Quick verdict: ADI vs INTC in 2026

In this ADI vs INTC stock comparison for 2026, Analog Devices (ADI) demonstrates a significant overall edge, leading in key areas such as growth, profitability, and analyst sentiment, securing 10 wins on comparable metrics against Intel Corporation’s (INTC) 2. ADI stands out as the growth and margin leader with robust revenue expansion and superior profitability, while INTC appears cheaper on certain traditional valuation metrics like Price-to-Book. Analysts overwhelmingly favor ADI, projecting higher upside potential compared to INTC. Not investment advice.

ADI vs INTC: key metrics side by side

Full side-by-side comparison of ADI and INTC across valuation, profitability, growth and analyst sentiment. Data updated 2026-03-30.

ADI vs INTC valuation comparison

When examining the ADI vs INTC valuation, we observe stark differences. Analog Devices (ADI) trades at a P/E ratio of 55.53x, reflecting high investor expectations for its future earnings growth. In contrast, Intel Corporation (INTC) reports a negative P/E ratio of -784.42x, which indicates the company is currently unprofitable. While a negative P/E is technically “lower,” it signals financial distress rather than attractive value, as it means earnings are negative.

Looking at the Price-to-Book (P/B) ratio, INTC appears cheaper at 1.83x compared to ADI’s 4.45x, suggesting that INTC’s assets are valued less richly by the market. However, a deeper dive into discounted cash flow (DCF) models reveals significant overvaluation for both, with ADI’s DCF indicating a -19.8% downside, while INTC’s DCF suggests a far more substantial -80.3% downside. This implies that despite INTC’s lower P/B, its current financial performance and outlook make it significantly more overvalued based on its intrinsic value projections.

ADI vs INTC growth comparison

In the crucial area of growth, Analog Devices (ADI) clearly outperforms Intel Corporation (INTC). ADI recorded a robust year-over-year revenue growth of +16.9%, showcasing strong momentum in its operations and market penetration. This significant growth rate reflects the company’s ability to expand its top line effectively in the current market environment, driven by demand for its specialized analog, mixed-signal, and DSP integrated circuits.

Conversely, INTC’s revenue growth stood at -0.5% year-over-year, indicating a struggle to maintain its top-line performance and potentially reflecting intense competition and challenges in its core markets. This stark contrast in revenue trends suggests that ADI has a stronger forward momentum and a more favorable growth trajectory going into 2026. While Intel is undergoing a strategic transformation, the current numbers point to ADI as the clear leader in terms of recent revenue expansion.

ADI vs INTC profitability

When assessing ADI vs INTC profitability, Analog Devices (ADI) stands out with impressive margins. ADI boasts a net margin of 23.02%, indicating that a substantial portion of its revenue translates directly into profit. Furthermore, its EBITDA margin is a robust 46.99%, demonstrating strong operational efficiency and cost management before depreciation, amortization, and other non-operating expenses.

Intel (INTC), on the other hand, faces significant profitability challenges, reporting a negative net margin of -0.51%, which means the company is currently operating at a loss. While its EBITDA margin of 27.16% is positive, it lags significantly behind ADI’s, highlighting a less efficient operational structure or higher cost of revenue relative to its sales. Neither company reported a measurable Return on Equity (ROE) as “N/A%”. In terms of cash generation, ADI shows a healthy Free Cash Flow (FCF) yield of 3.04%, signifying its ability to generate cash after capital expenditures, whereas INTC has a negative FCF yield of -2.3%, indicating it is consuming cash from its operations rather than generating it. ADI unequivocally generates more cash and is the more profitable enterprise.

Analyst ratings: ADI vs INTC

The sentiment among financial analysts strongly favors Analog Devices (ADI) over Intel Corporation (INTC). Out of 54 analysts covering ADI, a significant 79.6% have issued a “Buy” rating, leading to a strong consensus of “Buy” for the stock. Their average price target for ADI is $374.42, which implies a potential upside of +21.8% from its current price of $307.44.

In contrast, Intel (INTC) is covered by a larger pool of 83 analysts, but only 33.7% recommend a “Buy,” resulting in a consensus of “Hold.” The average price target for INTC is $47.85, suggesting a more modest upside of +10.9% from its current price of $43.13. This difference in analyst conviction highlights a clear preference for ADI, with market professionals seeing greater potential for growth and positive performance in the analog semiconductor space compared to Intel’s ongoing turnaround efforts in the broader semiconductor industry.

Should I buy ADI or INTC stock in 2026?

For growth investors looking for strong performance and expanding revenue, Analog Devices (ADI) appears to be the more compelling choice in 2026. With a robust year-over-year revenue growth of 16.9% and impressive net margins of 23.02%, ADI demonstrates consistent operational excellence and a clear path to expansion. This strong fundamental performance, coupled with a high percentage of analyst buy ratings, suggests ADI is well-positioned for continued growth.

Value investors considering the adi vs intc fundamentals and valuation might find Intel (INTC) appearing cheaper on metrics like Price-to-Book (1.83x vs ADI’s 4.45x). However, INTC’s negative P/E ratio of -784.42x and significantly negative DCF valuation (-80.3%) signal profound profitability challenges and substantial intrinsic overvaluation. While ADI trades at a higher P/E of 55.53x, its strong earnings and cash flow generation (FCF yield 3.04%) indicate a premium for quality and demonstrated profitability, making it potentially a better long-term investment despite the higher multiple.

Regarding income, neither ADI nor INTC are primary dividend stocks. ADI offers a negligible dividend yield of 0.01%, while INTC currently has a 0% dividend yield. Therefore, investors prioritizing regular income streams should look elsewhere. Overall, if forced to choose between ADI vs INTC stock comparison 2026, ADI demonstrates superior fundamentals, growth, and analyst confidence, making it generally a more attractive prospect for most investors focusing on capital appreciation. This is not investment advice.

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