TLDR
- Intel stock climbed 1.6% to $40.04 after hours following CES Panther Lake chip launch
- Core Ultra Series 3 processors use new 18A process with preorders beginning January 6
- Melius upgraded Intel stock to buy with $50 target as AI PC market expands
- Nvidia’s $5 billion Intel stock purchase closed at $23.28 per share in December
- Intel stock up 101% over past year despite 22% decline over five years
Intel stock gained ground Tuesday after the chipmaker unveiled Panther Lake processors at CES and received a buy rating from Melius Research.
Shares rose 1.6% to $40.04 in after-hours trading. The Intel stock price ranged between $38.98 and $40.30 during regular hours.
Intel introduced its Core Ultra Series 3 chips at the Las Vegas trade show. The processors mark the first laptop chips built on Intel’s 18A manufacturing process.
CEO Lip-Bu Tan confirmed Intel met its goal to ship 18A products before 2025 ended. The new process determines how densely transistors are packed onto silicon.
PC chief Jim Johnson said Panther Lake uses a separate graphics chiplet. The design will also power a handheld gaming platform launching this year.
Intel Stock Gets Wall Street Boost
Melius Research analyst Ben Reitzes upgraded Intel stock from hold to buy. He set a $50 price target on shares.
Reitzes pointed to companies that can deliver AI productivity as winners. He warned higher memory costs and data center delays could impact spending.
The upgrade comes as PC makers push AI features into new models. Intel expects Core Ultra Series 3 chips to appear in over 200 PC designs.
Analyst consensus puts Intel’s fair value at $38.31. That sits below the current $40.04 stock price. The most bullish analyst sees Intel reaching $28, while the bearish view is $14.
Panther Lake Preorders Start Soon
Intel stock preorders for Core Ultra Series 3 laptops begin January 6. The first systems reach stores worldwide on January 27.
The top chips include up to 16 CPU cores and a neural processing unit. Intel rates the NPU at up to 50 TOPS for AI computing tasks.
Johnson said the PC group focuses on improving power efficiency. Intel has worked through yield issues with Panther Lake production, with improvements coming monthly.
Intel relied on TSMC to manufacture much of its Lunar Lake chip generation. The company aims to regain ground from AMD and Nvidia in the processor market.
Intel stock has posted a 101.41% return over the past year. Shares gained 8.51% in the past week and 1.68% year to date. Over five years, Intel stock declined 22.23%.
Nvidia Closes Intel Investment
Nvidia completed its $5 billion Intel stock purchase on December 29. Intel sold 214,776,632 shares at $23.28 each.
The companies first announced the deal in September 2025. They agreed to jointly develop chips for PCs and data centers.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang called the partnership historic. He said it combines Nvidia’s AI platform with Intel’s x86 ecosystem.
Traders will monitor preorder activity and 18A manufacturing updates as CES continues. The January 27 launch date marks the next key milestone for Intel stock.
