Goldman Sachs initiated coverage of Intel with a Neutral rating and a 12-month price target of $150. While the firm acknowledged Intel’s long-term opportunities in AI-driven server CPU demand, domestic foundry leadership, and advanced packaging growth, it cautioned that the stock’s massive year-to-date rally has already priced in a significant portion of this optimism. By suggesting that peers like Nvidia, Broadcom, and AMD present superior near-term revenue visibility, the brokerage’s balanced risk-reward assessment prompted a cooling effect among investors.

Further compounding the pressure is growing scrutiny over Intel’s stretched valuation. Following its meteoric rise over the past year, the company’s forward price-to-earnings…