Intel, SoftBank
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After months of turbulence, Intel Corp. bulls are finally being rewarded for their patience. But the stock’s sudden rebound comes with a worrying side effect: a valuation so high its most recent precedent is from the dot-com era more than two decades ago.
The Trump administration wants U.S. chipmaker Intel to give the federal government an equity stake to receive $8 billion via the CHIPS and Science Act.
The White House confirmed on Tuesday that the Trump administration is working on a deal that could see the US government taking a 10% stake in chip giant Intel. "The president wants to put America's needs first, both from a national security and economic perspective," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.
The US government is in discussions to potentially take a partial ownership stake in Intel, according to an Aug. 18 report by Bloomberg. The deal could help accelerate the construction of Intel’s long-delayed semiconductor manufacturing plant in Ohio.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed discussions between the US and Intel Corp. for the government to take a stake in the chipmaker, casting the plan as a bid to convert Chips and Science Act grants into equity.
Federal officials are considering the move because Intel, the last leading-edge chipmaker in the United States, has been struggling.
Shares in the chip maker rose following news of SoftBank’s planned investment and a possible stake for the U.S. government.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday said any U.S. investment in Intel would be aimed at helping the troubled chipmaker stabilize, as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the government wanted equity stakes in exchange for its support of semiconductor manufacturers.