SK Hynix Lifts 2026 Capex to $31 Billion as AI Memory Shortage Drives 80% Margins
Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · Jul 29
SK Hynix Lifts 2026 Capex to $31 Billion as AI Memory Shortage Drives 80% Margins
3 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · Jul 29
Summary
At least 45 trillion won ($31 billion) in 2026 capital spending marks a record outlay for SK Hynix, up about 50% as it moves to defend its memory lead over Samsung.
A six-fold jump in quarterly profit gave the company room to spend more aggressively, with June-quarter margins topping 80% amid persistent shortages in AI memory.
Higher prices for customers including Apple and Nintendo have helped fuel that profitability, reinforcing SK Hynix's push to expand capacity for a multiyear AI boom.
The spending plan comes after SK Hynix briefly became South Korea's most valuable company this year before losing about $600 billion in market value in just over a month.
With a $31 billion gamble on AI memory, is SK Hynix securing global tech dominance or walking into a massive overcapacity trap?
Could SK Hynix's deep integration with NVIDIA's ecosystem create an unbeatable monopoly, leaving giants like Samsung permanently behind in the AI race?
As AI chips cannibalize standard memory production, how soon will this structural shortage drastically inflate the price of your next smartphone?