Intel announced a $14.2 billion buyback of a 49% stake in its Irish Fab 34 wafer fabrication plant held by Apollo Global Management, making the facility wholly owned by Intel upon completion of the transaction. The funds for this buyback come from cash on hand and approximately $6.5 billion in new debt. In 2024, Apollo had acquired this stake for $11.2 billion. Intel stated that the buyback reflects its strong financial position and confidence in CPU demand during the AI era, and the transaction will provide financial flexibility to accelerate its deployment of advanced manufacturing processes in Europe and the United States. Following the announcement, Intel's stock price rose.
