Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for SK Hynix [2][3]. Core Insights - SK Hynix's operating profit expectations for 2026 have been raised by 30% over the past month and cumulatively by 120% since September, driven by strong demand from data center customers and aggressive pricing by DRAM suppliers [5]. - The memory market has shifted to a seller's market due to low inventory levels, with SK Hynix's DRAM and NAND inventories at only 2 weeks and 6 weeks, respectively [5]. - The company is expected to maintain a market share of over 60% in the HBM market, with significant increases in shipments of HBM4 products starting in Q2 2026 [6]. - SK Hynix plans to increase the production of high-value products in 2026 to enhance average selling prices [6]. Summary by Sections Company Overview - SK Hynix is a leading pure memory semiconductor manufacturer, focusing on DRAM and NAND, with DRAM and NAND revenues accounting for 65% and over 30% of total revenue, respectively [9]. - The company acquired Intel's SSD business in 2022, now named Solidigm, to strengthen its competitiveness in the NAND sector [9]. Revenue Breakdown - Revenue by product: DRAM 67.6%, NAND 29.1%, Others 3.3% [10]. - Revenue by region: Asia 34.5%, Americas 63.4%, Europe 2.1%, Middle East and Africa 0.0% [10]. Stock Information - Stock price as of January 7, 2026: 741,000 KRW, with a market capitalization of 372.19 billion USD [12]. - Consensus target price: 699,240 KRW [15].

Group 1: Market Trends and Demand - The continuous rise in storage prices is driven by sustained demand for high-performance TLC eSSD and QLC eSSD from cloud service providers, influenced by AI technology applications and HDD supply shortages [3] - Major manufacturers are maintaining a cautious capacity expansion strategy, which may limit the incremental contribution to output growth in 2026 due to the lag in capacity construction cycles [3] Group 2: Inventory Management - The company's inventory strategy is based on demand forecasting, market trends, storage wafer prices, and customer orders, allowing for timely procurement [3] - Long-term supply agreements (LTA) and memorandums of understanding (MOU) with storage wafer manufacturers ensure stable supply [3] Group 3: Product Innovations - The new mSSD product features a wafer-level system-in-package (SiP) design, integrating multiple components into a single package, which reduces costs and simplifies manufacturing processes [3] - mSSD offers TB-level capacities and is designed for compactness and high performance, meeting PCIe interface standards [3] - The innovative mSSD includes a tool-free expansion card for enhanced compatibility with diverse storage applications [3] Group 4: Future Profitability and R&D Directions - The company is expected to enhance its profitability through breakthroughs in high-end storage, overseas business, and self-developed controllers [3][4] - Future R&D will focus on chip architecture design and firmware development for UFS, eMMC, SD cards, and PCIe SSDs, adopting a fabless model to improve product competitiveness [4] Group 5: Disclosure Compliance - The investor relations activity did not involve any undisclosed significant information [4]

Core Viewpoint - The demand for NAND Flash is experiencing a surge due to the ongoing application of AI technology, which is driving cloud service providers to seek high-performance TLCeSSD and QLCeSSD, compounded by a shortage in HDD supply [1] Group 1: Demand Dynamics - The application of AI technology is continuously advancing, leading to increased demand for high-performance SSDs from cloud service providers [1] - The shortage of HDD supply is prompting cloud service providers to shift their orders to SSDs, further boosting NAND Flash demand [1] Group 2: Supply Chain Considerations - Major manufacturers are maintaining a cautious capacity expansion strategy due to past cycles, which may limit the contribution to bit output growth by 2026 despite a rebound in capital expenditures [1] - The lag in capacity construction cycles will restrict the incremental contribution to bit output growth in the coming years [1]

Group 1: Market Demand and Supply Dynamics - The demand for high-performance TLC eSSD and QLC eSSD is driven by the continuous application of AI technology in cloud services, coupled with a shortage of HDD supply, leading to a surge in NAND Flash demand [3] - Major manufacturers are maintaining a cautious capacity expansion strategy, which may limit the incremental contribution to output in 2026 due to the lag in capacity construction [3] Group 2: Supply Chain and Inventory Management - The company has established long-term direct cooperation with major global storage wafer manufacturers, ensuring a competitive advantage in the supply chain [3] - Long-term supply agreements (LTA) and memorandums of understanding (MOU) are in place to ensure a stable supply of storage wafers [3] Group 3: Profitability and Business Model - The production cycle from wafer procurement to memory sales means that rising wafer prices will positively impact the company's gross margin [3] - The company has made significant breakthroughs in high-end storage, overseas business, and self-developed main control chips, which will drive profitability growth [3] Group 4: TCM Model and Future Prospects - The TCM model, which integrates the entire supply chain from chip development to packaging, is gaining recognition from major Tier 1 customers [3] - The TCM model's customer acceptance is expected to increase during periods of rising storage prices, with ongoing acceleration in its implementation [4]

