Intel will ‘focus’ less on buying back company stock: CEO Pat Gelsinger

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The chief executive of the biggest U.S. chip-maker, Intel Corp, said the company is going to curb its focus on buying back its own stock.

“We will not be anywhere near as focused on buybacks going forward as we have in the past,” Intel Chief Executive Officer Pat Gelsinger said in an interview on the CBS news magazine “60 Minutes” to air on Sunday night.

Gelsinger’s comments were in response to a question comparing how much Intel has spent buying its own stock compared to its investment in research and development.

A global shortage of semiconductor chips, critical in cars, laptops and other major consumer products, has put a spotlight on Intel, the only major U.S. chip manufacturer.