Tech Fund
Engineer & Portfolio Manager, Author of Tech Investments Newsletter
AI demand is outrunning supply in memory and lifting power semiconductor content. Elon Musk said memory output grows about 20% a year while demand grows 200% or more, so prices should rise, which keeps Micron and SK hynix attractive. Power semiconductor content is rising from $15K to $115K per rack, lifting the market to $48B for names such as ON Semiconductor and Infineon. x.com x.comÂ
SK hynix's sold-out memory capacity bodes well for Micron because it sells into the same shortage. SK hynix says its DRAM and HBM are effectively sold out through 2029; deals with 14 customers cover more than half its 2027-28 capacity, and HBM demand is twice what it can make. x.comÂ
Hynix's sold-out memory supply supports expectations for big numbers from Micron, still trading at 5x forward earnings. Hynix says its HBM and DRAM chips are sold out until 2029 and a chip shortage is likely to continue into 2030. Big numbers and capital return are expected after Micron reports in December. x.comÂ
Buying the DRAM dip looks too risky now because CXMT's ambitious next-generation 4F plan and SK hynix's aggressive production expansion raise supply concerns for memory stocks such as Micron, SK hynix and Samsung. CXMT is unlikely to become a serious competitive threat, but it could still weigh on storage-stock sentiment. x.com x.comÂ
Memory stocks are one of the easiest buys right now because supply has no visible path to catch up with demand. Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra said the company currently has no line of sight on when memory supply will catch up with increasing demand. x.comÂ
Prepaid contracts and demand-paced fabs weaken a broad 2028 memory-glut case. SK hynix says over half its 2027-28 capacity is signed with deposits; 'sold out through 2029' includes negotiations. Samsung targets 60-70% contracted capacity. Micron's three projects begin output in 2H28; tooling follows demand. Reuters says CXMT's 20-30%-yield HBM3E may ship this year to export-restricted Chinese buyers, but performs like older HBM3. Commodity DRAM risks 2028-29 oversupply; NAND could ease in 2H27. … Show more
Micron faces a real risk that political pressure forces a rapid increase in DRAM supply before the midterms. Two years of memory price pressure and shortages could hit cars, washing machines, payment terminals and medical devices, eroding political appetite for unlimited AI buildout support. Supply could be reallocated from AI, or more likely a "project warp speed" program could scale memory output, a disaster for Micron. As in all commodity bubbles, price is the ultimate solution. x.com x.comÂ
Tight memory-chip supply through 2030 is good for Micron. SK hynix expects the shortage to last that long and reports a 632% profit jump. x.comÂ
Memory producers have strong pricing power because customers keep buying even at sky-high prices, which is plainly bullish for Micron, SanDisk and SK hynix. x.comÂ
Inflation, rising rates, Chinese competition and rising AI-related financial costs are pressuring the memory market. Micron, Samsung and SK hynix look exposed; waiting for the cycle to turn. x.com x.comÂ
Rising memory contract prices strengthen the case for memory stocks still far below their highs. JPMorgan forecasts Q4 DRAM prices up 13% and NAND up 18%; Micron is 28% below its 52-week high, Seagate 44%, Sandisk 47% and Western Digital 55%. x.comÂ