It feels like just yesterday people were ready to write Intel's obituary. Honestly, the narrative around the "blue giant" was pretty grim for a few years there. But if you’re looking at Intel stock prices today, you’re seeing a chart that tells a very different story.
As of mid-day Friday, January 16, 2026, Intel (INTC) is trading around $47.25.
It’s been a wild week. The stock actually touched a 52-week high of $50.38 earlier this morning before cooling off a bit. We’re seeing a bit of profit-taking now, which is normal after the massive 30% rally we’ve seen just in the first two weeks of 2026. If you bought in back when it was languishing in the teens during the 2024 slump, you’re feeling pretty good right about now.
What’s actually driving the price?
Basically, Intel stopped missing deadlines. That sounds simple, but for a company that struggled with its 10nm and 7nm transitions for nearly a decade, it’s a huge deal.
Yesterday’s announcement was the real kicker. Intel officially declared that its 18A process node has reached high-volume manufacturing (HVM). Not only that, but they confirmed yields are over 60%. For the uninitiated, that’s the "magic number" where making chips actually becomes profitable.
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Then there’s the Apple news. It’s kinda shocking, right? For years, Apple has been glued to TSMC. But reports hit the wire on January 15 that Apple has qualified Intel’s 18A process for future M-series chips. Even if it’s for lower-end chips initially, it’s a massive vote of confidence. You don't get a better seal of approval than the team at Cupertino.
The server CPU "Sold Out" problem
The other reason Intel stock prices today are staying resilient despite the broader market dip is a supply issue—but a good one. KeyBanc analyst John Vinh recently pointed out that Intel's server CPU capacity for 2026 is almost entirely sold out.
Hyper-scalers like Microsoft and Amazon are gobbling up Xeon 6+ (Clearwater Forest) chips as fast as Intel can bake them. These are built on that 18A node we keep hearing about. When you’re sold out a year in advance, you have "pricing power." That means Intel can hike prices by 10% to 15%, which does wonders for those gross margins that were looking so thin a year ago.
Why 18A is the linchpin of the turnaround
If you’re wondering why a single manufacturing node matters so much, it’s because of two technologies: RibbonFET and PowerVia.
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Intel actually beat TSMC to the punch on backside power (PowerVia). Most chips are like a house where the plumbing and the electrical wires are all tangled up in the walls. PowerVia moves the electrical "plumbing" to the back of the chip. This reduces voltage droop and lets the chip run much more efficiently.
It’s the first time in a decade that Intel can legitimately claim it has a better manufacturing process than its rivals. This "Silicon Renaissance" is why NVIDIA just dumped $5 billion into a strategic alliance with Intel to secure packaging capacity. When your biggest rival is also your biggest customer, you know the tech is legit.
The "America First" tailwind
We can't ignore the geopolitical side of this. With the current "America First" manufacturing push, Intel is the only company with leading-edge fabs on U.S. soil.
The $100 billion investment in Arizona and Ohio is finally starting to look like a smart play rather than a desperate one. Governments are terrified of being 100% dependent on Taiwan for high-end AI chips. Intel is positioning itself as the "Sovereign AI" choice. If you want chips made in the Midwest instead of across the Pacific, Intel is the only game in town.
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Wall Street is finally changing its mind
For the longest time, the consensus on Intel was a "Sell" or a lukewarm "Hold." But look at the ratings over the last 48 hours:
- KeyBanc: Upgraded to Overweight, $60 price target.
- Citigroup: Upgraded to Hold, $50 price target.
- Jefferies: Raised target to $45 (though they’re still a bit skeptical on PC demand).
Most analysts are still cautious—about 64% still have it as a "Hold"—but the momentum is shifting. The bears are worried about the massive capital expenditure (CapEx). Building these fabs costs $20 billion a year. That’s a lot of cash to burn while you’re waiting for the foundry revenue to kick in.
Potential roadblocks to watch
It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Intel is still carrying a lot of debt. If the 18A ramp hits a snag—say, a yield regression—the stock will drop like a stone. Also, Qualcomm and Apple are making serious gains in the "Windows-on-ARM" space. If Intel loses its grip on the laptop market, the foundry success might not be enough to save the bottom line.
Actionable insights for the weekend
If you're watching Intel stock prices today and trying to decide what to do, keep these points in mind:
- Watch the January 22 Earnings: This is the big one. Intel reports Q4 2025 results after the bell. Management will likely give more color on the 18A yields and the Apple partnership. Expect volatility.
- Monitor the $50 Resistance: The stock struggled to hold above $50 today. If it can break and close above that level next week, it could signal a run toward $60.
- Check PC Shipment Data: If you see reports of a 5% or 10% dip in global PC shipments, Intel might take a hit regardless of how good their AI chips are.
- Foundry Milestones: Keep an eye out for news regarding "14A." That’s the next step (1.4nm). Intel is already using those fancy High-NA EUV machines from ASML to prep for it. Any news of a "lead customer" for 14A would be another massive catalyst.
The "broken" Intel of 2024 seems to be in the rearview mirror. Whether they can actually sustain this and become the world's second-largest foundry by 2030 remains the big question, but for now, the momentum is firmly with the bulls.
To stay ahead, keep a close eye on the January 22 earnings call—specifically the "Gross Margin" guidance for the first half of 2026. If they guide for anything above 40%, the rally likely has more room to run.