Samsung's second-quarter operating profit surged 19 times year-on-year, primarily driven by the strong demand for memory chips (DRAM/NAND) from AI data center construction. This resulted in a persistent supply shortage of core memory capacity, with both volume and price increases creating a significant gap.
However, the capital market wasn't buying into the "excellent" financial statements. Investors were concerned about potential overcapacity and peak demand. On one hand, due to the significant expansion of chip production in the past, the market was highly wary of potential slowdowns in US technology spending on AI infrastructure, leading to overcapacity and a downward trend in chip prices after the supply was released. On the other hand, labor shortages and power constraints could cause data center construction to stall, further weakening hardware demand.
Therefore, although current supply remains tight, the fear of future overcapacity and the inability to maintain pricing power is the real driving force behind profit-taking in the soaring chip stocks and the resulting market correction.
