Intel Stock Cratered 28%, Opening a Massive Buying Opportunity for Investors Looking for a Stock That Could Nearly Double

Intel (INTC) shares plunged 28% after the company issued disappointing Q3 2026 guidance, with weakness in its PC business driving the shortfall.

The selloff masks a split inside the business. Intel's data center and AI segment surged 78% year-over-year, partially offsetting the PC decline. The market punished the guidance, but the growth engine in data center and AI is running at nearly double-digit multiples of what a mature chip franchise typically delivers.

Analysts cited in the report see the PC market facing headwinds through 2027. That timeline matters: the drag is framed as multi-year, not a one-quarter air pocket. Even so, the bullish case holds that INTC trades at 31x forward earnings, which supporters call attractive given long-term growth potential. The thesis on the table is a near-doubling of the stock by 2028.

Interpretation: a 28% drop on guidance alone, paired with a 78% growth segment, sets up a classic debate between near-term earnings pressure and long-term mix shift. The 31x multiple leaves little room for further PC-driven estimate cuts if the headwind persists beyond 2027.