NVDA vs INTC: NVIDIA vs Intel — Which Semiconductor Stock Wins?: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
NVIDIA is the dominant force in AI compute with a software moat and explosive revenue growth, while Intel is a legacy semiconductor giant in the middle of a difficult turnaround — rebuilding process technology, losing CPU share, and attempting to establish a foundry services business. The comparison is essentially high-multiple AI growth vs. deep-value turnaround.
Use this NVDA vs INTC comparison to evaluate where you want to be in semiconductors: paying a premium for the AI hardware leader or accepting short-term pain for potential recovery upside. Intel's risk-reward depends heavily on whether its 18A process node succeeds and whether it can win external foundry customers.
NVDA holds the edge across 4 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. INTC has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+389.73% vs +44.52%), though NVDA trades at the lower forward P/E (16.68x vs 74.48x). NVDA leads on both revenue growth (85.20%) and operating margin (65.60%), suggesting a stronger fundamental setup on both dimensions. Analyst consensus implies meaningfully more upside for NVDA (+40.58%) than for INTC (-23.47%).
- →Want to own the dominant AI training and inference chip platform
- →Are comfortable paying a high multiple for compounding market leadership
- →Believe the CUDA ecosystem creates a durable long-term software and hardware moat
- →Want full-stack AI infrastructure exposure across chips, networking, and software
- →See a deep-value turnaround opportunity in a historically important technology company
- →Believe Intel's 18A process node and foundry strategy will succeed
- →Want exposure to US domestic semiconductor manufacturing policy tailwinds
- →Are patient with a multi-year recovery timeline and comfortable with ongoing execution risk
| Metric | NVDA | INTC |
|---|---|---|
| AI score | 87.4 | 50.6 |
| AI rank | #2 | #425 |
| Latest close | $205.10 | $99.17 |
| 1M return | -1.31% | -12.25% |
| 6M return | +11.84% | +144.86% |
| 1Y return | +44.52% | +389.73% |
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | NVDA | INTC |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $14.65K (+46.5%) started 2025-06-05 | $49.61K (+396.1%) started 2025-06-05 |
| 5Y ago | $116.94K (+1069.4%) started 2021-06-07 | $20.83K (+108.3%) started 2021-06-07 |
| 10Y ago | $1.84M (+18301.0%) started 2016-06-06 | $49.6K (+396.0%) started 2016-06-06 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | NVDA | INTC |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $5.11T | $576.38B |
| Trailing P/E | 32.38 | 759.17 |
| Forward P/E | 16.68 | 74.48 |
| Price/Sales | 23.66 | 1.65 |
| EV/Revenue | 20.00 | 11.20 |
| Analyst target | $296.81 | $87.76 |
| Target upside | +40.58% | -23.47% |
| Metric | NVDA | INTC |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | 85.20% | 7.20% |
| Earnings growth | 214.50% | N/A |
| EPS growth | +214.50% | N/A |
| FCF margin | +18.28% | -15.44% |
| Operating margin | 65.60% | 6.88% |
| Profit margin | 62.97% | -5.90% |
| ROIC proxy | 114.29% | -2.91% |
| Return on equity | 114.29% | -2.91% |
| Dividend yield | 0.47% | N/A |
| Beta | 2.24 | 2.19 |
| Debt/equity | 6.55 | 36.03 |
| Current ratio | 3.44 | 2.31 |
| Quick ratio | 2.14 | 1.66 |
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
| Period | Metric | NVDA | INTC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | +46.51% | +396.10% |
| CAGR | +46.59% | +397.23% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.15 | 2.51 | |
| Max drawdown | 20.22% | 24.17% | |
| Max daily drop | 6.20% | 17.03% | |
| Max wkly drop | 10.72% | 16.43% | |
| 5Y | Growth | +1066.74% | +89.82% |
| CAGR | +63.54% | +13.69% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.12 | 0.42 | |
| Max drawdown | 66.34% | 65.95% | |
| Max daily drop | 16.97% | 26.06% | |
| Max wkly drop | 22.20% | 37.83% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +17967.82% | +289.27% |
| CAGR | +68.17% | +14.56% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.20 | 0.43 | |
| Max drawdown | 66.34% | 70.80% | |
| Max daily drop | 18.76% | 26.06% | |
| Max wkly drop | 28.36% | 37.83% |
| Category | NVDA | INTC |
|---|---|---|
| Company | NVIDIA Corporation | Intel Corporation |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Semiconductors | Semiconductors |
| Core business | Designer of GPUs and AI accelerators for data centers, gaming, and professional visualisation. The dominant supplier of AI training and inference chips with the CUDA software ecosystem. | Legacy CPU manufacturer pursuing a foundry services business (Intel Foundry) alongside PC and data center processor products. Undergoing a major restructuring and product roadmap rebuild. |
| Investor focus | Data center AI chip demand from hyperscalers and sovereign AI programs, Blackwell architecture ramp, software/networking revenue growth, and margin sustainability. | 18A process node success and external foundry customer wins, Panther Lake PC CPU launch, cost reduction and headcount restructuring, and cash management through the capex cycle. |
- →Dominant market position in AI training chips with CUDA as an entrenched software ecosystem
- →Blackwell architecture represents a generational leap in AI compute per dollar
- →Expanding into networking (InfiniBand, Ethernet), software (NIM, NeMo), and full-stack AI infrastructure
- →Substantial installed base in enterprise PC and server CPU markets provides revenue durability
- →Intel Foundry Services targeting external customers could become a US domestic semiconductor supply alternative
- →US CHIPS Act funding provides some capital support for domestic fab investments
- →Extreme valuation pricing in multiple years of continued dominance
- →AMD and custom silicon from hyperscalers as competitive threats over time
- →Export restrictions to China limiting an important revenue market
- →Continued market share losses in PC and server CPUs to AMD
- →18A process node execution risk — delays would be damaging to the foundry strategy
- →Heavy capital expenditure requirements amid declining revenue and margins
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