CLAIM #32240 · Intel Corporation (INTC) · 2025Q3 earnings call · Oct 23, 2025 · due Dec 31, 2027
“As we get into 14A, our cadence will be more normalized. And so you won't see so much start-up costs stacked on top of each other, which is affecting gross margins.”
David Zinsner · CFO
How to check this claim
Look at: Gross margin, company-reported (non-GAAP or GAAP as disclosed), and qualitative disclosure of process node start-up costs affecting margins
It came true if: Gross margin sequential/YoY trend improves and management commentary indicates reduced stacked start-up costs as 14A ramps, versus the 2025 pattern of multiple concurrent node start-up costs
Where: Quarterly income statement and management commentary on earnings calls (10-Q/10-K and Q&A transcripts)
In context
“that's what Lip-Bu and the team has pulled in, are hyper-focused on, is getting great products at the right cost structure to drive better gross margins. That to me, I think, is the linchpin in all this. The improvements on the foundry side are just going to come, I think. We're going to mix higher and higher to Intel 3, 4 and then 18A and ultimately, 14A. The cost structures of all of those are actually pretty similar. And it will just be a function of the fact that the value that's provided by those leading edge nodes is going to be significantly more, and that's going to just materially drive the gross margins up. The other thing that I would say is we are seeing a lot of start-up costs by virtue of the fact that we've jammed a whole bunch of new processes in kind of in rapid fashion. As we get into 14A, our cadence will be more normalized. And so you won't see so much start-up costs stacked on top of each other, which is affecting gross margins. And that's billions of dollars. So I think as you get beyond a few years, that rolls off and will also help. Timothy Arcuri: I do. Yes. Lip-Bu, you didn't give an update last call on Diamond Rapids launch date. I know the whole road map is under review, but you did sound -- the company sounds fairly optimistic about Coral Rapids. Can you just give us sort of an update on the data center road map a bit here? Lip-Bu Tan: Yes. Thank you. Good questions. So I think clearly, the Diamond Rapids is getting stronger hyperscale feedback. And then we also focus on the new product, the Coral Rapids, and that will be included SMT, the multithreading, and that can drive higher performance. We're in the definition stage. And then we will work out the road map and then we're going to execute that [ woul”
Verify independently
SEC filings for INTC ↗ · Claim quote is verbatim from the 2025Q3 earnings call.