Shares of Intel Corp. (INTC Quick QuoteINTC - Free Report) surged a solid 24% in a single trading session on April 24, 2026, following the company’s better-than-expected first-quarter 2026 results. Impressively, this was the best performance delivered by INTC stock since October 1987. 

This rally in its stock price marked a major turnaround for the U.S. chipmaker, which has been grappling with manufacturing delays and awaiting a major customer for its chip fabrication business over the past few years.

While this explosive surge reflects Intel’s recovery potential, investing in a single turnaround play remains a high-stakes gamble. For instance, despite delivering solid earnings results in the first quarter, Intel’s Foundry segment continues to endure massive operating losses, totaling $2.4 billion this quarter alone, as the company navigates a capital-intensive manufacturing pivot. This creates a precarious balance between current stock momentum and long-term financial strain. 

In contrast, if you opt for a diversified exchange-traded fund (ETF) approach, you can capitalize on Intel’s resurgence as well as the potential upside of its peers while shielding your portfolio from the concentrated execution risks and heavy cash burn associated with a single company’s ambitious foundry overhaul.

Against this backdrop, a prudent investor would likely choose an ETF with heavy exposure to Intel, along with other chipmakers or prominent semiconductor players, considering the accelerating pace at which the industry has been expanding of late. 

But before identifying the best ETF vehicles for your portfolio, it is essential to look under the hood of Intel’s Q1 results to understand what exactly triggered this historic breakout.

A Brief Analysis of INTC’s Q1 Results

Intel reported adjusted earnings of 15 cents per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a penny by a massive count. The figure also marked a 123% improvement from its year-ago quarter’s reported figure. 

Revenues of $13.58 billion beat the consensus estimate by 10.1% and were up 7% year over year. 

INTC’s collective AI-driven businesses now represent 60% of its revenues, which grew 40% year over year in the first quarter. 

During the first quarter, INTC’s Client Computing Group (CCG) segment successfully launched the Core Ultra Series 3, marking the company’s most significant product launch in five years. By expanding its reach across consumer, commercial, and edge markets, the series delivers superior performance-per-watt and enhanced integrated graphics.

CCG also expanded the reach of INTC’s Core family by launching the Intel CoreSeries 3 processor, which brings the latest IP, modern features, and all-day battery life to the mainstream for the first time. 

In terms of outlook, Intel has adopted a cautious stance regarding PC demand, forecasting a low double-digit decline for the full year, in line with broader industry trends. 

Meanwhile, Intel’s management has upgraded its server CPU outlook over the last 90 days, now anticipating strong double-digit growth for the company into 2027.

Moreover, Intel has set a $16 billion OpEx target for 2026, with a heavy emphasis on maximizing return on investment and operational productivity. 

While the company now expects capital expenditures to stay flat in 2026 versus last year to support rising capacity needs, the spending is strategically weighted toward equipment that directly increases wafer output. This shift reflects increased investments in fab capacity and equipment to meet committed demand, ensuring the company can scale wafer production to support growth through 2027.

Analysts’ Reaction

Following Intel’s first-quarter results, HSBC upgraded INTC stock to buy from hold and raised its price target to $95 from $50, nearly doubling it in a single move (as cited in The Street.com). Analyst Frank Lee cited rising demand for server processors as the reason behind the upgrade. 

Meanwhile, TD Cowen raised its price target on Intel stock from $60 to $75 while maintaining a Hold rating on the shares (as cited in Investing.com).

Bet on These Intel-Heavy ETFs

Given Intel’s pivotal turnaround and the broader tailwinds in the semiconductor space, the following Intel-heavy ETFs offer the most balanced way to capture this growth while mitigating individual stock risk:

First Trust NASDAQ Semiconductor ETF (FTXL Quick QuoteFTXL - Free Report)   

This fund, with net assets worth $2.07 billion, provides exposure to 34 U.S. semiconductor companies. Of these, Intel takes the first spot, accounting for a 11.07% share.

FTXL has gained 55.1% year to date and charges 60 basis points (bps) in fees. The fund sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). 

iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF (VLUE Quick QuoteVLUE - Free Report)   

This fund, with net assets worth $11.66 billion, provides exposure to 148 large and mid-cap U.S. stocks. Of these, Intel takes the second spot, accounting for an 8.51% share.

VLUE has risen 19.1% year to date and charges 15 bps in fees. The fund has a Zacks Rank #1. 

Pacer Data and Digital Revolution ETF (TRFK Quick QuoteTRFK - Free Report)  

This is an actively managed ETF with assets worth $592.5 million, providing exposure to 85 large-cap companies driving transmission, manipulation, storage, and use of data. Of these, Intel takes the fifth spot, accounting for a 6.64% share.

TRFK has rallied 22.2% year to date and charges 49 bps in fees.  The fund holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH Quick QuoteSMH - Free Report)  

This is an actively managed fund, with net assets worth $56.48 billion. It provides exposure to 26 companies involved in semiconductor production and equipment. Of these, Intel takes the fourth spot, accounting for a 6.32% share.

SMH has soared 36.4% year to date and charges 35 bps in fees. The fund sports a Zacks Rank #1.