SK hynix’s 3Q26 Revenue Surpasses ₩100T as Operating Margin Hits Record 80% SK hynix reported revenue of ₩104.6155T in 3Q26, up 32% QoQ and 328% YoY, marking the first time quarterly revenue has exceeded ₩100T. Operating profit reached ₩83.3338T, up 632% YoY, while operating margin climbed to a record 80%. SK hynix attributed its strong performance primarily to high-value products, including HBM, server DDR5, and enterprise SSDs (eSSDs). DRAM ASPs rose nearly 30% QoQ, with bit shipments increasing by approximately 10%, while NAND Flash prices climbed by more than 20%. The company noted that AI infrastructure demand is expanding beyond a handful of major CSPs to mainstream enterprises and national-level initiatives. Over the medium to long term, demand is also expected to extend into physical AI applications such as autonomous vehicles and robotics. However, advanced process complexity and lengthy fab construction timelines will constrain supply growth, and SK hynix expects structural memory shortages to persist through 2030. DRAM: HBM4 Ramps Up as Advanced Process Adoption Accelerates SK hynix began volume shipments of HBM4 in 3Q26 and expects the product to surpass HBM3E in both shipment volume and revenue in 4Q26, officially becoming its main HBM product. The company also plans to bring its M15X fab to full capacity by year-end. Meanwhile, adoption of its sixth-generation 10nm-class (1c) process is expected to accelerate, driving growth in 1c-based DDR5 for AI servers and LPDDR5-based SOCAMM products. Negotiations for HBM supply in 2027 have been completed. NAND Flash: 321-Layer Enterprise SSDs Expand; HBF Supports AI Inference Sales of 321-layer TLC enterprise SSDs continue to expand. SK hynix plans to increase the share of 321-layer production to more than 50% of its domestic Korean capacity in 4Q26. Over the longer term, the company aims to combine HBF with system-level optimization to develop tiered storage solutions for AI inference, including KV cache. SK hynix has signed long-term supply agreements with 14 key customers, including major CSPs. The standard contract term is five years, with some customers negotiating extensions. Prices will adjust according to market conditions within mutually agreed ranges, while deposits and other contractual safeguards help ensure fulfillment. These agreements have secured commitments covering more than 50% of the company’s total capacity in both 2027 and 2028. SK hynix also indicated that 2027 capital expenditure will increase substantially from 2026, supporting advanced process equipment, capacity ramp-up at its Yongin Y1 fab, and infrastructure investments in Korea and overseas. TrendForce Expects DRAM Supply-Demand Balance in 2028 AI cloud capital expenditure continues to grow, while memory manufacturers are accelerating capacity deployment at new fabs. TrendForce expects the DRAM market to potentially reach supply-demand balance in 2028 as additional supply gradually comes online to meet rising demand. 📊More semiconductor news: buff.ly/4466Utg 📊More industry charts: buff.ly/4hbxzLr

From securing 14 LTA customers to an HBM4 takeover in 4Q26, #SKhynix is strengthening its long-term demand visibility while accelerating the shift from HBM3E to HBM4.

⚡ PMIC High-Voltage Race: Market Set for $44.7B in 2026. AI, automotive electrification, and data centers are driving 8.4% YoY growth. As AI chip power consumption passes 1kW, PMICs are becoming the core of intelligent power management, focused on IVR/PIVR, 800VDC, and digital telemetry. Global leaders and Asian suppliers are speeding up work on full-stack power platforms. Map the PMIC supplier race 👉 buff.ly/pW5hihJ Explore the US data center power gap 📖 buff.ly/YawFi6O #TrendForce #SelectedTopics

#Apple’s foldable #iPhoneDuo reportedly faces hinge issues, yet its 12-month shipment target is reportedly up 44% to 14M units, reflecting strong demand and extra stockpiling against assembly defects.💡More: buff.ly/gTQicPw 🔗

#SKhynix had originally planned to list its subsidiary #Solidigm on the Nasdaq, with market expectations pointing to a roughly 10% stake sale and proceeds of approximately $15 billion. However, investors and stakeholders raised concerns as the listing would reduce SK hynix’s ownership of Solidigm and dilute the subsidiary’s contribution to the parent company’s earnings by around 10%. #TrendForce notes that Solidigm’s production is concentrated on 1XXL and 2XXL NAND nodes, with a focus on high-capacity QLC products. While the company has benefited from AI-driven supply shortages and price increases, its future performance could become more volatile as #YMTC expands production and Solidigm faces limited competitive advantages in high-end, high-speed SSDs. TrendForce believes SK hynix’s decision to postpone the IPO is primarily intended to avoid a potential drag on the parent company’s valuation should Solidigm’s performance weaken after listing. Keeping Solidigm within the group also allows SK hynix to retain the subsidiary’s current earnings contributions.

Is #NVIDIA easing the HBM pressure? Beyond rethinking Rubin Ultra’s memory mix, the chipmaker has quietly cut Rubin GPU’s HBM4 bandwidth by nearly 13%.

Industry forecasts point to a massive 3Q26 for #SKhynix: sales +300% and OP +576% YoY. Can #HBM4 deliver the next surprise? DRAM/NAND ASP growth and LTA updates are also in focus.

Micron accelerates its AI memory roadmap. 📰 News Source: buff.ly/5AR5aRx