Aggressive Value
Deep-Value & Asymmetric Investor, 25 Years in Markets
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 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
Micron's projections are set so high that even great years may not be enough to meet them. Samsung's Q3 results show the risk: revenue of $145.6B missed the $150.7B estimate, and operating profit of $80.2B missed $81.1B. x.com
Micron, SanDisk and SK Hynix look very bullish because Samsung says the memory shortage will worsen in 2027. x.com
Samsung Electronics' surging profits show how the AI memory shortage is paying suppliers. Quarterly operating profit reached ₩107tn, nearly nine times a year ago, while sales more than doubled to ₩195.3tn. Alongside SK hynix's results and Microsoft's willingness to pay more for memory, the memory supercycle looks real. 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
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
Micron, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix look very cheap if their long-term agreements do not impose overly conservative price ceilings. Greater clarity on those pricing terms could send memory stocks up 30% in a single day. x.com
Samsung Electronics and SK hynix face a buyer backlash over memory pricing in a cyclical business. Elon Musk called Micron reasonable about future prices and other suppliers extortionate, warning customers would remember; the remarks seem aimed at Samsung and SK hynix. Micron appears to be focusing on long-term contracts. x.com x.com x.com
Sandisk's earnings growth makes its valuation look unusually low, with guidance showing no slowdown. Revenue rose 378% year over year, and $52.5 GAAP EPS implies a 6.1 annualized P/E, below Micron's. Sandisk's roughly 85% gross margin also compares favorably with SK hynix's apparently sub-50% NAND margin. Next-quarter guidance calls for $12.2 billion-$12.6 billion of revenue and $55-$57 non-GAAP EPS. x.com x.com x.com