Seoul, Jan 19, 2026, 01:26 KST — Market closed
- South Korea announced plans to push for favorable conditions on any U.S. tariffs imposed on imported memory chips
- SK hynix ended the day at 756,000 won, gaining 0.93%
- Investors await clarity on tariffs ahead of the Jan. 29 earnings report
Shares of SK hynix Inc are poised for renewed focus when markets reopen Monday, following South Korea’s announcement it will push for better U.S. tariff conditions on memory chip imports. The stock closed last at 756,000 won, gaining 0.93%. (Reuters)
The warning signs go beyond the tariffs already in place to what could be imposed next. South Korea’s trade minister, Yeo Han-koo, noted the 25% U.S. tariff announced so far targets specific advanced computing chips. He pointed out that memory chips, which make up most of South Korea’s exports, are excluded, so “the immediate impact is expected to be limited.” Still, he cautioned it’s “not yet time to be reassured,” given the uncertainty around a possible second phase. (Reuters)
SK hynix faces tricky timing. The stock has surged on a rerating fueled by rising demand and better pricing for memory chips powering artificial intelligence systems. Now, as earnings season approaches, investors have little tolerance for any unexpected news — positive or negative.
Trade pressure is hitting hard. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick cautioned South Korean memory chipmakers and Taiwanese firms that if they don’t increase production in the U.S., they could face tariffs as steep as 100%, Bloomberg reported. (Bloomberg)
SK hynix is primarily recognized for its DRAM, the “working memory” crucial in computers and servers, along with NAND flash, which serves as storage memory. A major growth area has been high-bandwidth memory (HBM), a stacked memory type that delivers data swiftly to AI processors while cutting power consumption per bit.
Some investors view the immediate tariff chatter as something they can handle, yet they hesitate to write it off as a one-time event. Even though the initial wave leaves memory exports untouched, tariffs on AI processors could still dampen sentiment around AI spending and disrupt the supply chain.
Brokerage sentiment remains bullish. KB Securities analyst Jeff Kim raised his price target for SK hynix to 950,000 won, saying the “memory up-cycle has just begun.” He highlighted climbing DRAM and NAND prices and predicted further earnings surprises through the first half of 2026. (Investing.com Australia)
SK hynix America CEO Sungsoo Ryu told Reuters earlier this month that “structural changes are happening now” in the memory market. He added, “We are seeing a lot of tremendous and humongous demand,” as the company fast-tracks capacity expansions linked to AI infrastructure. (Reuters)
Peers are key here since the trade and pricing cycle hits more than just one stock. Samsung Electronics stands as the other Korean giant in memory, while Micron is the top U.S. competitor — all three track the same fluctuations in server build-outs and memory pricing.
Yet investors remain wary of a downside risk. Should Washington expand tariffs to include memory chips or devices with them, or tie exemptions to local manufacturing quotas, SK hynix might confront steeper costs and more complicated export calculations just as it seeks to secure long-term supply contracts.
Traders will zero in on Monday’s open for an initial reaction to the tariff news, then look ahead to January 29 for more details. SK hynix has scheduled a conference call at 9:00 a.m. KST to update investors and media on its 2025 fourth-quarter results, according to a recent disclosure. (Stockplus)
