MarketMoodz
Cramer Picks Intel as Top Chip Stock, Sees 63% Upside
Jim Cramer named Intel his No. 1 stock in semiconductors during CNBC Investing Club’s Morning Meeting recap on June 12, 2026, saying the shares could climb to $200 — roughly 63% above levels at the time. He credited renewed confidence in Intel’s CPU roadmap and foundry plans as reasons the company could re-rate in an AI- and data-center-driven cycle.
Key Takeaways
- Jim Cramer named Intel his top semiconductor pick and set a $200 price target, implying about 63% upside from then-current levels.
- Cramer highlighted improving confidence in Intel’s CPUs and the company’s foundry ambitions as the core of his bullish thesis.
- CNBC Investing Club’s charitable trust is reported to be long INTC, LIN and NVDA, though that disclosure should be verified.
- Reports say Intel shares rose about 5% during the referenced Friday session after the coverage, a move that requires intraday confirmation.
- A Bank of America double-upgrade was cited in the coverage but could not be independently verified in the provided notes.
People Involved
- Jim CramerHost and CNBC Investing Club commentator
- Lip-Bu TanInvestor credited by Cramer with restoring confidence in Intel
Entities Involved
- Intel Corp. (INTC)Semiconductor maker and subject of Cramer’s bullish call
- CNBC Investing ClubSource of the Morning Meeting recap and owning charitable-trust positions (disclosure noted)
- NVIDIA (NVDA)Peer referenced as part of AI/data-center demand backdrop
- Linde plc (LIN)Company listed among the Investing Club’s charitable-trust longs
- Bank of AmericaAnalysts reportedly issued a double upgrade on Intel (unverified in provided notes)
MarketMoodz Analysis
For investors, Cramer’s endorsement and a $200 target crystallize a bullish scenario: if Intel executes on higher-margin data-center CPUs and its foundry business begins winning external customers, revenue mix and margins could improve enough to justify a substantial re-rating. The 63% upside is a directional, headline-grabbing number; it frames the trade but doesn’t erase execution risk — investors should treat the target as speculative and monitor upcoming earnings, roadmap timelines, and early foundry wins for validation.
Historically, Intel has traded on a narrative of scale and design-plus-manufacturing advantages, but the company has also endured years of execution setbacks that compressed multiples. Cramer’s call signals a perception shift — aided by influential voices like Lip-Bu Tan and reported analyst optimism — that Intel’s rebuild is credible. Comparing Intel to leaders such as NVIDIA and AMD will remain essential: Nvidia commands premium multiples on AI compute growth, so Intel’s path to a higher valuation depends on proving it can capture incremental data-center share and monetize its manufacturing strategy.
What to watch next: confirmatory data points (quarterly revenue and margin beats, data-center CPU share gains, early foundry customer announcements) and independent research notes (the Bank of America upgrade referenced should be corroborated). Also verify disclosures from CNBC Investing Club about its charitable trust holdings to gauge potential conflicts. Short-term stock moves can be noisy after media coverage; long-term re-rating requires sustained operational progress.
Source: Original Article