Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Intel Corporation (INTC) vs Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) 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 | AMBA | 25.8% revenue growth vs INTC's -1.1% |
| Value | INTC | Lower P/E (90.6x vs 98.3x) |
| Quality / Margins | INTC | -0.1% net margin vs AMBA's -21.3% |
| Stability / Safety | INTC | Beta 1.51 vs AMBA's 2.14 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | INTC | +92.2% vs AMBA's -1.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | INTC | -0.0% ROA vs AMBA's -10.6%, ROIC -1.0% vs -22.5% |
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
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.
Ambarella designs specialized computer vision system-on-chips (SoCs) that process high-definition video and run AI algorithms for cameras in automotive, security, and robotics applications. It generates revenue primarily from semiconductor sales—with automotive (around 60%) and security/industrial (around 40%) as its main segments—through direct sales and distribution channels. The company's moat lies in its proprietary AI processor architecture and deep expertise in video compression and computer vision algorithms, which are difficult to replicate.
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 3 of 6 categories — strongest in Valuation Metrics and Total Returns. 2 categories are tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
INTC is the larger business by revenue, generating $53.9B annually — 144.1x AMBA's $374M. INTC is the more profitable business, keeping -0.1% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to AMBA's -21.3%. On growth, AMBA holds the edge at +31.2% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | INTCIntel Corporation | AMBAAmbarella, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $53.9B | $374M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $7.6B | -$72M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$37M | -$80M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $221M | $76M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +34.8% | +59.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -2.4% | -23.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -0.1% | -21.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +0.4% | +20.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +2.8% | +31.2% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +123.2% | +39.7% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | INTCIntel Corporation | AMBAAmbarella, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $227.8B | $2.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $260.1B | $2.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -558.26x | -21.25x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 90.62x | 98.34x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 39.70x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 4.31x | 9.12x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.75x | 4.44x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 110.74x |
Profitability & Efficiency
INTC delivers a -0.0% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-0 in annual profit, vs $-13 for AMBA. AMBA 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), AMBA scores 6/9 vs INTC's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | INTCIntel Corporation | AMBAAmbarella, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -0.0% | -13.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -0.0% | -10.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -1.0% | -22.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -1.2% | -22.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.37x | 0.01x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $32.3B | -$139M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $14.3B | $145M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $46.6B | $5M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 3.65x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in INTC five years ago would be worth $7,829 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $5,079 for AMBA. Over the past 12 months, INTC leads with a +92.2% total return vs AMBA's -1.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors INTC at 23.0% vs AMBA's -13.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | INTCIntel Corporation | AMBAAmbarella, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +15.8% | -19.7% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +92.2% | -1.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +86.0% | -36.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -21.7% | -49.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +86.6% | +30.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +23.0% | -13.8% |
Risk & Volatility
INTC is the less volatile stock with a 1.51 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AMBA's 2.14 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 AMBA's 62.4% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | INTCIntel Corporation | AMBAAmbarella, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.51x | 2.14x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $54.60 | $96.69 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $17.67 | $38.86 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +83.5% | +62.4% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 48.5 | 59.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 100.1M | 726K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates INTC as "Hold" and AMBA as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 61.6% upside for AMBA (target: $98) vs 2.7% for INTC (target: $47).
| Metric | INTCIntel Corporation | AMBAAmbarella, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $46.82 | $97.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 83 | 36 |
| 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 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Corporation (INTC) | 100 | 83.89 | -16.1% |
| Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) | 100 | 105.03 | +5.0% |
Intel Corporation (INTC) returned -22% over 5 years vs Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA)'s -49%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Corporation (INTC) | $59.4B | $52.9B | -11.0% |
| Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) | $316M | $285M | -10.0% |
Intel Corporation's revenue grew from $59.4B (2016) to $52.9B (2025) — a -1.3% CAGR. Ambarella, Inc.'s revenue grew from $316M (2016) to $285M (2025) — a -1.2% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Corporation (INTC) | 17.4% | -0.5% | -102.9% |
| Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) | 24.2% | -41.1% | -270.0% |
Intel Corporation's net margin went from 17% (2016) to -1% (2025). Ambarella, Inc.'s net margin went from 24% (2016) to -41% (2025).
Chart 4P/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 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Corporation (INTC) | 2.12 | -0.08 | -103.9% |
| Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) | 2.27 | -2.84 | -225.1% |
Intel Corporation's EPS grew from $2.12 (2016) to $-0.08 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR. Ambarella, Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.27 (2016) to $-2.84 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Intel Corporation generated $-5B FCF in 2025 (-154% vs 2021). Ambarella, Inc. generated $23M FCF in 2025 (-9% vs 2021).
INTC vs AMBA: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is INTC or AMBA a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) a "Buy" — based on 36 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 — INTC or AMBA?
Over the past 5 years, Intel Corporation (INTC) delivered a total return of -21.7%, compared to -49.2% for Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA). A $10,000 investment in INTC 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 AMBA's +30.0%. 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 — INTC or AMBA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Intel Corporation (INTC) is the lower-risk stock at 1.51β versus Ambarella, Inc.'s 2.14β — meaning AMBA is approximately 41% more volatile than INTC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) 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 — INTC or AMBA?
Intel Corporation (INTC) is the more profitable company, earning -0.5% net margin versus -41.1% for Ambarella, 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 -44.4% for AMBA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AMBA leads at 60.5%, 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 INTC or AMBA more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Intel Corporation (INTC) trades at 90.6x forward P/E versus 98.3x for Ambarella, Inc. — 7.7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AMBA: 61.6% to $97.50.
06Which pays a better dividend — INTC or AMBA?
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 INTC or AMBA 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. Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) carries a higher beta of 2.14 — 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%, AMBA: +30.0%), 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 INTC and AMBA?
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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