Memory price surge spreads from DRAM to NAND, analysts say SEOUL, February 03 (AJP) - Memory chip prices are expected to continue rising in the first quarter, with momentum that began in DRAM now spreading to the NAND flash market as supply struggles to keep pace with demand, according to industry analyses. Counterpoint Research forecasts NAND flash prices will rise more than 40 percent quarter-on-quarter in the January–March period, following sharp gains already seen in DRAM during the fourth quarter amid tight supply conditions. NAND flash, widely used in data storage devices, is benefiting from rapid growth in demand for high-capacity, high-performance enterprise solid-state drives (SSDs) as investment in artificial intelligence data centers accelerates. Production, however, has not kept up, putting upward pressure on prices, the research firm said. Counterpoint cited concentrated demand from server customers as a key driver. As suppliers prioritize SSD shipments for AI servers, availability of NAND products for consumer devices has tightened, leading to price premiums. Average NAND prices per gigabyte are expected to climb about 40 percent, while lower-capacity 128GB products used in PCs have recently traded at premiums of roughly 50 percent, the report said. Supply constraints have also been exacerbated by chipmakers focusing on high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and other higher-margin DRAM products to meet AI-related demand. Samsung Electronics, SK hynix and Micron Technology are allocating more resources to DRAM production, leaving limited capacity expansion for NAND. TrendForce said NAND orders in the first quarter significantly exceed suppliers’ production capacity, while manufacturers continue to redirect some production lines toward DRAM to capitalize on stronger profitability. “The tight NAND supply situation will not be easy to resolve,” the research firm said, adding that supply shortages could persist for the next two to three years. Demand from North American cloud service providers is also pushing prices higher, with enterprise SSD contract prices projected to rise 53 percent to 58 percent in the first quarter from the previous quarter. Strength in DRAM pricing is likewise expected to continue. TrendForce recently raised its forecast for quarter-on-quarter increases in commodity DRAM contract prices to 90 percent to 95 percent, up from its earlier estimate of 55 percent to 60 percent, reflecting ongoing supply tightness and strong AI-related demand. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-02-03 15:39:11

POSCO International posts record operating profit in 2025 SEOUL, January 29 (AJP) - POSCO International said on Thursday that its consolidated operating profit rose 4.3 percent in 2025 from a year earlier to a record 1.17 trillion won, supported by stronger results from its energy and food businesses. Revenue edged up to 32.37 trillion won, while net profit climbed 26.5 percent to 636.8 billion won, the company said in a regulatory filing. The company has reported operating profit of more than 1 trillion won for three consecutive years since its 2023 merger with POSCO Energy. Operating profit from the energy segment totaled 623 billion won, accounting for about 54 percent of the group’s total. The increase reflected higher sales from the Myanmar gas field and expanded production at Australia’s Senex gas field, the company said. In the food segment, revenue surged 58 percent to 357 billion won, driven by the acquisition of a palm oil company and firm palm oil prices. Operating profit in the segment rose 23 percent to 101 billion won. In the materials business, the drive motor core unit returned to profit, posting operating profit of 19.0 billion won after improving its product mix and cutting costs. Operating profit from power generation, however, fell 33 percent to 114 billion won, weighed down by lower wholesale electricity prices and reduced utilization rates. POSCO International said its net debt ratio stood at 62.8 percent at the end of 2025, down 3 percentage points from a year earlier. Total assets rose by about 1.4 trillion won to 18.75 trillion won. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-01-29 09:57:36

LS Electric Deploys Smart Outage Management System for Distributed Power Grids LS Electric said it has commercialized a smart distribution solution designed to help manage distributed power grids more reliably, stepping up its push into the fast-growing market. The company said on Jan. 29 that it recently completed installation of its self-developed Outage Management System (OMS) at a district electricity business office in the Hakha district of Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, operated by CNCITY Energy. The OMS digitizes the status and condition of power equipment to support distribution operations. LS Electric said it is the first case in which a privately developed distribution-operations solution has been commercialized at a district electricity business site. The company described OMS as an intelligent system that helps operators quickly identify affected areas and equipment during outages. Beyond outage response, LS Electric said it is expected to enable integrated, digital management of equipment status and history across the distribution network, supporting equipment life prediction and maintenance optimization. LS Electric said it plans to work with CNCITY Energy to accelerate technology development for next-generation distributed distribution networks, citing the reliability demonstrated through the OMS project. An LS Electric official said OMS is drawing attention as an essential solution not only for district electricity business offices but also for large factories and industrial infrastructure. The official said the system has already received positive reviews at multiple industrial sites and will serve as a core solution for AI-driven transformation of power systems while helping improve distributed-grid stability.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-29 08:48:19

