Intel signals slower growth as PC market remains under pressure

Intel INTC-Q forecast quarterly revenue and profit below estimates on Thursday, warning that a slowdown in the PC market driven by elevated memory costs would persist into next year.

The guidance could test confidence in a stock that has more than doubled this year, as investors weigh ongoing manufacturing constraints and soft PC demand against strong demand for its AI server chips and efforts to revive growth through a costly foundry expansion.

“Looking ahead, we see the PC slowdown continuing at least through the first half of next year,” Chief Financial Officer David Zinsner said. “We will continue making disciplined investments in capacity and working capital to increase supply and support future growth.”

The results also put a spotlight on Intel’s funding plans. In August, the company raised US$23-billion from an upsized share offering, as it seeks to challenge industry leaders such as TSMC in contract chip manufacturing.

Intel expects fourth-quarter revenue between US$15-billion and US$16-billion, below analysts’ average estimate of US$17.07-billion, according to data compiled by LSEG. Adjusted profit is expected to be 25 cents per share, trailing estimates of 43 cents.

Intel estimates that the October explosion at its factory, or fab, in Kiryat Gat, Israel, hurt its fourth-quarter revenue outlook by roughly US$300-million and its gross margins by about 200 basis points, Zinsner said in an interview with Reuters. The fab did not operate for two weeks and the company is in the process of determining which wafers are salvageable for use and sale.

Zinsner said the company expects a similar revenue impact in the first quarter.

“We’re still assessing all of the wafers to see which ones are usable and which ones aren’t, so we’ll have to see whether there is an impact that stretches beyond that,” Zinsner said.

The Kiryat Gat fab largely produces data centre chips using the company’s Intel 10 manufacturing process. Zinsner said Intel planned to start ramping up production at the facility by the end of this week.

The company had also raised its 2026 capital spending forecast to US$20-billion from US$18-billion in July and said 2027 spending would increase significantly to expand manufacturing capacity.

CEO Lip-Bu Tan has been leading the company’s turnaround after it fell behind Nvidia, whose graphics processors dominate the AI boom, with the contract manufacturing, or foundry, business a key part of his revival strategy.

In the third quarter ended Sept. 26, revenue rose 21 per cent to US$16.51-billion, largely in line with estimates of US$16.50-billion. Adjusted profit came in at 52 cents per share, beating estimates of 40 cents.

Sales in Intel’s PC chip business fell 5 per cent to US$8.10-billion, missing estimates of US$8.98-billion. Investors have been watching for signs that demand has stabilized despite the company’s expectation for a soft personal-computing market in the second half of this year and into 2027.