[darby_nine]

> Is it the role of a for-profit public company to "support" another for-profit public company?

It is (or it can be) if you want to avoid antitrust lawsuits. Same reason Microsoft bailed out Apple in the 90s.

[crop_rotation]

Microsoft spent peanuts (for them) on Apple stock in the 90s. Saving Intel will take much more than that for anyone.

Not to mention that Apple had atleast a salvageable IP if done well. Nobody else could compete with them on shipping MacOS machines. Intel has no such moat.