Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Ambiq Micro, Inc. (AMBQ) vs Intel Corporation (INTC) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | AMBQ | 16.1% revenue growth vs INTC's -1.1% |
| Quality / Margins | INTC | -0.1% net margin vs AMBQ's -52.1% |
| Stability / Safety | INTC | Beta 1.51 vs AMBQ's 2.81 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | INTC | +92.2% vs AMBQ's -20.3% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | INTC | -0.0% ROA vs AMBQ's -44.9%, ROIC -1.0% vs -104.0% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Ambiq Micro designs ultra-low-power semiconductor chips for battery-powered IoT and wearable devices. It generates revenue primarily from selling its Apollo system-on-chip and Atomiq AI accelerator products — with technical support services as a secondary stream — through a global sales representative network. The company's key advantage is its proprietary subthreshold power-optimized technology that enables significantly longer battery life than conventional chips, creating a strong moat in power-sensitive edge AI applications.
Intel is a semiconductor company that designs and manufactures processors and related technologies for computing devices. It generates revenue primarily from selling client computing chips (~50% of sales) and data center processors (~35%), with additional income from networking, memory, and autonomous driving solutions. The company's key advantage is its integrated design-and-manufacturing model—maintaining advanced chip fabrication facilities that few competitors can match.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
INTC leads in 4 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Valuation Metrics. 1 category is tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
INTC is the larger business by revenue, generating $53.9B annually — 708.1x AMBQ's $76M. INTC is the more profitable business, keeping -0.1% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to AMBQ's -52.1%.
| Metric | AMBQAmbiq Micro, Inc. | INTCIntel Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $76M | $53.9B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | — | $7.6B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | — | -$37M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | — | $221M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +31.9% | +34.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -53.4% | -2.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -52.1% | -0.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -33.1% | +0.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +2.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +123.2% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | AMBQAmbiq Micro, Inc. | INTCIntel Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $560M | $227.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $500M | $260.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -9.81x | -558.26x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 90.62x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 39.70x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 7.36x | 4.31x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 4.87x | 1.75x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
INTC delivers a -0.0% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-0 in annual profit, vs $-55 for AMBQ. AMBQ carries lower financial leverage with a 0.01x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to INTC's 0.37x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AMBQ scores 5/9 vs INTC's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | AMBQAmbiq Micro, Inc. | INTCIntel Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -54.7% | -0.0% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -44.9% | -0.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -104.0% | -1.0% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -53.4% | -1.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.01x | 0.37x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$60M | $32.3B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $61M | $14.3B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $966,000 | $46.6B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 3.65x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AMBQ five years ago would be worth $7,968 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $7,829 for INTC. Over the past 12 months, INTC leads with a +92.2% total return vs AMBQ's -20.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors INTC at 23.0% vs AMBQ's -7.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | AMBQAmbiq Micro, Inc. | INTCIntel Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +1.2% | +15.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -20.3% | +92.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -20.3% | +86.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -20.3% | -21.7% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -20.3% | +86.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -7.3% | +23.0% |
Risk & Volatility
INTC is the less volatile stock with a 1.51 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AMBQ's 2.81 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. INTC currently trades 83.5% from its 52-week high vs AMBQ's 59.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | AMBQAmbiq Micro, Inc. | INTCIntel Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 2.81x | 1.51x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $51.76 | $54.60 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $22.12 | $17.67 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +59.3% | +83.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 59.4 | 48.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 237K | 100.1M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates AMBQ as "Hold" and INTC as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 4.2% upside for AMBQ (target: $32) vs 2.7% for INTC (target: $47).
| Metric | AMBQAmbiq Micro, Inc. | INTCIntel Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $32.00 | $46.82 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 1 | 83 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ambiq Micro, Inc. (AMBQ) | $51M | $76M | +49.2% |
| Intel Corporation (INTC) | $59.4B | $52.9B | -11.0% |
Intel Corporation's revenue grew from $59.4B (2016) to $52.9B (2025) — a -1.3% CAGR.
Chart 2Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ambiq Micro, Inc. (AMBQ) | -49.5% | -52.1% | -5.4% |
| Intel Corporation (INTC) | 17.4% | -0.5% | -102.9% |
Intel Corporation's net margin went from 17% (2016) to -1% (2025).
Chart 3P/E Ratio History — 7 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Corporation (INTC) | 23.2 | 125.6 | +441.4% |
Intel Corporation has traded in a 10x–126x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~-558x.
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ambiq Micro, Inc. (AMBQ) | -1.85 | -3.13 | -69.2% |
| Intel Corporation (INTC) | 2.12 | -0.08 | -103.9% |
Intel Corporation's EPS grew from $2.12 (2016) to $-0.08 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Ambiq Micro, Inc. generated $-25M FCF in 2024 (+56% vs 2021). Intel Corporation generated $-5B FCF in 2025 (-154% vs 2021).
AMBQ vs INTC: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is AMBQ or INTC a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Ambiq Micro, Inc. (AMBQ) a "Hold" — based on 1 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which is the better long-term investment — AMBQ or INTC?
Over the past 5 years, Ambiq Micro, Inc. (AMBQ) delivered a total return of -20.3%, compared to -21.7% for Intel Corporation (INTC). A $10,000 investment in AMBQ five years ago would be worth approximately $8K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: INTC returned +86.6% versus AMBQ's -20.3%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — AMBQ or INTC?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Intel Corporation (INTC) is the lower-risk stock at 1.51β versus Ambiq Micro, Inc.'s 2.81β — meaning AMBQ is approximately 86% more volatile than INTC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Ambiq Micro, Inc. (AMBQ) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 37% for Intel Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — AMBQ or INTC?
Intel Corporation (INTC) is the more profitable company, earning -0.5% net margin versus -52.1% for Ambiq Micro, Inc. — meaning it keeps -0.5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: INTC leads at -4.0% versus -53.4% for AMBQ. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — INTC leads at 35.0%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
05Is AMBQ or INTC more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AMBQ: 4.2% to $32.00.
06Which pays a better dividend — AMBQ or INTC?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend. All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
07Is AMBQ or INTC better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Intel Corporation (INTC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding. Ambiq Micro, Inc. (AMBQ) carries a higher beta of 2.81 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (INTC: +86.6%, AMBQ: -20.3%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
08What are the main differences between AMBQ and INTC?
Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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