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The quarterly operating profit of Chipmaker SK Hynix has more than doubled on solid sales of advanced memory fleas used in artificial intelligence products, in the middle of storage before American prices.
Analysts said SK Hynix had overturned the Samsung Electronics arc rival as a manufacturer of random memory fleas (DRAM) in the world in the world for the first time in the first quarter.
Operating profit increased by 158% to Won7.44TN ($ 5.2 billion) in the first three months of this year, much higher than 6.6TN forecasts by analysts interviewed by Bloomberg.
Sales increased by 42% over one year to 17.6 TN. Solid income was fired by robust sales of high bandwidth flea (HBM) used in AI equipment.
But the flea manufacturer warned against possible volatility of demand in the second period due to macroeconomic uncertainties while stressing that HBM demand will be less affected by potential American tariffs on semiconductors.
“The uncertainty of demand will increase due to changes in pricing policy and other restrictions, but this accelerates the demand for computer consumer goods while some consumers rush to buy products before prices are annoyed,” Kyu Hyun Kim, Marketing Dram, analysts, said on Thursday.
SK Hynix, a main HBM supplier in Nvidia, captured 36% of the DRAM market during the January-March, followed by Samsung at 34%, according to Touterpoint Research. DRAM is the most used memory chip in PCs and servers to help process data. The HBMs are made by stacking DRAM fleas.
“The modified dynamics will probably continue for the moment while Samsung is struggling to catch SK Hynix in HBM,” said Daniel Kim, analyst at Macquarie. “AI and HBM are rapid development markets. It is not easy for Samsung to catch up as a delayer. ”
SK Hynix expanded its advance in HBM, with a market share of 70% in the first quarter, said Counterpoint Research. Its HBM market share will remain greater than 50% this year, the share of Samsung falling below 30% and the share of the American rival Micron Technology increasing to almost 20%, according to the TrendForce market researcher.
The company expects Big Tech to keep its expenses on servers of servers in competition in AI, while new features of IA in smartphones Close the replacement request, increasing sales of high -performance mobile dram fleas. SK Hynix is still expecting HBM demand double this year.
According to Bloomberg data, according to Bloomberg data, its shares dropped by 0.8%.
Foreign investors have sold a won of 22 years net of the company's shares this month, after the equity price has more than doubled in the past two years, pulled by the BOOM of the AI. The actions dropped approximately a fifth compared to a January summit.
“The profits season does not matter with more important forces at work,” said Morgan Stanley analysts in a research note. “The real impact of memory tariff looks like an iceberg, with more invisible danger below the surface and always approaching.”
President Donald Trump said prices on flea imports would start “very soon”. The United States has also imposed special license requirements in Nvidia selling its H20 chips on Chinese customers, the American flea manufacturer recorded a $ 5.5 billion in income This month accordingly.
“This can affect Hynix's income, but the impact will probably be limited, given the high -end HBM flea supply shortage,” Kim de Macquarie said. “A positive momentum is expected for the company this year and next year unless the world economy is slipping into the recession.”
