SK Hynix Announces Return to Profitability in Q4 2023
South Korea’s SK Hynix Inc., the world’s second-largest memory chipmaker, has reported a return to profitability in the fourth quarter of 2023. The company exceeded market expectations by recording an operating profit of 346 billion won ($259.8 million), compared to predictions of a 192 billion won operating loss. This is a significant improvement from the 1.9 trillion won loss reported in the same quarter the previous year.
The company attributes its success to a surge in revenue, driven by strong demand for AI-focused memory chips. SK Hynix has shifted its focus towards high-end memory semiconductors, particularly those used in AI chipsets. Their advanced DRAM chips, such as High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) chips, have seen increasing demand, especially in graphic processing units (GPUs) used for processing large amounts of data in generative AI.
A notable achievement for SK Hynix in 2023 was the development of HBM3 chips, which they accomplished ahead of their competitors. The sales of these chips increased more than fivefold from the previous year.
Future Plans and Technological Leadership
Looking ahead, SK Hynix aims to begin mass production of its next HBM version, HBM3E, in the first half of 2024. The company is also actively working on the development of the next-generation chip, HBM4. SK Hynix’s technological leadership in the AI memory space has been a critical factor in its turnaround.
Analysts predict that HBM chips will account for 15% of industry-wide DRAM sales in 2024, a significant increase from 8% in 2023. This further underscores the growing demand for AI-focused memory chips and the market’s recognition of SK Hynix’s expertise in this area.
Market Response and Outlook
Despite the positive earnings report, SK Hynix’s shares experienced a 2.6% decline in afternoon trade, which analysts attribute to profit-taking by investors. The company’s shares had previously surged 18% since its last quarterly earnings release, driven by the optimistic outlook for AI memory chips.
However, the wider market is expected to see an improvement in chip prices as clients restock and manufacturers continue to reduce legacy chip production. SK Hynix’s focus on high-end memory semiconductors, particularly those used in AI chipsets, positions the company well to capitalize on this market trend.
