Why Intel Stock Popped Today

By Joe Tenebruso – Apr 1, 2026 at 8:53PM ESTKey PointsIntel is making an aggressive move to bolster its chip-building capabilities.The tech titan is poised to profit from rising demand for AI inference.Shares of Intel (INTC +8.78%) spiked on Wednesday after the chipmaker struck a deal to reacquire a key manufacturing site. Image source: Intel. A smart deal for Intel and its partners Back in 2024, Intel sold a 49% stake in a joint venture formed around its Fab 34 facility in Ireland to investment funds overseen by Apollo Global Management (APO 0.92%) for $11.2 billion. The semiconductor designer used the cash to advance its manufacturing plans. With Intel now on firmer financial and competitive footing, it agreed to repurchase Apollo's stake in the venture for $14.2 billion. Intel plans to fund the purchase with its cash reserves and roughly $6.5 billion in new debt. Management expects the deal to add to the company's earnings per share by 2027. "Our 2024 agreement was the right structure at the right time and provided Intel with meaningful flexibility, enabling us to accelerate critical initiatives," chief financial officer David Zinsner said. ExpandNASDAQ: INTCIntelToday's Change(8.78%) $3.88Current Price$48.01Key Data PointsMarket Cap$220BDay's Range$45.00 - $48.7652wk Range$17.66 - $54.60Volume4.4MAvg Vol107MGross Margin35.24% Intel is well-placed to benefit from shifting AI trends Intel makes chips for artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled personal computers and high-performance data center servers at its Fab 34 site. The facility is set to play a central role in the company's AI-driven growth strategy. After missing out on the AI model training-fueled graphics processing unit (GPU) craze spearheaded by Nvidia, Intel is now poised to profit from a forthcoming boom in central processing units (CPUs). As more companies shift from AI model training to inference -- the process of using a trained model to make decisions -- demand for CPUs is set to surge. That plays right into Intel's wheelhouse. Still, competition is likely to be fierce. Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices, and Arm Holdings are all ramping up their CPU offerings to participate in this lucrative trend.Read NextApr 1, 2026 •By Howard SmithStock Market Today, April 1: Intel Surges on $14.2 Billion Fab BuybackMar 30, 2026 •By Jack CaporalRanked: Semiconductor Manufacturers by Global RevenueMar 27, 2026 •By Timothy GreenThe Scrappy $949 GPU Taking Aim at Nvidia's Grip on Local AIMar 26, 2026 •By Timothy GreenIntel Arrow Lake Refresh: The Budget CPU That Finally Gives AMD a Run for Its MoneyMar 25, 2026 •By Chris NeigerWhy Intel Stock Popped TodayMar 25, 2026 •By The Motley Fool TeamStock Market Today (LIVE): Intel Up 10% on Peace Talk Optimism; Meta Aims for 5x Growth by 2031About the AuthorJoe Tenebruso is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst with more than 3,000 financial bylines to his name. Joe was an investment analyst for Stock Advisor, Income Investor, Crypto Society, and other top-rated investing services. He also managed Tier 1 Investments, a market-crushing real-money portfolio with 24.58% annualized returns. Joe graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance.tmfguardianX@Tier1InvestorStocks MentionedIntelNASDAQ: INTC$48.03(+8.84%)+$3.90NvidiaNASDAQ: NVDA$175.74(+0.77%)+$1.34Advanced Micro DevicesNASDAQ: AMD$210.21(+3.33%)+$6.78Apollo Global ManagementNYSE: APO$110.25(-1.05%)-$1.17Arm HoldingsNASDAQ: ARM$155.07(+2.50%)+$3.79*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.