Intel is heading for the worst drop in two years with projection below expectations
Profit falls 18% in the third quarter, demand for personal computers feels the price of memory chips and the projection for the fourth quarter is below expectations
BY THE X-TRADER NEWS NEWSROOM · REPORTING FROM MARKETWATCH · 2 MIN
Intel's shares are heading for the worst drop in two years, according to MarketWatch, after the release of the balance sheet for the third quarter of 2026. Net profit totaled US$3.32 billion, an 18% drop compared to the same period in 2025. The balance sheet came out on a Thursday, and the shares fell 19% in the after-hours in New York, according to InfoMoney.
The result was mixed. On the positive side, adjusted earnings per share were US$0.52, above the US$0.41 projected according to FactSet and well above the US$0.23 in the third quarter of 2025. On the negative side, revenue linked to artificial intelligence fell in the period, according to InfoMoney.
The personal computer business helps explain the pressure. According to MarketWatch, the price of memory chips reduces demand, and corporate technology teams have less budget for laptops. In other words, on the business customer side, money for new machines has become shorter.
The projection for the fourth quarter was the most delicate data in the release. According to InfoMoney, the company's guidance was well below expectations, and this point appears as the main focus of attention among the numbers presented.
What is at stake is Intel's ability to offset a pressured PC business with an artificial intelligence front that, this quarter, retreated. For those who defend fiscal responsibility and return on capital, the case reinforces the importance of looking at profit generation and the visibility of projections, and not just the company's narrative.
What changes for the investor
For those who follow Intel in New York, the balance leaves three points on the radar: the fourth quarter projection, below expectations; the demand for personal computers, pressured by the price of memory chips and companies' IT budgets; and AI revenue, which declined in the period. This set shifts the discussion to the visibility of the results, and not just an isolated number. This article does not recommend buying or selling shares and does not forecast prices. It is up to the reader to monitor upcoming balance sheets and evaluate their own risk profile before deciding.
Automatically translated from Portuguese.
