Intel shares plunge 30% after Q4 guidance misses estimates

The striking part is the divergence: AI-linked data center revenue is surging while the larger client segment is contracting sharply, and management's own guidance points to that weakness deepening next quarter. That mix matters because it suggests Intel's AI exposure isn't yet offsetting pressure in its core PC business, a dynamic that affects anyone tracking legacy chipmakers' transition. The BofA downgrade and target cut show how quickly sentiment can reset when guidance, not trailing results, drives the narrative. Whether the client segment stabilizes, and how the data center run-rate holds up against that drag, is the open question.