SK Hynix Q2 Profit Expected to Reach 60-70 trillion Korean Won, AI Memory Demand Driving Another Record High

BlockBeats News, June 19th

Market analysts widely expect that in the second quarter of 2026, SK Hynix's operating profit will be in the range of 60 trillion to 70 trillion Korean won, far exceeding the historical high of 37.6 trillion Korean won set in the first quarter.

The Q1 financial report released in April showed that SK Hynix's revenue reached 52.58 trillion Korean won, operating profit 37.61 trillion Korean won, with an operating margin as high as 72%, both setting quarterly records. The strong demand and price increase of High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) and high-end DRAM were the core drivers of the performance surge. The company management pointed out that the structural memory shortage brought by AI infrastructure is expected to last at least three years.

As we enter the second quarter, expectations of a memory price increase further boost profit prospects. Analysts predict that DRAM and NAND contract prices will rise by another 50% to over 70% QoQ. Under the high-profit product structure, every price increase significantly leverages SK Hynix's profits. The current market consensus indicates that the median Q2 operating profit is about 62 trillion to 64 trillion Korean won. Some brokerages, such as Kiwoom Securities, have raised their forecasts to 70 trillion Korean won, while earlier consensus was only around 40 trillion Korean won. This optimistic outlook has already been reflected in the stock price.

SK Hynix's stock has risen by over 300% so far this year, and its market value surpassed $1 trillion at the end of May, making it another Asian chip company to join the "trillion-dollar club" after Samsung Electronics. In comparison, Samsung Electronics' memory business Q2 profit is also expected by the market to reach the 70 trillion Korean won level. The combined industry profit contribution of these two South Korean giants is rapidly expanding.

Despite geopolitical uncertainties and the pace of AI capital expenditure, with HBM technology barriers and long-term supply-demand mismatch, SK Hynix holds a significant advantage in the current memory upcycle. The company's Q2 financial report is expected to be released in late July, when the market will test the realization of these aggressive expectations. For investors focusing on the AI theme, SK Hynix remains one of the most direct beneficiaries.