INTC vs SMTC Stock Comparison
Compare INTC and SMTC across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.
What is the main difference between INTC and SMTC?
SMTC leads the current stock comparison as Semtech Corporation, with the clearest separation coming from quality and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Intel Corp. vs Semtech Corporation
SMTC leads
SMTC leads by 13 AIQ points, primarily on Quality and Momentum, and the lead has widened from 0 points over 30 sessions.
Stable: 4 of 6 evidence groups support SMTC, its lead is widening, and its signal state is cleanly positive.
Intel Corp.
Semtech Corporation
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors SMTC over INTC, 48 versus 35 as of Sep 6, 2026. SMTC's advantage is driven primarily by stronger quality and momentum, while INTC holds the stronger value profile. SMTC also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor SMTC today, and the comparison is rated Stable on stability: analyst targets on the leader are widely dispersed. SMTC lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 0 to 13 points over 30 sessions.
Compare Intel Corp. and Semtech Corporation across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Price-return comparison using available daily close history.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000
Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.
Compare INTC and SMTC against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Quality30%39 vs 68SMTC +29
- Momentum25%40 vs 63SMTC +23
- Value30%30 vs 26INTC +4
- Risk Resilience15%29 vs 27Even
4 of 6 evidence groups favor SMTC. SMTC’s edge is concentrated in quality and momentum; INTC keeps a meaningful value edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-05, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-04.
No factor moved materially.
No new signals fired.
No factor moved materially.
No new signals fired.
SMTC's lead was unchanged in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — INTC and SMTC both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
SMTC (Semtech Corporation): the stronger current systematic profile, led by quality and momentum.
INTC (Intel Corp.): the counter-case, on value, valuation.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
SMTCSMTC on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value at 30% each.
Growth
SMTCSMTC on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
INTCINTC on the peer-relative Value factor, by 4 points.
Momentum
SMTCSMTC on the Momentum factor, by 23 points.
Lower downside
INTCINTC carries the lower 1-month annualized volatility.
Analyst upside
SMTCSMTC on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.
| Measure | INTC | SMTC | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +7.4% | +29.1% | SMTC has more room |
| Target dispersion | +136.1% | +102.2% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Hold | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 27 | 14 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor SMTC. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | SMTC | 35 vs 48 |
| Fundamentals | SMTCon balance | revenue growth 18.8% vs 17.5%; EPS growth -195.9% vs 4.9%; TTM ROE -10.8% vs 25.3%; gross margin 38.9% vs 52% — SMTC takes 3 of 4 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | INTC | Value 30 vs 26 |
| Technicals | SMTC | Price vs 50-day -4.8% vs 11.3%; vs 200-day 29.2% vs 37.6% |
| Risk Resilience | Even | Risk Resilience 29 vs 27 |
| Analyst expectations | SMTC | Target upside 7.4% vs 29.1% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of INTC and SMTC and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion rests on a wide gap and broad agreement. It is unlikely to turn on a single session.
- The AIQ gap is wide at 13 points. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader's advantage has been widening. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader's signal state is cleanly positive. (supports the conclusion holding)
- Analyst targets on the leader are widely dispersed. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on SMTC.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Apr 24 – Sep 5SMTC lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 0 to 13 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- SMTC +13
- 35 vs 48
- 7 sessions ago
- SMTC +3
- 34 vs 37
- 30 sessions ago
- Level
- 41 vs 41
- 90 sessions ago
- INTC +9
- 40 vs 31
The lead changed hands 3 times in this window, most recently on Aug 13 when INTC moved ahead of SMTC.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
2 bullish / 0 bearish / 1 neutral
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (35.67%)
- ATR Expansion - Breakout Mode — neutral, volatility, short horizon (5.34%)
- MACD Bullish Crossover — bullish, momentum, short horizon
4 bullish / 0 bearish / 1 neutral
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (23.64%)
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
- Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +4.51%, AIQ 0 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +9.22%, AIQ 0 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1INTC closes the Quality gap — currently 29 points behind, the largest single contributor to SMTC's edge.
