INTC

AMD’s drop on huge revenue growth exemplifies risks in the tech sector

Yesterday, February 4, after the close of trading Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) reported record revenue growth for the fourth quarter. The chipmaker even reported growth in market share at the expense of rival Intel (INTC).
Yet in after-hours reading the stock dropped 8.80%. Today’s regular session confirmed the tumble with a 6.27% tumble. The problem for AMD, revenue growth in the company’s data center unit, which competes in the market for AI chips with Nvidia (NVDA) revenue slowed. The problem for the tech sector as a whole, and especially AI stocks, is that the dip in the growth rate for data center revenue was to a “disappointing” 69% rate. That’s only disappointing in comparison to the a year-over-year growth rate of of 122% that the company reported for the third quarter of 2024. This raises the important question for AI and tech stocks: Are current valuations for the stocks predicated on unachievable exceptions for extraordinarily high growth rates for unrealistically long time periods?

Here’s the 3-year road map for AI hardware–and a buy on AMD

Here’s the 3-year road map for AI hardware–and a buy on AMD

It’s important to remember exactly how young artificial intelligence is as a market product. I certainly don’t think it’s possible to project the long-term winners on either the software or hardware side. Remember the days when Apple (AAPL) thought it was worth buying a Super Bowl add to urge consumers to smash the IBM PC empire? But I do think the hardware road map is petty clear for the next two to three years. Which is why I’m adding shares of Advanced Micro Devices to my portfolios tomorrow.

Selling Intel out of Jubak Picks to take profits ahead of PC sales weakness

Odds rise that Intel will keep its dividend after bond sale, adding the stock to my Jubak Picks Portfolio

The possibility that Intel (INTC) would cut its dividend has been hanging over the stock price since the company announced one of the ugliest quarters I’ve seen in a while on January 26. No question why. Intel’s adjusted free cash flow was a negative $4.075 for the full 2022 year. And with the company looking to invest heavily in new fabs, the $6 billion a year in dividend payouts looked like a potential source of investing cash. And certainly, you wouldn’t want to buy into a stock paying 5.09% (as Intel did today) if the company was about to cut its dividend. But a dividend cut looks less likely today.