Nvidia will replace Intel on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, indicating the massive impact of the AI boom on the semiconductor and tech industries and the entire market. According to CNBC, this change will happen on November 8, about three months after news of Intel's financial woes broke out.
The move was sparked by Intel's massive stock price drop—over 30% overnight—following the disastrous financial results released last August. The company has been bleeding cash through its data center and foundry divisions, resulting in a $1.6 billion loss for the second quarter of 2024. This was soon followed by news of massive layoffs, with over 15,000 employees affected.
On the other hand, Nvidia’s stock price has been growing by leaps and bounds owing to the AI boom. For a short time, it has become the most valuable company in the world, with a market capitalization of $3.34 trillion. Even though the company has dropped down to second place next to Apple, it’s still a remarkable rise in such a short amount of time.
Nvidia's share price was $14.16 in November 2022, rising by 218% to $45.01 a year later. Today, the company’s stock price is $135.37, another 201% jump over the past 12 months. This means that the company’s value jumped by over 850% in just two years.
Intel entered the Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1999, but its 25-year run was cut short by its failure to take the lead in artificial intelligence. On the other hand, Nvidia's replacement would be the fourth tech company worth over a trillion dollars to make it into the Dow, after Microsoft, Apple, and Amazon. Interestingly, Amazon entered the list just this year after replacing the retail company Walgreens in February.
A five-person committee, including editors from the Wall Street Journal, selects the companies to be included in the list. Although there are no specific rules for a company to be considered for the Dow, the committee members consider the following factors when determining which organizations will be added: large market capitalization, industry leadership, sustained financial growth, and investor interest. Nvidia’s entry into the list ticks all these boxes, showing the financial market’s positive outlook on the future of artificial intelligence.
