Shares shifted sharply higher as a powerful one-two punch — ASML's blockbuster earnings and Intel's own improving fundamentals — sent the chipmaker up +3.6% to $111.64 in pre-market trading on July 15. ASML raised its full-year 2026 guidance for the second time this year, now expecting sales of €43–45 billion ($49–51 billion), with gross margins of 54–56%. That kind of signal from the company that makes the machines every advanced chipmaker depends on is a rising tide for the whole sector — and Intel, with its aggressive manufacturing ambitions, stands to catch a disproportionate share of the wave.

  • ASML's Blowout Results Validate the AI Spending Boom Intel Is Betting On

ASML's full-year revenue guidance jumped 16% at the midpoint from prior expectations, while Q2 revenue of €9.33 billion and net income of €2.92 billion both topped Wall Street forecasts.

CEO Christophe Fouquet called order intake "extremely strong." For Intel shareholders, this matters directly: Fouquet confirmed that Intel will use ASML's newest advanced lithography tool to manufacture some of its most cutting-edge processors — proof that Intel's factory overhaul is real, not just talk.

  • The Foundry Turnaround Now Has Big-Name Customers Attached

KeyBanc analyst John Vinh raised his Intel price target to $155 from $110, arguing that yields on Intel's advanced manufacturing process have climbed to over 85% from 65% the prior quarter, with major design wins from Apple, AMD, Nvidia, and OpenAI.

Apple's decision to collaborate on chip manufacturing inside the U.S. marks a pivotal win for Intel's foundry business. Landing the world's most demanding chipmaker is the single most credible endorsement Intel could earn.

  • The Stock Has Cratered 22% From Its June High — Creating a Setup

Intel's 52-week range spans from $18.97 to $142.35 , and the stock closed at just $107.76 on Monday after touching $103.12 last Sunday — landing precisely at its lower statistical trading band, a level that often signals oversold conditions. The pre-market bounce comes as analysts project full-year 2026 earnings of $0.63 per share, a 625% jump from a loss of $0.12 in 2025.

  • Earnings on July 23 Are the Real Verdict

Analysts expect Q2 revenue of $14.40 billion and earnings of $0.059 per share , which would confirm accelerating momentum from a Q1 that already sent shares soaring 23.6% after Intel reported adjusted earnings of $0.29 versus the $0.02 consensus. The risk: Intel's $5.7 billion AI investment is large enough to raise near-term margin concerns , even as it funds the factory push. Eight days from now, the numbers will either justify the comeback story — or expose it.