SK Hynix Announces Q3 2026 Financial Results – A Boost for the Korean Stock Market!
한국 주식 2026. 10. 28. 11:01SK Hynix Announces Q3 2026 Financial Results – A Boost for the Korean Stock Market!




SK Hynix Announces Q3 2026 Financial Results
Revenue of KRW 104.6155 trillion, operating profit of KRW 83.3338 trillion, and net profit of KRW 39.7756 trillion—quarterly revenue surpasses the KRW 100 trillion mark for the first time in history.
Expanded sales of high-value-added products, including HBM4 and server-use memory; HBM4 set to become a flagship product starting in the fourth quarter.
Secured long-term supply contracts covering over 50% of production capacity for 2027–2028, ensuring stable profitability through a market-responsive pricing structure.
Approximately KRW 100 trillion in shareholder returns to be executed this year; the majority of gains from the Kioxia investment will be shared with shareholders.
On the 28th, SK Hynix announced its financial results for the third quarter of this year: revenue of KRW 104.6155 trillion, an operating profit of KRW 83.3338 trillion (an operating margin of 80%), and a net profit of KRW 39.7756 trillion (a net margin of 38%). (Based on K-IFRS)
Record-High Quarterly Revenue and Operating Profit—Revenue Surpasses KRW 100 Trillion for the First Time
Driven by rising prices for key products amid growing demand for AI memory, the company leveraged its competitive edge in high-value-added products to achieve record-high quarterly revenue and operating profit. Notably, revenue exceeded the KRW 100 trillion threshold for the first time in the company’s history. Both revenue and operating profit saw quarter-over-quarter increases of 32% and 38%, respectively. * Q2 2026: Revenue of KRW 79.3187 trillion, operating profit of KRW 60.5426 trillion
By product category, the ramp-up in HBM4 shipments, combined with a significant surge in sales of server-grade DDR5, drove growth in the DRAM segment. In the NAND segment, increased sales of 321-layer TLC eSSDs contributed to the continued growth of high-value-added products destined for data centers.
The company’s financial structure has also strengthened further. As of the end of the third quarter, cash and cash equivalents reached KRW 114.5 trillion—an increase of KRW 26.5 trillion from the previous quarter—while total borrowings decreased by KRW 2.8 trillion to KRW 15.8 trillion. Consequently, net cash rose to KRW 98.7 trillion.
Memory Supply Shortage Expected to Persist Through 2030
SK Hynix has observed the emergence of a virtuous cycle: the growing use of AI—across areas such as software development, customer service, and search—is boosting productivity and generating new revenue streams, which in turn drives further investment in infrastructure. Furthermore, the company noted that AI investment is moving beyond its initial phase, where it was concentrated among a few select firms, to encompass a broader range of enterprises and even national-level initiatives. As a result, the global market for AI data center infrastructure is expected to maintain steady growth.
The memory market is also projected to continue its upward trajectory, fueled in the short term by AI applications for enterprises and individuals, and in the medium to long term by "physical AI"—such as autonomous driving and robotics.
On the supply side, however, the company assessed that production capacity is failing to keep pace with market growth. Given the increasing technical complexity of advanced manufacturing processes and the long lead times required to construct new production facilities, it is anticipated that demand will continue to outstrip supply through 2030. Driving Further Growth Next Year Through Expanded Production Capacity and Enhanced Product Competitiveness
Leveraging these favorable conditions, the company plans to accelerate the expansion of its production capacity and strengthen its product competitiveness. By sustaining its current growth momentum, the company aims to reach a new level of revenue and profit in the coming year.
The strategy includes rapidly increasing the share of the 10nm-class 6th-generation (1c) process, while boosting sales of DDR5 and LPDDR5 LPCAMM products designed for AI servers—thereby further reinforcing a DRAM portfolio centered on high-value-added offerings.
To meet the surging demand for HBM, the company intends to maximize production capacity at its M15X facility by the end of the year, ramping up the output of HBM4. Consequently, the company expects HBM4 to surpass HBM3E in both shipment volume and revenue by the fourth quarter, establishing itself as the flagship product.
In the NAND sector, the company plans to increase the share of its core 321-layer process to account for more than half of its domestic production capacity by the fourth quarter, facilitating a rise in the supply of high-performance, high-capacity eSSD products. In the mid-to-long term, the company aims to position its NAND technology—supported by HBF (High-Bandwidth Flash) and system optimization—as a key solution for enhancing the throughput and cost-efficiency of AI services.
Securing Long-Term Supply Agreements for Over 50% of Production Capacity Through 2027–2028; Significant Investment Expansion Planned for Next Year
To improve visibility into mid-to-long-term demand and solidify its foundation for growth, SK hynix is expanding its Long-Term Supply Agreements (LTAs) with customers. The company has currently entered into Long-Term Agreements (LTAs) with 14 major clients, including a global, large-scale Cloud Service Provider (CSP). It is also proactively discussing the potential extension of these contracts—which typically span five years—with some of these clients.
The volume secured through these LTAs accounts for more than 50% of the company’s total production capacity for 2027 and 2028. The company explained that it has established a structure that ensures stable profitability while allowing for flexible responses to market shifts, by incorporating a mechanism that adjusts pricing—within an agreed-upon range—to reflect prevailing market conditions.
Building on this clear demand visibility, the company is moving to expand its production capacity. With infrastructure investments ramping up both domestically and internationally—including the full-scale launch of the first fabrication plant (Fab 1) in Yongin next year—total investment spending is expected to increase significantly compared to this year. However, the company plans to remain flexible regarding the scale and timing of these investments, carefully evaluating factors such as client demand, product competitiveness, profitability, and investment efficiency.
Approximately 100 Trillion Won in Shareholder Returns This Year; Most Gains from Kioxia Investment to be Shared with Shareholders
As previously signaled in August, SK Hynix announced additional shareholder return measures today. The company plans to return approximately 100 trillion won to shareholders, comprising over 30 trillion won in cash dividends (based on the 2026 fiscal year) and more than 60 trillion won in share buybacks and cancellations—a figure that includes the 40 trillion won buyback program announced in August. This initiative fulfills the company’s commitment to return at least 50% of its Free Cash Flow (FCF) to shareholders. Notably, the 40 trillion won share buyback program announced in August was completed last week, and the shares are set to be cancelled shortly. The company announced a policy to determine dividend payouts based on operating performance, while also committing to provide additional returns through special dividends whenever significant investment gains are realized. Furthermore, the company pledged to continue share buybacks on a quarterly basis.
During the board meeting held today, it was resolved to distribute 14 trillion won in cash dividends for the third quarter and to execute 20 trillion won in share buybacks. Of the shares to be repurchased, 10 trillion won worth—intended for shareholder returns—will be entirely retired (cancelled). The remaining 10 trillion won is earmarked for employee compensation and is therefore excluded from the scope of shareholder returns.
The third-quarter dividend is set at 20,000 won per share, consisting of a 10,000-won dividend reflecting improved operating performance and a 10,000-won special dividend representing a share of the gains from the investment in Kioxia. The company has decided to return the vast majority of the profits realized from its Kioxia investment this year to its shareholders.
SK Hynix emphasized, "Moving forward, we will continue to deliver stable results, driven by robust growth in memory demand and our technological competitiveness, and we remain committed to consistently sharing these outcomes with our shareholders."
■ Q3 2026 Financial Results Comparison Table (Based on K-IFRS)
|
(단위:억 원)
|
2026년 3분기
|
||||
|
Q2’26
|
증감률
|
Q3’25
|
증감률
|
||
|
매출액
|
1,046,155
|
793,187
|
32%
|
244,489
|
328%
|
|
영업이익
|
833,338
|
605,426
|
38%
|
113,834
|
632%
|
|
영업이익률
|
80%
|
76%
|
3%p
|
47%
|
33%p
|
|
당기순이익
|
397,756
|
939,226
|
-58%
|
125,975
|
216%
|
※ Prepared in accordance with the Korean International Financial Reporting Standards (K-IFRS).
※ These financial results have been prepared prior to the completion of an accounting review by an external auditor and are subject to change during the review process.
※ Growth rates are calculated based on the original figures prior to rounding.
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[October 28, 2026]
SK Hynix Announces Q3 2026 Financial Results
Ø Revenue of KRW 104.6155 trillion, operating profit of KRW 83.3338 trillion, and net profit of KRW 39.7756 trillion… Quarterly revenue surpasses KRW 100 trillion for the first time in history
Ø Increased sales of high-value-added products, including HBM4 and solutions for servers… HBM4 to Emerge as a Key Product Starting in the Fourth Quarter
Ø Long-term supply agreements secured for over 50% of production capacity through 2027–2028; stable profitability ensured through structures that reflect market conditions.
Ø Approximately KRW 100 trillion in shareholder returns to be executed this year; the majority of gains from the Kioxia investment to be shared with shareholders.
SK Hynix announced on the 28th that it recorded KRW 104.6155 trillion in revenue, KRW 83.3338 trillion in operating profit (an 80% operating margin), and KRW 39.7756 trillion in net profit (a 38% net margin) for the third quarter of this year. (Based on K-IFRS)
■ Record-High Quarterly Revenue and Operating Profit; Revenue Surpasses KRW 100 Trillion for the First Time
Driven by rising prices for key products amid growing demand for AI memory, the company achieved record-high quarterly revenue and operating profit, bolstered by its competitiveness in high-value-added products. Notably, revenue exceeded KRW 100 trillion for the first time in the company’s history. Both revenue and operating profit increased by 32% and 38%, respectively, compared to the previous quarter.
* Q2 2026: Revenue of KRW 79.3187 trillion, Operating Profit of KRW 60.5426 trillion
By product category, the ramp-up of HBM4 shipments, combined with a significant surge in sales of server-grade DDR5, drove growth in the DRAM segment. In the NAND sector, the expansion of 321-layer TLC eSSD sales contributed to continued growth across high-value-added products destined for data centers.
The company’s financial structure has also become even more robust. At the end of the third quarter, cash and cash equivalents stood at 114.5 trillion won—an increase of 26.5 trillion won from the previous quarter—while borrowings decreased by 2.8 trillion won to 15.8 trillion won. Consequently, net cash expanded to 98.7 trillion won.
■ Memory Supply Shortage Expected to Persist Through 2030
SK Hynix has observed the emergence of a virtuous cycle: the growing use of AI—which enhances productivity and generates new revenue streams across diverse fields such as software development, customer service, and search—is driving an expansion in infrastructure investment. Furthermore, the company noted that the base of AI investment is broadening beyond a handful of firms to include a wider range of enterprises and even national-level initiatives, suggesting sustained growth for the global AI data center infrastructure market.
The memory market is also expected to maintain its growth trajectory, driven in the short term by AI applications for both enterprise and personal use, and in the medium to long term by "physical AI"—such as autonomous driving and robotics.
On the other hand, the company assessed that supply is failing to keep pace with the speed of market growth. This is due to the increasing technical complexity of advanced manufacturing processes, as well as...



