存储芯片价格失控！华尔街再调预期：2026年DRAM或暴涨88%，NAND涨74%

Core Viewpoint - Citigroup warns of a "severe supply shortage" in the global storage chip market by 2026, driven by the surge in AI-related memory demand, leading to significant price increases for DRAM and NAND chips [1][2]. Price Projections - Citigroup has revised its 2026 average selling price (ASP) forecast for DRAM from a 53% increase to an 88% increase, while NAND's forecast has been adjusted from 44% to 74% [1][2]. - Specifically, the ASP for server DRAM is expected to skyrocket by 144% year-on-year, with the price of a 64GB DDR5 RDIMM projected to reach $620 in Q1 2026, a 38% increase from previous estimates [2]. Market Dynamics - The report indicates that the pricing power has shifted entirely to sellers, with a structural data growth driving the anticipated supply shortage rather than temporary supply chain disruptions [2]. - Citigroup emphasizes that the market will enter a highly seller-dominated environment, with major players like Samsung gaining significant pricing power [4]. Company Impact - Citigroup has significantly upgraded its profit outlook for Samsung Electronics, predicting an operating profit of 155 trillion KRW in 2026, a 253% increase year-on-year, up from a previous estimate of 115 trillion KRW [4]. - The favorable pricing environment for DRAM and NAND is expected to enhance Samsung's profitability, leading to an increase in its target price from 170,000 KRW to 200,000 KRW [4]. Comparative Analysis - Nomura Securities previously projected a "super cycle" in the storage market, estimating a 98% growth in market size to $445 billion by 2026, but their price increase forecasts are significantly lower than Citigroup's [5]. - Nomura anticipates a 46% increase in DRAM prices and a 65% increase in NAND prices, highlighting a fundamental difference in demand understanding compared to Citigroup's more aggressive forecasts [5]. Supply Constraints - The shortage of cleanroom availability is identified as a long-term bottleneck for supply expansion, limiting the ability of manufacturers to respond quickly to the anticipated demand surge [8]. - Even if manufacturers decide to expand production, significant supply-side growth is expected to be constrained until mid-2027 due to cleanroom shortages and technological transitions that may reduce wafer capacity [8].