 |
| SK hynix operating profit exceeds $6.5 billion |
South Korean semiconductor giant SK Hynix announced on Thursday that its operating profit for the second quarter surpassed 9 trillion won ($6.53 billion) for the first time, fueled by soaring demand for artificial intelligence (AI) chips, especially high-bandwidth memory (HBM) solutions.
Record-Breaking Financial Performance
In a regulatory filing, SK Hynix reported an operating
profit of 9.21 trillion won for the period between April and June, marking a
68.5% increase compared to the same period last year. This figure represents
the company’s highest quarterly operating profit ever recorded.
Revenue climbed 35.4% year-over-year to reach 22.23 trillion
won, while net income surged 69.8% to 6.99 trillion won. Both operating profit
and sales surpassed previous all-time highs achieved in the last quarter of the
previous fiscal year.
AI Demand Powers Growth
SK Hynix attributed this exceptional performance to the
explosive global demand for AI-related memory products, reinforcing its
leadership in high-bandwidth memory technology.
In an official statement, the company noted, “Massive AI
investments by leading global tech companies have driven sustained growth in
demand for AI memory. Shipments of both DRAM and NAND Flash exceeded
expectations, contributing to our strongest quarterly results in history.”
The company highlighted a sharp increase in Q2 sales of its 12-layer HBM3E chips and NAND Flash memory, emphasizing its “world-class competitiveness in AI memory and disciplined management focused on profitability.”
Inventory Stability and Future Outlook
SK Hynix reported stabilized inventory levels during the
three-month period ending in June, supported by robust memory demand and
increased shipments of finished products.
Looking ahead to the second half of the year, the company
anticipates continued growth in memory demand as major clients prepare to
launch new products.
Additionally, demand for high-performance, high-capacity
memory is expected to intensify amid a global race to enhance the inference
capabilities of AI models.
Governments’ ongoing investments in sovereign AI
infrastructure are also projected to boost long-term memory demand, providing
further growth momentum.
Scaling Production and Preparing for HBM4
To meet rising global demand, SK Hynix plans to double its
HBM production capacity this year, leveraging its advanced manufacturing
capabilities and top-tier product performance.
The company confirmed its readiness to supply HBM4—the
sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory—on schedule according to customer
roadmaps, aiming to maintain its competitive edge in the evolving AI memory
market.
SK Hynix also revealed that some of its planned investments
for this year will be reallocated in advance to ensure smoother delivery of
critical products like HBM by 2026.
CEO Statement and Strategic Vision
Sung Heon-jung, President and Head of Corporate Center at SK
Hynix, stated, “We are well on track to achieve our goal of becoming the
most comprehensive provider of AI memory. We will continue satisfying our
customers and driving market expansion by delivering best-in-class products—on
time—that meet the demanding standards of the AI ecosystem.”
