SK Hynix posts 7-fold jump in Q3 profit, unveils shareholder return plan worth US$75 billion

South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix reported a staggering seven-fold increase in its Q3 operating profit, reaching a record high of 83.3 trillion won, surpassing market expectations. The surge in profit can be attributed to the persistent demand for AI infrastructure, which has driven up prices for memory chips. The company also announced an ambitious shareholder return plan worth approximately 100 trillion won for the year, consisting of cash dividends of 30 trillion won and share repurchases and cancellations of 60 trillion won, including 40 trillion won that was previously announced in August.

SK Hynix reaffirmed its expectation that demand for its products will continue to outpace supply through 2030. To gain better visibility into mid-to-long-term demand, the company has signed long-term agreements (LTAs) with 14 major customers, and is actively discussing with other customers the possibility of extending their contracts, which typically last five years.

The LTAs currently account for over 50% of SK Hynix's total production capacity for 2027 and 2028. The company's operating profit for the July-September period was 11.4 trillion won, significantly lower than the 83.3 trillion won reported for the same period last year. Revenue for the quarter increased by 328% to 104.6 trillion won, with SK Hynix's shares rising 2% in line with the wider market's 2.2% gain.