Summary of the Conference Call on the Storage Industry Industry Overview - The report focuses on the storage industry, specifically DRAM and NAND Flash markets, highlighting significant price increases in January 2026 [1][2]. Key Points and Arguments Price Review for January 1. **DRAM Prices**: - Mainstream DRAM spot prices increased by 16% to 33% month-over-month in January 2026. - Contract prices for DDR5-8Gb and DDR4-8Gb surged by 119% and 63% respectively [1]. 2. **NAND Flash Prices**: - Mainstream NAND Flash spot prices rose by 24% to 34% month-over-month. - Contract prices increased by 37% to 67% [1]. 3. **Module Prices**: - DDR4/5 memory module prices increased by 13% to 50%. - SSD prices rose by 39% to 62%, while mobile storage prices increased by 22% to 43% [1]. Price Outlook 1. **DRAM Forecast**: - It is expected that traditional DRAM contract prices will rise by 90% to 95% in Q1 2026, up from a previous estimate of 50% to 60%. - The supply-demand gap for DRAM continues to widen, with North American CSP manufacturers securing supplies, forcing other customers to accept higher prices. Server DRAM is projected to increase by 88% to 93% in a single quarter [1]. 2. **NAND Flash Forecast**: - Strong demand from AI servers is anticipated to drive overall contract prices up by 55% to 60% in Q1 2026, compared to an earlier forecast of 33% to 38% [2]. 3. **Niche Storage**: - NOR Flash prices are expected to maintain an upward trend in H1 2026, with overall increases exceeding 20% in Q1, and even larger increases for smaller capacity NOR products [2]. Company Insights 1. **SK Hynix**: - The company forecasts a year-over-year growth of over 20% in DRAM demand and 15% to 20% in NAND demand for 2026, driven primarily by AI server and data center needs [3]. 2. **Samsung Electronics**: - Strong demand from AI servers is noted, while smartphone and PC shipments are negatively impacted by storage supply and pricing issues [3]. 3. **SanDisk**: - The company anticipates that data center bit demand will grow by over 60% in 2026 [3]. Investment Recommendations - The report recommends focusing on four key areas: 1. Beneficiaries of storage price increases, with specific recommendations for companies like Zhaoyi Innovation, Puran, and Beijing Junzheng. 2. CPU chain/memory upgrades, recommending AI interconnect chip leader Lanke Technology. 3. Companies benefiting from Changxin's investment in production expansion, including domestic equipment firms like Zhongwei, Huahai Qingke, Kema Technology, and Jingzhida. 4. Logic chip foundries for storage, with recommendations for Huahong Semiconductor and Yandong Micro [3].