Samsung Electronics posts record Q4 revenue of 93.8 trillion won, operating profit 20.1 trillion Samsung Electronics said a boom in its memory business drove record quarterly results in the fourth quarter of 2025, with consolidated revenue of 93.8 trillion won and operating profit of 20.1 trillion won. It said the quarter marked the first time a South Korean company has posted more than 20 trillion won in operating profit in a single quarter. In an earnings filing on Wednesday, Samsung reported fourth-quarter consolidated revenue of 93.8374 trillion won and operating profit of 20.0737 trillion won. Revenue rose 23.82% from a year earlier, while operating profit jumped 209.17%. The core DS (Device Solutions) division posted quarterly revenue of 44 trillion won and operating profit of 16.4 trillion won, up 46.2% and 465%, respectively, from a year earlier. Samsung cited expanded sales of high-value memory such as high-bandwidth memory, or HBM, and rising memory prices, which it said delivered record quarterly revenue and operating profit for the division. Samsung said it responded to stronger demand for commodity DRAM and ramped up HBM supply, boosting profitability. Sales volumes also rose for higher-value products including server DDR5 and enterprise SSDs. System LSI results fell from the previous quarter due to seasonal demand shifts, but image sensor sales increased for new 200-megapixel and “big pixel” 50-megapixel products. Foundry revenue rose as Samsung moved to full-scale mass production of first-generation 2-nanometer products and saw strong demand from customers in the United States and China, though profitability gains were limited by provisions-related costs. The DX (Device eXperience) division reported revenue of 44.3 trillion won and operating profit of 1.3 trillion won. Revenue fell 8% from the previous quarter as the impact of new smartphone launches faded and competition intensified, but companywide results improved as DS revenue rose 33% from the prior quarter. Harman, the automotive electronics unit, posted revenue of 4.6 trillion won and operating profit of 300 billion won. Samsung Display reported revenue of 9.5 trillion won and operating profit of 2 trillion won, maintaining solid performance. Samsung said it continued heavy investment to strengthen future competitiveness. Research and development spending totaled 10.9 trillion won in the fourth quarter, and reached a record 37.7 trillion won for full-year 2025. Facility investment was 20.4 trillion won in the quarter, including 19 trillion won for DS and 700 billion won for displays. Full-year 2025 facility investment totaled 52.7 trillion won, including 47.5 trillion won for DS and 2.8 trillion won for displays. Samsung said DS will focus spending on shifting to advanced processes and upgrading existing lines to meet demand for high-value products, while the display business will invest in upgrades and performance improvements to existing lines. Looking ahead, Samsung said it expects heightened geopolitical uncertainty, including global tariffs, even as demand remains strong for next-generation semiconductors. Despite ongoing trade risks, it said the DS division will seek leadership in the AI semiconductor market by leveraging its “one-stop solution” capabilities spanning logic, memory, foundry and packaging. In DS, Samsung said it will expand supply of high-performance products as the HBM4 market ramps up and server DRAM moves toward higher capacities. In NAND, it plans to increase sales of high-performance TLC-based SSDs to meet rising demand for AI-focused KV SSDs. The foundry business aims for double-digit revenue growth and improved profit and loss centered on advanced processes, and plans in the second half to strengthen technology competitiveness through mass production of second-generation 2-nanometer products and optimization of its 4-nanometer process. The DX division said it will strengthen core competitiveness by diversifying its supply chain and optimizing operations, while expanding its AI-enabled flagship lineup and offering more integrated AI experiences. Harman said it will work to improve profitability by expanding automotive order wins and increasing sales of premium audio products. The display business said it will maintain leadership in small and mid-sized panels for smartphones and expand sales of large panels focused on premium TVs and monitors. 2026-01-29 08:18:00

