Semiconductor Stars: Ranking the Top 5 Chip Stocks by YTD Performance

2. Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC)

YTD Share Price Return: 174.71%

Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) is one of the top semiconductor stocks in our ranking of the top 10 chip stocks by YTD performance. On April 28, Freedom Broker upgraded Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) to Buy from Hold, lifting the price target on the stock to $100 from $25. The firm told investors that the company’s fiscal Q1 earnings report, with a material beat across revenue, gross margin, and EPS, marks a credible inflection” in the “new Intel” thesis under Lip-Bu Tan. It also said that for the first time in several quarters, it includes “forward guidance that reinforces rather than undercuts the operational narrative”.

Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) announced financial results for fiscal Q1 2026 on April 23, reporting that revenue for the quarter reached $13.6 billion, up 7% year-over-year. First-quarter earnings (loss) per share attributable to the company were $0.73, while non-GAAP EPS attributable to Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) were $0.29. Management further reported that it is forecasting fiscal Q2 2026 revenue in the range of $13.8 billion to $14.8 billion, and is expecting fiscal Q2 2026 EPS attributable to the company of $0.08 and non-GAAP EPS of $0.20.

Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) is involved in the design, sale, and manufacture of computer products and technologies. It delivers data storage, computer, networking, and communications platforms. The company’s operations are divided into the following segments: Client Computing Group (CCG), Data Center and AI (DCAI), Intel Foundry Services (IFS), and All Other.