PERSPECTA

News from every angle

Results for "Memory Chip"

132 stories found

AI Boom Transforms Memory Chip Market Dynamics
BusinessFT5d ago

AI Boom Transforms Memory Chip Market Dynamics

The current AI frenzy is signaling an end to the traditional boom and bust cycles for memory chipmakers, with companies like SK Hynix and Samsung reporting increased demand for long-term contracts amid acute shortages.

SAP reports 17% rise in first-quarter profit
Technologychannel-news-asiaseeking-alpha10d ago2 sources

SAP reports 17% rise in first-quarter profit

SK Hynix announced a record profit in its first quarter, largely attributed to the surging demand for memory chips and other components crucial for Artificial Intelligence technologies.

SK Hynix Plans $13 Billion AI Memory Plant in South Korea
Businesschannel-news-asiaseeking-alpha12d ago2 sources

SK Hynix Plans $13 Billion AI Memory Plant in South Korea

SK Hynix, a major memory chipmaker, is reportedly planning to invest nearly $13 billion in a new manufacturing facility in South Korea. The investment aims to meet the surging global demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips used in artificial intelligence applications.

SK hynix eyes US listing to unlock AI premium
BusinessbloombergKorea Heraldchannel-news-asia+1yonhap-english1mo ago4 sources

SK hynix eyes US listing to unlock AI premium

SK hynix, the world’s second-largest memory chip maker, is stepping up plans to list on the US market via American Depositary Receipts or ADRs, as it looks to close a persistent valuation gap with global semiconductor peers despite strong AI-driven earnings. SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won confirmed Monday that the company is actively reviewing an ADR issuance, signaling a more concrete move beyond earlier disclosures. In a regulatory filing in December, SK hynix said it was considering various s

Why Korean memory giants aren't rushing to expand DRAM supply
TechnologyKorea Herald1mo ago

Why Korean memory giants aren't rushing to expand DRAM supply

The world suddenly cannot get enough memory chips. Artificial intelligence data centers are consuming unprecedented volumes of DRAM, pushing prices higher and squeezing supply for everything from smartphones to laptops. The two companies at the center of that boom, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, earned more than 72.1 trillion won ($48.7 billion) in operating profit last year. And yet the shortage continues. The question seems obvious. If demand is booming and profits are soaring, why not simp

Award-winning memory chip expert Shi Guojun leaves US for job at top Chinese semiconductor firm
TechnologySCMP1mo ago

Award-winning memory chip expert Shi Guojun leaves US for job at top Chinese semiconductor firm

An expert on semiconductor packaging and memory chips has left the University of California, Irvine after more than two decades to join a leading conductive materials company in eastern China. Shi Guojun has taken on the role of chief strategic scientist and director of the Future Industry Research Institute at DK Electronic Materials, the company said in a statement posted online on March 6. According to DKEM, Shi will lead the company’s strategic planning and development in emerging...

A Japanese toilet maker and seasoning giant are unlikely winners of the AI boom
BusinessBusiness Insider2mo ago

A Japanese toilet maker and seasoning giant are unlikely winners of the AI boom

AI demand is boosting unexpected Japanese companies — including a toilet maker and a seasoning giant. Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images A toilet maker and seasoning giant are Japan's unlikely winners in the AI boom. Toto, famous for its bidets, has drawn investor attention because it makes key components for memory chips. Food giant Ajinimoto produces an insulating material used in advanced semiconductor packaging. The AI boom isn't just lifting chipmakers and Big Tech. In Japan, it's flushing gains into a toilet manufacturer and a seasoning giant. As demand for AI chips surges, investors are piling into companies that sit inside the semiconductor supply chain — even if they're better known for bathrooms and soup stock. Toilet maker Toto, famous for its high-tech bidets and heated seats, has drawn investor attention. The company makes electrostatic chucks, which are critical components used in the production of NAND memory chips. Memory prices have climbed sharply in recent months, driven by AI-related demand. Last week, UK-based activist fund Palliser Capital called Toto "the most undervalued and overlooked AI memory beneficiary," according to reports by Bloomberg and the Financial Times. After news broke on Tuesday that Palliser Capital had taken a stake and was pushing Toto to promote its chip-parts business, the toilet maker's stock jumped more than 5%. Its shares are up more than 54% over the past year. It's not just Toto. Japanese food giant Ajinomoto, better known for its umami seasonings and soup bases, has become an unlikely AI infrastructure play. The company produces an insulating material used in advanced semiconductor packaging. Ajinomoto's latest financials point to strength beyond its core food business. For the nine months ended December, the company reported an 8.9% rise in net profit, while operating profit increased 5.6% year-on-year. The gains were partly driven by its "Healthcare and Others" segment which includes electronic materials used in semiconductors, the company said in a February earnings statement. After Ajinomoto posted its earnings on February 5, the company's stock rose 13%. Its shares are up more than 56% over the past year. Not all non-tech companies are benefiting equally from the AI boom. Daikin, best known globally for its air conditioners, supplies high-purity chemical materials used in semiconductor manufacturing. It recently trimmed its outlook, citing uncertainty over US tariffs as a drag on demand. The Japanese air conditioning maker reduced its operating profit forecast by about 5% to 413 billion Japanese yen, or $2.6 billion, for the fiscal year ending in March. "Operating profit was significantly affected by the decline in semiconductor demand, decreasing by 44.6% year over year to ¥18,102 million," the company said in its financial report in February. "Net sales of fluoropolymers fell year over year, despite focused Group efforts to capture strong new demand in the data center field, and was due to the stagnation in the construction markets of the United States and China and the significant overall impact of delays in the recovery of semiconductor demand," it added. The company said it plans to cushion the blow through price increases and cost reductions. Daikin's stock dropped as much as 8.4% in Tokyo following its financial results. Read the original article on Business Insider

Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S26 expected to see first price hike in 3 years
TechnologyYahooKorea Herald2mo ago2 sources

Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S26 expected to see first price hike in 3 years

Samsung Electronics Co.'s upcoming Galaxy smartphone is expected to see its first price increase since 2023, industry watchers said Wednesday, amid a global rise in memory chip prices fueled by the artificial intelligence boom. The South Korean tech giant plans to host the Galaxy Unpacked 2026 event in San Francisco on Feb. 25 under the theme "The Next AI Phone Makes Your Life Easier," where the company is widely expected to unveil the Galaxy S26, the latest in its flagship lineup. Samsung Elect

Memory Chip Market Downturn Intensifies with Price Collapse and Hoarded Inventory
Businessseeking-alphazerohedge1mo ago2 sources

Memory Chip Market Downturn Intensifies with Price Collapse and Hoarded Inventory

The memory chip market is experiencing a significant downturn, with a 'price collapse' hitting memory sticks as hoarded inventory floods the market following Google's DeepSeek Moment and the TurboQuant compression algorithm, leading to lowered price targets for companies like Micron and a broader 'memory rout' in Korea.

Sony Raises PlayStation 5 Prices by Up to $150 Citing Economic Pressures
TechnologyBBCvgpublico+9hvghindustan-timesindian-expressjapan-timesklix-bachannel-news-asiameta-mkseeking-alpha+1 more1mo ago12 sources

Sony Raises PlayStation 5 Prices by Up to $150 Citing Economic Pressures

Sony has announced another round of global price increases for its PlayStation 5 consoles, by up to $150, citing surging memory chip costs and broader economic pressures, a decision that has previously sparked public outrage.

Micron Reassesses AI Memory Outlook Amid Sector Reshaping
TechnologyFTYahoo1mo ago2 sources

Micron Reassesses AI Memory Outlook Amid Sector Reshaping

Memory chip stocks, including Micron, have collectively shed $100 billion after new research suggested AI data centers will require less memory, leading Micron to reassess its AI memory outlook as TurboQuant and SK Hynix reshape the sector.

SK Chairman Warns Global Memory Crunch May Last Until 2030
Technologyzerohedge1mo ago

SK Chairman Warns Global Memory Crunch May Last Until 2030

SK Chairman Warns Global Memory Crunch May Last Until 2030 SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won warned that the global high-bandwidth memory crunch, driven by AI data center buildouts, will last until the end of the decade. Chey told reporters on the sidelines of Nvidia's annual developer conference, 'GTC 2026,' at the San Jose Convention Center in California on Monday that the memory chip shortage could last another four to five years, with supply unlikely to catch up to demand until...

Iran Conflict Expected to Drive Up Electronics Prices
Technologyhvg1mo ago

Iran Conflict Expected to Drive Up Electronics Prices

The ongoing conflict involving Iran is anticipated to cause a significant increase in the price of electronic devices, particularly those with screens. This comes as memory chips are already being diverted to artificial intelligence, with the war further exacerbating supply shortages and price hikes.

Google Deepmind CEO says the memory shortage is creating an AI 'choke point'
TechnologyBusiness Insider2mo ago

Google Deepmind CEO says the memory shortage is creating an AI 'choke point'

