Intel Soars to Highest Close Since 2000 on AI Server Hopes

Overview

• Intel shares closed at $68.50, the highest since 2000, after a nine-day rally that puts the stock on pace for its best month since 1974.
• The jump is tied to demand for server processors used in artificial intelligence, with Mizuho estimating chip prices could rise 10% to 15% this year.
• Wall Street raised targets yet stayed cautious, with fewer than one in four analysts rating the stock a Buy and notable targets set at $55 to $60 from Wells Fargo, Cantor, and Bernstein.
• Risks flagged by analysts include a valuation near 95 times expected earnings, execution on Intel’s foundry buildout, and fierce competition from AMD and Nvidia.
• Investors now look to Intel’s Q1 2026 report next Thursday to gauge if growth is durable, with Mizuho saying Intel could boost supply by shifting some PC production lines to server chips.