AMD may surpass Intel in quarterly revenue for the first time in many years

American processor manufacturer AMD forecasts revenue of approximately $17 billion in Q4 2026, while its competitor Intel expects $15–16 billion. If both companies' forecasts are met, AMD may surpass Intel in total quarterly revenue for the first time, although this will not automatically mean leadership in the x86 processor market.

According to a report published on November 3, AMD's revenue for Q3 increased by 45% year-over-year, reaching a record $13.4 billion. The main source of growth was the data center division, whose sales rose by 97% to $8.5 billion due to demand for server processors and artificial intelligence accelerators.

At the same time, revenue from the combined client and gaming products division decreased by 8% to $3.7 billion. The decline was primarily due to the gaming sector, while sales of personal computer products increased by 7% to $2.9 billion. According to AMD CEO Lisa Su, growth was supported by mobile Ryzen processors and the expanded use of Ryzen PRO corporate computers.

AMD aims to accelerate growth in 2027

During the quarterly results conference, Lisa Su presented a forecast for further business expansion. She stated that in 2027, AMD's total revenue could increase by more than 80%, sales of server central processors could approximately double, and the AI accelerator segment for data centers could grow significantly more than twofold.

To ensure such growth, AMD has pre-arranged with suppliers for the necessary volumes of semiconductor wafers, substrates, memory, and advanced chip packaging capacities. The company is also expanding cooperation with manufacturing partners, aiming to secure a sufficient volume of components in the coming years.

AMD's forecast differs significantly from Intel's expectations, which anticipates revenue of $15 billion to $16 billion in Q4. However, comparing total revenues does not directly determine the leader in the x86 processor market: AMD derives a significant portion of its revenue from AI accelerators, while Intel's business also includes semiconductor manufacturing.

Investors reacted positively to AMD's results. According to The Register, after the report's release, the company's shares rose by about 5% in after-hours trading.

The actual revenue ratio between AMD and Intel will be known after the publication of financial results for Q4 2026.