Intel Is Back In the Game: Should You Buy INTC Now?

For years, Intel (INTC) lagged the artificial intelligence (AI) boom while competitors like Nvidia (NVDA), AMD (AMD), and TSMC (TSM) stormed ahead, raising doubts about its ability to keep pace in the most critical growth markets. But Intel's stock is suddenly back in the spotlight after testing investors patience for years with its turnaround story. Intel shares have surged 42% in just five days following its Q1 report and are now up an eye-catching 152% year-to-date (YTD), handily outperforming both the broader market and key semiconductor rivals.

And Evercore ISI analyst Mark Lipacis has raised the target price for Intel sharply to $111 from $45. This high price target suggests the stock has the potential to climb another 19% from current levels. The analyst believes under the leadership of CEO Lip-Bu Tan, Intel is back in a competitive position after years of missteps.