SK Hynix Stock: AI Memory Boom Fuels Record Profit Jump

TLDR

• Q4 operating profit hit 19.2 trillion won, more than doubling from last year and beating estimates
• Revenue climbed 66% year-over-year to 32.8 trillion won in the December quarter
• Full-year 2025 profit topped 47.2 trillion won, more than twice the 2024 figure
• Company secured exclusive HBM3E supply deal with Microsoft for Maia 200 AI chips
• Stock jumped 6% after results, has tripled since September 2025

SK Hynix delivered knockout results for the fourth quarter. Operating profit reached 19.2 trillion won, crushing analyst forecasts of 16.7 trillion won.

Revenue hit 32.8 trillion won, topping expectations of 32.1 trillion won. Both figures represent massive year-over-year gains of 137% for profit and 66% for revenue.

The memory chipmaker’s shares surged more than 6% in after-hours trading. Since early September, the stock has tripled in value as investors bet on AI chip demand.

Full-Year Performance Breaks Records

Annual results proved even stronger. SK Hynix posted 97.1 trillion won in revenue for 2025, up nearly 50% from the prior year.

Operating profit reached 47.2 trillion won. That’s more than double what the company earned in 2024.

The company attributed this performance to exploding demand for high-bandwidth memory. HBM revenue more than doubled during the year.

These specialized chips power AI servers for tech giants like Nvidia. SK Hynix leads the market in HBM3E production, the most advanced version available today.

Supply Crunch Boosts Margins

An industry-wide supply shortage helped drive results. Demand for HBM chips vastly exceeds what manufacturers can produce.

The shortage extends to regular DRAM and NAND memory too. SK Hynix shifted factory capacity toward premium AI chips, tightening supplies of conventional memory.

This dynamic gives the company strong pricing power. Citigroup analysts predict DRAM prices will jump 120% this year. NAND could rise 90%.

Microsoft Deal Strengthens Position

SK Hynix scored a major partnership with Microsoft. South Korean media reports the company became the sole supplier of HBM3E chips for Microsoft’s Maia 200 AI processor.

This win strengthens its lead over rival Samsung Electronics. Both Korean firms are racing to supply next-generation HBM4 chips to major customers.

The company announced a 12.24 trillion won treasury share cancellation to boost shareholder value. Total dividends for fiscal 2025 reached 2.1 trillion won, including 1 trillion won in special payouts.

SK Hynix said it’s exploring a potential US stock listing but hasn’t made a final decision. Executives will discuss results on an earnings call Thursday.

Regular DRAM will also drive earnings this year. Expanding margins and structural supply shortages support demand for commodity memory chips beyond AI applications.

Samsung Electronics reports full quarterly results Thursday, setting up a direct comparison between the two Korean memory giants competing for market dominance.

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