Operational Excellence (OPEX) Daily Briefing – Monday, September 15, 2025: Intel: Restructuring Costs and Portfolio Strategy in the AI Era.

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1. Official Information from Intel

On September 15, 2025, Intel announced a major step in its financial and strategic restructuring. Specifically:

• Operating expenses (Opex) for 2025 are targeted at USD 16.8 billion.

• Operating expenses for 2026 are expected to further decline to USD 16.0 billion.

• Main reason: Intel completed the divestiture of its Programmable Chip Business (Altera) – once a promising segment, but no longer a strategic priority.

• Strategic direction: focus resources on Intel Foundry Services (IFS), AI chips, next-generation CPUs, and expansion of semiconductor fabs in the United States.

This official announcement immediately caught investor attention. Intel shares rose slightly following the news, but more importantly, investor sentiment improved as the company signaled it was enforcing cost discipline instead of continuing with scattered investments.