韩媒称“三星、SK海力士预计今年继续减产NAND闪存”，以追求利润最大化

Core Viewpoint - Despite the surge in demand driven by artificial intelligence, South Korea's major memory chip manufacturers, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, will continue to cut NAND flash production this year, which is expected to drive up NAND prices across various sectors, enhancing profit margins comparable to DRAM [1][4]. Group 1: Production and Market Strategy - Samsung's NAND wafer production is projected to decrease from 4.9 million units last year to 4.68 million units this year, even below the reduction level planned for 2024 due to declining profitability [1]. - SK Hynix's NAND production is expected to drop from approximately 1.9 million units last year to 1.7 million units this year [1]. - Both companies together hold over 60% of the global NAND flash market share, and their production cuts are occurring amid intensified competition in AI-driven applications [1][3]. Group 2: Financial Performance and Bonuses - The global storage chip supercycle driven by AI has resulted in historic profits, prompting Samsung and SK Hynix to issue their largest performance bonuses in years [2][5]. - Samsung's semiconductor division has confirmed that eligible employees will receive bonuses equivalent to 47% of their base annual salary, a stark contrast to the zero bonus rate in 2023 due to market downturns [6]. - SK Hynix has adopted a more aggressive bonus strategy, eliminating the long-standing cap on bonuses and allocating 10% of operating profits for profit-sharing, with average bonuses expected to exceed 140 million KRW, marking a historical high [6]. Group 3: Price Expectations and Market Dynamics - Major market research firms anticipate a comprehensive increase in NAND prices starting from Q1 this year, with TrendForce projecting a contract price increase of 33% to 38% compared to the previous quarter [4]. - IDC forecasts a 17% growth rate in NAND supply this year, which is below the average levels seen in recent years [4]. - Analysts suggest that the supply control by Samsung and SK Hynix may exacerbate shortages in AI servers, mobile devices, and PCs, as both companies focus on maximizing profits during this storage chip supercycle [4].