Intel Corp (NASDAQ:INTC) shares are trading higher Wednesday afternoon amid insider buying and strength in chip stocks.
Semiconductor stocks are moving higher Wednesday, fueled by strong quarterly results from ASML and an upbeat near-term outlook from Texas Instruments, reinforcing broader optimism across the technology sector. Here’s what investors need to know.
Insider Buying Hints At $42 Support
Sentiment around Intel soured last week after management warned of a first-quarter revenue slowdown and potential chip supply shortages.
Against that backdrop, CFO David Zinsner disclosed an open-market purchase of about $250,000 around $42 a share, Intel's first notable insider buy since 2024. The move is being read as a vote of confidence that recent weakness reflects fear, not a thesis break, and that the low-$40s area could represent a defensible floor for the stock.
Earnings Beat, But Guidance And Capacity Weigh
Intel's fourth-quarter report modestly topped expectations, with adjusted earnings of 15 cents per share on revenue near $13.7 billion. However, management guided first-quarter revenue to roughly $11.7 billion to $12.7 billion and breakeven adjusted earnings, both below Wall Street forecasts.
Analysts flagged internal wafer-capacity constraints and a less favorable product mix as key headwinds, even as data-center and AI demand stayed resilient.
Intel Stock Technical Analysis: Strong Trend With Mixed Momentum Signals
Intel is currently trading 10.7% above its 20-day simple moving average (SMA) and 31.2% above its 100-day SMA, indicating strong short-term momentum. Over the past 12 months, shares have increased by 146.97% and are positioned closer to their 52-week highs than lows, reflecting a robust upward trend.
The RSI is at 50.19, which is considered neutral territory, suggesting that the stock is neither overbought nor oversold. Meanwhile, MACD is below its signal line, indicating bearish pressure on the stock.
The combination of neutral RSI and bearish MACD suggests mixed momentum for Intel, indicating that traders should watch for potential shifts in either direction.
- Key Resistance: $54.50
- Key Support: $44.00
INTC’s Business Model
Intel is a leading digital chipmaker focused on designing and manufacturing microprocessors for the global personal computer and data center markets. Intel pioneered the x86 architecture for microprocessors and led the semiconductor industry down the path of Moore’s law for advances in semiconductor manufacturing.
The company’s significance is underscored by its market share leadership in central processing units in both the PC and server end markets.
INTC Shares Surge Wednesday
INTC Price Action: Intel shares were up 11.06% at $48.79 at the time of publication on Wednesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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