Having been the reigning champ of the semiconductor ring, Intel has spent the past few rounds avoiding punches from quicker and flashier opponents such as Nvidia and AMD. Investors witnessed this beaten expert drop the AI opportunity for several years. Now, with a new corner coach, Lip-Bu Tan, an old-school strategist with determination, and all ready with a knockout punch in the 18A chip technology, Intel could be ready for a comeback montage. Sure, the crowd is doubting, the odds are less than glamorous, and Wall Street’s betting slip is still marked “Hold,” but perhaps, this underdog is due for a little love.

In the last five years, Intel has suffered a crash from the heights of glory. Intel was surpassed by nimbler competitors surfing the AI boom. Its stock price indicates this decline, down close to 70% of its mid-2010s peak. Most of the criticism directed at Intel focuses on its delayed transition into AI and advanced node development, leaving its competitors to take advantage of new markets. However, in reaction to such shortcomings, Intel’s board hired Lip-Bu Tan, an experienced tech executive with a strong engineering background and an aggressive roadmap. He is keen to make Intel an “engineering-focused company.”

Tan’s leadership seeks to move the company out of corporate contentment and back into a territory of innovation. At the heart of his plan is Intel’s 18A process technology, a next-generation node that may be a turning point for Intel’s fortunes. Tan has referred to 18A as a “vitally important role” for the company’s turnaround, both in CPUs and in demonstrating Intel’s ability to serve as a “reliable foundry player.”

18A, a Technology with Potential to Influence

Not everyone is prepared to count Intel out. A well-established investor by the name of Tech Stock Pros, who has a rating in the top 3% of financial experts on TipRanks, identifies Intel’s 18A process as a sleeper hit that has game-changing potential. The 5-star investor says,

“Intel’s 18A will carry it to new heights, and the more negative the market gets on this name, the more attractive it is to us”.

Based on Tech Stock Pros, 18A might give Intel two key advantages. First is a competitive advantage in CPUs, so it can regain market share from Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), which has been nibbling away at Intel’s dominance for years. The second advantage is the validation of Intel’s foundry business, a segment in which it has not taken hold. If 18A is successful, it could re-establish Intel as a trusted foundry choice for leading-edge chip manufacturing, particularly important within global supply chain realignments.

Low Expectation Strategy brings in High Potential

Tech Stock Pros points out that market negativity may prove to be a hidden gem for investors prepared to ignore the present gloom. Should Intel achieve a triumphant 18A ramp in late 2025 or early 2026, the surprise effect alone may provoke a significant re-rating of the stock. According to Tech Stock Pros,

“Low expectations make for more dramatic stock price reactions when better-than-feared news breaks, and we think that could be the case with 18A’s successful ramp in Q4 and early 1H26”.

Tech Stock Pros, which rates Intel a Buy, says,

“Intel could be back at the $40s level after 18A is successfully out; it’ll expand margins, enable share regain on the PC Client front, and put the company on the map as an advanced foundry player”.

The investor predicts that after 18A is confirmed, Intel shares would be able to trade again, supported by margin improvement, regained share in client PCs, and newfound credibility in the foundry business.

As the Positive Influence is Rising, Wall Street Remains Vigilant

Even though Tech Stock Pros is optimistic, Wall Street remains undecided. The 31 analysts who follow Intel 26 rate it at a Hold, with just 1 recommending a Buy and 4 on Sell. The average 12-month price target of $21.29 indicates relatively modest upside of about 6%. This consensus probably indicates Intel’s recent execution issues and the need for a turnaround of such enormous scale.

Should one bet on the Comeback Kid?

Intel’s decade-long saga has been a cautionary story of what occurs when innovation trails behind ambition. The company’s new leadership, renewed engineering focus, and ambitious 18A bet may signal the beginning of a different story, one of redemption. In the semiconductor universe, fortunes turn quickly. Although Intel is not the darling of the market these days, insightful investors like Tech Stock Pros believe this is exactly the time when underdogs are worth a second glance. If 18A delivers, the cheers are likely to come back louder than ever.

Intel’s resurgence won’t happen quickly or without friction, but nor did Apple’s in the early 2000s or AMD’s in the 2010s. Lip-Bu Tan has not simply leadership but a mind shift, from fighting to retain market share to pursuing technological greatness. If the 18A process gets even halfway there, Intel can reposition itself not only as a CPU titan but as a foundry powerhouse to define the future of chip production. For sharp investors, today’s stagnation may quietly be setting the stage for tomorrow’s long-term upturn. Betting on Intel now isn’t about investing in an ideal company; investing in the power of change before the rest of the market is brave enough to believe once again.