Intel shares post record one-day loss after weak fourth-quarter outlook

Intel's stock fell roughly 28.6% on Friday, October 30, closing near $65.76, its steepest single-session decline since 1974, after the company guided fourth-quarter revenue and EPS below Street forecasts following a third-quarter beat. The drop came on top of a roughly 40% slide in October, which analysts tied to PC demand softness from high memory prices and server-chip supply constraints. The sell-off also cut about $12 billion from the value of the U.S. government's roughly 9.9% stake, which was acquired in August 2025 at $20.47 per share, though the position still shows a large paper gain over cost. Management said the PC slowdown could last at least through the first half of 2027.

1. Intel reported non-GAAP Q3 2026 EPS of 52 cents versus a consensus near 40 cents, per Benzinga Pro data.
2. Q4 2026 guidance: revenue of $15 billion to $16 billion versus a roughly $17.05 billion consensus; adjusted EPS of 25 cents versus about 43 cents expected.
3. Shares closed at $65.76 on Friday October 30, down 28.58%, the steepest one-day decline since 1974 per Benzinga.
4. Intel stock fell more than 40% in October 2026, its worst month since 1974, per Benzinga.
5. CFO David Zinsner said he expects the PC slowdown to last at least through the first half of 2027.
6. The U.S. Commerce Department acquired 433.3 million Intel shares at $20.47 each in August 2025, a 9.9% stake; the one-day hit to its value was about $12.2 billion.