SK HYNIX INC S/GDR 144A - HXSCL STOCK NEWS

SK hynix reported strong financial results for Q1 2022, with revenues reaching 12.16 trillion won and operating profit at 2.86 trillion won, achieving an operating margin of 24%. Net income was 1.98 trillion won, reflecting a 40% decline year-over-year. The company attributes its performance to a smaller-than-expected decline in memory chip prices and contributions from its subsidiary Solidigm. However, it also set aside a 380 billion won provision for compensation due to weaknesses in some DRAM products. Despite challenges, SK hynix remains optimistic about growth in the memory industry.

SK hynix and Solidigm have announced their first collaborative product, the P5530 enterprise solid-state drive (eSSD), combining SK hynix's 128-layer NAND Flash with Solidigm's SSD controller. This partnership aims to enhance competitiveness in the NAND flash sector while investing in US R&D under SK hynix's 'Inside America Strategy.' The P5530 is designed for data centers, available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities, showcasing the potential of this new partnership just three months post-acquisition of Intel’s NAND business by SK hynix.

On February 16, 2022, SK hynix announced the development of PIM (Processing In Memory), marking a significant advancement in memory chip technology. This next-generation chip offers computational capabilities designed to alleviate data congestion for AI and big data applications. The GDDR6-AiM, the first product using PIM, boasts processing speeds 16 times faster than traditional DRAM. Operating at a reduced voltage of 1.25V, it also lowers power consumption by 80%, aligning with SK hynix's ESG goals. The technology will be showcased at ISSCC 2022 in San Francisco.

SK hynix reported record-high revenues for fiscal year 2021, achieving 42.998 trillion won, a 35% increase year-over-year. The operating profit was 12.410 trillion won, a 148% rise, while net income soared to 9.616 trillion won, reflecting a 102% growth. The operating margin stood at 29%.

For Q4 2021, revenues reached 12.377 trillion won, with operating profit at 4.220 trillion won. SK hynix plans to raise dividends and expects to double its NAND Flash sales through its US subsidiary.

SK hynix has successfully acquired Intel's SSD business and the Dalian NAND Flash Manufacturing Facility in China for $7 billion, following clearance from China's regulatory body. The new entity will operate under the name Solidigm, headquartered in San Jose, California, with plans for a second phase acquisition valued at $2 billion to finalize the deal by March 2025. This acquisition aims to enhance SK hynix's competitive edge in NAND Flash alongside its leading DRAM business.

SK hynix announced the shipment of samples for its 24Gb DDR5 DRAM, the highest density in the industry, just 14 months after launching the first DDR5 DRAM. Utilizing 1anm technology with EUV process, it achieves up to 33% speed improvement and 25% lower power consumption. The initial offerings will be 48GB and 96GB modules targeting cloud data centers and high-performance servers for AI and big data processing. The launch aligns with SK hynix's ESG goals, focusing on reduced carbon emissions and energy efficiency.

SK hynix has developed High Bandwidth Memory 3 (HBM3), the fastest DRAM globally, marking a significant milestone in memory technology. HBM3 processes up to 819GB/s, a 78% increase from its predecessor, HBM2E, enabling rapid data transmission. The product boasts a capacity of 24GB, the largest in the industry, and integrates advanced error-correction technology for enhanced reliability. HBM3 is expected to drive performance in high-performance data centers and AI platforms. This achievement solidifies SK hynix's leadership in the premium memory market.

SK hynix has commenced mass production of its 8 Gb LPDDR4 mobile DRAM utilizing 1anm technology, based on advanced 10nm processes. This marks the company's first full-scale adoption of EUV equipment, enhancing productivity by 25% compared to 1znm nodes. The new DRAM operates at a record speed of 4266Mbps while reducing power consumption by 20%, aligning with SK hynix's ESG commitments. The technology will also be applied to DDR5 products starting from early 2022, solidifying SK hynix's leadership in the semiconductor sector.