Why Stifel Analysts Are Watching Intel Stock Closely Before April 23

Chip giant Intel Corporation (INTC) is set to report its first-quarter results for fiscal 2026 on April 23 after the market closes. Ahead of that, analysts expect the company to report a loss per share of $0.11 (on a diluted basis). Intel has been recovering from its market share loss due to stiff competition from major semiconductor companies, most notably from Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). 

Now, a lot of Intel’s hopes are riding on AI-driven data-center CPU demand and the ramp of the 18A process, with Q1 earnings as a possible near-term catalyst. Against this backdrop, Stifel analyst Ruben Roy raised Intel’s price target from $42 to $65, but kept a “Hold” rating on the stock. This indicates that the analyst is confident in Intel’s recovery but is not ready to call it a “Buy” unless the company actually executes on that conviction.