SK hynix posts dream 72% margin

Apr 24, 2026, 08:15 am

SK hynix posted a record-breaking first-quarter performance, reporting 52.6 trillion won in revenue and 37.6 trillion won in operating profit.

The company said Thursday that its first-quarter sales came to 52.5763 trillion won, surpassing 50 trillion won on a quarterly basis for the first time. Operating profit and operating margin also reached all-time highs.

Its operating margin stood at 72 percent, a level rarely seen even among global Big Tech companies. The figure means SK hynix earned 37 trillion won in profit from 52 trillion won in semiconductor sales.

The result was driven by soaring memory chip prices and strong demand, particularly for high-performance memory used in artificial intelligence computing.

SK hynix’s margin also outpaced TSMC, the world’s top foundry, which posted an operating margin of 58.1 percent in the first quarter.

The company’s cash and cash equivalents rose by 19.4 trillion won from the previous quarter to 54.3 trillion won. Borrowings fell by 2.9 trillion won to 19.3 trillion won, leaving SK hynix with 35 trillion won in net cash. The company aims to hold 100 trillion won in net cash.

During a conference call after the earnings announcement, SK hynix said demand for high-performance memory is rising sharply as memory becomes more important in AI computing, while supply remains limited.

“Customers are prioritizing securing volume over price amid the supply-demand imbalance, supporting strong pricing momentum,” the company said. “The favorable pricing environment is expected to continue for the time being.”

SK hynix also said it plans to expand shareholder returns, reflecting its stronger profit-generating capacity. The company will prepare additional return measures this year, including possible share buybacks or cancellations, on top of dividends.

Last year, SK hynix paid 2.1 trillion won in dividends and canceled 12.2 trillion won worth of treasury shares.

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