SK hynix to set up U.S. AI solutions unit, overhaul Solidigm to merge NAND and AI SK hynix plans to establish a U.S.-based artificial intelligence solutions company tentatively named “AI Company,” while significantly restructuring its local NAND business. The company will reposition its subsidiary Solidigm as a holding entity for AI solutions and create a new “AI NAND solutions” operating unit under Solidigm to run NAND operations jointly with SK hynix. SK hynix said in a statement posted to its newsroom on Tuesday that it is pursuing a plan to reorganize Solidigm — which changed its name in February — as the central entity of the AI Co. structure. Under Solidigm, SK hynix would set up a new corporation responsible for NAND and SSD products for AI data centers. The goal is to combine SK hynix’s NAND technology with Solidigm’s enterprise SSD capabilities under one organization to strengthen storage solutions for AI data centers. The company said the restructuring is intended to extend its technology leadership in AI memory, including high-bandwidth memory, into storage and system solutions, moving beyond being a memory manufacturer to become a key partner in the AI data center ecosystem. SK hynix said it also plans strategic investments and partnerships with companies with AI capabilities to grow AI Co. into a solutions provider spanning the full range of data center needs. SK hynix pointed to growing investment by global big tech companies in data centers and changes in semiconductor and system architectures to secure an edge in AI. It said the importance of high-performance SSDs and storage solutions is rising alongside memory performance, as large volumes of data must be stored and processed reliably. SK hynix said it sees an opportunity to expand its influence across AI infrastructure by combining its experience leading the HBM market with NAND and enterprise SSD technology. The company said it is also considering ways to expand investment and collaboration with U.S. AI innovators through AI Co. and connect those efforts to AI synergies across the SK Group. It said it aims to develop AI Co. into a global hub for AI cooperation aligned with the group’s AI- and semiconductor-focused investment strategy. SK hynix said it expects the global network and technology collaboration built through AI Co. to help strengthen the competitiveness of South Korea’s AI and semiconductor industries as global competition intensifies. SK hynix said it plans to contribute up to US$10 billion to AI Co. through capital calls. The funds are intended for mid- to long-term investment covering AI memory, AI storage and broader data center solutions. “Establishing AI Co. is a strategic move to secure diverse opportunities in the AI data center ecosystem ahead of the next AI era,” the company said. “We will work closely with key partners in the United States to create the value customers need ahead of demand.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 18:33:00

SK hynix plans U.S. AI solutions unit to expand role in AI data centers SK hynix said Tuesday it is pushing ahead with plans to set up an AI solutions company in the United States, tentatively named “AI Company,” or AI Co. The company said it aims to move beyond being a memory chip maker and become a key partner in the AI data center ecosystem, building on its competitiveness in AI memory technologies such as high-bandwidth memory, or HBM. It said it will pursue strategic investments and partnerships with companies that have AI capabilities, strengthen its memory competitiveness and grow AI Co. into a business that can provide solutions across the AI data center sector. Global big tech companies have been competing aggressively to secure leadership in AI through investment and business restructuring, SK hynix said. With memory performance increasingly seen as a key factor in easing AI data bottlenecks, broader cooperation is needed to optimize AI systems, it added. SK hynix said it is considering using AI Co. to invest in AI innovators in the U.S. and expand collaboration, while linking capabilities gained there to synergies across SK Group. It also said the effort could help strengthen the competitiveness of South Korea’s AI and semiconductor industries, citing the value of a global network and experience in technology cooperation as global competition intensifies. AI Co. will be created by reorganizing Solidigm, which has positioned itself as a key player in AI data centers through high-capacity enterprise SSDs, the company said. Solidigm’s corporate name is SK hynix NAND Product Solutions Corp. Solidigm will establish a subsidiary and transfer its business, and its corporate and company names will be changed later, SK hynix said. The new subsidiary will use Solidigm Inc., AI Co.’s current company name, as its corporate name to maintain business continuity. SK hynix said it plans to contribute US$10 billion depending on AI Co.’s capital calls. “Establishing AI Co. is a step to secure various opportunities in the AI data center ecosystem ahead of the next AI era,” SK hynix said. “We will work closely with key AI partners in the United States and create value customers need ahead of time.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 18:12:00

NAND Flash Supply Tightens as Chipmakers Prioritize HBM, Raising Costs for Businesses and Consumers As the semiconductor industry shifts investment toward high-bandwidth memory, or HBM, and other high-performance DRAM, a deepening shortage of NAND flash is expected to squeeze both corporate buyers and consumers. Industry officials said Samsung Electronics and SK hynix have recently concentrated equipment and staff on expanding HBM and converting to advanced DRAM processes, while keeping new NAND investment and line expansions to a minimum. As a result, global NAND supply growth is expected to remain in the low single digits this year, creating a gap that is not keeping pace with demand. Prices are already rising. TrendForce said enterprise NAND used in server SSDs rose an average 15% to 20% in the first quarter, with an additional 5% to 10% increase expected in the second quarter. NAND used in mainstream consumer SSDs rose about 10% on average in the first quarter, and some high-capacity products have seen increases of more than 15%. The increases are directly raising procurement costs for corporate customers. NAND-based storage and system-chip customers including Kioxia, Western Digital and MediaTek are struggling to secure contracted volumes, and some are increasing spot purchases, according to industry officials. Global cloud providers that buy large volumes of data center SSDs are responding by renegotiating annual pricing contracts or adjusting shipment schedules. In the server market, the shortage is affecting system configurations. Some enterprise SSD lead times have reportedly stretched from six to eight weeks to 10 to 12 weeks or more. Some small and midsize data center operators are also shifting specifications from high-capacity SSDs to mid- and lower-capacity products that are easier to obtain. The impact is also showing up in consumer markets. Major PC and laptop makers in South Korea and overseas have raised launch prices for new models by about 3% to 7% to reflect higher SSD costs. Smartphone makers are widening price gaps among storage options, passing costs on to buyers, with the biggest increases concentrated in models with 512GB or more. Changes are also emerging in retail channels. Major online shopping sites have sharply reduced discounts on 1TB and 2TB SSDs, and some brands have faced longer restocking waits for popular models due to uneven supply. Many in the industry expect NAND supply to normalize only after the second half of this year. Analysts also see signs of a longer-term shift. As memory makers steer investment toward higher-margin HBM and premium DRAM, NAND could become structurally less flexible on supply over the medium to long term, raising the possibility that price strength could persist beyond a short-term spike. An industry official said, "As long as investment remains centered on HBM, NAND expansion will be limited, and price pressure is likely to persist, especially for enterprise SSDs and high-capacity consumer products."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 18:04:00