Core Viewpoint - The demand for high-performance TLC eSSD and QLC eSSD will continue to rise due to AI applications, while HDD supply remains constrained, leading to an expected increase in overall NAND Flash prices in Q4 [1] Group 1 - AI applications are driving the demand for high-performance TLC eSSD and QLC eSSD [1] - HDD supply is still short, which is expected to support the increase in NAND Flash prices in Q4 [1] - Major manufacturers are maintaining a cautious capacity expansion strategy due to past cycles [1] Group 2 - If capital expenditures increase in the future, the contribution to bit output growth by 2026 will be limited due to the lag in capacity construction cycles [1]

Group 1: Market Trends and Pricing - The demand for CSP in high-performance TLC eSSD and QLC eSSD is expected to rise due to AI applications, while HDD supply remains tight, supporting a continued increase in NAND Flash prices in Q4 [2][3] - Major manufacturers are maintaining a cautious capacity expansion strategy, which may limit the contribution to bit output growth in 2026 due to the lag in capacity construction cycles [2] Group 2: Supply Chain and Partnerships - The company has established long-term direct cooperation with major global storage wafer manufacturers, providing a competitive edge in the supply chain [3] - Supplier information is disclosed in public documents such as the prospectus [3] Group 3: Technology and Product Development - The company's self-developed controller chip technology offers significant performance and power consumption advantages, utilizing advanced foundry processes and proprietary firmware algorithms [3] - The company has launched several cutting-edge high-performance storage products, including MRDIMM and CXL2.0 memory expansion modules, and is focused on market demand for future product development [3] Group 4: Clientele and Market Engagement - The company actively participates in technology and new product bidding for major clients, with enterprise storage products integrated into the supply chains of leading internet companies, including telecom operators and server manufacturers [3] Group 5: Disclosure Compliance - The activity does not involve any undisclosed significant information [3]

Core Insights - The conference highlighted the significant impact of AI on the semiconductor storage market, indicating that the demand is real and has altered the supply chain dynamics in high-tech manufacturing [3][9] - The year 2026 is viewed as a critical juncture for the industry, with various sectors expected to experience substantial growth driven by AI technologies [9] Group 1: Semiconductor Manufacturing - TrendForce forecasts a 19% annual revenue growth for the wafer foundry industry by 2026, with AI-related advanced processes expected to grow by 28%, significantly outpacing the overall market [3] - TSMC has already implemented 2nm process technology in production and plans to advance to 1nm, indicating a strong push towards cutting-edge manufacturing capabilities [3] Group 2: DRAM Market - AI servers and general servers are driving a new super cycle in the memory market, with applications related to AI and servers projected to account for 66% of total DRAM capacity by 2026 [4] - The average selling price (ASP) of DRAM is expected to increase by 36% in 2026, with revenue anticipated to surge by 56%, despite limited output growth due to cleanroom space and equipment delivery constraints [4] Group 3: NAND Flash and Storage Solutions - The NAND Flash market is transitioning from passive storage to an auxiliary computing core, with high-bandwidth flash (HBF) positioned as a cost-effective alternative to HBM [6] - A significant storage gap of 150EB is expected in the HDD market by 2026, leading to increased demand for high-density QLC eSSD [5] Group 4: AI and AR Integration - AI advancements in image recognition and language processing are enhancing the functionality of AR glasses, which are seen as the ultimate form of human-computer interaction [6] - The global shipment of AR glasses is projected to exceed 10 million units by 2030, driven by major brands like Google and Apple entering the market post-2027 [7] Group 5: Power Semiconductors - The shift in data center power supply architecture towards 800V HVDC is being driven by the rising power consumption of AI chips, with SiC and GaN technologies becoming crucial [8] - SiC is establishing a leading position in high-voltage applications, while GaN is entering a rapid growth phase across various sectors, including AI data centers and automotive [8] Group 6: Overall Industry Trends - The conference underscored a consensus that AI is catalyzing a new cycle centered around storage, with 2026 being a pivotal year for observing this trend [9]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the recent surge in memory prices, particularly DDR4 and NAND, driven by supply constraints, persistent demand, and market panic, indicating a structural shift in the memory industry towards new technologies like DDR5 and HBM [3][4][6]. Summary by Sections Memory Market Overview - The article provides an overview of the memory market in 2023, highlighting the significant price increases in DDR4 and NAND due to various factors [2]. DDR4 Price Surge - DDR4 prices have surged due to a substantial reduction in supply and unchanged demand, exacerbated by market panic and structural adjustments in the industry [3]. - Major manufacturers like Micron and Samsung have announced the end of life (EOL) for DDR4, leading to a drastic cut in supply, with effective production capacity for DDR4 decreasing significantly [3][4]. - Demand for DDR4 remains strong in specific sectors, particularly among North American internet companies and AI-driven businesses in China, with a year-on-year increase in AI server demand of 60%-70% [4][5]. Market Sentiment and Price Dynamics - Market panic has intensified as news of supply shortages spread, leading to hoarding behavior among distributors and a rapid increase in prices, with some DDR4 modules exceeding the prices of DDR5 [5][6]. - The price increase is attributed to a combination of reduced supply, persistent demand, and market fear of shortages, indicating a transitional phase in the industry from older technologies to newer ones [6]. OpenAI and Strategic Partnerships - OpenAI has formed strategic partnerships with Samsung and SK Hynix to support its AI data center project, which aims to significantly increase DRAM procurement [7]. - OpenAI plans to purchase up to 900,000 wafers of DRAM monthly by 2029, which is nearly half of the projected global DRAM capacity by the end of 2025 [8]. NAND Market Insights - The NAND market is experiencing a resurgence due to new demand from AI applications, which require high-speed and high-capacity storage solutions [13][14]. - The shift from HDD to NAND-based solutions is expected to drive further demand, with predictions of significant growth in the NAND market driven by AI-related applications [14][15]. Domestic Memory Companies - Company D is focusing on enterprise SSDs, with significant order growth expected, particularly from major clients like Alibaba and ByteDance [19][20]. - Company J has introduced innovative products tailored for AI data centers and is seeing rapid growth in its self-developed controller chips [22][23]. - Company Z is experiencing strong demand across its product lines, with a focus on DRAM and industrial applications, and plans for an IPO to support its AI and global strategies [25][27].

