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SK hynix logs record earnings in 2025 on AI chip demand, HBM technology

Published: 28 Jan. 2026, 17:01

SHIN MIN-HEE
[email protected]

SK hynix headquarters in Icheon, Gyeonggi [YONHAP]

SK hynix posted record earnings in 2025, fueled by surging demand for AI memory chips and the company's dominance in high bandwidth memory (HBM) technology.

The company announced on Wednesday that it logged 97.15 trillion won ($68.34 billion) in revenue and 47.21 trillion won in operating profit last year. Revenue and operating profit increased by 46.8 percent and 101.2 percent, respectively, compared to 2024.

The results exceed analysts' expectations, which previously predicted revenue to be 95.26 trillion won and operating profit to be 44.5 trillion won.

The turnaround was driven by increased shipments of HBM chips and a growing share of server DRAM sales, both of which offer significantly higher margins than memory used in PCs and mobile devices. As the market leader in HBM3 and HBM3E, SK hynix has rapidly shifted its revenue structure toward premium AI-focused products.

“Faster-than-expected growth in HBM demand has sharply improved SK hynix’s earnings visibility,” said Lee Min-hee, an analyst at BNK Securities. “If the company beats consensus again this quarter, it will further solidify its reputation as the top beneficiary of the AI investment cycle.”

Investors will be closely watching the company’s earnings call on Thursday, with attention toward its HBM4 production timeline, capacity expansion plans and demand outlook from key clients like Nvidia. Concrete updates on U.S. and Korean plant expansion, HBM4’s technology road map and its server DRAM strategy could further strengthen earnings forecasts for 2026 and 2027.

Following the earnings release, SK hynix shares rose 5.13 percent, or 41,000 points, to close at 841,000 won.

BY SHIN MIN-HEE [[email protected]]