SK hynix is cheap relative to the strong business growth expected in 2026 and 2027. The shares rose 18% in a day after that case was laid out. x.comÂ
Gustavo Neffa
Partner & Director at Research for Traders, Economist & Professor
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.comÂ
SK hynix looks supported by memory demand sold out at least in 2027. Korean export figures, per unnamed sources, suggested earnings would not be too ugly. No one knows what happens after 2028, so stay flexible both ways. x.comÂ
SK hynix looks like the weakest storage short because it has fallen behind. More negative news may follow beyond HBM4; its LPDDR6 is reportedly well behind Samsung's. x.com x.comÂ
A new sell-side forecast for SK hynix's Q4 operating profit strengthens its low-valuation case. The report looks for a 40% sequential rise to $88B, up 560% year over year. SK hynix might earn over $350B in operating profit in 2027 against an $800B market cap, or about 2x EV/operating profit after accounting for cash and its Kioxia stake. It could afford to buy back half its shares over three years. x.comÂ
SK hynix's exceptional margins and contracted capacity underpin a bullish outlook despite shares sitting around half their June high. Q3 operating margin reached 80%, up from 47% a year ago; long-term deals with 14 customers cover over half of 2027-28 capacity, and management expects demand to exceed supply through 2030. x.comÂ
SK hynix is a leveraged $1.5 trillion company headed for a "doomsday" reckoning. Its shares have already dropped from $194 last week to $120. x.comÂ
SK hynix's expected widening supply-demand gap makes the 2028 downcycle implied by its valuation seem impossible. SK hynix management says its shares are undervalued relative to earnings and cash flow, and that assessment rings true. x.com x.comÂ
SK hynix's five-year agreements with 14 major customers cover more than half its 2027-28 capacity, giving its memory earnings unusually long visibility. DRAM prices rose 28% and NAND 25% in the quarter, while operating profit reached 62.8 billion against 58.5 billion expected; Q4 DRAM shipments are guided up 25% from Q3. Those commitments support the view that demand is not peaking yet. Overweight, $400 target. x.comÂ
SK hynix stands to benefit from higher HBM prices as supply remains constrained. Needham expects HBM price increases next year and tight memory supply through 2030; SK hynix has finalized 2027 HBM prices and volumes with major customers. SK hynix also plans roughly KRW100 trillion in FY2026 shareholder returns, including at least KRW30 trillion in dividends and KRW60 trillion in share acquisitions and cancellations. x.com x.comÂ
SK hynix's enforceable long-term supply commitments add visibility to memory profits. It says DRAM and HBM volumes through 2029 are effectively sold out, with agreements covering over half of 2027-28 capacity while retaining pricing flexibility. Operating profit beat expectations at $62.8B versus about $58B, and SK hynix announced $75B in 2026 shareholder returns. It expects the memory shortage to persist through 2030. x.comÂ