Should You Buy or Sell Intel Stock Right Now?

Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) was once considered a stable tech stock that generated reliable returns. Its position as the world's largest manufacturer of x86 CPUs for PCs and data centers gave it a wide moat, and its robust cash flow growth comfortably funded its big buybacks and dividends.

However, Intel's stock declined about 15% this year as the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index surged 50%. Let's look back at why Intel underperformed the broader industry, and see if it might fare better next year.

For decades, Intel led the CPU market by following "Moore's Law," a prediction set by its co-founder Gordon Moore to double the number of transistors in the same area of silicon every two years. This was the foundation of the two-year "tick-tock" cycle that drove Intel's business for half a century.

Source Fool.com