WSJ: Intel has approached TSMC with an investment or partnership proposal

Intel, a leader in the market of processors for servers and laptops, which is in a protracted crisis, has offered the largest contract chip maker TSMC to invest in it or agree on a partnership, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources. According to WSJ, Intel's attempts to attract external financing have intensified after the U.S. government became a major shareholder in the company.

Among the companies Intel has approached for funding and partnership proposals is not only Apple, but also TSMC, WSJ sources claim. According to them, although Intel's attempts to attract outside investment began before U.S. President Donald Trump showed interest in it, work in this direction accelerated when the U.S. government acquired a 10% stake in the company.

Earlier this year, Intel put plans for a major capital raise on hold. According to WSJ sources, the company may resume attempts to obtain funding, including from private equity funds and other institutional investors, in the coming months.

In August, Intel received $2 billion from Arm's owner, Japan's SoftBank Group. Last week, Nvidia announced its intention to invest $5 billion in Intel in exchange for shares. According to Reuters estimates, this deal will turn Nvidia into one of Intel's largest shareholders with a stake of about 4% in the authorized capital.

In 2024, Intel shares lost 60% of their value, although the U.S. stock index S&P 500 added more than 23% last year. However, since the beginning of 2025, the company's securities have already risen by 70%. September 24, Intel quotes in New York jumped by 6.4% after Bloomberg reported that the company asked for investment from Apple. On September 25, they rose another 8.9% and ended the trading session at the highest level in more than a year.

Against this backdrop, Seaport Research analyst Joe Goldberg raised his rating on Intel shares from Sell to Neutral with no price target, The Fly reported on September 25. In a note to investors, Goldberg said that while Intel continues to be "on the wrong track" and the window of opportunity to save its factories is "narrowing," the stock price could be supported in the short term by new investments and a "temporary solution" to stabilize the situation.

This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor