The Korea Times

SK hynix aims to double market cap in 3 years with AI chips

- By Park Jae-hyuk pjh@koreatimes.co.kr

SK hynix unveiled the goal of doubling its market capitaliza­tion to 200 trillion won ($152 billion) within three years, based on the expectatio­n that the growing demand for memory chips for artificial intelligen­ce (AI) will enable the company to grow even more sustainabl­y.

During a press conference in Las Vegas, Monday (local time), the chipmaker also hinted that it may resume full production of DRAM during the first quarter at the earliest and NAND in the latter half of this year. In addition, it dismissed concerns over any possible fallout from the U.S.-China chip war on its business.

“Demand for DRAM has shown some signs of a turnaround recently, and we will increase production of high-demand models first, while we will deal with the NAND market product by product, as it is making a slower rebound,” SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung told reporters a day before the opening of CES 2024 in the U.S. state.

He also emphasized that SK hynix has secured validated end-user status from the U.S. government, reducing uncertaint­ies and providing the company with more time to review its China business.

His remarks came after the semiconduc­tor manufactur­er introduced itself as the company that leads the era of “memory-centric AI everywhere.”

“The importance of memory will grow further as generative AI will become widespread,” Kwak said. “We will introduce a ‘custom memory platform’ to provide customized AI memory solutions as demand grows for diverse memory products.”

SK hynix also introduced its planned 120 trillion won investment in the constructi­on of a new memory chip plant on a 4.15 million-square-meter site in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, which will supply semiconduc­tors to AI companies worldwide.

The chipmaker remained optimistic that its leadership in the high bandwidth memory (HBM) market will boost its earnings and stock price, as that type of memory chip is considered vital for AI.

 ?? Courtesy of Eximbank ?? Eximbank Korea Vice President Kang Jung-soo, second from left, and U.S. Export-Import Bank Vice President Judith D. Pryor, third from left, pose at local law firm Shin & Kim in Seoul, Tuesday.
Courtesy of Eximbank Eximbank Korea Vice President Kang Jung-soo, second from left, and U.S. Export-Import Bank Vice President Judith D. Pryor, third from left, pose at local law firm Shin & Kim in Seoul, Tuesday.
 ?? Courtesy of SK hynix ?? SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung speaks during a press conference at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Monday (local time).
Courtesy of SK hynix SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung speaks during a press conference at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Monday (local time).
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