(Source: Financial News)

Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron Technology are fully improving HBM4 yields to support high-margin performance; yield directly determines profit potential.

On July 22, according to overseas information from Financial News, Samsung Electronics, SK hynix (SKHY.US), and Micron Technology (MU.US)—the three major memory-chip manufacturers—have all launched full-scale competition over HBM4 yields. As the sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory, HBM4 will be used in AI accelerator chips such as Vera Rubin, which Nvidia (NVDA.US) plans to release in the second half of the year, making H2 corporate performance a key support.

Samsung has already achieved large-scale production of HBM4. Industry estimates its yield is close to 70%. This is driven by the continued support from 1C-process DRAM (with yields stable above 80% at the beginning of the year), significantly improving its yield-control capability.

Although SK Hynix has not disclosed precise yields, industry judgment is that it has already entered a stable production yield range. To consolidate its over-half share of the HBM market, it is in talks to introduce new production equipment to optimize the process and expand capacity.

Due to a relatively weaker production capacity base, Micron is accelerating efforts to ramp up yields and large-scale equipment investment, while simultaneously boosting its output capability.

Yield (the proportion of qualified chips) directly determines delivery volume and profit margins—making it the core focus of manufacturers’ push for breakthroughs. Although General DRAM’s short-term profits have overtaken others, its room for price increases has been leveling off (nearly doubling in Q1, 30%–50% in Q2, and 0%–20% in Q3). Meanwhile, HBM demand continues to expand, and the high gross margin advantage will once again take the lead.

Insiders say: “Samsung was the first to roll out HBM4 mass production, and the additional supply and profit growth brought by improved yields have already been fully reflected in its Q2 earnings report. This trend will continue in the second half of the year, and yield competition among the three major memory companies will become even more intense.”