Intel (INTC.US) surged more than 25% at Friday's market open, reaching a new all-time high of $84.12. The dramatic increase followed the company's release of first-quarter earnings and second-quarter guidance that significantly exceeded market expectations, indicating the long-struggling chipmaker is benefiting from the massive wave of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure development.
Financial results revealed that Intel's first-quarter revenue grew 7% year-over-year to $13.6 billion, substantially higher than the analyst consensus estimate of $12.4 billion. Non-GAAP net income reached $1.5 billion, a 156% increase compared to the same period last year. Adjusted earnings per share were $0.29, marking a 123% year-over-year increase and also far surpassing the average analyst estimate of $0.01. The gross margin was 41.0%, up from 39.2% a year earlier.
For the second quarter, Intel projected revenue between $13.8 billion and $14.8 billion. The midpoint of this range, $14.3 billion, is well above the average analyst forecast of $13.0 billion. The company also expects adjusted earnings per share of approximately $0.20 for the current quarter, significantly higher than the consensus estimate of $0.09, and anticipates a gross margin of 39%.
Intel CEO Patrick Gelsinger stated that the company delivered a "solid performance" that exceeded expectations. He predicted that demand for processors used in AI systems will continue to expand and noted that the company is "highly focused" on increasing factory output, as it currently cannot fulfill all customer orders. "The demand is incredibly strong," Gelsinger said. "We are working extremely hard to ensure delivery and meet demand, but a gap remains as customer demand continues to grow."
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