Intel Corp (INTC)

[Windsock]

n adverse decision by the EU Commission, will have little practical effect on the way Intel conducts business. The discount structure that AMD whined about and the EU is disputing was ended by Intel in 2006 before the EU charges were issued.

An EU order that Intel must stop a discount plan that ended in 2006 is a symbolic victory at best. Even some other unknown restrictions will likely have little effect on Intel's ability to conduct business.

Nellie Koes (sp) recently commented after the Microsoft appeal that the MS restrictions did not as desired decrease Microsoft's market share. This was the tell that what the EU Commission really wants to do is set the "fair market share" for competitors. But the tools the Commission has available don't work well to adjust market share. The technology business moves too fast.

As much as the Commission would probably like to set market share quotas it does not have that legal power. So if AMD wants to get the "fair share it deserves" it is going to have to do it the old fashioned way -- Earn It -- with better products, infrastructure and engineering support.