Samsung, SK Hynix flag record supply squeeze in memory market as AI demand soars
South Korea's memory chip giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are warning of a prolonged global supply crunch, exacerbated by surging artificial intelligence demand. During Samsung’s first-quarter earnings call on Thursday, the company reported that its order fulfilment rate had plummeted to a record low....
Bullish Signals
- Samsung revenue jumped 69% YoY to $90.25B driven by AI demand.
- SK Hynix Q1 revenue soared nearly 200% YoY to 52.6T won.
- Samsung operating profit surged eightfold to 57.2T won.
- HBM4 capacity fully booked shows strong forward demand.
- SK Hynix CFO expects rising price cycle to last longer.
- Both firms benefit most from memory supercycle amid AI adoption.
Bearish Signals
- Order fulfilment rate hit record low.
- Customers pre-booking capacity for 2027 due to shortages.
- Next-gen HBM4 supply far below customer demand.
- Supply crunch risks limiting future AI growth.
- Rising China fab investments raise cost and geopolitical risks.