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Intel Stock Plummets on Weak Q4 Outlook

Intel beat third-quarter profit expectations on a surge in data-centre sales, but a fourth-quarter outlook far below analyst forecasts, and a warning on PCs, sent the shares down about a fifth after hours.

Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) shares fell roughly a fifth in after-hours trading today after the chipmaker guided fourth-quarter revenue and profit far below analyst forecasts. Yahoo Finance showed $73.14, down 20.56%, at 4:10pm EDT (8:10pm UK time), after a regular-session close of $92.07, down 3.62%.

INTC.US

The quarter to the 26th of September was solid. Revenue of $16.5bn, up 21% on a year earlier, matched the $16.51bn Yahoo Finance consensus, while non-GAAP earnings per share of $0.52 beat the $0.40 expected. On a GAAP basis, EPS was $0.60, down 33% from $0.90; non-GAAP EPS rose 126% from $0.23.

The growth came from the data centre and foundry units. Data centre revenue rose 78% to $7.3bn and foundry, which manufactures chips, rose 58% to $6.7bn, while client computing, the PC chip business, fell 5% to $8.1bn.

Bar chart of Intel third-quarter 2026 year-on-year revenue change by business unit: data centre up 78%, foundry up 58%, client down 5%, all other down 30%.
Intel’s data centre and foundry units drove third-quarter growth while client computing shrank. Source: Intel

The problem is the guide. Intel expects fourth-quarter revenue of $15.0bn to $16.0bn, and the table sets that against Yahoo Finance’s pre-report consensus.

MeasureIntelConsensus
Q3 revenue$16.513bn$16.51bn
Q3 non-GAAP EPS$0.52$0.40
Q4 revenue guide (midpoint)$15.5bn$17.08bn
Q4 non-GAAP EPS guide$0.25$0.44

The $15.5bn midpoint is about 9% below consensus, and the $0.25 EPS guide about 43% below. Even the $15.0bn low end sits under Yahoo’s lowest estimate of $15.61bn. Intel also guided non-GAAP gross margin to about 38.0%, from 44.1% in the third quarter.

“[W]e see the PC slowdown continuing at least through the first half of next year.”

David Zinsner, Intel chief financial officer

Chief executive Lip-Bu Tan said demand for Intel’s CPUs “remains robust” despite PC headwinds, and that the “immediate priority is to unlock additional supply to meet extraordinary demand for our Xeon family”, its data-centre chips.

The balance sheet is stronger. Operating cash flow was $5.1bn, adjusted free cash flow $1.64bn, and Intel completed a $23bn equity offering, leaving about $54bn in cash and short-term investments.

Intel holds a webcast at 2pm PT (9pm UK time) today.

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