Seoul, 29 July 2026 – SK Hynix delivered record quarterly profit as artificial-intelligence infrastructure continued to drive demand for advanced memory, yet the result fell short of elevated market expectations. The contrast captures the challenge facing semiconductor investors: operational performance can be exceptional while share-price reactions remain constrained by valuations that already assume rapid growth.

The South Korean chipmaker is a critical supplier of high-bandwidth memory, the specialised chips that feed data rapidly to AI processors. Demand from data-centre operators and technology groups has tightened the memory market, supporting pricing and margins across products. SK Hynix said the foundation for AI-related demand remains strong even as investors debate how long the spending cycle can persist.