Samsung Electronics' extraordinary profitability despite an FX hit and rising DRAM prices undermine the case for a memory-price crash. It is the world's most profitable company. Wall St Engine's Q3 summary reports $80.4B in operating profit, up 783% year over year, DRAM selling prices up about 20% quarter over quarter, and Samsung's expectation that memory supply stays tight into 2028. x.com 

SK hynix's surging earnings challenge the idea that commodity memory profits are about to vanish. The attached report says third-quarter operating profit rose more than sevenfold and its operating margin reached 80%; analysts quoted there expect the earnings climb to continue at least through next year. Micron and Samsung are named alongside SK hynix. x.com 

Samsung's record quarter looks closer to a peak than a new base: conventional DRAM shipments are flat year on year, while higher prices per bit drove profits despite a revenue miss. Its phone unit is cutting output because memory costs too much, and AI chip designers are seeking to use less HBM. Buyers' response threatens the price-led margin surge. The October 29 divisional earnings breakdown may show whether memory profit grew much faster than group profit. x.com 

SK hynix has unusually strong earnings visibility because it expects memory demand to exceed supply through 2030, while long-term agreements with 14 customers cover more than half of its 2027 and 2028 production capacity. Record Q3 operating profit of KRW 83.3T also beat the KRW 76.7T estimate. x.com  x.com 

Micron and SK hynix pricing in a memory shortage past 2030 extends the memory-cycle case beyond the Street's 2028 expectation. SK hynix's record quarter adds evidence: per Wall St Engine, revenue rose 328% to $78.9B, operating profit rose 632% to $62.8B, and operating margin hit 80%. Agentic and physical AI could add demand as they roll out. x.com  x.com 

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.com 

More memory CapEx may yield proportionally fewer bits as HBM consumes more wafer capacity, supporting SK hynix and Samsung's pricing. Both reported double-digit quarterly DRAM and NAND price gains; Samsung targets 60-70% of mid- to long-term capacity under LTAs. SK hynix has the stronger execution record, but Samsung could benefit enormously from conventional memory without winning HBM4. If trends persist, normalized margins could rise, though memory remains cyclical. x.com 

SK hynix's strong pricing and secured capacity could push memory stocks higher. Per Wall St Engine, its Q3 DRAM ASP rose by a high-20s percentage quarter over quarter, while long-term agreements cover more than half of its 2027-28 capacity. Those figures support the memory upcycle. x.com 

Samsung Electronics faces downside risk because its parabolic run has made market expectations unrealistic, so one mistake could release gravity. Wall Street Engine's Q3 highlights showed revenue, operating profit and net profit below estimates despite triple-digit year-over-year growth. x.com 

Samsung Electronics' HBM4 pricing looks set to lead the memory Big Three, helping make next year's earnings phenomenal. Samsung memory EVP Jaejune Kim said next year's HBM supply is sold out at target prices, with more customer requests coming. Korean media had reported quotes in the mid-to-high $4/Gb range; Nvidia appears to have accepted Samsung's asking price. Samsung-equipped Rubin variants should sell as separate premium-priced SKUs against SK hynix or Micron versions. x.com