Intel's Stock Suddenly Soars 8% on Wild Acquisition Rumors - But Can a Mystery Suitor Really Save It

Intel, the OG of semiconductors—or, as it’s been known lately, the punching bag of the chip industry—just lit up Wall Street with a little acquisition rumor that sent its stock soaring over 8% on Friday. And honestly? It’s really not that surprising considering nothing gets investors more hyped than a whisper of a potential buyout. 

(Source: Giphy) 

In short, according to SemiAccurate—yes, that’s the real name of the publication, and no, I’m not making this up—Intel might be acquired. Not piecemeal, not with some weird joint venture nonsense, but as a whole. The report claims the potential buyer has the resources to pull off a deal this massive, which, given Intel’s $90.3 billion market cap, narrows the field to… no one you’ve probably heard about lately. SemiAccurate also helpfully ruled out Qualcomm as a suitor, so I’ve officially scratched that name off my conspiracy board (considering we’ve talked about that one before).

Now how in the world did this come about, you ask? Well as it turns out, it came from an email from unnamed sources that was “read several months ago” and shared with a “close circle.”---you know, because nothing screams credibility like a dusty rumor that’s been floating around like an old chain letter and reported on by someone called “SemiAccurate” LOL. But hey, this is Wall Street we’re talking about, and it’s never been one to let a lack of hard facts get in the way of a good stock rally.

(Source: StockTwits) 

On the other hand though, this definitely is a bit of upbeat news, especially since Intel has had a year so bad you’d think it was managed by the same team that brought us MoviePass. Down 38% in the past six months. Down 54% year-over-year. But throw out the word “acquisition” and suddenly everyone’s ready to swipe right on Chipzilla again. It’s like putting lipstick on a pig and convincing yourself it’s Margot Robbie.

For this reason, I can’t help but think this is all smoke and no fire. I mean, we’ve seen this movie before. A rumor surfaces, the stock pops, and by the time the dust settles, everyone’s left holding the bag while Intel quietly goes back to… whatever it is Intel does these days. 

(Source: Economic Times) 

However, even if this deal were to happen, it’s not solving Intel’s core issues overnight. The company has been losing ground in an industry where speed and innovation are everything, and no amount of cash infusion is going to fix that if they don’t get their act together. This isn’t some feel-good underdog story where the scrappy chipmaker gets its groove back. This is more like that point in the movie where the protagonist realizes they’ve got one last shot to avoid irrelevance. 

Of course, we don’t really know who this mystery buyer is (yet), but if you’re holding Intel stock, congrats on the pop. If you’re thinking about buying in now, maybe take a deep breath and ask yourself if you’re really ready for the wild ride that is the Intel sh*t show. 

(Source: Giphy) 

Now as for who’s actually crazy enough to try and buy Intel as a whole? Well again, as of right now, your guess is as good as mine. But you better believe this is going to be an ongoing story, because once we do find out—well, 8% might end up being pennies compared to what could shake out. In the meantime, do your due diligence, and make sure you have all the facts together when placing your bets (accordingly). 

We’ll continue updating you on this story as we get more information, but for now, stay safe and stay frosty, friends! Until next time…

P.S. Some people read “SemiAccurate” to invest their cold hard cash— I leverage Stocks.News, we are not the same. Join us on the winning side, and get access to a swath of tools that makes real-time analysis and deciphering the market as simple as ever. Oh and did I mentioned we are ranked the #23 BEST App (not just finance) on the App Store? Bigly. Click here to join us and see just how real the hype is… 

Stocks.News holds positions in Intel as mentioned in the article.