SK hynix surpasses 100 trillion won in quarterly revenue, announces 60 trillion won shareholder return plan

SK hynix achieved a historic quarterly revenue of 104.6155 trillion won for the third quarter of 2026, surpassing market expectations and prompting the company to announce a 60 trillion won shareholder return plan.

SK hynix has opened an era of quarterly revenue exceeding 100 trillion won for the first time in its history. According to results announced on the 28th, SK hynix recorded quarterly revenue of 104.6155 trillion won and an operating profit of 83.3338 trillion won for the third quarter of 2026. The operating profit margin reached 80%, while the net profit margin stood at 38%. This marks the sixth consecutive quarter of record-breaking results, a streak that began in the second quarter of last year.

These figures significantly exceeded market expectations. According to the economic analysis channel "The Man Who Explains the Economy (Kim Kwang-seok TV)," the market had initially expected a revenue consensus of around 98 trillion won, but the actual result surpassed this by exceeding 100 trillion won. Operating profit also far exceeded the market's expected range of 76 trillion to 79 trillion won. Driven by the competitiveness of high-value products, the company achieved all-time quarterly highs for both revenue and operating profit.

60 trillion won shareholder return and next-generation HBF technology strategy

Alongside its record performance, SK hynix announced a large-scale shareholder return plan. The company unveiled an additional shareholder return plan totaling 60 trillion won, of which approximately 30 trillion won will be distributed as cash dividends. This expansion of shareholder returns is cited as a factor that could alleviate market concerns regarding AI investment profitability and the sustainability of the memory boom.

On the technical front, the company is focusing on HBF (High Bandwidth NAND Flash), referred to as "post-HBM." While HBM is a form of stacked DRAM, HBF is a method of stacking NAND flash, specialized for high-capacity data processing. SK hynix is establishing a strategy to preoccupy the market standard by providing solutions with high compatibility and efficiency to cloud and AI customers through an HBF stacking method focused on open standards.

Semiconductors accounting for 57% of KOSPI to become a market turning point?

The performance of Samsung Electronics and SK hynix has become a key indicator determining the direction of the entire Korean stock market. The combined weight of these two companies in the total KOSPI market capitalization reaches approximately 57%. This level is overwhelmingly higher than the weight of the top seven companies in the US S&P 500 (35%) or the top seven companies in the China MSCI (32%).

However, some analysis suggests that strong performance does not necessarily lead directly to rising stock prices. This is because stock prices react more sensitively to future expectations and agendas than to past performance. In the current semiconductor market, variables affecting stock prices include the partial erosion of Samsung Electronics' DRAM market share by companies such as ChangXin Memory Technologies, as well as changes in SK hynix's HBM market share. Future stock price directions are expected to be determined not only by individual corporate fundamentals but also by macroeconomic conditions and the ability to defend market share.

Source: original video (YouTube)