New York, January 26, 2026, 09:38 EST — Regular session
- Micron shares edged up roughly 0.5% in early trading amid investor reactions to new competition cues in high-bandwidth memory.
- A report indicates Samsung will begin producing HBM4 chips for Nvidia as soon as next month, though exact volumes remain uncertain.
- Traders eye Thursday’s earnings from Samsung and SK Hynix for clues on the timing and volume of HBM4 orders.
Micron Technology (MU.O) shares edged up roughly 0.5% to $399.65 early Monday, reacting to news that Samsung Electronics is nearing a deal to provide Nvidia with next-gen memory chips.
High-bandwidth memory, or HBM, is stacked DRAM designed to boost data speeds while controlling power consumption. AI data centers have accelerated demand, turning the supplier lineup for the next platform cycle into a hotly watched scoreboard.
Micron’s challenge isn’t tied to just one design win. It comes down to how many qualified suppliers Nvidia aims to have on board. Given tight capacity, even minor tweaks in allocation could alter pricing expectations and stretch or shorten the “sold-out” narrative.
A source familiar with the situation told Reuters that Samsung aims to kick off production of its HBM4 chips next month, with Nvidia set to receive the supply. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang mentioned earlier this month that the company’s next-gen Vera Rubin platform is already in “full production,” gearing up for a launch later this year, expected to work alongside HBM4. 1
According to South Korea’s Korea Economic Daily, Samsung has cleared HBM4 qualification tests for Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices. The chipmaker is set to begin shipments to Nvidia next month, sources in the industry told the paper. Samsung’s shares climbed 2.2% in morning trading, while SK Hynix dropped 2.9%, the report noted. 2
In October, SK Hynix announced it had finalized HBM supply agreements with key customers for next year and will start rolling out silicon wafers next month at its new M15X fab in Cheongju. Samsung and SK Hynix are both scheduled to release their Q4 earnings on Thursday, January 29, with investors eager for updates on HBM4 order volume. 3
Some analysts say Samsung’s gains won’t necessarily hit Micron’s sales right away. William Blair’s Sebastien Naji told Barron’s that tight supply among Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix will probably keep any major market share shifts in check. He also noted Micron’s HBM supply for 2026 is already fully booked. 4
On Wall Street, the S&P 500 and Dow kicked off Monday with modest gains as investors prepared for a packed earnings schedule and the Federal Reserve’s policy announcement due later this week. 5
Micron’s outlook isn’t one-sided. Should Samsung accelerate its ramp-up or if AI infrastructure spending cools among key clients, the supply crunch could loosen. That would squeeze memory prices and chip away at the margins driving the current bull case.
Traders face uncertainty over volumes. According to the Reuters report, the source didn’t reveal how many chips Samsung intends to provide Nvidia—a key detail that will influence how fast market-share forecasts are adjusted. 6
Attention turns to Thursday, January 29, as Samsung and SK Hynix prepare to release their reports. Investors will be looking for updates on HBM4 orders and shipments, especially with Nvidia’s Vera Rubin launch scheduled for later this year. 7
