SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics project a combined operating profit of nearly 190 trillion won for the third quarter of 2026. Both companies expect to set new all-time quarterly earnings records during this period.
Explosive demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) driven by artificial intelligence advancements fuels this performance. Surging AI technology needs have significantly increased memory chip prices and supplier profitability.
Market variables include increasing competition from China’s CXMT as it expands production capacity. Future U.S.-China relations also remain a critical factor for the semiconductor industry outlook.