Intel has spent years as the stock Wall Street loved to hate. Critics called it a legacy giant left behind by the mobile revolution and eclipsed by newer chip design firms. But this week, a major shift is quietly happening under the hood, and some of the market's most watched players are aggressively buying the dip.
Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust just bought more shares of Intel for the second time this week. On Wednesday, the trust added another batch of shares, bringing its total position to 1,100 shares and bumping its weight in the portfolio to about 3%.
This is not a random speculative play. It happened on the exact same day that semiconductor equipment giant ASML dropped a bombshell announcement. Intel has officially become the first company in the world to enter high-volume manufacturing using ASML's highly anticipated High NA EUV lithography machines.
If you have been sitting on the sidelines waiting for proof that Intel's massive manufacturing turnaround is real, this is your sign. The company is now shipping real commercial chips made with the most advanced manufacturing equipment on earth.
What Just Happened in Hillsboro Oregon
To understand why this trade matters, you have to understand the technology. For years, chipmakers have used extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography to print microscopic patterns on silicon wafers. But as chips got smaller, standard EUV reached its physical limits.
The industry's solution is High NA EUV. It uses a higher numerical aperture (0.55 NA instead of 0.33 NA) to focus light more sharply, allowing for even smaller, denser transistor patterns.
For a long time, skeptics said High NA was too complex and expensive to use in real-world manufacturing. They thought it would remain stuck in research labs for years.
ASML proved those skeptics wrong. The company confirmed that Intel is successfully using these high-end machines to produce a subset of its upcoming Panther Lake processors, also known as the Intel Core Ultra Series 3.
Even better, the yields on these dual-qualified High NA layers in Oregon are already matching the yields achieved on older EUV systems. This means Intel is not just experimenting. It is running a viable, highly efficient commercial production line.
Why the Trust Is Buying While the Stock Falls
The timing of this trade is classic Jim Cramer. On Wednesday, Intel shares slid over 5% to around $101.85, caught in a broader market rotation out of high-flying technology names.
Most retail investors panic when they see red. Experienced fund managers do the opposite. They look for fundamentally strong companies that are being temporarily punished by macro noise.
Intel's current drop is a classic case of market irrationality. On one hand, you have concrete proof that Intel is beating rivals like TSMC to the next generation of chip manufacturing. TSMC does not plan to adopt High NA EUV in high volume until closer to 2029. Intel is doing it right now, in 2026.
On the other hand, the stock is falling because of index-level selling.
Cramer's trust picked up more shares on Monday. They did it again on Wednesday. By buying into weakness, they are positioning the portfolio for the long-term value that this manufacturing lead will create. If the foundry business succeeds in winning major external clients, today's stock price will look like an absolute steal.
The Big Risk That Most Investors Get Wrong
The most common bear argument against Intel is customer concentration and the sheer cost of building these advanced fabs. These machines cost hundreds of millions of dollars apiece.
It is a fair point. If Intel builds these massive cleanrooms and nobody shows up to buy the silicon, the company is in deep trouble.
But this argument ignores the strategic reality of the semiconductor market. Tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google are desperate for a viable alternative to TSMC. They do not want to rely entirely on a single foundry based in Taiwan, especially given ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Intel is offering them a US-based, highly advanced manufacturing alternative. By proving that its 18A process node is stable and already running High NA EUV in high volumes, Intel has sent a clear message to every major tech firm. The technology is ready.
This is about national security and supply chain resilience. Underestimating that tailwind is a massive mistake.
How to Trade This News Yourself
If you are looking to mirror this trade, you do not need to buy all at once. Semiconductor turnarounds take time. The smart way to build a position is to buy in small increments on down days.
Keep a close eye on the calendar. Intel's next major milestone will be its upcoming earnings report covering the quarter ending August 1. Wall Street will be listening closely for updates on the 18A customer pipeline and any revisions to the company's capital expenditure guidance.
If you believe that localized chip manufacturing is the future, building a starter position in Intel at these levels makes a lot of sense. Don't let short-term market rotations distract you from the massive technical leap that just happened in Oregon.
Stop overthinking the daily price swings. Watch the technology, track the manufacturing milestones, and buy when the market gives you a discount.
