Chip stock Intel (INTC) did not have a great 2024 by virtually any measure. Competitors surged and seized market share formerly thought inviolable. It dropped the ball on at least a couple occasions, and operating losses ruled the day as Intel staged a fire sale on everything from employees to whole divisions. Can Intel recover in 2025? Possibly, reports note, and that was enough for investors to send shares up fractionally in Tuesday afternoon’s trading.
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Intel has dropped a host of employees, replaced its CEO, and is frantically considering several different options to get itself back on track. Separating its foundry operations from its products operations is on the table, as is the sale of at least one subsidiary. That certainly does not want for dynamism, and the sheer scope of such a change could ultimately turn things around for Intel.
But there are also signs that status quo is still very much in play. A Zacks report noted that Intel “remains focused on core strategy,” but also looks to “…witness a significant cultural change” in order to become a “world-class foundry.” This seems to focus less on building excess capacity and instead focusing on efficiency, getting more out of existing capacity. Whether or not this play will work, however, remains to be seen.
A Play in Potent Panasonic
And yesterday, we saw Intel add its processors to an upcoming AI PC. That was not the only interesting departure from the norm for Intel, as its processors are also part of a Panasonic (PCRFF) project, a rugged tablet designed to go anywhere and do plenty when it gets there: the Toughbook 33mk4.
A report from Techradar spelled out just how rugged this device was. Not only does it have MIL-STD 810H military standard certification, but it also has IP65 durability, which means it can go into some of the worst places on Earth and come out in one piece. It uses an Intel Core i5 processor from the Raptor Lake lineup, and can even upgrade to an i7 for those who want more power.
Is Intel a Buy, Hold or Sell?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Hold consensus rating on INTC stock based on one Buy, 21 Holds and five Sells assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 59.1% loss in its share price over the past year, the average INTC price target of $24.53 per share implies 20.48% upside potential.
