Intel plans to offer $15 billion in shares as AI demand increases

Computing and chip-making giant Intel has announced on Monday that it will sell $15 billion in new common stock, taking advantage of a year-long rally in its share price to raise cash for the company’s manufacturing and product interests as customers pour more money into AI computing. 

Intel said the timing of the sale is based on customer behavior, as buyers continue to show steady, long-term demand tied to heavy AI spending.

Intel raising money with common stock sale

The company filed a registration statement on Form S-3 with the SEC, including a preliminary prospectus, and said the sale can only proceed through that prospectus and its supplement. The four banks involved in running the deal as joint managers include J.P. Morgan Securities, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Citigroup Global Markets.

Intel’s offering is a public sale of stock listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker INTC, the company confirmed in its announcement.

In the statement, the company pointed to newer interests as why it wants more capital on hand. “Progress in emerging areas including physical AI, purpose-built silicon, advanced packaging and external wafers” were all seen as growth opportunities, while adding that the raise is “intended to further enable Intel to pursue the growth opportunities ahead.” Intel has not tied the proceeds from the stock sale to any single project.

Intel rally creates timing of sale

The stock has nearly tripled this year to $101.65, with a turnaround rally lifting the shares. On Monday the stock traded at $101.65, up 1.8%, according to Yahoo Finance market data.

The computing giant’s business case is based on data center CPUs instead of the dedicated AI accelerators, where it trails rivals such as Nvidia. Intel’s data center sales saw an increase of 59% last quarter, moving at more than twice the pace of the company’s overall revenue growth. Intel believes that the AI expansion is creating demand for its central processors even though the company is not leading the market when it comes to AI-specific silicon.

The $15 billion raise covers the expected spending, however, it does not answer the pertinent questions hanging over that remain about the stock’s rally. Intel continues to put in effort to sign up major external customers for its factories, a strategy that would validate its heavy investment in leading-edge manufacturing.

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