- 2INTC's ATR Expansion - Breakout Mode turns directional — it is neutral today and would confirm a change in trend.
- 3SMTC's Golden Cross Active breaks down — it is the strongest rule currently supporting the verdict.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — the composite weights Quality and Value at 30% each, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
SMTC leads on balance| Metric | INTC | SMTC |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 18.8% | 17.5% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | -195.9% | 4.9% |
| Gross margin | 38.9% | 52% |
| Operating margin | 0.1% | 12.7% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | -10.8% | 25.3% |
| Debt to equity | 0.58 | 0.7 |
Performance
Split across windows| Metric | INTC | SMTC |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 7.1% | 12.7% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -5.8% | 6.1% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -3.4% | -2.1% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 120.6% | 80.3% |
| Year to date | 159.6% | 100.7% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 299.2% | 155.3% |
Technicals
SMTC has the stronger structure| Metric | INTC | SMTC |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 37.6 | 46.2 |
| ADX (14) | 14.2 | 9.3 |
| Price vs 50-day | -4.8% | 11.3% |
| Price vs 200-day | 29.2% | 37.6% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 47.7% | 97.9% |
Risk
Split| Metric | INTC | SMTC |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 2.91 | 3.07 |
| Sharpe ratio | 2.06 | 1.54 |
| Sortino ratio | 3.84 | 2.47 |
| Max drawdown | -41.9% | -40.7% |
| Current drawdown | -32% | -15.4% |
| Annualized volatility | 79.2% | 74.6% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -6.2% | -7.5% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, INTC or SMTC?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, SMTC is the stronger of the two as of Sep 6, 2026, scoring 48 against INTC's 35. The edge comes from quality and momentum. INTC is not without a case — it holds the better value profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is INTC or SMTC the better buy right now?
SMTC carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 6, 2026, and the comparison is rated Stable — 4 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Stable rating means the gap is wide and the evidence is broad, so the conclusion is unlikely to turn on a single session.
Why does the AIQ Score favor SMTC over INTC?
The composite weights Quality at 30%, Value at 30%, Momentum at 25% and Risk Resilience at 15%. SMTC leads Quality by 29 points; SMTC leads Momentum by 23 points; INTC leads Value by 4 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, INTC or SMTC?
Analyst price targets imply +7.4% upside for INTC and +29.1% for SMTC, so the Street currently favors SMTC. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, INTC or SMTC?
INTC is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. INTC on the peer-relative Value factor, by 4 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, INTC or SMTC?
SMTC on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, INTC or SMTC?
SMTC on the Momentum factor, by 23 points. Momentum carries 25% of the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, INTC or SMTC?
INTC is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. INTC carries the lower 1-month annualized volatility. The Risk Resilience factor weights 15% of the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is INTC more profitable than SMTC?
SMTC leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 38.9% vs 52%; operating margin 0.1% vs 12.7%; ttm roe -10.8% vs 25.3%.
Is SMTC's lead over INTC getting stronger or weaker?
SMTC lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 0 to 13 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-04-24 and 2026-09-05. The lead has changed hands 3 times in that window, most recently on 2026-08-13, when INTC moved ahead of SMTC.
What would change the INTC vs SMTC verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: INTC closes the Quality gap — currently 29 points behind, the largest single contributor to SMTC's edge; INTC's ATR Expansion - Breakout Mode turns directional — it is neutral today and would confirm a change in trend; SMTC's Golden Cross Active breaks down — it is the strongest rule currently supporting the verdict; a regime shift changes factor weighting — the composite weights Quality and Value at 30% each, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about INTC and SMTC?
INTC: 2 bullish / 0 bearish / 1 neutral. SMTC: 4 bullish / 0 bearish / 1 neutral. The most decision-relevant rule on INTC is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On SMTC it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare INTC and SMTC with others
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality (30%), Value (30%), Momentum (25%) and Risk (15%). Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.