Core Insights - The NAND Flash market composite price index increased by 5% in Q3 2025, while the DRAM market composite price index rose by 19.2% [1] - In September alone, the NAND Flash market composite price index saw a 4.7% increase, and the DRAM market composite price index increased by 2.6% [1] - It is anticipated that the eSSD prices will rise by approximately 10% in Q4, and DDR5 RDIMM prices are expected to increase by about 10% to 15% [1] - The acceleration of large cloud service providers in adopting high-capacity QLC eSSD has led to a supply shortage of certain QLC NAND products [1]

Summary of the Conference Call on NAND Industry and AI Impact Industry Overview - The conference call focuses on the NAND industry and its intersection with artificial intelligence (AI) technology, highlighting the expected growth and changes in market dynamics due to AI applications [1][2][9]. Key Insights - **AI's Entry into NAND**: The demand for NAND is expected to surge due to AI inference, with the overall addressable market projected to reach $29 billion by 2029. AI NAND is anticipated to account for 34% of the global NAND market by 2029 [1][2][9]. - **Supply Shortages**: A supply shortage in the NAND industry is expected to begin in the second half of 2026, following a prolonged period of oversupply since 2022. This shift is attributed to increased demand from cloud service providers and limitations in HDD capacity [2][10]. - **Market Dynamics**: The transition from traditional NAND to newer technologies like QLC eSSD and NL SSD is expected to reshape the market. The latter is projected to capture 5% of the market share by 2026, potentially leading to an 8% NAND shortage [2][10]. Company-Specific Insights - **SanDisk Corporation (SNDK.O)**: Target price raised from $70 to $96, identified as a top pick due to its favorable positioning in the AI NAND market [1][3]. - **KIOXIA and Samsung Electronics**: Both companies are expected to benefit significantly from the long-term growth trends in the NAND market [3][17]. - **Component Suppliers**: Companies like Phison and Longsys are rated overweight due to anticipated improvements in NAND pricing as supply tightens [3][17]. Additional Considerations - **Technological Innovations**: The introduction of high-bandwidth flash (HBF) and NL SSD technologies is expected to alleviate memory capacity bottlenecks in AI clusters, further driving NAND demand [2][12]. - **Earnings Projections**: The average earnings forecast for the preferred stocks in the NAND sector is projected to exceed market consensus by 26% for 2026, indicating a strong outlook for AI NAND growth [3][14]. - **HDD Market Impact**: The rise in AI-driven data requirements is expected to benefit HDD manufacturers like WDC and STX, as the total cost of ownership between HDD and SSD remains significantly different [3][17]. Conclusion - The NAND industry is poised for a significant transformation driven by AI applications, with expected supply shortages and technological advancements creating new investment opportunities. Companies like SanDisk, KIOXIA, and Samsung are well-positioned to capitalize on these trends, while component suppliers are also likely to see favorable market conditions.