Why SK Group Is Channeling More Capital to SK hynix: HBM4 Supply and Long-Term Lead SK hynix has cemented its role as a core profit engine for SK Group after posting record results again in the fourth quarter of 2025. As demand tied to artificial intelligence accelerates, industry watchers say the group’s growth strategy is increasingly being reshaped around SK hynix, not just short-term earnings. According to the industry on Tuesday, SK Group has secured about 80 trillion won through asset sales and business restructuring and is focusing that money on future growth areas such as AI and semiconductors. A large share is being spent on SK hynix, linking the group’s divestments directly to the chipmaker’s capital spending and efforts to strengthen its technology edge. The funding push tracks SK hynix’s recent performance. From the first through third quarters of 2025, the company set new quarterly records for revenue and operating profit each quarter. Preliminary fourth-quarter results announced Tuesday also marked all-time quarterly highs for both revenue and operating profit, and full-year 2025 revenue and operating profit hit record levels as well. The steady rise has fueled views that the company has moved beyond a cyclical rebound into a more structural growth phase. SK hynix is widely said to account for about 80% of SK Group’s operating profit. The group’s earnings base, once led by telecom and energy, is now increasingly anchored by semiconductors, pushing investment priorities toward SK hynix. That shift is reflected in capital spending. SK hynix is expected to expand this year’s capital investment to the 30 trillion won range, aiming to get ahead of surging demand for high-value memory used in AI servers. The approach contrasts with past, more cautious moves tied to swings in the memory market, as the company prioritizes long-term market leadership over near-term profitability. A key focus is high-bandwidth memory, or HBM. SK hynix is seeking to extend its lead from HBM3E into next-generation HBM4. It is widely reported to have signed supply deals with major big tech customers, including Nvidia, securing a significant share of HBM4 volumes. Some in the industry estimate it has more than half, with others putting the figure at about 70%. Industry assessments attribute the momentum not only to pricing but also to mass-production yields, stable quality and supply reliability. SK hynix is also investing in early development for post-HBM4 products and strengthening joint validation and customized development with customers, aiming to position itself as a key partner in AI infrastructure rather than a simple supplier. “SK Group’s money is flowing to hynix not because of short-term results, but because it has the clearest growth engine for the next 10 years,” an industry official said. “As long as it maintains leadership in HBM4 and the AI memory market, the group’s investment strategy is likely to keep revolving around hynix.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 17:30:15

SK hynix posts record annual and fourth-quarter revenue and operating profit According to a filing on the Financial Supervisory Service’s electronic disclosure system on Tuesday, SK hynix posted annual revenue of 97.1467 trillion won and operating profit of 47.2063 trillion won last year. That was up 46.8% and 101.2%, respectively, from a year earlier, setting record highs for both revenue and operating profit on an annual basis. Fourth-quarter revenue totaled 32.8267 trillion won, and operating profit was 19.1696 trillion won. The figures rose 66.1% and 137.2% from the same period a year earlier, also marking quarterly records for both revenue and operating profit. The company attributed the gains to surging demand for high-performance semiconductors such as high-bandwidth memory, as the AI era accelerates. By business line, DRAM revenue from HBM more than doubled from a year earlier, while the company maintained competitiveness in mainstream DRAM by moving into full-scale mass production of 10-nanometer-class sixth-generation (1c-nanometer) DDR5. In NAND, it completed development of 321-layer QLC products in the first half and focused on demand for enterprise SSDs in the second half, achieving record annual revenue for the segment. Market expectations compiled earlier by financial data firm FnGuide had projected revenue of 95.2590 trillion won and operating profit of 44.5024 trillion won, meaning SK hynix beat forecasts on both measures. 2026-01-28 16:54:31

SK hynix posts record quarterly operating profit of 19.2 trillion won in Q4 SK hynix posts 19.2 trillion won in Q4 operating profit, a quarterly record* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 16:45:00