According to a financial outlook released by SK Hi‑Nics (public company) on December 12, the operating profit for the third quarter of 2024 is projected to rise 32% from the previous quarter, reaching roughly 80 trillion won. As a result, the share price was increased from 3.10 million won to 3.20 million won, and investor sentiment remained “buy”.
Researcher Kim Seon‑woo of Yonsei University noted that the output of DRAM (volatile memory) and NAND (non‑volatile memory) are expected to increase by 13% and 4%, respectively, compared with the previous quarter, while average selling prices rise by 22% and 15%. Based on these assumptions, he estimated operating profits for the two products at 6.3 trillion won and 1.7 trillion won, respectively, implying a total operating profit margin of about 80%.
He also mentioned that High‑Band Memory (HBM) is expected to improve its results as well. “The share of HBM in the industry is among the lowest, but it has been pushed up by price increases; with the full launch of HBM4, its revenue will be markedly increased,” Kim said. He added that revisiting long‑term supply contracts (LTA) for mobile core customers and existing agreements should bring more favorable terms to suppliers.
Kim predicted that the next year’s results would also be strong. The operating profit for 2025 is projected at 264 trillion won, while that of 2026 is estimated at 454 trillion won; especially, the price of mobile DRAM in the first quarter of 2026 is expected to jump 65% higher than the previous quarter. “The supply shortage of memory next year will be clear and price adjustments will respond flexibly,” Kim concluded, leaving a positive signal for the market.