Key Highlights
- Shares of Intel climbed 12.06% on Wednesday, reaching a new intraday peak of $94.95
- First-quarter 2026 sales increased 7% annually to $13.6 billion, marking Intel’s largest revenue surprise in over half a decade
- Second-quarter 2026 forecast anticipates revenue between $13.8B–$14.8B, representing 7–14.7% growth year-over-year
- CNBC’s Jim Cramer described Intel’s quarterly performance as “outstanding,” highlighting CEO Lip-Bu Tan’s transformative leadership
- Cramer projects strong performance for Intel and AMD throughout the remainder of 2026, driven by AI-related CPU demand
Shares of Intel (INTC) rallied 12.06% during Wednesday’s trading session, settling at $94.75 after momentarily reaching a record intraday peak of $94.95. The impressive gain came on the heels of robust quarterly results and enthusiastic analysis from Jim Cramer during his Mad Money broadcast.
Cramer expressed surprise at the strength of the results. “Even I didn’t expect this formerly iconic chipmaker to report such an outstanding quarter,” he shared with his audience. “It did the impossible — it somehow lived up to the sky-high expectations.”
The chipmaker delivered first-quarter 2026 sales of $13.6 billion, representing a 7% increase from the $12.7 billion recorded in the year-ago period. Cramer characterized it as Intel’s most significant revenue outperformance in more than five years, accompanied by improving profit margins.
The equity had already experienced a dramatic 23.6% surge on April 24, the day earnings were announced, establishing a previous record high. Wednesday’s trading session tacked on an additional 12% gain.
Cramer attributed the reversal to CEO Lip-Bu Tan, who assumed leadership just over twelve months ago. “I think there’s been a profound cultural shift in Intel,” Cramer observed. “When you listen to him on the conference call, Intel sounds like a company that is firing on all cylinders.”
AI-Powered CPU Sales Drive Exceptional Results
The revenue outperformance stemmed from robust CPU sales, propelled by what Cramer termed “the next leg of the AI revolution.” Intel’s CFO David Zinsner explained that escalating CPU demand enabled the company to maintain favorable pricing, which directly contributed to the margin expansion that exceeded analyst expectations.
Cramer also emphasized that Intel’s most recent server processor lineup is experiencing its most rapid adoption rate in five years.
Intel’s outlook for the second quarter of 2026 calls for revenue in the range of $13.8 billion to $14.8 billion. This guidance implies year-over-year expansion of 7% to 14.7% versus the $12.9 billion generated in Q2 2025. The comparison is particularly striking given that last year’s second quarter showed no growth relative to Q2 2024.
Cramer Highlights AMD and Arm in Broader Chip Analysis
Regarding the semiconductor sector more broadly, Cramer indicated his belief that CPU-focused companies — particularly Intel and AMD — are positioned for strong results through year-end.
AMD advanced 4.30% during Wednesday’s session, while Arm Holdings declined 1.53%. Cramer observed that equities perceived as “copycats” of Intel experienced steeper declines, though he suggested these pullbacks represent attractive entry points.
Cramer included a word of caution regarding entry timing. “Today’s parabolic move says you missed it,” he stated. “But this market could go down in a heartbeat, and then you’re going to get another chance.”
Intel’s first-quarter 2026 earnings discussion confirmed that the server CPU product launch represents the company’s fastest rollout in a five-year span.
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