SK hynix reported record Q3 2026 net revenue of $78.129 billion, driven by strong demand despite a grim long-term outlook. The company expects memory demand to continue outpacing supply through 2030, citing the complexity of leading-edge semiconductor nodes and lengthy fab construction lead times as primary constraints. Pricing pressure is evident, with Q3 average selling prices increasing over 20% compared to Q2, suggesting consumer electronics prices could jump 20% once inventory depletes.
While PC and smartphone shipments are expected to decrease, this will be offset by a robust rollout of AI data centers. About 14 major customers, including most hyperscalers, have signed 5-year long-term agreements accounting for over 50% of total capacity sold for 2027 and 2028. SK hynix plans aggressive adoption of the 1c nm node to manufacture HBM4E, LPDDR6, and DDR5 memory.
In the HBM segment, Q4 is projected to see HBM4 surpass HBM3E in shipment and revenue share, with 2027 negotiations finalized. For NAND, the majority of production is now 321-layer NAND Flash, with ongoing work on HBF solutions.
Source: TechPowerUp News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing