INTC, MSFT, META, DASH, VZ: Why Retail Traders Couldn’t Take Their Eyes Off These Stocks Last Week

• Intel stock plunged 24% over he week after the chipmaker issued a weak Q4 forecast. 
• Meta plans to raise $97.5 billion to fund AI expansion, while Nvidia will invest $3 billion.
• DoorDash agreed to acquire grocery delivery firm  Instacart for about $17 billion. 

Technology stocks saw a busy week as Intel Corp. (INTC) shares plunged on a weak outlook, while Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) strong AI and cloud demand raised investor optimism. Meanwhile, Meta Platforms (META), Nvidia Corp. (NVDA), DoorDash Inc. (DASH) and Verizon Communications (VZ) announced major developments. 

Supply Shortages And Weak PC Demand Weigh On Intel’s Outlook 

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Intel stock crashed 24% after the chipmaker issued a disappointing fourth-quarter (Q4) outlook. Although Q3 revenue climbed 21% year-on-year to $16.5 billion and adjusted earnings of $0.52 per share exceeded expectations, the company warned that supply shortages and declining PC demand would weigh on upcoming results.

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan said the company needs to increase production to meet strong demand for its Xeon processors. Data center and AI revenue jumped 78% to $7.3 billion, while its Foundry division recorded a 58% increase to $6.7 billion. However, memory shortages and an unexpected shutdown at an Israeli facility disrupted operations. 

Intel expects PC demand to remain under pressure through at least the first half of 2027. For Q4, it sees revenue of $15 billion to $16 billion and adjusted earnings of $0.25 per share. RBC Capital and Goldman Sachs also reduced their price targets on Intel following the weak outlook. 

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around the stock remained ‘extremely bullish’. 

Microsoft Azure Growth Drives Cloud Revenue Higher 

Microsoft delivered a stronger fiscal Q1 2027 performance, with revenue up 19% to $92.3 billion and adjusted earnings of $4.89 per share.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said strong demand for the company’s AI and cloud services drove growth. Microsoft Cloud revenue rose 30% to $63.9 billion, while Azure revenue grew 48%, beating analyst estimates. However, Microsoft increased quarterly spending by 30% to $45.2 billion to build its AI infrastructure. Revenue from its consumer and devices business fell 3%. The company expects Q2 revenue of $96 billion to $97.1 billion. 

Baird analyst William Power raised Microsoft's price target to $600 from $500 while maintaining an ‘Outperform’ rating after the results and remains positive about faster growth in Azure and Microsoft 365. The new price target implies a 15% upside from the stock’s last close. Microsoft stock dipped 0.5% over the week, while retail sentiment around the stock slipped to ‘bullish’ from ‘extremely bullish’. 

Meta Develops Humanoid Robot Prototype 

Meta Platforms moved closer to its consumer robotics ambitions after developing a humanoid prototype called Max with Chinese robotics manufacturer Fourier. According to The Information’s report, the approximately 106-pound machine was developed in three months, and the companies have already started working on another version.

The project is part of Meta’s plan to use AI in everyday household tasks. The company sees humanoid robots as a way to bring its Muse AI assistant into the physical world. However, U.S. restrictions and possible new limits on Chinese robotics imports could make development more difficult. 

Separately, Meta announced a $97.5 billion equity offering plan, including preferred and common stock sales, to support its AI infrastructure expansion and consumer AI products. Nvidia also strengthened its relationship with Meta through a $3 billion investment in the offering and an expanded AI partnership. The two companies plan to improve the training and performance of Meta's Muse platform through Nvidia's computing technology. Meta stock dropped 4% over the week with sentiment remaining ‘bearish’.  

DoorDash Acquires Instacart For $17 Billion 

DoorDash stock edged down 0.2% during the week after announcing an agreement to purchase grocery delivery platform Instacart (CART) for about $17 billion. The deal values Instacart at $65 per share, representing a 26% premium to its Oct. 22 closing price. At least 75% of the payment will consist of cash, while stock consideration will account for no more than 25%.

DoorDash CEO Tony Xu said the combination could help neighborhood retailers compete with larger online businesses. The companies plan to combine DoorDash's delivery network with Instacart's grocery technology, retailer relationships and fulfillment capabilities. Retail sentiment around the stock remained ‘extremely bullish’. 

Verizon Posts Strongest Wireless Subscriber Growth In Five Years 

Verizon Communications stock had a weekly gain of 0.2% despite reporting its strongest Q3 wireless subscriber additions in five years and increasing its 2026 earnings guidance. Adjusted earnings came in at $1.31 per share, beating the $1.27 analyst estimate, although revenue of $34.31 billion missed expectations.

The telecom operator added 406,000 postpaid phone customers during the quarter, more than eightfold higher than the previous year. It also generated $7.8 billion in free cash flow, up 12.1% year over year. 

CEO Dan Schulman addressed the potential competitive threat from SpaceX (SPCX) and its Starlink ambitions. Schulman argued that building a nationwide mobile network would require investment, thousands of cell sites and several years of work. He estimated that such an undertaking could cost between $300 billion and $500 billion over seven to eight years.

Retail sentiment around the stock slipped to ‘bearish’ from ‘neutral’. 

So far this year, INTC, MSFT, and VZ stocks have gained between 7% and 78%, while META and DASH stocks declined 6% and 20%, respectively.  

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