Advanced Micro Devices vs. Intel: What the Revenue Trajectories of These Artificial Intelligence Companies Tell Investors

Advanced Micro Devices: Consistent Top-Line Revenue Expansion

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD +1.58%) primarily generates revenue by developing x86 microprocessors, graphics processing units, and custom system-on-chip components for original equipment manufacturers, public cloud service providers, and independent distributors.

It recently announced a $10 billion investment in the Taiwan manufacturing ecosystem alongside new processor production, and for the quarter ended March 28, 2026, it reported 14% net income margin.

Intel: Defending Its Top-Line Revenue Baseline

Intel (INTC +2.20%) primarily generates revenue by designing central processing units, discrete graphics processing units, networking components, and wafer fabrication services for original equipment manufacturers and cloud service providers.

While announcing a $5.7 billion capital investment to expand its manufacturing campus in Ireland and appointing new segment leaders, it reported -28% net income margin for the quarter ended March 28, 2026.

Why Revenue Matters for Retail Investors

Revenue serves as a critical starting point for investors evaluating a business because it represents the total unadjusted money flowing in from primary operations. This metric reveals whether an organization is successfully attracting customers and growing its overall business volume over time.

Comparing Quarterly Revenue for Advanced Micro Devices and Intel

Data source: Company filings. Data as of July 17, 2026.

Foolish Take

Tracking the revenue trends for Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Intel reveals that AMD’s sales are steadily catching up to the veteran semiconductor chipmaker over time. This is a surprising development considering AMD was once known for high-end graphics processing units (GPUs) for video games while Intel was the dominant force behind the personal computing boom.

That changed when GPUs became a key component for the artificial intelligence sector. Intel missed the boat on GPUs while AMD prospered. That said, another shift in sales may be around the corner.

Intel’s missteps under previous leadership are being rectified by new CEO Lip-Bu Tan, who helped the company orchestrate new foundry deals and partnerships, such as its multi-year collaboration with Google parent Alphabet. This is illustrated by the company’s 7% year-over-year increase in revenue for its fiscal first quarter ended March 28. For fiscal Q2, Intel expects sales to come in between $13.8 billion and $14.8 billion, which represents a year-over-year increase, as well as quarterly sequential growth.

AMD is battling back Intel’s threat with the announcement of an expanded partnership with Microsoft on July 20. Its stock remains over $500 per share while Intel has dropped below $100 as of July 20 in a sign that Wall Street is more confident in AMD’s ability to continue its current success compared to Intel’s ongoing turnaround efforts.