Core Viewpoint - A significant price surge is occurring in the Shenzhen Huaqiangbei market, surpassing the previous gold price spikes in the Shenzhen Shuibei market, driven by rising prices of flagship smartphones and storage chips [1][2]. Group 1: Price Surge in Storage Products - The prices of storage products, including DDR4 and SSD, have doubled in Huaqiangbei, with reports of "daily price changes" reflecting a tense supply-demand relationship [2][4]. - For instance, the price of a 16GB DDR4 memory stick has increased from approximately 180-190 RMB to 400 RMB, with expectations of further increases due to chip shortages [4][5]. - SSD prices have also surged, with a 1TB Samsung SSD now priced at 620 RMB, having doubled in a month, while a 2TB version is around 1200 RMB [4][5]. Group 2: Factors Driving Price Increases - The current price surge is attributed to a supply-demand imbalance, primarily driven by the "insatiable demand" from artificial intelligence (AI) applications, which has reshaped the storage industry [6][8]. - Major storage manufacturers have shifted production capacity towards high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and DDR5, reducing the availability of older technologies like DDR4, leading to a significant supply crunch [6][9]. - The demand for AI servers is substantially higher, with each AI server requiring eight times the DRAM and three times the NAND compared to standard servers [8][9]. Group 3: Industry Cyclicality and Historical Context - The storage industry is characterized by strong cyclicality, with prices often experiencing dramatic fluctuations due to mismatches in supply and demand [12][13]. - Historical trends show that the storage market has undergone three major cycles in the past decade, with the current cycle driven by AI infrastructure rather than consumer demand [12][13]. - The industry's price volatility is influenced by upstream manufacturers' capacity adjustments, which can lead to rapid price increases followed by sharp declines when supply catches up [13]. Group 4: Financial Performance of Key Players - Major players like SK Hynix reported a 39% year-on-year revenue increase, reaching approximately 170.9 billion USD, with net profits up 119% to about 88 billion USD [14]. - Companies in the storage supply chain, such as Jiangbolong and Baiwei Storage, are showing significant profit growth, with Jiangbolong's net profit increasing by 27.95% to 713 million RMB [16][20]. - The performance of distributors like Shannon Chip is mixed, with sales rising but net profits slightly declining, highlighting the challenges faced in the midstream of the supply chain [18].
比水贝黄金市场还热闹,深圳华强北有产品翻倍涨价!商户称“每天都在涨,后面可能更贵”,但不敢囤货