Intel (INTC) Stock: Panther Lake Launch and Nvidia Deal Push Shares Higher

TLDR

• Intel shares rose 1.6% in after-hours trading to $40.04 following its CES Panther Lake processor debut
• The new Core Ultra Series 3 chips are Intel’s first built on 18A manufacturing process, with preorders starting January 6
• Melius Research upgraded Intel to “buy” with a $50 price target, up from “hold”
• Nvidia completed its $5 billion investment in Intel, purchasing shares at $23.28 each in December 2025
• Intel’s stock has gained 101.41% over one year but remains down 22.23% over five years

Intel shares climbed in extended trading Tuesday after the company launched its Panther Lake processor line at CES and picked up a bullish call from Wall Street.

Intel Corporation, INTC

The stock touched $40.04 after hours, following a regular session range of $38.98 to $40.30. The move came as Intel rolled out its Core Ultra Series 3 chips in Las Vegas and Melius Research flipped its rating to “buy.”

Intel used CES to introduce Panther Lake, its first laptop processor built on the 18A manufacturing process. CEO Lip-Bu Tan said the company met its target to ship initial 18A products before the end of 2025.

The chips use a separate graphics chiplet stitched into the processor package. PC chief Jim Johnson said the design will also power a handheld gaming device this year.

Preorders Begin January 6

Intel said preorders for laptops with Core Ultra Series 3 processors begin January 6. Systems will reach stores globally on January 27, with more designs rolling out through the first half of 2026.

The top mobile chips pack up to 16 CPU cores and a neural processing unit rated at up to 50 TOPS. Intel expects the lineup to appear in more than 200 PC designs.

Intel has leaned on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co to make much of its Lunar Lake generation. The company has faced yield issues with Panther Lake, though executives say yields are improving monthly.

Melius Research analyst Ben Reitzes lifted Intel to “buy” from “hold” and set a $50 price target. Reitzes said winners in the AI buildout will be companies that “deliver AI productivity and usage soars.”

Most analysts set Intel’s consensus price target at $38.31, slightly below the current share price. One valuation narrative pegs fair value near $38.14, which sits below the recent $40.04 price.

Nvidia Investment Complete

Intel’s one-year total shareholder return stands at 101.41%. The stock is up 1.68% year to date and gained 8.51% over the past week. Over five years, Intel has posted a 22.23% decline.

Nvidia completed its purchase of $5 billion in Intel shares on December 29. Intel sold 214,776,632 shares at $23.28 each under the deal.

Nvidia first announced plans for the investment in September 2025. The companies also agreed to jointly develop chips for PCs and data centers.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang called it a “historic collaboration” that couples Nvidia’s AI stack with Intel’s CPUs and the x86 ecosystem. Mizuho Securities analyst Vijay Rakesh maintained his Buy rating on Nvidia with a $245 price target on December 29.

Traders will watch early preorder momentum in the coming days and any updates on 18A manufacturing progress. The next checkpoint is January 27, when the first Core Ultra Series 3 systems are due to reach stores worldwide.

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