Intel’s CapEx Tops $20B on Server Demand While PC Volume Shrinks: ITAD Firms Should Plan for Two Separate Asset Cycles

Intel’s second quarter added a concrete data point to what has otherwise been a quarter of announcements: the company is raising 2026 capital spending to more than $20 billion, roughly $3 billion above its prior plan, and told investors that 2027 spending will go significantly higher still. This capital plan carries more weight for the end-of-life sector than the earnings beat. It points to the size of the fleet now entering production.

Q1 earnings confirm a wave of decommissioning work ahead for ITAD

The current earnings season shows continued momentum in the tech sector with positive implications on the ITAD sector. The pattern that emerged in prior quarters continued through April, with four major technology companies reporting results that reinforce the case for rising ITAD volumes.

Secondary Market: Intel boosts margins by selling what it used to scrap

Intel’s Q1 non-GAAP gross margin came in at 41%, roughly 650 basis points above the company’s own guidance. Management attributed the beat to a combination of higher volumes, favorable mix, pricing, and better 18A yields. According to industry analyst Ben Bajarin, who posted on X following the earnings call, part of the lift came from yield salvage: selling marginal silicon, much of it edge-die that would normally be binned out or scrapped rather than shipped into a usable SKU. Intel is now capturing revenue from silicon that would previously have been written down or held in reserve.

Markets/Corporate: What Intel’s blockbuster quarter means for ITAD

Intel’s first-quarter 2026 earnings report landed with a force few on Wall Street anticipated. Revenue came in at $13.58 billion against expectations of $12.42 billion. Adjusted earnings per share reached $0.29, versus a consensus estimate of just $0.01. The stock briefly hit an all-time high in after-hours trading, surpassing its dot-com era peak. For a company that had spent the better part of two years in restructuring mode, it was a remarkable reversal.