As memory semiconductors enter an earnings growth trajectory, a forecast emerged that both Samsung Electronics and SK hynix will post strong results in the second half of this year (July–December).
On the 26th, KB Securities researcher Kim Dong-won said in a report that he projects second-half operating profit at 22.6 trillion won for SK hynix and 20.8 trillion won for Samsung Electronics. He said SK hynix would be at an all-time high, while Samsung Electronics is expected to post its best results in four years since 2021.
Kim said, "Samsung Electronics is estimated to surpass 10 trillion won in quarterly operating profit in the third quarter this year for the first time in three years," adding, "SK hynix will top 11 trillion won."
The biggest reason profit at both corporations is expected to keep growing is that the memory semiconductor market has tilted to a supply advantage, pushing product prices higher.
Kim said, "Global DRAM inventories are below appropriate levels," and noted, "Following servers, orders for smartphone and PC DRAM have also turned upward, making a tight DRAM supply-demand balance inevitable."
Kim assessed that as investment flooded into artificial intelligence (AI) servers in 2023 and delayed the five-year replacement cycle of general servers, the increase in demand for commodity DRAM and NAND flash is likely to continue through the second half of 2026.
He said, "With both Samsung Electronics and SK hynix facing limited capacity expansion in 2026, and memory demand diversifying beyond AI data centers, they are expected to be the biggest beneficiaries of rising memory prices and improving supply-demand ahead."