Google's AI boss Demis Hassabis said the memory market came down to "a few suppliers of a few key components." PONTUS LUNDAHL/TT NEWS AGENCY/AFP via Getty Images Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis said that the "whole supply chain" for memory chips is constrained. "You need a lot of chips to be able to experiment on new ideas," Hassabis told CNBC. Google produces its own TPUs, but Hassabis said that there were still "key components" that were supply-constrained. The memory shortage takes no prisoners. Even Google isn't immune. AI companies are duking it out for greater and greater quantities of memory chips. The problem? The industry is heavily supply-constrained. Costs have skyrocketed, products have been tied up, and some companies — especially those in consumer electronics — are increasing prices. On the AI front, Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis told CNBC that physical challenges were "constraining a lot of deployment." Google sees "so much more demand" for Gemini and its other models than it could serve, he said. "Also, it does constrain a little bit the research," Hassabis said. "You need a lot of chips to be able to experiment on new ideas at a big enough scale that you can actually see if they're going to work." Researchers want chips, whether they work at Google, Meta, OpenAI, or other Big Tech companies, and memory is a key component. Mark Zuckerberg said that AI researchers demanded two things beyond money: the fewest number of people reporting to them, and the most chips possible. Hassabis said that wherever there was a capacity constraint, there was a "choke point." "The whole supply chain is kind of strained," Hassabis said. "We're lucky, because we have our own TPUs, so we have our own chip designs." Google has long built TPUs — Tensor Processing Units — for internal use. The company also leases them to external customers through its cloud, which has also put Nvidia on edge. But even access to their own TPUs won't save Google from having to navigate the highly competitive memory market. "It still, in the end, actually comes down to a few suppliers of a few key components," Hassabis said. Three suppliers dominate memory chip production: Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix. These companies are struggling to meet demand for chips from AI hyperscalers without dropping their longtime electronics customers. It doesn't help that AI companies mainly want a different type of memory chip than PC manufacturers do. Large language model producers want HBM (high-bandwidth memory) chips. Don't expect Google's spending on AI infrastructure and chips to go down anytime soon. On its fourth-quarter earnings call, the company projected capital expenditures of $175 billion to $185 billion for 2026. Read the original article on Business Insider

Samsung Chip Profit Soars Nearly 50-Fold on Strong AI Demand
BusinessReutersbloombergwsj+17cnbcberlingskeSCMPder-standardhvgpolitikenobservadorhotnews+9 more3d ago20 sources

Samsung Chip Profit Soars Nearly 50-Fold on Strong AI Demand

Samsung Electronics announced a nearly 50-fold increase in its chip profit, contributing to a record quarterly profit, largely fueled by surging global demand for AI chips. This trend is also impacting other memory chip makers like SK Hynix and Murata, who are reporting record supply shortages.

Micron, Sandisk Shares Rally on Memory Demand Outlook
Businesscnbcmarketwatch6d ago2 sources

Micron, Sandisk Shares Rally on Memory Demand Outlook

Shares of memory chip makers Micron and Sandisk continue to rally, fueled by expectations of persistent demand for memory products. Analysts predict further growth, partly attributing it to a potential software-like subscription model.

Chinese Politburo Member Ma Xingrui Under Anti-Graft Investigation
WorldAPReutersbloomberg+28wsjNPRaftonbladetle-figaroSCMPNHK Worldrzeczpospolitan1-serbia+20 more1mo ago31 sources

Chinese Politburo Member Ma Xingrui Under Anti-Graft Investigation

Ma Xingrui, a member of China's Politburo, is under disciplinary review and supervisory investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection for alleged "serious violations of the law," making him the third elite party member investigated during the current term.

Israel Takes Responsibility for Attacks on Iranian Nuclear Facilities, Arak Plant Hit
WorldAPBBCbloomberg+73NYTwsjFTle-mondewapoThe GuardianNPRAl Jazeera+65 more1mo ago76 sources

Israel Takes Responsibility for Attacks on Iranian Nuclear Facilities, Arak Plant Hit

Iranian nuclear facilities were attacked, with Israel claiming responsibility just hours after threatening to escalate military operations against Iran. Israeli forces confirmed bombing Iran's Arak heavy-water reactor, targeting key infrastructure for plutonium production, following earlier reports of US and Israeli strikes on facilities in Arak and Ardakan.

SK hynix overtakes Samsung as most preferred employer
BusinessKorea Herald1mo ago

SK hynix overtakes Samsung as most preferred employer

SK hynix has overtaken Samsung Electronics as the most preferred employer among South Korean job seekers, underscoring the rising appeal of semiconductor companies amid the global artificial intelligence boom. According to a survey released by job platform Saramin on Monday, 20 percent of the 2,304 respondents selected SK hynix as their top employer of choice. It marks the first time the memory chipmaker has surpassed Samsung Electronics, which had held the top spot since the survey began, Saram

AMD's Lisa Su to visit S. Korea next week, may meet with Samsung chief
TechnologyhvgYahooindian-express+2Korea Heraldyonhap-english1mo ago5 sources

AMD's Lisa Su to visit S. Korea next week, may meet with Samsung chief

Lisa Su, the head of Advanced Micro Devices Inc., is expected to visit South Korea next week and meet with local conglomerate executives, industry sources said Wednesday. The chief executive officer of the US chip giant may arrive in South Korea next Wednesday, in what would be her first trip to the country since taking the position in 2014, the sources said. During her visit, Su is expected to meet with Choi Soo-yeon, the CEO of the country's largest local portal operator, Naver. A meeting with

Acute chip shortage impacts AI boom and consumer prices
Technologysvenska-dagbladet1mo ago

Acute chip shortage impacts AI boom and consumer prices

The booming artificial intelligence sector has led to an acute shortage of memory chips, causing prices to skyrocket. This scarcity is expected to affect consumers throughout the year, with industry leaders describing the situation as involving 'quick decisions and extreme stress'.