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SK Hynix Posts Record 83.3 Trillion Won Profit as AI Chip Demand Outruns Supply

SK Hynix reported a record quarterly operating profit of 83.3 trillion won for July to September 2026, more than seven times the year ago figure, and said it has sold out of HBM and DRAM chips until 2029.

By Orbit Post2 min read
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SK Hynix Posts Record 83.3 Trillion Won Profit as AI Chip Demand Outruns Supply

Key points

  • SK Hynix reported an operating profit of 83.3 trillion won for July to September 2026, a quarterly record and a rise of more than seven times from 11.4 trillion won a year earlier, Reuters reported.
  • The numbers rest on demand for the high bandwidth memory chips that go into AI systems.
  • SK Hynix said it has sold out of HBM and DRAM chips until 2029, that HBM demand was double what it can supply, and that a chip shortage is likely to continue through 2030.

SK Hynix reported an operating profit of 83.3 trillion won for July to September 2026, a quarterly record and a rise of more than seven times from 11.4 trillion won a year earlier, Reuters reported. The South Korean chip maker beat the 76.7 trillion won LSEG SmartEstimate, and its quarterly revenue rose 328 percent to 104.6 trillion won.

The numbers rest on demand for the high bandwidth memory chips that go into AI systems. SK Hynix is the global leader in HBM chips, accounting for almost half of the market according to Nomura data cited by Reuters, and it is a supplier to Nvidia.

Sold out until 2029

SK Hynix said it has sold out of HBM and DRAM chips until 2029, that HBM demand was double what it can supply, and that a chip shortage is likely to continue through 2030. The company said it has signed long term agreements with 14 major customers, and that the volume secured so far under those agreements corresponds to more than 50 percent of its total production capacity for 2027 and 2028. It will increase capital expenditure significantly next year.

Chief Financial Officer Kim Woo-hyun tied the results to wider AI spending. "We expect AI investment momentum to continue, as customers' AI spending is translating into broader adoption of AI services and tangible business results, while the range of companies investing in AI is also becoming more diversified," he said.

Shareholder returns of about 100 trillion won

SK Hynix said it will pursue shareholder returns totalling about 100 trillion won this year, about 75 billion dollars. The plan comprises cash dividends of more than 30 trillion won and share repurchases and cancellations of more than 60 trillion won, including 40 trillion won announced in August 2026. The company will also return most of its Kioxia investment gain through a special dividend.

Analysts read the results as a relief for the market. "The results have eased many of the market's concerns, with earnings coming in ahead of expectations," said Ryu Young-ho, a senior analyst at NH Investment and Securities. "Given that the fourth quarter is traditionally stronger, operating profit could approach 100 trillion won," he said.

Seoul shares climb

South Korea's benchmark KOSPI rose 4.70 percent to above 5,900 on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, in a TradingView report of the session, with Samsung Electronics up 5.74 percent and SK Hynix up 3.32 percent. The Seoul rally tracked a 1.18 percent gain on the Nasdaq and a 3.6 percent jump in the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index.

Timeline

  1. Aug 2026SK Hynix announces 40 trillion won in share repurchases and cancellations, later counted inside its 2026 shareholder return plan.
  2. Oct 27, 2026Reuters reports SK Hynix third quarter operating profit of 83.3 trillion won, a quarterly record that beats the 76.7 trillion won LSEG SmartEstimate.
  3. Oct 28, 2026South Korea's KOSPI rises 4.70 percent to above 5,900, with SK Hynix shares up 3.32 percent in the TradingView session report.

Sources