Tigress Financial Partners has increased its price target on Intel Corporation (INTC) to $66.00 while keeping a Buy recommendation on the shares. The new target remains beneath the reported analyst high target of $71.50 but sits well above Intel's most recent trading level of $47.88.
Market data indicate Intel's stock has climbed 121.87% over the last 12 months despite suffering a 19.02% decline in trading during the prior week. Analysts covering the company expect a return to positive earnings this year after Intel recorded negative trailing twelve-month earnings per share amounting to -$0.06.
Tigress pointed to several operational developments it views as central to Intel's turnaround. Chief among them are accelerating demand in AI data center workloads, measurable progress on the company's 18A manufacturing technology, and the prospect of AI-driven refresh cycles in personal computers. The firm summarized these elements as contributing to "an increasingly compelling multi-year upside story."
The research note highlighted Intel's fourth quarter 2025 performance as evidence of improving fundamentals. According to the firm, results showed momentum in the Data Center and AI segment, tangible advancement on 18A technology, and robust cash generation. These outcomes, the note argued, suggest the company's turnaround initiatives are beginning to produce meaningful traction.
Financial position and capital allocation were also emphasized. Intel's current ratio stands at 2.02, indicating that short-term liquid assets exceed short-term liabilities by a substantial margin. The company continues to produce free cash flow and, per the analysis, is employing a disciplined approach to capital deployment aimed at delivering shareholder value.
Tigress listed several strategic growth drivers that could underpin longer-term performance. These include scaling AI compute capabilities, monetizing advanced manufacturing nodes such as 18A and 14A, and expanding Intel's role as a foundry and ecosystem partner to third parties. At the same time, the firm noted balance-sheet and valuation metrics worth monitoring: a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41 reflects a moderate level of leverage, while an enterprise value-to-EBITDA multiple of 18.38 signals valuation pressure relative to some peers.
Other recent corporate developments were reviewed alongside the Tigress update. Intel reported stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter results, with revenue of $13.7 billion and adjusted earnings per share of $0.15. Those figures exceeded consensus estimates of $13.4 billion in revenue and $0.08 in adjusted EPS, with the Data Center and AI business cited as the primary contributor to the upside.
Following the quarterly report, several brokerages adjusted their price targets and ratings. One firm raised its price target to $42.00 from $35.00 while maintaining a Hold rating. Another increased its target to $49.00 from $39.00, citing favorable trendlines in Data Center and AI revenue. Additional revisions included a price target moved to $52.00 from $49.00 with a Neutral stance, and a Market Perform reiteration with a $36.00 target that acknowledged a solid Q4 showing.
Despite the positive top-line and segment momentum, company guidance for the first quarter disappointed consensus expectations. Intel attributed the shortfall to continuing supply constraints and elevated costs, factors that also informed several analysts' more cautious near-term outlooks. Separately, Intel filed a resale prospectus supplement with the SEC related to securities connected to a prior agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce, clarifying that no new securities were issued under that filing.
In summary, the Tigress analysis frames Intel's recent operational progress and financial flexibility as foundational to a potential multi-year improvement in business performance, particularly as AI-driven demand and manufacturing advances play out. The firm balanced that constructive view with acknowledgement of valuation metrics and supply-side pressures that could temper near-term results.
Key points
- Price target raised to $66 with a maintained Buy rating, highlighting AI data center demand and 18A execution as catalysts.
- Intel posted stronger-than-expected Q4 results - $13.7 billion revenue and $0.15 adjusted EPS - driven by Data Center and AI performance, though Q1 guidance fell short of consensus due to supply and cost pressures.
- Company fundamentals include a current ratio of 2.02 and a moderate debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41; valuation presents challenges with an EV/EBITDA of 18.38.
Risks and uncertainties
- Supply constraints and elevated costs that contributed to guidance below consensus - these affect the enterprise IT and server markets as well as PC OEMs.
- Valuation pressure, illustrated by an EV/EBITDA of 18.38, which may limit upside in the near term for equity investors focused on multiples in the semiconductor sector.
- Execution risk in scaling advanced manufacturing nodes and foundry operations - delays or setbacks could impact the company’s ability to monetize 18A/14A and expand foundry relationships.
The article presents the companies' reported figures and analysts' published targets and opinions as they relate to Intel's near-term and multi-year prospects.