Intel Corp (NASDAQ:INTC) stock is sinking 3% to trade at $97.50 this morning, shrugging off its best quarterly revenue growth reading in 15 years and an earnings beat. A slew of brokerages have chimed in since the report as well, including Melius Research with a price-target hike to $165 from $150.
INTC has surged 171% in 2026, recently consolidating at the $100 level after pulling back to the 80-day moving average. The equity also sports a year-over-year gain of 326%, but remains roughly 29% off its late-June record peak.
Call traders were hoping for an Intel stock surge. Currently, INTC sports a 50-day call/put volume ratio of 2.95 at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), which ranks in the highest possible percentile of its annual range.
Options are reflecting this already notion today as well, with 143,000 calls and 94,000 puts across the tape so far. This is quadruple the typical amount, with the weekly 7/24 100-strike call and weekly 7/24 95-strike put are seeing the most action.
