AAPL vs INTC: how the two businesses compare

  • Bigger business: AAPL, with $416.2B of yearly revenue, about 7.9× INTC's $52.9B.
  • More profitable: AAPL keeps 27 cents of each sales dollar as profit; INTC lost money over the year.
  • More cash from each sale: AAPL turns 27 cents of each sales dollar into operating cash flow, against 18 cents at INTC.

From each company's latest annual SEC filing. Fiscal years can end on different dates.

Apple (AAPL) is the larger business by reported revenue: $416.2B in its fiscal year ended Sep 2025, about 7.9× INTC's $52.9B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). AAPL's net margin was 26.9% and INTC's -0.5%. The SEC classifies them differently (Electronic Computers; Semiconductors & Related Devices); what connects them is shared exposure to the Artificial intelligence and Tariffs & trade research themes, not a common industry.

Figures come from each company's own SEC filings. This page compares the businesses; it is not a price target or a verdict.

Sector
Information Technology
SEC industry
Different
Separate classifications
Fiscal year ends
Different
AAPL September 26 · INTC December 26
Reviewed
Nov 3, 2026

AAPL vs INTC: quick comparison

Company factAAPLINTC
CompanyApple Inc.Intel Corporation
ExchangeNASDAQNASDAQ
HeadquartersCupertino, CaliforniaSanta Clara, California
Founded19761968
SEC industryElectronic ComputersSemiconductors & Related Devices
Fiscal year-endSeptember 26December 26
Latest annual filing10-K · 2026-11-0310-K · 2026-01-23

AAPL vs INTC: audited financials

  • Scale: AAPL's $416.2B of revenue is about 7.9× INTC's $52.9B.
  • Net margin: AAPL kept 26.9% of revenue as net income versus -0.5% at INTC.
  • Cash conversion: operating cash flow equalled AAPL 26.8% of revenue, or 1.00× net income; INTC 18.3% of revenue. A ratio well above 1× usually reflects non-cash charges or working-capital release; well below 1× can reflect working-capital build or non-cash gains.
  • Periods: the fiscal years end about 3 months apart (2025-09-27 for AAPL, 2025-12-27 for INTC), so each figure reflects somewhat different demand and cost conditions.

AAPL: FY ending 2025-09-27 · INTC: FY ending 2025-12-27. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.

Where AAPL and INTC overlap, and where they don't

Overlap

  • Shared research themes: Artificial intelligence and Tariffs & trade.

Differences

  • Different SEC industries: AAPL files as Electronic Computers; INTC as Semiconductors & Related Devices.
  • Offset fiscal calendars: AAPL's year ends September 26 and INTC's December 26, about 3 months apart.
  • Scale: AAPL reported about 7.9× the annual revenue of INTC.
  • Profitability: net margin of 26.9% for AAPL versus -0.5% for INTC.
  • INTC reported a net loss of $267M in its fiscal year ended Dec 2025.

Overlap is drawn from SEC classifications and Yield Theory research themes. It is not evidence that the companies sell to the same customers or compete product for product.

Apple Inc. (AAPL)

Apple designs consumer electronics, software, and services, led by the iPhone, Mac, and a growing high-margin services segment. It is one of the world's most valuable companies and a core holding in most large-cap and technology index funds.

Intel Corporation (INTC)

Intel is a historic leader in microprocessors that is investing heavily to rebuild its manufacturing edge and build a foundry business for outside customers. Its US fabs make it a focal point of domestic chip policy.

What moves each company

Company-specific drivers maintained by Yield Theory. Use them to decide which filing deserves deeper work; they are not predictions.

What moves AAPL

  • iPhone demand, pricing, and the device upgrade cycle
  • Services growth and App Store economics
  • Gross margins, component costs, and supply-chain concentration
  • Product innovation and adoption of on-device AI

What moves INTC

  • Intel 18A yield and volume ramp for client and server CPUs
  • External foundry customer wins needed to justify Intel 14A
  • Client and data-center CPU volume, pricing, and share versus AMD and Arm-based rivals
  • Capital spending, fab construction pace, and government and strategic equity funding

The investment question

You now know AAPL reports about 7.9× INTC's revenue, and AAPL keeps more of each dollar as net income. Those are the facts. The investment question is what each share price already assumes about “iPhone demand, pricing, and the device upgrade cycle” at AAPL and “Intel 18A yield and volume ramp for client and server CPUs” at INTC, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.

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Members-only research on AAPL and INTC

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SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence

Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. AAPL's fiscal year ends September 26, while INTC's ends December 26. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.

The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 154 matched transaction rows for AAPL and 45 matched transaction rows for INTC. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.

What this comparison cannot tell you

This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.

A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.

AAPL vs INTC FAQs

Are AAPL and INTC direct competitors?

Not necessarily. Apple files as Electronic Computers and Intel as Semiconductors & Related Devices. The pair is compared because both map to the Artificial intelligence and Tariffs & trade research themes, not because the filings show head-to-head competition.

Is AAPL or INTC the bigger company by revenue?

Apple (AAPL) is the larger business by reported revenue: $416.2B in its fiscal year ended Sep 2025, about 7.9× INTC's $52.9B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). AAPL's net margin was 26.9% and INTC's -0.5%. The SEC classifies them differently (Electronic Computers; Semiconductors & Related Devices); what connects them is shared exposure to the Artificial intelligence and Tariffs & trade research themes, not a common industry. Each figure is the annual amount tagged in the company's own SEC XBRL filing; market value depends on live prices, which this page does not publish.

Which is better, AAPL or INTC?

There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.

Does this AAPL vs INTC comparison include live prices?

No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers Apple Inc. and Intel Corporation tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.

Where does the company information come from?

Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-11-09. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.

Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-11-09. Independent educational research; not investment advice.

Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?

AAPL vs INTC compares reported results. The reports below show how we connect operating evidence to an investment thesis, its assumptions, catalysts, and risks. $39/month or $249/year.

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