Cisco Systems forecast quarterly gross margins below market expectations, citing higher memory chip costs. The weaker margin outlook overshadowed stronger-than-expected results and sent shares down about 7% in extended trading.
SK Hynix is expected to begin shipments this month of its sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory, HBM4, a high-performance, low-power semiconductor designed for Nvidia's next-generation artificial intelligence accelerator, Vera Rubin.
China is preparing to initiate large-scale production of high-bandwidth memory (HBM), narrowing a technology gap with South Korea in a critical component for AI semiconductors. As Chinese manufacturers ramp up current-generation output, South Korean memory makers are moving to extend their market lead with next-generation products.
Memory chip manufacturers are adjusting long-standing supply practices in response to rising prices. According to South Korean media reports, suppliers are shortening contract durations and introducing "post-settlement" pricing mechanisms that allow payments to be adjusted after delivery to reflect market movements.
The supply landscape for 3D NAND wafers is being structurally reshaped as major manufacturers shift capacity aggressively toward enterprise storage. While output of mainstream 1Tb dies is ramping rapidly, prices for 512Gb TLC wafers have surged. Though 1Tb TLC wafer prices rose to around US$23 in February 2026, the gap with 512Gb wafers has narrowed sharply to below 30%.
Silicon Motion Technology, a leading global supplier of NAND flash controllers, reported robust financial results for the fourth quarter of 2025, driven by broad-based product growth and expanding market share across key segments.
South Korea is moving ahead with plans to develop what it bills as the world's largest semiconductor cluster in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, where SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics plan to build up to 10 advanced wafer fabs. Infrastructure issues that once drew intense scrutiny, particularly power supply, have eased after authorities adopted an unconventional approach that integrates power grids into road construction.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung recently convened a meeting at the Blue House titled the "Corporate Roundtable on Youth Employment and Expanded Regional Investment," bringing together leaders from the country's 10 largest conglomerates, including Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor and LG Group, along with representatives from the financial sector. Lee urged companies to work with the government to promote youth employment, entrepreneurship and more balanced regional development.
