- PC motherboard shipments were better than expected in May, writes BMO's Keith Bachman. whose firm upgraded Intel (INTC +1.5%) to Outperform in January out of confidence in Brian Krzanich's strategy changes.
- Bachman also sees motherboard shipments rising 6% in June - slightly better than the 5% averaged over the last 3 years.
- PC shipment declines have been gradually slowing. IDC estimates shipments fell 4.4% Y/Y in Q1, better than Q4's 5.6% drop and Q3's 7.6%. But it still sees a 6% 2014 shipment decline, thanks to a 10.4% emerging markets drop; higher-ASP "mature markets" are expected to be flat.
- Shares are making new 52-week highs. They currently go for 15x 2014E EPS, and 14x 2014E EPS.