PANews reported on August 19 that the Trump administration is discussing the acquisition of approximately 10% of Intel (INTC.O) shares, a move that could make the United States the largest shareholder in the troubled chipmaker, according to a White House official and other people familiar with the matter. People familiar with the matter said the federal government is considering a potential investment in Intel, which would involve converting some or all of the company's grants from the American Chips and Science Act into equity. Intel had previously been arranged to receive $10.9 billion in CHIPS Act grants for commercial and military production. This figure is roughly enough to cover the target holdings. Based on Intel's current market value, a 10% stake in the chipmaker is worth approximately $10.5 billion. People familiar with the matter said the exact size of the equity, and whether the White House chooses to move forward with the plan, is still changing.
According to Jinshi.com, SoftBank Group has signed a $2 billion investment agreement with Intel (INTC.O). SoftBank will purchase Intel common stock at $23 per share. An Intel (INTC.O) spokesperson stated that SoftBank's investment will be made through the issuance of Intel common stock. Based on Intel's market capitalization at Monday's close, this represents a stake of less than 2%.
