Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) has proved the doubters wrong over the past year, and its share price has soared by over 300% in the past twelve months. The company has enjoyed a series of wins, making the previous narrative of a tech firm on the decline a relic of the past.
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Further evidence was provided just last week during Intel’s Q1 2026 earnings report. The company posted revenue of $13.6 billion, a comfortable $1.4 billion above the midpoint of guidance and representing a 7% year-over-year improvement. Intel’s Q2 revenue guidance of $13.8 to $14.8 billion would translate into a 9% sequential improvement, reflecting additional growth on the horizon.
CEO Lip-Bu Tan offered bullish sentiment, noting that AI technology is shifting toward inference and agentic workloads, effectively bringing “intelligence” nearer to end users.
“This shift is significantly increasing the need for Intel’s CPUs and wafer and advanced packaging offerings,” he declared.
The market seemed to agree, and INTC has gained almost 23% since the quarterly numbers were announced.
Well, not everyone is convinced. That includes top investor Daniel Sparks, who offers a more cautious stance.
“This turnaround is exciting. But shares have arguably risen too high, too fast,” states the 5-star investor, who is among the top 1% of stock pros covered by TipRanks.
That’s not to say that Sparks doesn’t appreciate what Intel has accomplished. He points to the “meaningful growth” that Intel delivered in the last quarter, with revenue growing by 7% year-over-year and non-GAAP EPS more than doubling to hit $0.29.
The data center and AI segment drove a large chunk of this improvement, and its $5.1 billion in revenues reflected 22% year-over-year growth. This demonstrates that the company “is finally finding ways to tap into AI infrastructure spending,” adds Sparks.
However, he just can’t get over the company’s valuation. Sparks worries that the run doesn’t leave much room for anything higher than mid-single-digit growth, even in a best-case scenario.
“The market has already priced in not just a full turnaround but also significant top- and bottom-line growth for years to come,” he notes. (To watch Sparks’ track record, click here)
The view from Wall Street is mixed. With 10 Buys, 23 Holds, and 3 Sells, INTC carries a Hold (i.e., Neutral) consensus rating. Its 12-month average price target of $76.90 points to a downside approaching 10%. (See INTC stock forecast)
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured investor. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.