Intel vs. SK Hynix: Revenue Trends to Help Investors Weigh Which Artificial Intelligence Stock to Buy
Key Points
SK Hynix currently displays a stronger overall revenue trajectory than Intel, as it successfully overtook its counterpart and maintained the lead throughout the majority of the past eight comparable quarters.
While Intel largely maintained a relatively stable quarter-over-quarter revenue baseline over the last two years, SK Hynix experienced an outsized sequential expansion.
Investors should watch whether the steadily widening revenue gap between the two companies persists or if it narrows during upcoming reporting periods.
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Intel: Maintaining Steady Revenue Levels
Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) primarily generates its revenue by designing, developing, and manufacturing various computing processors, discrete graphics units, edge computing solutions, and connectivity components tailored specifically for global original equipment manufacturers, cloud service providers, and other enterprise network builders.
During the late summer months, it priced an upsized $20 billion public offering of common stock. In October, it entered a technical collaboration with Applied Materials to develop next-generation transistor packaging technologies.
SK Hynix: Rapid Revenue Expansion
SK Hynix (NASDAQ:SKHY) primarily generates its revenue by designing, manufacturing, and selling a wide variety of advanced memory semiconductors, including specialized dynamic random-access memory (RAM) and flash products with various performance characteristics customized to meet complex customer computing requirements.
It recently signed a preliminary memorandum to receive federal government grants. In August, the company officially broke ground on an advanced semiconductor packaging facility in Indiana, while its publicly traded shares experienced a notable price decline during the middle of October.
Why Revenue Matters for Investors
Revenue represents the total gross sum of money a business successfully brings in from its primary commercial operations before any associated operating expenses, employee salaries, material costs, debt interest payments, or taxes are deducted to determine final profitability. This metric helps investors measure a company's overall size, market footprint, and long-term trajectory.
Intel vs. SK Hynix Revenue over the last 8 quarters. Figures: SK Hynix shown in U.S. dollars, converted from South Korean won.
Quarterly Revenue for Intel and SK Hynix
| Calendar quarter | Intel Revenue | SK Hynix Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2024 | $13.3 billion (quarter ended Sept. 28, 2024) | $12.9 billion (quarter ended Sept. 30, 2024) |
| Q4 2024 | $14.3 billion (quarter ended Dec. 28, 2024) | $14.1 billion (quarter ended Dec. 31, 2024) |
| Q1 2025 | $12.7 billion (quarter ended March 29, 2025) | $12.1 billion (quarter ended March 31, 2025) |
| Q2 2025 | $12.9 billion (quarter ended June 28, 2025) | $15.8 billion (quarter ended June 30, 2025) |
| Q3 2025 | $13.7 billion (quarter ended Sept. 27, 2025) | $17.6 billion (quarter ended Sept. 30, 2025) |
| Q4 2025 | $13.7 billion (quarter ended Dec. 27, 2025) | $22.6 billion (quarter ended Dec. 31, 2025) |
| Q1 2026 | $13.6 billion (quarter ended March 28, 2026) | $35.7 billion (quarter ended March 31, 2026) |
| Q2 2026 | $16.1 billion (quarter ended June 27, 2026) | $52.6 billion (quarter ended June 30, 2026) |
Data source: Financial Modeling Prep. SK Hynix's figures are converted from South Korean won to U.S. dollars. Data as of Oct. 22, 2026.
Foolish Take
A look at Intel and SK Hynix's sales over the past two years is eye-opening. In 2024, the Korean memory giant's revenue was less than Intel's. Not only did SK Hynix grow past the semiconductor titan in 2025, it has blown Intel's sales out of the water in 2026.
This demonstrates the massive demand for the advanced memory components sold by SK Hynix, giving the company pricing power and enabling it to achieve historic profitability thresholds across all major margin metrics during the second quarter of 2026. For example, it hit a 76% operating margin in Q2, up substantially from 41% in the prior year. The big unknown is how long the demand will last and whether SK Hynix's expansion of its manufacturing facilities will lead to lower margins as prices stabilize.
Intel is in the midst of a turnaround. Amid the artificial intelligence boom, the semiconductor veteran should be seeing strong sales growth. Yet it struggled to do so, and in Q4 of 2025, its revenue declined year over year.
The situation appears to be reversing in 2026. CEO Lip-Bu Tan took over in 2025, and he implemented changes that helped Intel achieve its highest quarterly sales total in the last two years in Q2 of this year. From here, the expectation is that Intel's revenue will continue to climb under Tan's leadership, which investors should keep an eye on to confirm that happens.
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Robert Izquierdo has positions in Applied Materials, Intel, and SK Hynix. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Applied Materials and Intel. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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