-week highs than lows.
The RSI is at 68.67, which is considered neutral, suggesting that the stock is not yet overbought. Meanwhile, the MACD is above its signal line, indicating bullish momentum.
The combination of a neutral RSI and a bullish MACD suggests mixed momentum, but overall, the technical indicators favor continued strength.
Benzinga Edge Rankings
Below is the Benzinga Edge scorecard for Intel, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses compared to the broader market:
- Momentum: Bullish (Score: 96.43/100) — Stock is outperforming the broader market.
- Value: Risk (Score: 52.34/100) — Trading at a steep premium relative to peers.
The Verdict: Intel’s Benzinga Edge signal reveals a classic “High-Flyer” setup. While the Momentum (96) confirms the strong trend, the moderate Value (52) score warns that the stock is priced for perfection — investors should ride the trend but use tight stop-losses.
INTC Price Action: At the time of writing, Intel shares are trading 9.45% higher at $53.16, according to data from Benzinga Pro.
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