Intel Secures Landmark Microsoft Deal in Major Foundry Breakthrough

In a strategic coup that validates its ambitious turnaround plan, Intel has landed Microsoft as a flagship customer for its most advanced semiconductor manufacturing technology. The announcement on November 11, 2025, revealed that the Redmond-based tech behemoth will utilize Intel's cutting-edge 18A fabrication process for future chip production. This partnership serves as the most significant external endorsement to date for Intel Foundry Services (IFS), marking a pivotal moment for the chipmaker's efforts to reclaim its position at the forefront of the industry.

The Microsoft agreement represents far more than a simple manufacturing contract. Microsoft intends to produce an internally designed semiconductor using Intel's premier 18A technology, providing the concrete evidence investors have been awaiting that major fabless chip designers are willing to trust Intel's manufacturing capabilities. For CEO Lip-Bu Tan, whose strategy hinges on recapturing manufacturing leadership and opening Intel's fabrication plants to external clients, this deal constitutes a fundamental milestone.

Concurrent with this commercial breakthrough, Intel is fortifying its corporate governance. On November 10, the company appointed Dr. Craig H. Barratt as an independent board member. With a career spanning more than three decades in the technology sector, Dr. Barratt brings extensive leadership experience from his tenure as CEO of Atheros Communications—later acquired by Qualcomm—and senior roles at both Google and Barefoot Networks. His appointment underscores Intel's commitment to stabilizing its leadership and navigating its complex transformation following a period of executive turbulence.

Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying Intel?

Market Performance and Future Outlook

This significant news arrives as Intel's equity demonstrates considerable strength. The shares are currently trading at €33.23, reflecting an impressive year-to-date surge of nearly 69 percent. Having more than doubled from its annual low of €16.61, the stock is now trading well above its key moving averages.

While the broader analyst community has largely maintained a "Hold" stance on the stock, the Microsoft partnership has the potential to substantially brighten Intel's long-term revenue and profit trajectory, which may subsequently influence expert ratings. The next critical assessment of the company's progress will come with the quarterly earnings report scheduled for the end of January 2026. This landmark deal positions Intel to potentially lay the foundation for its return to the pinnacle of the global semiconductor industry.