Intel likely to beat the Mid-Point of 1Q/11 sales guidance

Currently, the company's 1Q/11 guidance is for its sales to be flat (USD 11.5 billion), plus or minus 3.5%. Thus, the expected range of Intel's 1Q/11 corporate sales is USD 11.1 - 11.9 billion, with the mid-point being USD 11.5 billion. In 2010, Intel had USD 32.3 billion in MPU revenue, which represented about three-quarters (74%) of the company's total corporate sales of USD 43.6 billion. The company's USD 32.3 billion in MPU sales accounted for 81% of the USD 39.9 billion worldwide MPU market in 2010. With this background, it is interesting to look at the January and February MPU sales as reported by WSTS. The combined worldwide January and February MPU sales dollars for 2011 were 42% greater than the combined January and February MPU sales level of 2010! Moreover, the combined January and February 2011 MPU sales were 28% higher than the combined October and November 2010 MPU sales (the first two months of 4Q/10). Thus, assuming that the WSTS January and February 1Q/11 MPU data are correct, it appears that the worldwide MPU market is highly likely to grow at a strong double-digit growth rate in 1Q/11 as compared to 4Q/10. With the vast majority of the fast-growing MPU market going to Intel, and MPUs representing such a large portion of the company's total sales, it is hard to imagine Intel not easily surpassing the mid-point of its 1Q/11 sales guidance. With the company due to release its results for 1Q/11 on April 19, we don't have long to wait to see if expectations are correct.