SK Hynix Posts Record $33 Billion Profit as AI Chip Demand Surges

SK Hynix announced its 2025 financial results on January 28, revealing a historic performance fueled by the global race to build artificial intelligence infrastructure. The South Korean memory chipmaker reported an annual operating profit of 47.206 trillion won ($33 billion), more than doubling its profit from the previous year. Annual revenue jumped nearly 50% to 97.147 trillion won.

The figures for the final quarter were even more striking. Revenue surged 66% year-over-year to 32.827 trillion won, while operating profit skyrocketed 137% to 19.17 trillion won, surpassing analyst predictions. The company's operating margin reached 58% for the quarter.

This financial breakthrough is driven by SK Hynix's commanding position in producing high-bandwidth memory (HBM), a specialized chip essential for AI data centers. Revenue from HBM more than doubled, and the company now holds an estimated 61% market share, supplying major players like Nvidia and reportedly serving as the exclusive provider for Microsoft's new AI processor. This demand is so intense it has created shortages in other memory markets, pushing up prices for consumer electronics and electric vehicles.

"We see SK Hynix as one of the biggest AI winners in Asia," said Ray Wang, an analyst at SemiAnalysis.

The results have reshaped the competitive field. SK Hynix has overtaken its domestic rival, Samsung Electronics, in profit from its chip division. Samsung reports its own earnings today. SK Hynix is already moving forward with mass production of its next-generation HBM4 chip.

In response to the record year, the company announced a 12.24 trillion won treasury share cancellation and increased dividends. Its shares rose over 5% following the news. With AI investment from major tech firms continuing under the second Trump administration, SK Hynix's current lead positions it at the center of a transformed semiconductor industry.

Source: Webpronews