Can Intel Stock Bounce Back?

With shares of Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) trading around $22, is INTC an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE or STAY AWAY? Let’s analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

T = Trends for a Stock’s Movement

Intel designs and manufactures integrated digital technology platforms, including microprocessors and chipsets. The company sells these platforms primarily to original equipment manufacturers, original design manufacturers, and industrial and communications equipment manufacturers in the computing and communications industries. Intel’s platforms are used in a range of applications such as personal computers, data centers, tablets, smartphones, automobiles, automated factory systems, and medical devices.

The company also develops and sells software and services primarily focused on security and technology integration. Microprocessors, chipsets, and software products and services are at the root of most technological progress. A bellwether and main provider like Intel will see rising demand and increased market share, as it is the only viable option for a growing consumer base and expanding companies worldwide.

Intel’s second quarter earnings fell short of analyst expectations. The world’s largest chip maker blamed both a slump in PC sales and economic weakness in China as reasons for the disappointing results. Intel’s second quarter revenue was also down from the mean analyst estimate compiled by Reuters, and the company cut its earnings forecast for the current quarter.

T = Technicals on the Stock Chart are Mixed

Intel stock has whipsawed over the last year. The stock is currently heading lower but may be finding value near these prices. Analyzing the price trend and its strength can be done using key simple moving averages. What are the key moving averages? The 50-day (pink), 100-day (blue), and 200-day (yellow) simple moving averages. As seen in the daily price chart below, Intel is trading between its key averages which signal neutral price action in the near-term.

(Source: Thinkorswim)

Taking a look at the implied volatility (red) and implied volatility skew levels of Intel options may help determine if investors are bullish, neutral, or bearish.

What does this mean? This means that investors or traders are buying a very significant amount of call and put options contracts, as compared to the last 30 and 90 trading days.

As of today, there is an average demand from call buyers or sellers and high demand by put buyers or low demand by put sellers, all neutral to bearish over the next two months. To summarize, investors are buying a very significant amount of call and put option contracts and are leaning neutral to bearish over the next two months.

On the next page, let’s take a look at the earnings and revenue growth rates and the conclusion.

E = Earnings Are Decreasing Quarter-Over-Quarter

Rising stock prices are often strongly correlated with rising earnings and revenue growth rates. Also, the last four quarterly earnings announcement reactions help gauge investor sentiment on Intel’s stock. What do the last four quarterly earnings and revenue growth (Y-O-Y) figures for Intel look like and more importantly, how did the markets like these numbers?

Intel has seen decreasing earnings and revenue figures over the last four quarters. From these numbers, the markets have been disappointed with Intel’s recent earnings announcements.

P = Weak Relative Performance Versus Peers and Sector

How has Intel stock done relative to its peers AMD (NYSE:AMD), Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA), Texas Instruments (NASDAQ:TXN), and sector?

Intel has been a poor relative performer, year-to-date.

Conclusion

Intel is a developer of technology products such as microprocessors, chipsets, and software, and distributes them to companies and consumers around the world. The latest earnings release did not leave investors happy with the company. The stock is currently heading lower attempting to find value. Over the last four quarters, earnings and revenues have been decreasing which has left investors disappointed. Relative to its peers and sector, Intel has been a weak year-to-date performer. WAIT AND SEE what Intel does this coming quarter.

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