Intel stock jumps over 4 percent as SK Hynix talks revive foundry hopes

Published on 09/17/2026 at 14:20 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Intel stock rose about 4 percent on September 16, 2026, after reports of exploratory memory-chip production talks with SK Hynix in the United States. Fresh Q2 2026 figures show revenue up 25 percent year over year to USD 16.1 billion and data center revenue up 59 percent.

Soft watercolor panorama of Santa Clara California with low-rise tech campus buildings nestled among trees, rolling hills and distant mountains in warm pastel peach lavender and blue tones — Intel Corporation US4581401001 Heimatstadt Santa Clara mit sanften Pastelltönen und Bergen im Aquarell-Stil, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Intel stock (ISIN US4581401001) traded around USD 101 on September 16, 2026, after closing near USD 101.05 on the Nasdaq, up about 4.03 percent from the previous session as investors reacted to fresh deal speculation and strong artificial intelligence momentum in its business.

SK Hynix talks lift Intel shares

On September 16, 2026, reports of exploratory talks between Intel and South Korea's SK Hynix about producing memory chips in the United States sent Intel shares sharply higher, with the stock up about 5.6 percent intraday as it traded near USD 104.13, roughly USD 7.00 above the prior close of USD 97.13.Investing.com explained that these talks involve the potential use of Intel's long-delayed Ohio campus for memory manufacturing, reframing investor expectations around Intel's foundry strategy.

The same analysis noted that Intel shares traded at USD 104.13 by late morning on September 16, 2026, representing a 7.2 percent gain from the previous close at USD 97.13, underlining how sensitive the stock remains to incremental news on manufacturing partnerships and foundry utilization.Investing.com In parallel, other reports pointed out that Intel was among the stronger movers in the United States AI chip segment on September 16, 2026, with the stock gaining just over 4 percent on the session as investors responded to both the Federal Reserve's rate decision and semiconductor-specific news.

Q2 2026 revenue up 25 percent year over year

For the second quarter of 2026, reported on July 23, Intel posted revenue of USD 16.1 billion, an increase of 25 percent year over year, marking its strongest revenue growth in more than 15 years according to an analysis that summarized the company's latest results.Investing.com That comparison implies that revenue in the same quarter a year earlier stood near USD 12.9 billion, highlighting how strongly Intel has rebounded as demand for data center and AI workloads has accelerated.

Intel's non-GAAP earnings per share reached USD 0.42 in the second quarter of 2026, compared with a loss in the same quarter a year before, while non-GAAP gross margin expanded to 41.8 percent as higher factory yields and improved cycle times supported profitability.Investing.com Segment data from that same overview showed that Client Computing and Physical AI revenue reached USD 8.9 billion in the quarter, up 13 percent year over year, while Data Center and AI revenue climbed to USD 6.3 billion, up 59 percent, underscoring how much of Intel's growth is now coming from large-scale infrastructure and AI workloads.

Foundry and guidance underscore investment cycle

Beyond its core client and server businesses, Intel reported that its Foundry revenue totaled USD 5.8 billion in the second quarter of 2026, up 31 percent year over year and 6 percent sequentially, reflecting momentum in its contract manufacturing operations.Investing.com At the same time, the company raised its 2026 capital expenditure guidance to more than USD 20 billion, signaling a heavy investment cycle as it builds out advanced manufacturing capacity for both internal and external customers.

Looking ahead to the third quarter of 2026, Intel guided for revenue in a range of USD 15.8 billion to USD 16.8 billion, with a midpoint of USD 16.3 billion that implies approximately 1.2 percent sequential growth from the second quarter.Investing.com The same guidance called for non-GAAP earnings of USD 0.38 per share and GAAP earnings of USD 0.31 per share, alongside an expected non-GAAP gross margin of 42.0 percent and GAAP gross margin of 41.0 percent, reflecting rising depreciation and investment costs even as margins edge higher.

Analysts weigh upside and valuation risks

Analyst commentary has reflected both optimism about Intel's turnaround and caution about valuation, with one prominent example being Bank of America analyst Vivek Arya, who currently rates Intel shares Buy with a USD 145 price target, implying significant upside from the roughly USD 101 level where the stock recently traded.Yahoo Finance In a separate development, Melius Research reiterated its positive stance on Intel, highlighting foundry prospects and a long-term narrative that could see the stock revisit or exceed prior highs, even though the firm's formal price target stands below the most bullish scenario discussed in media coverage.

However, some valuation-focused analyses have flagged that Intel's share price has moved far ahead of traditional fundamental indicators, with one GuruFocus-style framework calculating an intrinsic value estimate of USD 32.04 and concluding that Intel is trading at a premium of more than 200 percent versus that metric, largely because the company remains loss-making on a GAAP basis due to substantial non-cash charges and heavy capital investment.GuruFocus This divergence between price and traditional value metrics serves as a reminder for investors that Intel's current story hinges not only on recent revenue growth but also on the successful execution of its capital-intensive foundry and AI strategies.

Intel stock near USD 101 on Nasdaq

According to recent market data, Intel stock closed at approximately USD 101.05 on the Nasdaq on September 16, 2026, reflecting a gain of about 4.03 percent on the day and placing the shares in the low-USD 100 range after having traded from the high-USD 80s over the past several weeks.