Counterpoint Research director MS Hwang said recent share-price weakness does
not indicate a fundamental shift in the memory-chip market. Samsung Electronics
fell 6.9% and SK Hynix fell 6.1% on Tuesday, even as Samsung expects another
record quarter on strong demand; some investors may view much of Samsung’s
upside as already priced in on stronger profitability expectations. Hwang said
recent strikes and political debate over profit-sharing could raise concerns
about future shareholder returns, but manufacturers’ fundamentals remain solid.
Counterpoint’s July memory-price tracking report now forecasts Q3 DRAM prices up
10–20% as customers continue to front-load orders, versus an earlier 5–10%
projection.
