Key Highlights

  • Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) rose 3.61% to USD 93.74 into its report after the close on October 29, 2026, and traders price about an 11% swing, a figure from a headline in published market data.
  • Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU) gained 2.77% on October 27, 2026, and Samsung, up 9.12%, reports on Thursday while Kioxia, up 13.76%, reports on Friday, a read-through for memory in published market data.
  • Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) rose 2.15% after saying it would lift its stake in BE Semiconductor to about 20%, a bet on advanced packaging pending a US antitrust review in published market data.
  • MACOM Technology Solutions (NASDAQ:MTSI) rose 4.97% after Raymond James upgraded it to Outperform with a USD 300 target, an analyst view and not a forecast, in a chip rally of 3.60%.

Intel (NASDAQ:INTC): Up 3.61% Into an Earnings Report

This is a preview written before the report. Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) reports after the close on October 29, 2026. Consensus EPS is about USD 0.40, with USD 0.4059 in one data set and USD 0.401 in another, on revenue of about USD 16.5 billion. The stock rose 3.61% to USD 93.74 into the report. An 11% options-implied move would be about USD 10 on that price, simple arithmetic, which shows traders expect a large reaction. The 11% figure comes from a headline, so its basis is not verified here. Options pricing reflects uncertainty about guidance, not just about the quarter. Both readings are shown for transparency. Intel designs chips and also builds them for itself and, increasingly, for others through its foundry unit. A low earnings bar means a beat is less informative than the outlook for foundry customers, capital spending and next-quarter guidance. After a big run, investors ask whether good news is already in the price. Intel also benefits from AI-related demand for chips and from the wider semiconductor rally, with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index up 3.60% on October 27. Investors in Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) will read the guidance for signs of margin recovery.

Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU): Memory Read-Through Before Samsung

Samsung Electronics rose 9.12% on October 28, 2026, Kioxia 13.76% and SoftBank 4.65%. Samsung reports on Thursday, October 29, and Kioxia on Friday, October 30. Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 1.08% to 63,954.14, though an early report put it at 64,094.51, up 1.3%, so the close is used. SK Hynix's record profit and the Kospi's 6.63% jump set the tone. Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU) gained 2.77% on October 27. The moves reflect expectations, not reported results, and no Samsung or Kioxia numbers are available yet. Kioxia's gain was the largest of the three, at 13.76%, which shows how strongly investors expect its memory business to benefit. Samsung's move came before any numbers were published, so the rally rests on hope and on the read-across from SK Hynix. Memory chips are used in nearly every AI server, and prices for them can swing sharply. When Samsung and Kioxia report, they reveal demand, prices and inventory in the market, and those same forces drive earnings at Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU), Western Digital and Seagate. Strong results from Asian peers can lift US shares, while weak guidance can drag them down. Rallies of 9% to 14% before earnings raise the bar: a good report may already be priced in, and a mere in-line report could trigger a sell-off. Investors compare results with consensus rather than with prior-year numbers alone.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT): A Stake Pending Antitrust Review

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) rose 2.15% on October 27, 2026, after saying it would lift its stake in BE Semiconductor Industries to about 20%. BE Semiconductor, known as BESI, is listed in Amsterdam, and its shares surged 11.41% on the news. One wire dated the announcement to October 26, so the reaction day is covered here. The details come from reports of a company announcement, and price paid, share count and timing were not retrieved. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rose 3.60% the same day, so part of the gain reflects the broader chip rally. Applied Materials makes the machines used to build chips, so a stake in a packaging equipment supplier extends its reach along the production chain. A stake of about 20% is large enough to give influence, though control is a separate matter and depends on the terms. Advanced packaging combines several chips into one unit so they work as a single, faster system, which is important for AI processors that need large amounts of memory close by. Equipment makers that supply the tools benefit when AI demand grows. A larger stake gives Applied Materials closer ties to a key supplier of such tools. The deal is pending a US antitrust review, and approval is not guaranteed. Investors in Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) should treat the stake as strategic, not as a sure win.

MACOM Technology Solutions (NASDAQ:MTSI): An Upgrade With a USD 300 Target

MACOM Technology Solutions (NASDAQ:MTSI) rose 4.97% on October 27, 2026, after Raymond James lifted its rating to Outperform and set a USD 300 target. Micron added 2.77%. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rose 3.60% to 11,482.51, its third straight gain, after Anthropic's listing filing and financing headlines. That means MACOM's gain exceeded the index by about 1.4 points, which is simple arithmetic. The full text of the research note was not reviewed, so the reasoning behind the upgrade is not described here. Raymond James is one of many firms that update ratings on semiconductor makers, and its view can influence buying but does not change the company's results. Upgrades often come after a stock has already moved, so timing matters. Optical and memory suppliers sit between the large chip designers and the data centres that run AI systems. When customers such as Anthropic commit to buy large amounts of computing power, demand ripples through to the companies that make the links and memory inside those machines. Investors often rotate to such suppliers after the headline names have rallied. An Outperform rating and a USD 300 target are one firm's estimate of future value, and targets can change quickly.

Where Things Stand

The answer is that the second tier of chip stocks is moving on specific catalysts: an earnings bar for Intel, memory read-throughs for Micron, a regulated stake for Applied Materials and an upgrade for MACOM. Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) reports on October 29, 2026. Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU) awaits Samsung and Kioxia. Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) awaits review. MACOM Technology Solutions (NASDAQ:MTSI) follows its upgrade. All face the Fed decision on October 28.