Intel Q4 earnings guidance 2026: Shares slide 6% on weak outlook
Intel shares dropped 6% after hours as the company issued weak Q1 2026 guidance despite beating Q4 estimates. Revenue hit $13.7B while Nvidia's $5B stake was finalized.
Intel's numbers tell a story of two futures. While the chipmaker beat Wall Street's expectations for the fourth quarter, its lackluster forecast for early 2026 has sent investors scrambling. According to Reuters, Intel's shares plummeted as much as 6% in after-hours trading following the announcement of a soft first-quarter guidance that missed analyst targets.
Intel Q4 earnings guidance 2026: The Data Breakdown
| Metric | Actual (Q4) | Expected (LSEG) |
|---|---|---|
| Adj. EPS | 15 cents | 8 cents |
| Revenue | $13.7 billion | $13.4 billion |
| Q1 2026 Revenue Guide | $11.7B - $12.7B | $12.51 billion |
| Q1 2026 EPS Guide | Breakeven | 5 cents |
The company reported a net loss of $600 million, widening from a $100 million loss in the year-ago period. CFO David Zinsner noted that the soft guidance for the current quarter stems partly from a lack of supply needed to meet seasonal demand. Despite this, Intel's Data Center and AI sales rose 9% to $4.7 billion, fueled by the ongoing infrastructure boom.
Foundry Ambitions and Nvidia's $5 Billion Stake
Intel's foundry business recorded $4.5 billion in revenue, as the company aggressively moves toward volume production of its 18A technology. CEO Lip-Bu Tan confirmed that the 18A node is mature enough for large-scale products like the Core Ultra Series 3. Furthermore, Nvidia's $5 billion investment in Intel was completed this quarter, joining the U.S. government and SoftBank as major shareholders.
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